Meditation Tips for CareGivers
Tending to someone with a chronic or terminal illness can really take its toll on the mind and body. Being a caregiver taxes the body physically due to lifting, feeding, cleaning, running errands, even keeping track of medications and doctor's appointments! Mentally, it becomes a great deal to handle. Caring for a sick loved one is also emotionally and spiritually stressful. Seeing someone you love suffering and in pain is no doubt unnerving. As a caregiver, you can only do so much. Various emotions surface when caring for the ill such as sadness, anger, feelings of being isolated, and even guilt.
It takes a strong person to be a caregiver but the stress of it can be draining. Eventually the stress will continue to mount and will cause, what's known as, 'Caregiver Burnout'. At some point, you just have nothing left. When you feel empty, it's hard to find anything to give. This makes it impossible to be an effective caregiver.
A good way to prevent 'Caregiver Burnout' is to meditate. Meditation centers you and brings you back to a place of calm and focus. The art of relaxation is so important because stress is one of the leading causes of many illness, especially cancer. When the mind and body and not in harmony, the body creates 'dis-ease.' Meditating daily will allow you to recharge your battery, renew your energy and recalibrate yourself to face another day. Turning your attention inwards is an incredible way to become more aware of your mind and your body. Meditation helps create a pathway to peace. The amazing thing about meditation is that you do not need to sit for hours to reap its benefits. Setting aside 10 minutes here and there throughout the day to center yourself will cultivate some amazing results.
Here's a practical meditation for caregivers:
- Choose a place where you will not be disturbed. Make all efforts to meditate in the same place every day. This creates positive vibrations.
- Sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor, closing your eyes. Keep your spine straight to allow energy to flow freely from the base of your spine to the top of your head.
- Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Hold the breathe comfortably for as long as you can before exhaling.
- Relax. Clear your mind and just simply be.
- Feel your body from the inside, out. Become aware of your feet, then your legs, hips, abdomen, arms, eventually bringing your awareness to the heart center. Hold your attention there. This is your caring center. Feel warm, healing light flooding your entire body. Remember to keep breathing deeply.
- If you find it difficult to focus and thoughts keep coming, do not worry. Meditation is a practice, not a prescription. It takes time to quiet the mind and success is not achieved so easily. There is no quick fix for stress relief. Just, relax, breathe and stick with it.
- At the end of your meditation, express gratitude. Even if you are burnt out, tired, cranky and miserable, be thankful. You are doing an amazing work by being a caregiver and you are growing in ways that are beyond measure. Even if the road is tough, be thankful that you have the opportunity to travel on it.
While caring for others, it is equally important to remember to care for yourself. If you are drained and exhausted you will not be an effective caregiver. Making time to center yourself and refuel is imperative. Meditation can help caregivers achieve relaxation as well as increased alertness. Reducing stress and increasing brain power will surely make you a caregiver superhero!
