Stressed out, umpiring baseball, Eckhart Tolle and meditation

[fledman]

I umpired again today. I had a great game. Many close calls and I nailed them all. However, I was in an anxious state Thursday night unable to sleep, anxious all day Friday. Up Friday night. I felt better this morning. The anxiety is like a vice grip. I feel like a guy who is going to be executed in the morning and nothing I do makes it go away. After the game, it lets up and I feel exhilarated.

Yesterday my BP was 142/80. Today after the game it's 100/70? Is that normal, to have a huge drop in BP after being in the grip of anxiety?

Does anyone else suffer from attacks of anxiety? If so, what do you do? Is anyone on meds for period anxiety attacks?

I'm hoping that the success I have been having in umpiring will translate into less anxiety in anticipation of the actual game, but I won't know until before my next outting. The way I feel now, I can't even believe I have the attacks. The mind is a strange creature.

Fledman

[Mark Trevis]

Originally Posted by fledman

Does anyone else suffer from attacks of anxiety? If so, what do you do? Is anyone on meds for period anxiety attacks?
Fledman

Hi Fledman:

Breathe in to your heart. Nice slow long inhalations and very easy quiet relaxing exhalations. Feel each breath fill your heart with love more and more each time you inhale and allow the love to spread through your whole body on the exhalation.

It is the most simple and powerful method there is for releasing any and all anxiety (plus a host of other dis-eases).

Namaste

[fledman]

Thanks Mark, I'll try it.

[fledman]

Mark,

I was asked by a guy I work with to do a presentation for a class he teaches over at San Jose State University. Whenever I give a speach I also suffer terrible anxiety much like I do when I umpire. I've been like this all my life. My ability to do public speaking is quite good, but my anxiety level in anticipation of the event has never gotten much better. I get cold, sweat, my heart pounds, etc. Nothing has ever helped.

I've been practicing your breathing love into my heart technique and have been quite amazed by it. I tried it yesterday before the speach and it calmed me down somewhat. In fact, I actually fell asleep in my car before the event. I had arrived early and was meditating, breathing love into my heart, feeling it expand as I breathed out and I became so relaxed that I feel asleep. Believe me, that has never happened before.

I'd like to talk about this more in another thread.

Thanks very much. I hope it keeps working.

Fledman

[Mark Trevis]

Originally Posted by fledman

Mark,

I was asked by a guy I work with to do a presentation for a class he teaches over at San Jose State University. Whenever I give a speach I also suffer terrible anxiety much like I do when I umpire. I've been like this all my life. My ability to do public speaking is quite good, but my anxiety level in anticipation of the event has never gotten much better. I get cold, sweat, my heart pounds, etc. Nothing has ever helped.

I've been practicing your breathing love into my heart technique and have been quite amazed by it. I tried it yesterday before the speach and it calmed me down somewhat. In fact, I actually fell asleep in my car before the event. I had arrived early and was meditating, breathing love into my heart, feeling it expand as I breathed out and I became so relaxed that I feel asleep. Believe me, that has never happened before.

I'd like to talk about this more in another thread.

Thanks very much. I hope it keeps working.

Fledman

Hi Fledman:
Sure, we can talk more about it. It is a very specific powerful meditation. Simple yet incredibly powerful.
If you want send me an email as listed in my personal details.

Heart love,
Mark

[parola]

I want to thank you, Mark, for your post on the simple technique of heart meditation. As one who is new to the practice, I have experienced all of the difficulties that other beginners seem to encounter. I spend thirty minutes on daily practice, using a Yoga Nidra CD that has been more and more effective the longer I practise on a daily basis. However, I have felt for some time that there is a need for some shorter technique that can be used in specific situations that are not amenable to formal practice. The technique you have described has proved particularly helpful to me. As you so often say in your posts, we are all individuals, and so it has proved in this case. It came to me quite spontaneously to mentally use the words, "Expand" as I inhale deeply and then "My heart" as I exhale. Obviously, these words must have particular resonance for me and I have found the process to be particularly liberating. Thank you again. Parola

[Mark Trevis]

Originally Posted by parola

I want to thank you, Mark, for your post on the simple technique of heart meditation. As one who is new to the practice, I have experienced all of the difficulties that other beginners seem to encounter. I spend thirty minutes on daily practice, using a Yoga Nidra CD that has been more and more effective the longer I practise on a daily basis. However, I have felt for some time that there is a need for some shorter technique that can be used in specific situations that are not amenable to formal practice. The technique you have described has proved particularly helpful to me. As you so often say in your posts, we are all individuals, and so it has proved in this case. It came to me quite spontaneously to mentally use the words, "Expand" as I inhale deeply and then "My heart" as I exhale. Obviously, these words must have particular resonance for me and I have found the process to be particularly liberating. Thank you again. Parola

Namaste Parola

What speaks to me is the heart and the pureness and effectiveness it radiates out to my body and all around me.. Heart meditations are simpler, and for me, more powerful and clear and clean.. I feel that is because it gives my mind less chance to distort it all and be in control. My heart now controls my mind and entrains it to the high frequency of Love.

Heart love