HEALING 2

The words often attributed to Buddha, but quoted as a Chinese and Zen Proverb as well. How true the words echo.

It wasn't until some six months later that my anxiety diminished and things just fell into place. Once my physical symptoms of depression were addressed, once sleep became regulated, once I could concentrate, once I started exercise, once I included acupuncture into my healing regime, once I made meditation, gratitude and affirmations a daily habit, once I introduced calming foods into my diet, once I was able to control my catastrophic thinking -- only then, was I able to apply anxiety management techniques. Only then, was I able to learn from my reading. Only then, was I able to control my anxiety.

The lesson for me was no matter how desperately I wanted to rid myself of this anxiety, I could not just will it away. And until my mind was ready, until the student was ready, I could not proceed with the next step, no teacher presented itself. No matter the good intention of anxiety programs like I mentioned in my last blog the Cool, Calm and Collected four week program, until the mind is ready, no amount of reading, wanting, daily lessons, and listening could penetrate the barriers put up because of my anxiety.

I am a firm believer now, that you just have to go through the anxiety. I hate to have to admit this since if I had read this during my searching, in the midst of my intense anxiety, I would have screamed and been acutely frustrated. So frustrated that there was nothing immediate that I could implement to rid me of the anxiety for good. Yes I came across sites that offered immediate relief for the anxiety symptoms. Sites such as Inner Health Studio gave advice, Psychology Today presented quick tips and the Calm Clinic presented guidance. And thank you for these and others. They were my saviour. All these helped me survive the intensity. My healing journey comprised surviving each minute, never mind anything more long-term.

For me the saying was aptly put: "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."

To this day I still use the concepts I learned from the anxiety cure: Cool, Calm and Collected.  Not then, but six months later. My anxiety exited my life almost as insidiously as it entered it. For the most part. I still have the occasional day when the anxiety deigns to visit me and check in with me as if to challenge my learning strategies. This I can handle. But I no longer suffer 24/7. Thank you, my God.

Healing.

Published By: Valdone's Leaf