Yes, I used a zip lining experience to practice overcoming fear through meditation. This was not necessarily planned, but I found myself at Diamante Eco Park in Costa Rica yesterday which has five zip lines. I have never been a big fan of zip lines and the thought of it made me a bit nervous, especially the one they call superman. Yep– you head out on the highest zip line for 90 seconds head first.
I was not pressured to do the zip lines, but I decided that I wanted to use the experience to help me overcome anxiety. So that is what I did. I allowed these straps to surround my body, I trusted the equipment and the people setting it up, and I used my mind to keep myself calm and relaxed. I dug into my mind in a meditative way, intentionally calming the heightened and somewhat uncomfortable “excitement,” so that I could relax in the experience. The reason I did this was so that I could enjoy it more, but there was intention–– I wanted to practice controlling anxiety, in this case, because I have a fear of heights. This involved alot of height!
You may not know alot about meditation and, actually, I don’t either; not in the sense of practicing it for long periods of time. But, I use it daily in numerous ways. Sometimes it is a matter of 30 seconds because I am in a quick deciding moment about something and sometimes, it is for 5-10 minutes–– maybe longer. I want to put more into it and am working on that. Why? Because it gives to me in so many ways. Meditation is taking a little bit of time to reflect on, to study and to practice something. This can be most anything from yoga, to spiritual practice, to focusing on who you want to be in this world! So, I used it as an experiment and as practice to control feelings of anxiety with a whole new experience.
Meditation helps me before a race. I use it when dealing with a work situation that is causing stress. I use it when I am questioning something and am not sure how to handle it. I give thought to how I, as a person on this earth with the power to influence others (you have this power too, by the way), want to be in this situation. Do I want to be strong, understanding and compassionate, mentally tough such as in a race–– whatever the situation is at hand, what do I want to see happen and how do I want to see myself behaving in that situation? How can I inspire and influence for the betterment of the situation? Perhaps you have a mantra that you use to help you reach desired outcomes.
Meditation, if used properly, can guide us and bring a sense of peace within us. Taking time to use deep breathing while thinking about a positive outcome can change everything and even the moods of others around you. When guided by positive thoughts we are able to make positive decisions as we move through life. You do not need to be any sort of expert to use meditation. Just use your mind to guide your thoughts to a place of being at peace with what you are feeling; to trusting that you will be strong and wise; to appreciating the experience. Take deep breaths as you think these things and feel this peacefulness covering your entire body. Try this daily or any time you feel anxiety and just see what unfolds.
