I'm looking for new ways to deal with some of my PTSD symptoms with hopes that I can move further away from meds to more natural coping mechanisms. My therapist recommended I look up a woman named Patricia Carrington and purchase her meditation tapes, but I don't have a tape player, only a cd player and I have not been able to find her teachings on CD. As a result, I've been researching some meditation techniques myself online and am interested in the Mantra Meditation using Malas (beads).

My question is: does anyone here have any experience using the Mantra Meditation technique, and if so, what has been your experience with it?

Also, what other meditation techniques are others here on the forum using and in what ways has it helped with your PTSD symptoms?

Thanks!
Rachel

Hey Linasmom,

Visualization; these are very good for use as grounding techniques and can be used to trigger certain responses.

The trick is firstly to relax, scan your body as you close your eyes and pin point areas in your body that are feeling tense. Relax these areas and breathe from your belly, not your chest or sides as this is shallow breathing. You can do a few things here depedning on the result you want?...

trigger to bring you in the now; key word that promotes this feeling and feeling safe, imagine a colour with the word. As you exhale allow your word to leave your body, visualize it lfoating or whatver works for you. See the word and feel the feelings you associate with it! This is good for combatting disociating.

tirgger to feel relaxed; special place, mine is resting on the sand with the shore not too far way. My legs are in front of me and my arms are propping me up from behind. Feel the sensations of your special place. For me it would be the sand, the heat of the sun on my body the sound of the calm and gentle surf a gentle breeze......... Good for promtoing feeling safe.

There is so much out there. Have a play and see what speaks to you!

Spirit x

My wife put a little water fountain with lights that transends the water in the ceiling and its very relaxing.

I have flute music from the Peruvian Indians, it helps when I drive.

I went to the Colorado Mountains and it was just so awesome to stare at Gods creations.

Going out in a boat or canoe down a slow relaxing river is just so peacfull. Kayaking is great for yourself to get away from it all and just enjoy nature.

Thanks Spirit and Marine!

I have two fish tanks in the house and a pond in the backyard that the hubby and I built together, it's all very relaxing but I really want to find something more, I guess, "technical".

The Mantra Meditation technique really piqued my interest, I like that it involves finger movements to compliment the verbal/auditory cues.

I too have been interested in learnng more about ways to relax. Great thread!!

Hello LinasMom,

It looks like you've gotten some great food for thought here. My husband & I took Transidental Meditation from the local TM center. It's great for establishing the practice (mantra-based meditation & discipline).

It helped us immensely by calming down the mind noise. Think of it as an ocean of thought - choppier and more chaotic near the surface where we all exist, and calmer the deeper you go. The 20 minutes spent in the AM and in the PM helps one to walk forward in calmness. Just remember, if you take this route, that it IS a practice. Do not judge yourself for not concentrating: 1) it is humanly impossible to "stay down" but to dip into the "abyss" as often as often as possible; and 2) just as you wouldn't expect to play a violin at first try, neither can you expect to understand what it means to you to meditate as a practice.

The majority (if not all) of research done on meditation is based on TM studies.

Now - thank you for reminding me of what a wonderful resource meditation can be :-) I need to get back to such a simple and rewarding practice. I've just been waiting for my mind to equalize after the latest traumatic event. I haven't wanted to play with potential DID. Meditation has a great impact and should be respected as a powerful tool.

Good luck!

CS

Patricia Carrington also has books if you cannot listen to the tapes.

Cowgirl

oh LinasMom,

One more thing. I'm not sure if the other forms of meditation fall under this category but it would be well worth looking into: meditation does have an impact on brain chemistry. Remain cautiously aware of this when trying different techniques and especially if changing your Rx. Please be sure you are under a doctor's care & look into meditation's impact on brain chemistry vs. mood disorders. It is a wonderful & amazing practice which is why you want to proceed with eyes wide open - at least until you have fully researched this topic. It is powerful.

Good luck!

CS

I have done a fair bit of meditation using mantras. The idea of this type of meditation, as with many forms, is to synchronize body, speech and mind. The turning of the beads on the mala, as well as bringing the body to stillness work with the first. The repetition of the mantra, which can be any series of syllables (or a single one) works with speech. The mind is generally focussed on some type of visualization at the same time. Sometimes one simply visualizes the words of the mantra spinning in a circle.
All of this provides three points of mindfulness and awareness, which is very grounding, and eventually helps to slow down and gain perspective on the many many thoughts and feelings that flip through our minds all the time. As with any activity that completely absorbs our attention, there can also be lovely moments of peace, where mundane concerns disappear from view and the mind relaxes.

I do yoga twice a week. It's called moving meditation and it's a really great way to practice mindfullness. It's definately a way to keep you in the 'now' and focus on yourself currently rather than in the past or the future.

The breathing practices of yoga have been one of the biggest helps for me with my anxiety.

I highly recommend it.

Lisa