If you have an problem and you want to get some help from said issue, you can find a Self Help group for anything that you can imagine. Group experiences are not limited to those suffering from addiction, although 12 step meetings were the first to promote this type of healing. There are groups for Depression, over-eating, Fibromyalgia, Bi-Polar Disorder, Cancer, amputees, grief and on and on. I have such gratitude for these groups and the work they do. I often recommend them for clients in my psychotherapy practice.
But today I want to talk about another kind of self help. The self help that we all need to restore our energy, comfort ourselves and manage all the external stressors without being exhausted by our own efforts. This is the self help of self care. Considering how to really care for ourselves, nurture and comfort our own insides is a skill many of us do possess. Those of us who might need the most self care are the ones who are so busy taking care of others that we ignore our own needs. It may seem self indulgent or unnecessary to you. We are GOOD at taking care of others and may have even made a career out of it. However, without a way to practice restoring our own balance, energy and peace, we will eventually run out of steam rendering ourselves completely ineffective at helping others. This is the same instruction every fight attendant announces each flight..."put on your own oxygen mask first, then assist others". The world needs helpers who can help themselves first. It's not selfish, it's necessary. And by the way...we are all helpers!
Sound familiar?
~Too busy with everyone else’s needs to attend to your own?
~Believing you are “fine” and that you don’t need much?
~Feeling drained most of the time?
I’d like to introduce you to the best self help group for the helpers…meditation. Of course! Would you expect any less from me?
If helpers want to help, they need to start with themselves. Are you listening to this? Helpers need to start with themselves. OK, let it sink in…
A battery cannot provide power without being charged. We would never expect for our phones to keep us connected without a decent power supply. We are hyper-diligent about this! We cannot let our batteries run down if we want to use our energy for the benefit of others. We must create a space to renew our energy stores and calm our busy minds. This is the true value of meditation; not just to relax, but to take an inward journey of self discovery that regenerates our energy and creates balance for our daily lives. With our focus on our inner experience we can let go of tension, stress and the constant self criticism that we all hear daily. It's true that meditation can help you to find inner peace, better health, more self-awareness, and it creates energy!! You cannot give away what you do not have. Meditation directs your attention inward and guides you to reconnect with your center point of peace. Without this, your capacity to take care of others is compromised.
Have you ever been to a meditation group? Check it out. This is the self help group I am recommending for you, my dear friends. Meditating with others can be a very powerful experience. Research has shown that people who meditate together can “synch up” in very powerful ways. The energy created in a group can have a tremendous impact on all the members. This is one reason why meditation groups are popping up gyms, community centers, churches and in many of the country’s largest Corporations. Even Congress has regular group meditations before session! Look for opportunities in your own neighborhood. You might be surprised at what you can find. If there are limited resources you can create your own group! Search for a teacher or meditate with a friend!
This is the best self help group I can ever recommend.
MEDITATE with others!
If I can be of any further guidance, please leave me a message below. I’m glad to help. After all, I’m a helper who meditates!
If you are in Phoenix, join me this Thursday for an introductory session!
I wish you peace,
Robin