# Meditation



## BackFire44 (Nov 19, 2003)

Does anyone know of any online resources that would help me start trying to meditate. Stress is my #1 trigger for my IBS-D. No matter how much medicine I take or what I eat, in a stressful situation, I always have problems. I am trying to get a handle on it, and many have suggested meditation. I've also heard biofeedback mentioned. What is this?I know lots of people have had success with hypnotherapy, and I plan to move on to this if meditation doesn't help.


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## california123 (Jun 8, 2003)

Hi,There is this great video-- Stress Free Living: Meditation For Busy Women.I took it out from the library but I also see it offered on Amazon.com. where there is a good description of the tape.Anyway, it shows alll sorts of circumstances in everyday life where we compound stress by our own actions and then how to change that body and mindset. It teaches mindfulness in the everyday so that we learn to slow down and relax with very concrete examples including tension reduction, better breathing and many more. I have a hard time with classic meditation, but this video taught me how to incorporate it into my daily life. I highly recommend it. Take care.


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## BackFire44 (Nov 19, 2003)

Will it work if you are a busy man?


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## california123 (Jun 8, 2003)

Well, only if you decide to slow down. There's busy because you have to get things done and then there's busy because you aren't comfortable sitting still. If it is not to personal a question, what in particular makes you such a busy man?


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## california123 (Jun 8, 2003)

Oh, so sorry, didn't even remember the title had the word "woman" in it. Yes, it can work, but you might have to get used to wearing stilletos.


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## BackFire44 (Nov 19, 2003)

I don't know. Dressing up as a women may add some more stress to my life. Although, not if I'm honest about it. What stresses me out? A lot: my wife and I are in different cities this year due to our jobs (this will get resolved next year); just starting my professional career and so job stress is high; stressed about IBS problems and my general bad health at a realtively young age (including increased blood pressure due to my stress); lots of stress pouring in from my family that live far away. Actually, after writing this I feel like there is a lot more stress than I thought. Try to exercise at least three times a week and get plenty of sleep; but I need a different mindset. Hopefully meditation will help, but if it doesn't will try hypnotherapy as well -- not just for my IBS, but generally for my life.


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## BackFire44 (Nov 19, 2003)

Tried meditation yesterday. I used The Relaxation Response as described on http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel/asc/improve/...s/response.html I'm going to continue it and see if it has a positive effect. I figure if I train my body to relax itself at a moment's thought from me, then I can get rid of the stress trigger. Big goal, I know, but we'll see.


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## JohnnyV (Dec 11, 2003)

Yeah, we aint all women!....and I ain't cross dressing neither! lol


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## candywithaholeinthemiddle (Dec 9, 2003)

Backfire -- I think it's great that you're trying meditation! I find (even before my IBS) that it really grounds me - once I'm done meditating, if something even slightly anxiety-provoking happens, I have a much easier time dealing with it. I suddenly realize that there is more than one way to handle a situation...I read the description at the site you posted above and think it's a really good start. There is one thing I would add, however, and that is that whenever you are trying to meditate and a thought comes into your head like "shoot, I forgot to get the dry cleaning and they're gonna be closed tomorrow" (or whatever) that sometimes this in itself stresses me out because I'm thinking "why did I think that?..I'm trying to relax, now I'm going to have to start over..." etc.. Someone told me once to visualize your thoughts as clouds -- so that when you have a distracting thought while you are meditating, just sit back and watch it pass over you...just let it go and maybe think 'hey, there's a thought' or something like that... Does that make sense? I'm a very visual person, so for me that imagery really did it. Good luck!p.s. don't give up if you have a hard time at first...it takes practice to relax (especially after years of practising being stressed!)


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## BackFire44 (Nov 19, 2003)

Thank you for your advice. You are right -- that is the hardest part about meditating. I read in another place that whenever you get such a thought you should not berate yourself for it, but accept it. Then, take the thought and shoo it away gently. The idea of the cloud is a similar device. That reminds me -- I haven't meditated today! Still don't know if it is helping, but at worst I get a bit of relaxation in the afternoon. Can never hurt.


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## candywithaholeinthemiddle (Dec 9, 2003)

Let us know how it's going after a few weeks!


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## california123 (Jun 8, 2003)

Two thoughts on meditation.Because my mind was always buzzing and I was usually fidgeting, I first focused on just sitting still, first for just 5 minutes and then upping it regularly. I let me mind do what it wanted, but my body learned to be still. From there, since I found it very difficult to "clear my mind," I have used the technique of counting my breath. I count one--breath in, two--breath out, three-breath in, etc. until I get through eight, and then start again. The book I read said it was difficult for your mind to do nothing, so this gave it a rhythmic task that kept it busy. It also gives you someplace to "come back to" if your mind still wanders. If you realize that has happened, just go back to "one" and start over. It really helps me stay focused. Good luck on meditation.


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## BackFire44 (Nov 19, 2003)

Yes, it is difficult to stop your mind from thinking all the time. I've noticed, in fact, that when I do have IBS problems, if my mind is given a task where it has to concentrate, the symptoms disappear while my mind is busy.For instance, this morning I was driving to work. I had an urgency to go to the bathroom while I was on the highway. I started thinking about where I could pull off, hoping there would be a bathroom nearby. Then, I noticed two semis pulling up next to me on either side as the road narrowed, heading into a construction zone. I started concentrating very hard on driving, being the center of a semi-sandwich until I finally cleared the construction and could manouver a bit more. During that time, I noticed I didn't feel that same urgency. After it ended, though, it came back again.If we could just figure out how to turn that switch on all the time -- I think everyone would be a lot better. Lots of people make it through the night no matter what bad things they ate for dinner. There is certainly some way of telling out gut to calm down, and hopefully more meditation will lead me to that path. At first, ten minutes seemed like an eternity, but I find now that I sometimes go over the ten minutes I set for myself. Still, it will take a long time, I fear, before I can override my anxiety/stress response and really calm down my colon when I need to.


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## BackFire44 (Nov 19, 2003)

I'm happy to report that meditation has definitely had positive effects on my IBS. I haven't been the best about it -- I try to do it every day, but it goes in spurts. For a week, I'll do it every day, and then in the next week, I'll forget most days to do it. Nevertheless, I find that when I get the feeling that I have to rush to the bathroom, I am better at relaxing my body. I still hope I get even better, though.


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## poet (Nov 17, 2003)

some meditation info: http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?objec...6ABD50B2262EC0D tom


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## WARRAVEN (Mar 11, 2004)

I do not know if I can assist you at all but I find that this has helped me. This is my first post, so I'm going to share a little info to see if any of this you can relate too. I am not too aware of the specifics of my IBS, but I've had it for 3 years untreated(bad doctor ignored my condition as psychosomatic and un-needing of further research), and for the past year I've battled with diet/stress/medications and have only been without the pain for the last month or two. Most times my cramps are bad enough that I have passed out and was once hospitalized when the stress became too much for my body. Only recently have I been able to live without almost any pain, even as a small child when I was 6 or 7 I was awakened at night by severe pain that I did not understand and went ignored until it finally went away a year later. Right now I'm 17 and in high school with a rather large work loud(I am in an academic program requiring honors work and am also taking a few college courses). During my time battling the pain(even through class's at time) I have found that a clear mind is my most treasured weapon. I have found that simple knowledge of the pain has helped decrease it. As I see pain now as a simple nerve impulse, nothing more. However that has never been enough, I find that with my clear mind if I can focus inward and shut out the pain I can last through it. Through the past year I have found a path in Druidism. I am still a Christian but I feel strong ties to Druidism. While I do not wish to pull you towards my path or force you into anything, Druidism uses meditation. Every night I have found that an inward meditation lasting anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour before bed have helped me put my thoughts in order and keep my mind clear. To me a clear mind has helped me focus and control everything, unified inside can resist outside. I have seen what most say about meditation and seen yoga and even heard of druid techniques. But one thing has been ever present it seems, meditation is not something that you must follow a certain technique for it to only work. The reason for so many techniques and ideas is that your mind must be convinced of what is happening. All I do to meditate is simply blind fold myself to allow all my senses to be focused inward. If you are humming and dancing and all that and you feel stupid or scared or anything other than what you are attempting, then there is a possibility it may not work(this is all opinion, please remember this). What I have found as an answer inside me is that you must find a point of concentration, a pose, a technique, a form that allows you to find peace within yourself and counter and reform your emotions into something ordered, definite and clear. This has always helped me and I hope at least part of it helps you, and finds you some relief. Like I said before this is all opinion, but I think that you should find your own method and technique, knowledge is power, and the more the better, but remember, all that matters is what truly lies in your heart and your emotions. I wish I could help you further, but this is the extent of what I can pass onto you, good luck. Raven


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