New to mindfulness, is what I'm doing ok?

[overcomingms]

hi folks, I have been meditating for a while but not really got much from it. I have now started mindfulness meditation following mark Williams CD that I have downloaded from iTunes. I am currently mindfully observing my breathing and when I go for a walk I feel the ground through my feet and observe the feel and e sounds around me. I have to say I have been doing this for just over two weeks and there seems to be glimmers of change. I have always been a worrier and I now have MS. I am following overcoming MS programme and doing really well. I have changed my diet and I exercise daily. I have been doing this for a couple of years and now meditation is the last peice of the puzzle. Money is really tight and I can't really afford to do a mindfulness course. Can anyone tell me - am I following the right lines? I would really appreciate any feedback.

Take care All

Phil

[paulpsych]

Hi Phil
It sounds like you are making an excellent start, and it's good that you are already seeing the benefits. There are loads of books if you want to do some reading and loads of resources on-line. The thing to remember is to keep at it, as at times it feels like everything is going great and at other times you may wonder what the hell you're doing!
Kind regards, Paul

[piedwagtail91]

sounds fine.
check out with your local nhs , some run pretty good mindfulness courses for free.

[Gareth]

I have MS too, and I compare the diagnosis as comparable to being hit by a train, emotionally at least. Allow yourself to feel bad right now, there isn't a single person out there who wouldn't feel the same way after being diagnosed with MS. After my diagnosis there were several times that I was at the bottom of a bottle, in floods of tears. What you are feeling is normal.

I used to follow the OMS plan too, which is what ultimately led me to mindfulness. I live with the severe challenges that MS presents every single day, yet mindfulness makes it all OK. It took a large amount of work and commitment at the beginning, but the difference it has made to my life cannot be overstated.

As I was meditating, a little voice kept talking to me and telling me that I was too much of a foodie to follow the strict diet. It turns out that little voice was me, so in the end, I finished the dietary aspect of OMS but everything else remained.

I even tried the Paleo diet to see if that made a difference, that didn't last either. See this topic: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3332&hilit=paleo

Welcome to the forum, hope to see more of you.

[overcomingms]

Hi folks, thank you so much for your feedback, it is really kind of you. As I said I have been following OMS for the past two years and I feel really well. It is the emotional scars that keep on reopening I need to deal with. Counselling didn't really help. That's when I realised the only person that can help me is me! I need to realise that I am 100% fit. It is the what ifs that keep on cropping up, the whispers of negativity. I feel sure mindfulness is the key. As I say it seems to have made a difference already.

Thanks so much everyone

Take care

Gareth - I hope you are well

Phil

[JonW]

Hi Phil,
I've private-messaged you with some ideas.
All best wishes,
Jon

[FeeHutch]

Hi Phil
Lovely to meet you. Thanks so much for posting your experiences. I am chronically ill to though not with MS. There seem to be quite a few of us that have been brought to mindfulness by illness.

[Kathleen]

To keep mine fit about mindfulness you need to think what you are doing now. If you work is accepted to your mind then it can help you to become mindfulness. If the work do not accepted to your mind then it can not help you to become mindfulness.