For those with anxiety, holiday trauma, etc.

I'm posting here due to the amount of "send vibes" posts, and trauma around the holidays posts that occur in the Lounge.

I've found something that works and wish to share it with anyone who feels that they might benefit from it. Please ignore if it's of no use to you.

I'm an alcoholic and as such have had a -very- hard time with emotions, and with people who enjoy picking at them. It's a real problem that must be solved in order to survive. In addition to the normal process of recovery, I've learned that the practice of mindful breathing is of enormous benefit, and functions exactly as described, to completely tame the body/sense/mind complex into a state of peace.

It requires that the concentration be placed inside of the body, with awareness of the body and of the emotions. Of the movement of the breath inside the body. Think these words as you breath in, and then the correct "out" variation as you breath out. I go with each of them until I feel a difference, then I go on to the next.

<1> Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long';
<2> Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short';
<3> 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.'
<4> 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.'

"<5> 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.'
<6> 'I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.'
<7> He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrication.'
<8> 'I will breathe in calming mental fabrication.'

"<9> 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.'
<10> 'I will breathe in satisfying the mind.'
<11> 'I will breathe in steadying the mind.'
<12> 'I will breathe in releasing the mind.'

"<13> 'I will breathe in focusing on impermanence.'
<14> 'I will breathe in focusing on dispassion’
<15> 'I will breathe in focusing on cessation.'
<16> 'I will breathe in focusing on surrender.'

The body is the seat of the emotions and mind, and can be trained as easily as this. The energies of anxiety, fear, passion, etc. will be reduced to nothing if this is done properly and often enough.

When you experience that the body and emotions and mind truly respond to this simple technique, you will know that feelings are not facts, and that they never again need cause you the trouble that they once had. After a while, the "training" is so strong, that you can very quickly move into a peaceful state soon after beginning to recite. It builds like any muscle.

I wish anyone who applies this the greatest benefit, and peace.

It's from here:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html

And is explained/expanded upon greatly in Thich Nhat Hanh's book "The Path of Emancipation".

http://www.amazon.com/Path-Emancipation-21-Day-Mindfulness-Retreat/dp/1888375159/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198820873&sr=1-1

If it doesn't seem to be offering the amazing results that I've experienced, please keep with it, and ride out any bumps, keeping the awareness of the sensations of the body and breath. You -will- move past them into a far better experience.

Regards.