Mindfulness, massages and essential oils!!!
Discussion
Anyone else a convert?
A strange topic for a mostly blokeish car forum, but I recently spent a fortnight attending a psychological & wellbeing course at a convalescence home through my employment. Never been to one before and I didn't know what to expect. I knew that the syllabus included mindfulness, massages, nutrition workshops, sleep therapy workshops, relaxation workshops etc, all of which are new experiences for me having never done any of these things before. Being a 52yr old northern bloke I've kind of spent my life being fairly dismissive of such things, however I went there with an open mind and willing to experience anything that was on offer, and I'm glad I did as I found the whole experience absolutely brilliant.
Massages - Never had a massage before but I've had some lower back pain and sciatica for a while, with a sharp pain at the back of my left leg every time I bent over to put my socks on et. I found the back massages alleviated all of these pains for about 24hrs afterwards. The pain did gradually return, but it proves that massages can be effective.
Reflexology - again something that was new to me having never even heard of this before. The masseuse massaged my feet and told me that from working on my feet she could tell I had problems with my knees and lower back. I do have arthritis in my knees, I've no idea how she could tell this, but she was spot on.
Essential oils - Another thing that surprised me and again something I knew nothing about and would have completely dismissed it in any other situation. However I made up a bottle of blended essential oils (frankincense, lavender, orange, geranium) to help me sleep as I always wake up around 3am, then again at 6am and can't get back to sleep. I brought it home with me and decided to try it out last night. Had an early night and before getting into bed I applied some to my chest, and that night I slept like a log until 7:30am, haven't done that for months.
Mindfulness - I would have thought you were bonkers if you'd told me I'd ever be attending one of these classes, but I found concentrating on one single specific thing really did help block out any outside worries for the time I was doing it.
Relaxation - I never sleep well. This consisted of sitting back in a horizontally reclining armchair with soothing sounds being played and the nurse talking me through muscle relaxing techniques. Within 3 mins of starting she was having to wake me up because I was snoring and distracting the rest of the group!
Pretty unbelievable.
A strange topic for a mostly blokeish car forum, but I recently spent a fortnight attending a psychological & wellbeing course at a convalescence home through my employment. Never been to one before and I didn't know what to expect. I knew that the syllabus included mindfulness, massages, nutrition workshops, sleep therapy workshops, relaxation workshops etc, all of which are new experiences for me having never done any of these things before. Being a 52yr old northern bloke I've kind of spent my life being fairly dismissive of such things, however I went there with an open mind and willing to experience anything that was on offer, and I'm glad I did as I found the whole experience absolutely brilliant.
Massages - Never had a massage before but I've had some lower back pain and sciatica for a while, with a sharp pain at the back of my left leg every time I bent over to put my socks on et. I found the back massages alleviated all of these pains for about 24hrs afterwards. The pain did gradually return, but it proves that massages can be effective.
Reflexology - again something that was new to me having never even heard of this before. The masseuse massaged my feet and told me that from working on my feet she could tell I had problems with my knees and lower back. I do have arthritis in my knees, I've no idea how she could tell this, but she was spot on.
Essential oils - Another thing that surprised me and again something I knew nothing about and would have completely dismissed it in any other situation. However I made up a bottle of blended essential oils (frankincense, lavender, orange, geranium) to help me sleep as I always wake up around 3am, then again at 6am and can't get back to sleep. I brought it home with me and decided to try it out last night. Had an early night and before getting into bed I applied some to my chest, and that night I slept like a log until 7:30am, haven't done that for months.
Mindfulness - I would have thought you were bonkers if you'd told me I'd ever be attending one of these classes, but I found concentrating on one single specific thing really did help block out any outside worries for the time I was doing it.
Relaxation - I never sleep well. This consisted of sitting back in a horizontally reclining armchair with soothing sounds being played and the nurse talking me through muscle relaxing techniques. Within 3 mins of starting she was having to wake me up because I was snoring and distracting the rest of the group!
Pretty unbelievable.
I dabble in aromatherapy, i.e. essential oils in an atomiser/diffuser.
Not that I struggle to sleep or relax, I just like the smell. Although I suppose it is relaxing. The Mrs doesn't like strong smells though, thinks they're dangerous (there's another thread for that) so I get to use it during the day in my home office.
I'd recommend it to anyone who could benefit from some passive relaxation. Also a great alternative to a traditional air freshener.
Not that I struggle to sleep or relax, I just like the smell. Although I suppose it is relaxing. The Mrs doesn't like strong smells though, thinks they're dangerous (there's another thread for that) so I get to use it during the day in my home office.
I'd recommend it to anyone who could benefit from some passive relaxation. Also a great alternative to a traditional air freshener.
The main stigma about massages seems to be people thinking you’re after a happy ending.
I aim to go 1-2 times a month, 30 mins reflexology followed by 60mins back, neck and shoulders. That’s where I store my stress, if I don’t go for a while I’ll start getting painful knots. Always aim for the same person as that means not having to explain anything, what pressure I like etc and avoid a tourist massage.
When I was in Myanmar a shave and a massage was $5, we went every Saturday. In Bangkok a 2hr couples session with scrub/bath, 4 hand massage and lunch was something like $60.
I’d have a massage every day if I could, it’s a lotto win fantasy.
I do need to start being better with mindfulness/relaxation, I’m bad at both, exacerbated by adhd / ND mindset.
I aim to go 1-2 times a month, 30 mins reflexology followed by 60mins back, neck and shoulders. That’s where I store my stress, if I don’t go for a while I’ll start getting painful knots. Always aim for the same person as that means not having to explain anything, what pressure I like etc and avoid a tourist massage.
When I was in Myanmar a shave and a massage was $5, we went every Saturday. In Bangkok a 2hr couples session with scrub/bath, 4 hand massage and lunch was something like $60.
I’d have a massage every day if I could, it’s a lotto win fantasy.
I do need to start being better with mindfulness/relaxation, I’m bad at both, exacerbated by adhd / ND mindset.
Is mindfulness as much about staying 100% in the present & taking in every little detail right here & right now that is outside of your own headspace . . . eg take a walk & enjoy the sights, sounds, & smells etc, as much as it means being mindful in a more general sense . . . ie being more considerate to those around you on a day to day basis?
OI! put the phone back in your pocket!!!
Interesting topic
OI! put the phone back in your pocket!!!
Interesting topic
Digger said:
Is mindfulness as much about staying 100% in the present & taking in every little detail right here & right now that is outside of your own headspace . . . eg take a walk & enjoy the sights, sounds, & smells etc, as much as it means being mindful in a more general sense . . . ie being more considerate to those around you on a day to day basis?
OI! put the phone back in your pocket!!!
Interesting topic
Pretty much. It's about focusing on what's happening right now. One established definition that I like is: to pay attention to the present moment on purpose and without judgement.OI! put the phone back in your pocket!!!
Interesting topic
So, breaking this down
1) to pay attention to the present moment: you are only looking at what's going on right now, whether that's listening to the birds, watching the waves, listening to passing cars, focusing on what your colleague is telling you...
2) on purpose: you choose what you're going to focus on and you only focus on that so you practice not getting distracted... ooh look, butterfly!
3) without judgement: observing and not judging, not liking or disliking, just accepting what is going on, and if you start to feel like you're judging something, you don't judge yourself for doing this.
It's a practice and is quite difficult at the start as we've got into a habit of trying to multitask, getting distracted, getting wound up by stuff, wanting things to be as we would like, having preferences for things.
I used the word "reframing" in a previous post but you can also call it "filtering" or "reprocessing". A torn leaf, a crack in a wall, blemished paintwork - these are all imperfections but if we can come to embrace them, we can then start to embrace more challenging things - the colleague who chews gum noisily, the DIY work going on next door when you're WFH, the proliferation of 20 zones springing up everywhere.
It's hard to truly practice mindfulness in the modern world but by practising it, we can feel a little better about it.
Also, when you do mindfulness meditation regularly, you can start to notice a gap between what is happening and your response (note: not reaction). It's about widening that gap so you have time to think about what you're going to do rather than just reacting with no thought to the consequences.
Some people say they practice mindfulness for 20 minutes a day. If you're doing it right, you're practising mindfulness meditation all the time.
There's a popular story. The apprentice asks the monk, "When do you meditate?" The monk replies, "When am I not meditating?" (Or something like that.)
Edited by Hoofy on Tuesday 13th August 00:44
Hoofy gives a great explanation.
From the two mindfulness classes I sat, one of them involved going into the gardens, choosing a place to sit/stand, choosing an object to look at such as a plant, leaf, flower etc, and concentrating on just that, watching it move, seeing its colours & shape etc. Then closing your eyes and taking in all the sounds you can hear such as wind, traffic etc, accepting those sounds are there and then opening your eyes and concentrating on that same object again. When you mind wonders off onto something else, which it will, acknowledge that your mind has wandered and bring your attention back to the object. Appreciate that there are sounds in the background but concentrate on looking at your chosen object regardless.
My understanding is that when doing this you take a few minutes away from your normal day and forget about any problems or stress. I imagine that if you could do this most of the time, such as listening to the voice of someone talking to you, feeling the cup of coffee that you're holding in your hand, feeling the seat you're sat on etc then you can separate yourself from any outside problems.
Have I got that right?
From the two mindfulness classes I sat, one of them involved going into the gardens, choosing a place to sit/stand, choosing an object to look at such as a plant, leaf, flower etc, and concentrating on just that, watching it move, seeing its colours & shape etc. Then closing your eyes and taking in all the sounds you can hear such as wind, traffic etc, accepting those sounds are there and then opening your eyes and concentrating on that same object again. When you mind wonders off onto something else, which it will, acknowledge that your mind has wandered and bring your attention back to the object. Appreciate that there are sounds in the background but concentrate on looking at your chosen object regardless.
My understanding is that when doing this you take a few minutes away from your normal day and forget about any problems or stress. I imagine that if you could do this most of the time, such as listening to the voice of someone talking to you, feeling the cup of coffee that you're holding in your hand, feeling the seat you're sat on etc then you can separate yourself from any outside problems.
Have I got that right?
craigthecoupe said:
Great stuff. Do you think you'll carry on with those things? I envy folks who get up to this sort of stuff, as I'd love to try it, but know i'm unlikely to. I did go to a few yoga sleep classes, and loved the time it affords to just be.
I did get some essential oils to see if they would help me sleep. I'd already got some Jojoba oil which I apply to dry skin on my face which I often get after riding my motorbike. Jojoba oil can be used as one of the carrier oils that the scented essential oils can be mixed with, so I was already half way there.As for massages, Im a believer as far as pain relief goes. I've previously dismissed them as I never appreciated what they were and what they could do, plus I'd always think 'why would he/she want to be rubbing my fat hairy back?' etc, so maybe I had inhibitions? I'd always seen it as something you did to relax whilst the massage was happening, and never considered any pain relief benefits. If I were to continue having them it would be for pain relief and not for relaxing (I have a 55" OLED 4K Tv for that
) and I'd have to research where to get them.Yoga - never been interested in this before, and to be honest I don't have the flexibility or grace in movement to feel I can ever do it correctly or benefit from it. I cant go from a hands and feet position to a standing upright position without first dropping to my knee and pushing myself up in a cumbersome manner, so I feel very awkward and embarrassed doing yoga, when everyone else in the class seemed flexible enough to do it ok, so I doubt I;ll ever do yoga again for this reason.
Edited by The Gauge on Tuesday 13th August 07:46
xx99xx said:
I dabble in aromatherapy, i.e. essential oils in an atomiser/diffuser.
Not that I struggle to sleep or relax, I just like the smell. Although I suppose it is relaxing. The Mrs doesn't like strong smells though, thinks they're dangerous (there's another thread for that) so I get to use it during the day in my home office.
I'd recommend it to anyone who could benefit from some passive relaxation. Also a great alternative to a traditional air freshener.
They do smell great don't they.Not that I struggle to sleep or relax, I just like the smell. Although I suppose it is relaxing. The Mrs doesn't like strong smells though, thinks they're dangerous (there's another thread for that) so I get to use it during the day in my home office.
I'd recommend it to anyone who could benefit from some passive relaxation. Also a great alternative to a traditional air freshener.
Are you able to recommend an air freshener type device that plugs in and can use essential oils please, the type to have in say a living room or bedroom?
The Gauge said:
Hoofy gives a great explanation.
From the two mindfulness classes I sat, one of them involved going into the gardens, choosing a place to sit/stand, choosing an object to look at such as a plant, leaf, flower etc, and concentrating on just that, watching it move, seeing its colours & shape etc. Then closing your eyes and taking in all the sounds you can hear such as wind, traffic etc, accepting those sounds are there and then opening your eyes and concentrating on that same object again. When you mind wonders off onto something else, which it will, acknowledge that your mind has wandered and bring your attention back to the object. Appreciate that there are sounds in the background but concentrate on looking at your chosen object regardless.
My understanding is that when doing this you take a few minutes away from your normal day and forget about any problems or stress. I imagine that if you could do this most of the time, such as listening to the voice of someone talking to you, feeling the cup of coffee that you're holding in your hand, feeling the seat you're sat on etc then you can separate yourself from any outside problems.
Have I got that right?
Pretty much. I describe my mindfulness and mindful movement (Tai Chi and Chi Kung/Qi Gong) classes as like going on a mini holiday to "get away from it all". As I alluded to earlier, it is just the first step or entry level to the practice of mindfulness, as it is about training your brain to behave differently.From the two mindfulness classes I sat, one of them involved going into the gardens, choosing a place to sit/stand, choosing an object to look at such as a plant, leaf, flower etc, and concentrating on just that, watching it move, seeing its colours & shape etc. Then closing your eyes and taking in all the sounds you can hear such as wind, traffic etc, accepting those sounds are there and then opening your eyes and concentrating on that same object again. When you mind wonders off onto something else, which it will, acknowledge that your mind has wandered and bring your attention back to the object. Appreciate that there are sounds in the background but concentrate on looking at your chosen object regardless.
My understanding is that when doing this you take a few minutes away from your normal day and forget about any problems or stress. I imagine that if you could do this most of the time, such as listening to the voice of someone talking to you, feeling the cup of coffee that you're holding in your hand, feeling the seat you're sat on etc then you can separate yourself from any outside problems.
Have I got that right?
Dr Peter Levine (trauma expert) once said that how you react (whether triggered or otherwise) to what he says is a choice - so you get angry, sad, feel victimised, feel offended or lash out. Sometimes that choice happens so quickly that it's an automatic response. Mindfulness creates that gap between the event and what you do.
On International Mindfulness Day, London Underground should replace the "Mind the gap" warning with "Find the gap" as a reminder to be in a state of mindfulness, although it could result in people jumping into the gap between the platform and train... so maybe not.
The Gauge said:
Yoga - never been interested in this before, and to be honest I don't have the flexibility or grace in movement to feel I can ever do it correctly or benefit from it. I cant go from a hands and feet position to a standing upright position without first dropping to my knee and pushing myself up in a cumbersome manner, so I feel very awkward and embarrassed doing yoga, when everyone else in the class seemed flexible enough to do it ok, so I doubt I;ll ever do yoga again for this reason.
You could try a course for complete beginners. Describe your limitations to the teacher and hopefully they will have a suitable class.However, if it's about slow, focused movement to induce calm, try a Tai Chi or Chi Kung/Qi Gong class.
The Gauge said:
craigthecoupe said:
Great stuff. Do you think you'll carry on with those things? I envy folks who get up to this sort of stuff, as I'd love to try it, but know i'm unlikely to. I did go to a few yoga sleep classes, and loved the time it affords to just be.
I did get some essential oils to see if they would help me sleep. I'd already got some Jojoba oil which I apply to dry skin on my face which I often get after riding my motorbike. Jojoba oil can be used as one of the carrier oils that the scented essential oils can be mixed with, so I was already half way there.As for massages, Im a believer as far as pain relief goes. I've previously dismissed them as I never appreciated what they were and what they could do, plus I'd always think 'why would he/she want to be rubbing my fat hairy back?' etc, so maybe I had inhibitions? I'd always seen it as something you did to relax whilst the massage was happening, and never considered any pain relief benefits. If I were to continue having them it would be for pain relief and not for relaxing (I have a 55" OLED 4K Tv for that
) and I'd have to research where to get them.Yoga - never been interested in this before, and to be honest I don't have the flexibility or grace in movement to feel I can ever do it correctly or benefit from it. I cant go from a hands and feet position to a standing upright position without first dropping to my knee and pushing myself up in a cumbersome manner, so I feel very awkward and embarrassed doing yoga, when everyone else in the class seemed flexible enough to do it ok, so I doubt I;ll ever do yoga again for this reason.
Edited by The Gauge on Tuesday 13th August 07:46
thebraketester said:
It's not just about pure flexibility. I have the flexibility of a 4" diameter piece of CF tubing but the benefits of yoga (specifically hot yoga) have been numerous for me. It's all encompassing. Relaxation. Mindfulness. Stress relief. Focus. Head clearing. Breathing. Its amazing. I regularly fall asleep at the end of the class... fortunately I have not been caught doing a rip roaring snore.....yet.
I struggled when on hands and knees to arch my back upwards like a cat, my back just feels so flat and inflexible. In that respect when the yoga teacher was demonstrating it, it made me feel awkward that I couldn't do it properly. Same with other positions, I just couldn't get into them.The Gauge said:
Are you able to recommend an atomiser/difuser type device that can be used with essential oils please, the type to have in say a living room or bedroom?
I have one similar to this: https://amzn.eu/d/gtiXxqlBut if you search for ultrasonic diffuser you'll see there are lots available, different designs, colours, sizes etc.
xx99xx said:
I have one similar to this: https://amzn.eu/d/gtiXxql
But if you search for ultrasonic diffuser you'll see there are lots available, different designs, colours, sizes etc.
Thank you, I had been looking at that manufacturers different models. I have decided to order this one as I can link it to my Alexa..But if you search for ultrasonic diffuser you'll see there are lots available, different designs, colours, sizes etc.
The Gauge said:
Anyone else a convert?
To mindfulness, yes! Do I regularly make time for it however? Nope..We had a great thing through work which I think was presented by SAP - it was originally called Search Inside Yourself at Google. Recommend to anyone in a big organisation that can justify these luxuries.
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