The journey of cancer is a long one. Where are you in that journey?  

• Waiting for  diagnosis
• Diagnosis given,
• Waiting  for treatment,
• Treatment started
• Struggling with the effects of treatment
• Coping alone
• Long hospital stay
• Waiting to know if you are getting a lease of life
• Going in to paliation
• Are you left now, to come back once a year- suddenly all support system falls away leaving you in a limbo
• Or are you recovering well

All of this will affect you, then your own personal belief system, your culture, your support system.

So remember practising mindfulness starts with knowing where you are in this journey. What is your general health like, what are your thoughts like, how much sleep are you getting? You may be at any of the above stage and be emotionally coping well. You can be at any of this stage and not coping at all. You can be anywhere in the spectrum.

One of the biggest question of my clients is what can I do? Over the years, I have shared many coping strategies, many mindfulness techniques. I know it all works, but not all works for everyone. You have to experiment and find what’s good for you, what works for you and practice it and get comfortable with it. Even as I teach my clients many of these strategies, I know that it works when  they build their practice on a firm foundation.

Number one thing to remember is Meditation and Mindfulness is nothing but a form of exercise.

While meditation is more about stillness mindfulness is a way of life. It is a mixture of common sense and kindness in action. It is way we choose to live our life.

Let me give you an example.

In a hot day I need to drink water. I choose not to make an effort or drink soft drinks and alcohol. Am I not using my common sense ? or Am I being kind to my body by looking after it ? No right I am not.

I have a busy day I drink in run, gulp down a liter at a time and then nothing in between. Doing this will hydrate me a little as most of the water will gush through. And drinking when I am thirsty means dehydration is already setting in.

I fill a bottle of water and sip through the day now that is using common sense.

I build a ritual of self care, drink water first thing in the morning and use it as a part of my self care ritual is being kind to my body.

Now I am in a hospital waiting room, anxiety is setting in, I know my thoughts are running away in a wrong direction. I know negative thoughts will only increase my misery. I get up to get a glass of water, stand to a side, close my eyes and gently sip the water. I feel the coolness of the water in my mouth. I concentrate on the journey of that water as I swallow. I feel the coolness that it leaves behind. I can feel the water passing through my food pipe. I have done this exercise so often in stressful situations, it breaks the train of my thoughts. It gives me breathing space. I am not trying to get rid of negative thoughts. I am not trying to think positive. All I am trying to do is concentrate on something that comes naturally that is drinking water.

It does not matter if you are a patient or a carer. Little mindfulness exercises goes a long way in breaking the cycle of negative thoughts giving your mind a break and your body a respite from the effects of stress. If you want to learn more, please fill your details in the space provided below and I will get in touch with you.