THE CHRONIC ELEPHANT BLOG: MINDFULNESS FOR HEALTH COURSE

[hellytheelephant]

Hello all!

I have just started Breathworks Mindfulness for Health online meditation course. The cost is £55, and the commitment is to doing 2x 10 minute guided meditations daily, most days.
https://www.breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk/online-courses/mindfulness-for-health-online

As some of you may know, I have severe ME as well as constant chronic pain and also other chronic illnesses to manage.

The aim of doing the course is to help me to manage pain better.

I am taking it slowly, so anticipate it will take around 12 weeks, and I will be blogging about it during that time: https://thechronicelephant.blogspot.com/2019/01/may-i-be-well-may-i-be-happy-may-i-be.html

 

[Trish]

Good luck with it @hellytheelephant. I hope you find it helpful.

 

[inox]

So sorry to hear you have other chronic conditions on top of severe ME. That must be hard, as many of the options that could help a bit often are impossible to do. Best of luck with the course <3

 

[hellytheelephant]

Check out part 2: MEET MY LUNGS!!

https://thechronicelephant.blogspot.com/2019/01/meet-my-lungs-mindfulness-4-health-pt-1.html

 

[hellytheelephant]

Part 3: This one is about anxiety.

https://thechronicelephant.blogspot.com/2019/01/we-need-to-talk-about-colin-mindfulness.html

 

[Trish]

Very interesting reading about your experiences trying meditation, @hellytheelephant. We ME folk seem to have variable responses to it with some finding it makes things worse and others finding it helps. I don't think I'd have the energy to cope with the ups and downs you are experiencing with it, but I wish you well and hope you find it helpful.

Some experiences are shared on this thread:
https://www.s4me.info/threads/meditation.3220/

 

[hellytheelephant]

Thanks @Trish- an interesting thread. To be honest my motivation for doing the course is more about chronic pain than ME. When I originally learnt Meditation I did 20 mins twice a day. Now it is 10 min guided sessions. I also don't attempt to 'sit' and you are encouraged to gently shift during the meditation if you need to. One of the benefits of this course, is that it is designed by someone who lives with chronic pain and uses a wheelchair. There are no expectations, and the course can take as long as I need.

Yes, quite a few ups and downs, but I am really keen to do it. I am also motivated to keep going by the fact that if I give up then many people would know!!!!.

 

[hellytheelephant]

Part 4 of my Blog about the Mindfulness for Health Course, is about navigating the chopping waters of MINDFUL MOVEMENT.https://thechronicelephant.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-old-elephant-learns-new-tricks.html


FEEL FREE TO ASK ME ANYTHING ABOUT THE COURSE.

HELLY

 

[hellytheelephant]

Here is the penultimate Blog about the Mindfulness for Health Online Course:

https://thechronicelephant.blogspot.com/2019/03/brexisnt-keeping-on-mindfulness-4.html

 

[Trish]

Thank you @hellytheelephant. You write with such honesty and humour. It's inspiring.

 

[hellytheelephant]

Thanks @Trish - I must admit I have struggled to express how I have found the course...it is a bit like herding cats trying to get my ideas in some kind of order!

 

[hellytheelephant]

BTW: this is the last 'running commentary' Blog I will be doing on the course. I have less than a week's worth of hours to finish...and the last Blog in this series will give all the practical info for anyone who might be thinking of doing this course.


I will post the final summing up and info on the course in the lifestyle management section, in the hope that more people will find it. I have included used links and my review of the course.

 

[hellytheelephant]

So here, after 3 months of the mindfulness course is my review, with tips and information, and resources I have found useful.
I have found the course very good, and I think others would find it helpful in terms of feeling able to manage illness and pain ( not forgetting emotional states )more effectively.

https://thechronicelephant.blogspot.com/2019/04/has-this-mindfulness-4-health-been.html