It’s easy to feel like an illness is taking over your life. Meditation is one way to get back on top of the situation. Consider these 4 approaches to using mindfulness to deal with physical sickness.
Sometimes we all feel under the weather. However, our mental powers can turn any day into a good one. Use meditation to promote healing and contentment.
Create categories.
Take note of your thoughts. How many of them are about your illness? How many of them are about everything else?
We often say, “I am sick.” In reality, there’s much more to you than your runny nose or upset stomach. Use meditation to reconnect with your true nature.
One of the toughest challenges about being ill is accepting it. Your symptoms may be beyond your control, but you can ease them by engaging with them.
Practice patience.
The more you practice, the more skillful you’ll become at remaining calm, despite what’s happening in your body. Think of your mind as your most precious possession.
Healing Meditations for Coping with Illness
So much distress and discomfort comes from worrying about what’s ahead. Your headache intensifies when you predict it will grow worse an hour from now. Stop dread in its tracks by focusing on the present.
Meditation on Reducing Anticipation
Notice fluctuations.
Once you have a better idea of where the trouble is, you can watch how it operates. Sometimes it’s helpful to give it a number so you distinguish between a small headache and a big one. You may even experience less pain as you work on scoring the sensations rather than resisting them.
Evaluate your approach.
It’s one thing to plan ahead for how to respond to different scenarios. It’s another to ruminate over events that you’re unable to change. You may want to prepare for a possible hospital stay without assuming that every sniffle is a sign of something catastrophic.
Keep things in perspective.
Remember that your illness is just one small part of your identity. Expand your viewpoint so you can see yourself in a more realistic light.
Meditation on Monitoring Your Condition
Adopt healthy habits.
Resolve to take care of yourself by eating right, staying active, and getting plenty of rest. These things will help keep your body as strong as possible. Cultivate spiritual resources and supportive relationships to see you through those times when your physical defenses weaken.
Catch yourself.
When you find yourself moving too far into the future, return your attention to the here and now. Enjoy a long nap or a hot bowl of soup.
Meditation on Preparing for Illness
Shift your attention.
Let go of thinking about your sore throat. Focus more closely on your love for music or your plans to go scuba diving when you’re on vacation. Dwelling on your sickness isn’t helpful.
Consider your relationship to your body.
Ask yourself how well you’re treating your body. Are you doing anything that’s damaging to your overall health? Are you grateful for being able to breathe and move around?
Track your thoughts.
Watch where your thoughts are heading. Are they speeding off into tomorrow or next week?
Identify your ailments.
Focus on what’s going on with you. Do you truly ache all over? The soreness is more likely to be in your back and legs than in your earlobes.
Examine your body.
Maybe you only think about your body when something goes wrong. Take this opportunity to consider its complexity and how hard it works daily.
It’s easier to meditate on illness when you’re feeling robust. Start contemplating your health before you come down with a sickness.
