Taking time out for yourself is key, particularly when you or someone close to you is coming to terms with a long-term or terminal illness and the physical and mental toll that takes. Below you’ll find lots of resources from our team, which you can access for free, whenever you need them, as well as links to resources from other trusted wellbeing and mental health organisations.
Mindfulness is a skill which teaches you to be present with whatever is going on – good or bad – and relieves tension by accepting what is happening from moment to moment. It has its roots in Buddhism and meditation, but you don’t have to be spiritual or have beliefs to try it out.
With practice, the raised awareness and open approach of Mindfulness can reduce suffering and increase your well-being by helping you to:
Gwendoline, one of our Occupational Therapists, put together these short mindfulness and relaxation exercises.
They aim to make you feel more centred or grounded, to enable you to pause from the constant stream of thoughts and emotions. It is helpful at the moment but also over time if you use this daily to build up your emotional resilience.
Mindfulness of the senses meditation (8 minutes)
Immerse yourself in this resource based on awareness of all your senses.
As with all mindfulness and relaxation strategies, the aim is not to achieve a blank mind but to notice what is happening in our bodies and immediate environment. Noticing things for what they are, without judgement. If thoughts pop into your head, that is entirely normal. That is what our brains are designed to do. Just take this as an opportunity to be kind to yourself. Notice the thoughts and then redirect your attention back to the present moment. That in itself is practising mindfulness.
Mindfulness of the breath exercise (9 minutes)
Using the rhythm of your breathing to practice your mindfulness.
Relaxation might not make what you are stressed or worried about disappear, but it can give you a break from these feelings and help you refocus. It doesn’t have to take up much of your time and can be as simple as stepping away from your daily routine to feel calmer. You can try these strategies:
Passive body relaxation meditation (12 minutes)
Listen to this meditation centred on your breathing and the sounds around you.
Square breathing exercise (5 minutes)
Intended to promote a sense of calm and help you regain control over your breathing.
Fifteen-minute visualisation of a beach meditation (15 minutes)
Listen to this meditation based on a beach visualisation, providing deep relaxation.
Pause for five minutes and enjoy this short Nature Calms video by Lesley Oates, our Complementary Therapy Education Facilitator.
It should help you connect with the natural world’s restorative effect, even if you’re not able to go outside. You can replay this whenever you feel worried or unsettled.
Maybe find a special plant or tree in your garden, or even one of your potted plants, and sit and look at how beautiful the foliage, buds, and flowers are and how wonderfully your plant freely shares its radiance with you to make you feel better.
