Calming Your Anxious Mind

Jeffrey Brantley

Description

The Mindfulness Solution to Anxiety

Drawing on techniques and perspectives from two seemingly different traditions, this second edition of the self-help classic Calming Your Anxious Mind offers you a powerful and profound approach to overcoming anxiety, fear, and panic. From the evidence-based tradition of Western medicine, learn the role your thoughts and emotions play in anxiety. And, from the tradition of meditation and the inquiry into meaning and purpose, discover your own potential for presence and stillness, kindness and compassion-and the tremendous power these states give you to heal and transform your life.

Use this encouraging, step-by-step program to:

•Learn about the mechanism of anxiety and the body''s fear system
•Develop a healing mindfulness practice-one breath at a time
•Start on the path to presence, stillness, compassion, and loving kindness
•Practice acceptance during mindfulness meditation
•Feel safe while opening up to fearful and anxious feelings

Informations

• Publié par: New Harbinger Publications
• Date de parution: 01 novembre 2003
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781572247543
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

“Dr. Brantley’s book is clear and warm. It takes the mystery out of meditation and explains how things that at first sight appear ‘ordinary’ are in fact very important. His extensive clinical experience and his empathy constantly shine through the book.”

—Jonathan Davidson, MD, director of the Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Program at Duke University

“I think the book is fantastic and believe it will fill an important niche in the treatment of anxiety disorders. The information on the physiology of anxiety and the stress response helps to demystify the symptoms for readers, making their problem seem more manageable. Beautifully guided meditations anticipate and address the questions that anxious new meditators will have. The instruction to stay present with the anxiety is powerful and healing. I know I will be recommend ing it to my patients and colleagues.” —Holly B. Rogers, MD, staff psychiatrist with Duke University Counseling and Psychological Services

“As a psychotherapist and teacher of stress reduction, I find this book helpful to clients and clinicians, as well as to meditators wishing to deepen their own practice. Brantley gives practical and compassionate guidance to anyone seeking skillful ways to work with anxiety and panic.” —Allie Rudolph, LCSW, founder and codirector of the University of Virginia MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction Program

Publisher’s Note

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Copyright © 2007 by Jeffrey Brantley New Harbinger Publications, Inc. 5674 Shattuck Avenue Oakland, CA 94609 www.newharbinger.com

Cover design by Amy Shoup; Cover Image by Brand X Pictures/Jupiter Images; Text design by Michele WatersKermes; Acquired by Melissa Kirk; Edited by Gail Saari

Poem from the bookShe Had Some Horsesby Joy Harjo. Copyright ©1983, 1997. Appears by permission of the publisher, Thunder Mouth Press, A Division of Avalon Publishing Group, Inc.

William Stafford, “Being a Person” fromEven in Quiet Places. Copyright ©1996 by William Stafford. Reprinting with the permission of Confluence Press.

David Budbill, “Don’t Speak in the Abstract” fromWhile We’ve Still Got Feet. Copyright © 2005 by David Budbill. Reprinted with the permission of Copper Canyon Press, P.O. Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 983680271.

All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

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Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Brantley, Jeffrey.  Calming your anxious mind : how mindfulness and compassion can free you from anxiety, fear, and panic / Jeffrey Brantley.  2nd ed.  p. cm.  ISBN 9781572244870 1. Anxiety. 2. Fear. 3. Attention. 4. Meditation. I. Title. BF575.A6B737 2007 152.4'6dc22 2007008085

09 08 07

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

This book is dedicated to all whose lives are driven or constricted by fear, anxiety, or panic. May you find peace, and may that peace penetrate the entire world.

contents

foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii

acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi

introduction to the revised edition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

PART 1: getting oriented CHAPTER 1 a mindful approach to fear & anxiety. . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 CHAPTER 2 paying attention on purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 CHAPTER 3 the body & its fear system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 CHAPTER 4 anxiety & the power of the mind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 CHAPTER 5 mindfulness & meditation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 CHAPTER 6 your attitude is important . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 CHAPTER 7 building your practice foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

PART 2: practicing mindfulness CHAPTER 8 mindfulness in everyday life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 CHAPTER 9 establishing mindfulness, breath by breath. . . . . . . . . .113 CHAPTER 10 mindfulness of the body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 CHAPTER 11 bringing full attention to life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 CHAPTER 12 befriending your anxious mind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153 CHAPTER 13 making room for the upset. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163

PART 3: applying mindfulness to fear, anxiety & panic CHAPTER 14 common concerns about these meditation practices . . . . .173 CHAPTER 15 feeling safe, resting in silence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189 CHAPTER 16 applying mindfulness to fear & anxiety. . . . . . . . . . . .199 CHAPTER 17 taking a larger view. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213

resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

references. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223

vicontents

foreword

I t gives me great pleasure to introduce this book to you. Jeff Brantley is a devoted practitioner of mindfulness meditation and a longtime teacher of mindfulnessbased stress reduction (MBSR). Dr. Brantley has a great deal of clinical experience in working with people suffering from chronic stress, pain, and illness, and in particular, with chronic anxiety. This book is a welcome introduction to mindfulness practice for all those who experience anxiety in their lives. That turns out to be just about all of us at one time or another. For anxiety is rampant in our age, a kind of cosmic background radiation impinging con tinually on our individual and collective psyches and amassing a deep cumulative tension in the body. Currents of anxiety can be behind the smallest things we choose to do or refrain from trying—at work, at home, and in our interior lives. Knowingly and unknowingly, anxiety can shape the very fabric and direction of our lives, whether we have a diagnosed anxiety disorder or not. For regardless of how welloff or healthy we may seem to be to others or even to ourselves, being human, we are hardly immune, at least on occasion, to the mental state we know as fear and to the short