This morning I awoke feeling extra anxious and sad. As an autistic female, I normally feel a low level of anxiety which I typically manage well with pilates, yoga, meditation and proprioceptive solutions (weighted blanket, weight lifting, and tapping), but this morning my stomach felt extra tense, I kept clenching my jaw, and my heart felt incredibly heavy. Everything was annoying me. My husband and I got our coffee and tea and sat down for our morning meditation. We have various boxes of wisdom cards and this morning I chose from the late yet still fabulous original guru Louise Hay’s “You Can Heal Your Mind” card deck. The card I pulled was “Let Go.” The message had to do with surrendering-a hard one for me to do as it is (an autistic trait that I struggle often with is rigidity- lack of flexibility) but especially right now with such scary and unknown times. Still, I decided that my morning meditation would focus on “letting go.”
We began our meditation practice. Immediately my mind said, “Nope-this is not happening,” and it quickly took me to into a sea of distraction-thinking about work, considering upcoming web-based groups and webinars I wanted to facilitate for clients, the snow falling outside, my dog barking. “Come back. Let go” I reminded myself, in hopes that I could relax my stomach that I was unconsciously sucking in. “Nope” my mind said. I opened my eyes and looked at my husband.
The following are a list of mindful based resources that will help you identify and better manage the daily situations in your life that cause you to feel overwhelmed and underwhelmed. Stressful situations may include environments that are too loud/not loud enough, too bright/too dim, too many people/loneliness. They may also be environments that you find confusing(e.g., being in groups of people where you struggle to understand or track the conversation, situations where you have a hard time understanding the rules or what is expected of you). Along with this, the recent COVID-19 has turned our world and routines completely upside down, creating a kind of stress that feels monumental for those of us on the autism spectrum. By identifying both covert and overt situations that cause us stress especially right now, we can begin the first step in being able to manage our stress and any potential triggers to relapsing via problematic behavior (for me that involves bingeing on ice cream bars). For autistic individuals in recovery from any type of addiction, this handout can be a helpful resource in creating sustainable new rituals and routines to support you in achieving lasting recovery (these tools work if you are willing to practice them daily!).
Calmness in Times of Chaos
by Chris Kishiyama
Chief Mindfulness Officer, Namasté Center For Healing
A life changing virus that has impacted our world.
An earthquake that rocked our state.
The kids suddenly being ordered to stay home from school and many of us are working remotely from home or have unfortunately lost our employment.
What do all of these have in common?
Things that are out of our control.
How often are we caught up in the chaos of fear only to try and hold on even tighter? Notice if you are doing this; gripping fear so tightly that you feel agitated, angry, irritable or all of the above. How would it feel to close your eyes right now and surrender to this moment? How would it feel to turn the volume down in your head so that the only sound you hear are the whisper of a gentle breeze? At any moment during the day, we can create mindful stillness if we choose. I call it the The 4 Healers: Heart, Health, Head, and Harmony.
Staying Positive During This Stressful Time
by Hailey Haywood
©2020 Hailey Haywood. All Rights Reserved.
Everything is energy when you break it down…
Even Words have energy, that’s why when someone says “I love you” we feel different emotions. Maybe your heart starts pounding, maybe your whole body relaxes.
This shows there is power in our intent, and power to words.
So if what someone else says about us or to us can affect us so drastically think about the power we have when we “self talk”.
1st tip-
This is where mantras come in. A mantra is a phrase (typically an “I Am” statement) that we repeatedly say to ourselves.
I want you to pick just one Mantra to repeat to yourself over the next few weeks. If you can, I want you to say it while looking at yourself in the mirror!(maybe work up to that.)
Examples of mantras:
“I am loved.”
“I am beautiful.”
“I forgive myself.”
“I accept love from others.” “I trust myself.”
5 Foods to Boost Your Immune System During the Coronavirus
By Janelle Imel
©2020 Janelle Imel. All Rights Reserved.
The foods you consume help to optimize our defense system. By consuming a nutrient- dense diet you can boost your immune system, support proper gut health, and help fend off infections and viruses. Though eating these foods may not help you avoid the Coronavirus here are five foods to help promote your defenses during the pandemic.
1. Garlic- Garlic is known for its antiviral, antimicrobial, and immune-boosting compounds. Try eating 1 raw clove of garlic 2-3 times a day to receive its immune- boosting benefits.
2. Zinc Rich Foods- Zinc helps to strengthen the immune system and fight infections. Good food sources of zinc are: grass-fed red beef, oysters, eggs, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and legumes.
3. Fermented Foods- Fermented foods contain healthy bacteria that promote proper gut health. Around 80% of the immune system is in the gut. Try eating these fermented foods to help boost your gut bacteria: kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, and kombucha.
4. Bone Broth- Bone broth contains an amino acid called L-Glutamine. L-Glutamine helps to repair and support a healthy gut. A healthy gut is essential in keeping the immune system strong. Try making a bone broth at home or purchasing bone broth in the freezer section of your grocery store. Add bone broth to a soup or sip on it throughout the day.
