The post Psychogenic (Non-Epileptic) Seizures: A Guide appeared first on Awarefull.
]]>I am passing on this informative guide is to help educate our clients on PNES. A condition that is not uncommon in our practice.
Psychogenic (Non-Epileptic) Seizures (PNES)
A Guide
for Patients & Families
Selim R. Benbadis, MD Leanne Heriaud, RN
Comprehensive Epilepsy Program
College of Medicine
Comprehensive Epilepsy Program
Selim R. Benbadis, MD
Associate Professor
Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery Director, Comprehensive Epilepsy Program and Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory University of South Florida &
Tampa General Hospital
(813) 259-0605
sbenbadi@hsc.usf.edu http://hsc.usf.edu/~sbenbadi/
Leanne Heriaud, RN, BSN
Coordinator, Comprehensive Epilepsy Program Tampa General Hospital
(813) 844-4675
lheriaud@tgh.org
Psychogenic (non-epileptic) seizures: A guide for patients & families
WHAT ARE PSYCHOGENIC NON-EPILEPTIC SEIZURES?
I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS. IS IT RARE?
HOW CAN WE BE SURE THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT DIAGNOSIS?
A seizure is a temporary loss of control, often with abnormal movements, unconsciousness, or both. Epileptic seizures are caused by sudden abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. Psychogenic (non-epileptic) seizures are attacks that look like epileptic seizures, but are not caused by abnormal electrical dis- charges. They are stress-related or “emotional.” They are some- times called pseudoseizures, but “psychogenic non-epileptic seizures” (PNES) is now the preferred term.
PNES are the most common condition misdiagnosed as epi- lepsy. PNES are not rare, with a frequency comparable to multiple sclerosis. In general, 1 in 5 of patients sent to epilepsy centers for difficult seizures is found to have PNES instead of epileptic sei- zures.
Your physician may suspect PNES when the seizures have unusual features (e.g., type of movements, duration, triggers, frequency, etc.). PNES may look like generalized convulsions (similar to “grand-mal” seizures) with falling and shaking. Less often, they may mimic “petit mal” or “complex partial” seizures with temporary loss of attention, or “staring.”
The routine, 20-minute electroencephalogram (EEG) is often helpful in diagnosing epilepsy because it can detect the abnormal electrical discharges in the brain that indicate epilepsy. However, the EEG is very often normal in patients with proven epilepsy, so it cannot be used alone to exclude epilepsy.
The most reliable test to make the diagnosis is EEG-video monitoring, which is the only way to be sure. This procedure monitors a patient for several hours to several days with a video camera and an EEG until a seizure occurs. By analyzing the video and EEG recordings, the diagnosis can be made with a nearly 100% certainty. However, this can only be done if the episodes in question occur frequently enough (once a week or more). Some- times techniques can also be used to trigger seizures during moni- toring.
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WHY DID MY OTHER DOCTOR SAY THAT I HAD EPILEPSY?
Most patients (about 80%) with PNES have been treated with antiepileptic drugs for several years before the correct diagnosis is made. This does not mean that doctors who have treated you for epilepsy have been incompetent. Here is why.
Remember that the diagnosis of seizures relies on the descrip- tions by observers, who may not notice important details. Few physi- cians have access to EEG-video monitoring, which has to be per- formed by a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy (epileptologist). Because epileptic seizures are potentially more harmful than PNES, physicians, when in doubt, will treat for the more serious condition. If seizures continue despite medications, then either the treatment needs to be changed or the diagnosis is not epilepsy. At that point, patients are sent to an epilepsy center, where the diagnosis is usually made.
As mentioned above, most patients with PNES have received a diagnosis of epilepsy before being correctly diagnosed. Similarly, many have had EEGs reported as “abnormal.” This is because neu- rologists who do not specialize in EEG or epilepsy frequently “over- read” as abnormal what specialists would consider normal. This is one reason why the diagnosis of PNES should only be made by epileptologists.
If you have had abnormal EEGs in the past, it is important that you obtain the actual tracings so the specialist (epileptologist) can review them. A small proportion (only about 10%) of patients with PNES also have epilepsy. If you have both types, it is very important that you and your family learn to distinguish the two types.
PNES, unlike epileptic seizures, are not the result of a physical brain disease. Rather, they are emotional, stress-induced, and result from traumatic psychological experiences, sometimes from the for- gotten past. It is well known that emotional or psychological stresses can produce physical reactions in people with no physical illness. For example, everyone has blushed in embarrassment or been nervous and anxious as part of a “stage fright” reaction. Today, we also know that more extreme emotional stresses can actually cause physical illnesses.
Some physical illnesses can be greatly influenced by psychologi- cal or emotional factors. These illnesses are called psychosomatic or “mind-body” illnesses. Examples include angina (chest pain), asthma, and headaches. Other conditions are thought to be influ-
WHAT ABOUT MY ABNORMAL EEG?
WHAT CAUSES PSYCHOGENIC (NON-EPILEPTIC) SEIZURES?
Psychogenic (non-epileptic) seizures: A guide for patients & families
4
Psychogenic (Non-epileptic) Seizures, continued…
enced by stress and are often associated with PNES, including fibromyalgia and other pain syndromes, and irritable bowel syn- drome.
Disorders where emotional stresses cause symptoms that look like physical illnesses are called somatoform (“taking form in the body”) disorders, and the most common type is conversion disorder. In fact the official psychiatric classification (DSM-IV) has a specific category called conversion disorder with seizures. This is the category PNES usually fall into.
It is important to remember that somatoform disorders, including conversion disorder, are real conditions that arise in response to real stresses; patients are not faking them. The fact that the vast majority of PNES are not consciously produced is often poorly understood by family members and even by health care professionals. A specific traumatic event, such as physical or sexual abuse, incest, divorce, death of a loved one, or other great loss or sudden change, can be identified in many patients. Often the underlying trauma has been blocked from consciousness, and patients can recall the event only with help from a trained therapist. The unconscious processes that cause PNES may also cause or contribute to other conditions, such as depression and anxiety, which may also be present.
Thus, as mentioned above, PNES (and other conversion disorders) are a psychiatric condition. Some patients are reluctant to believe the diagnosis. Keep in mind that PNES represent a well-recognized condi- tion that can be diagnosed with nearly 100% certainty. This is different from other psychogenic symptoms, are simply a “diagnosis of elimi- nation.” With EEG video monitoring performed by an epileptologist, PNES can be shown with near 100% reliability to be of psychological origin.
Some people believe that treatment by a psychiatrist is a sign of being “crazy” or otherwise mentally incompetent. Such is not the case with PNES. Many patients become upset when told that their seizures are psychological. Remember that PNES are not purposely produced — it is not your “fault” that you have them.
It makes sense to seek treatment from a person most able to help you. The psychological factors can best be identified with the help of those with special training in psychological issues: psychiatrists, psychologists, or clinical social workers. As with all other medical conditions, sometimes the exact cause remains unknown; even then we can concentrate on the most important goal: reducing or eliminat- ing the seizures.
DO I REALLY NEED PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT?
Psychogenic (non-epileptic) seizures: A guide for patients & families
5
Psychiatric Treatment, continued…
WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK?
Your neurologist may continue to see you, but treatment will be provided primarily by a mental health professional. Treatment may involve psychotherapy, stress-reduction techniques (such as relax- ation and biofeedback training), and personal support to help you cope with the seizures during the course of treatment.
Overall, the outlook is good.
With proper treatment, the seizures eventually disappear in 60- 70% of adults; the percentages are even higher for children and ado- lescents. Keep in mind that psychiatric treatments are not a quick fix and take time. A common mistake is to refuse the diagnosis and not follow up with the proper treatment. Unfortunately, patients who make this choice will continue antiepileptic drugs, which have al- ready failed and are not likely to work.
An important factor is early diagnosis. The shorter patients have carried the wrong diagnosis of epilepsy, the better the chances of full recovery. With the supervision of the neurologist, antiepileptic drugs should be gradually (not abruptly) stopped.
Many people with PNES have stopped driving, since they have carried a diagnosis of epilepsy. There is no law that regulates driving in patients with PNES, and neurologists vary in what they recom- mend. The decision as to whether you should be driving has to be made individually with both your psychiatrist and your neurologist.
If you have received benefits or been unable to work because of your seizures, this should not change based on this new diagnosis. Your seizures are real, and they may be disabling whether they are epileptic or psychological in origin. However, if your disability is now related to PNES (and not epilepsy), decisions are best made by your psychiatrist rather than your neurologist.
CAN I DRIVE?
WHAT ABOUT MY DISABILITY?
Psychogenic (non-epileptic) seizures: A guide for patients & families
6
WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN?
PNES can also occur in adolescents and young children. More common psychogenic (stress-induced) symptoms in these age groups include headaches and stomach aches. Most of the points made in this guide apply to children as well as to adults. Young patients generally differ from adult patients only in that the stresses are typically less severe and are often related to the stresses experienced by younger patients, such as school or dating.
Children and adolescents also have a higher rate of recovery.
We realize this booklet may not have answered all your questions. It is not intended to replace discussions with your physician, but rather to help you understand that you have a known and treatable condition. You are not alone in having this. Treatment is available and is effective for most of the patients who seek it.
A FINAL THOUGHT
Psychogenic (non-epileptic) seizures: A guide for patients & families
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
PNES are constantly the subject of new research. Each year at the Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, many presentations are devoted to this topic. Each year, many articles on PNES are published in the medical literature. The following gives some idea of the attention being directed to this well-recognized disorder.
In 2001, there were over 60 articles on PNES published in the medical literature. In 2001, there were 21 presentations on PNES at the Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society.
BOOKS
Riley TL, Roy A. Pseudoseizures. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1982.
Fischer RS. Imitators of Epilepsy. New York: Demos Medical Publishers, 1994.
Gates J, Rowan AJ (eds). Non-epileptic seizures. 2nd edition. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2000.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders : DSM-IV. 4th ed. Wash- ington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1994.
RECENT SELECTED ARTICLES
Andriola MR, Ettinger AB. Pseudoseizures and other nonepileptic paroxysmal disorders in children and adoles- cents. Neurology 1999;53(5 Suppl 2):S89-95.
Benbadis SR, Agrawal V, Tatum WO. How many patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures also have epilepsy? Neurology 2001;57:915-7.
Benbadis SR, Blustein JN, Sunstad L. Should patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures be allowed to drive? Epilepsia 2000;41:895-7.
Benbadis SR, Hauser WA. An estimate of the prevalence of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Seizure 2000;9:280- 281.
Benbadis SR, Johnson K, Anthony K, et al. Induction of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures without placebo. Neurology 2000;55:1904-5.
Benbadis SR, Tatum WO IV, Vale FL. When drugs don’t work: an algorithmic approach to medically intractable epilepsy. Neurology 2000;55:1780-1784.
Benbadis SR. How many patients with pseudoseizures receive antiepileptic drugs prior to diagnosis? European Neurology 1999;41:114-5.
Benbadis SR. What can EEG-video monitoring do for you and your patients? Journal of the Florida Medical Association 1997;84:320-322.
Bowman ES. Nonepileptic Seizures. Current Treatment Options in Neurology 2000;2:559-570.
Bowman ES. Nonepileptic seizures: psychiatric framework, treatment, and outcome. Neurology 1999;53(5 Suppl 2):S84-8.
DeToledo JC, Lowe MR, Puig A. Nonepileptic seizures in pregnancy. Neurology 2000;55:120-1.
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ARTICLES, continued…
Ettinger AB, Devinsky O, Weisbrot DM, et al.A comprehensive profile of clinical, psychiatric, and psychosocial characteristics of patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsia 1999;40:1292-8.
Ettinger AB, Dhoon A, Weisbrot DM, et al. Predictive factors for outcome of nonepileptic seizures after diagnosis. Journal of Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 1999;11:458-63.
Frances PL, Baker GA, Appleton PL. Stress and avoidance in Pseudoseizures: testing the assumptions. Epilepsy Research 1999;34(2-3):241-9.
Gates J. Nonepileptic seizures: time for progress. Epilepsy & Behavior 2000;1:2-6.
Gatzonis SD, Siafakas A, Chioni A, et al. Nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsia 1999;40:387.
Groppel G, Kapitany T, Baumgartner C. Cluster analysis of clinical seizure semiology of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsia 2000;41:610-4.
Gudmundsson O, Prendergast M, Foreman D, et al. Outcome of pseudoseizures in children and adolescents: a 6- year symptom survival analysis. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 2001;43:547-51.
Kalogjera-Sackellares D, Sackellares JC. Intellectual and neuropsychological features of patients with psychogenic pseudoseizures. Psychiatry Research 1999;86:73-84.
Krawetz P, Fleisher W, Pillay N, et al. Family functioning in subjects with pseudoseizures and epilepsy. Journal of Nerve and Mental Diseases 2001;189:38-43.
Krumholz A. Nonepileptic seizures: diagnosis and management. Neurology 1999;53(5 Suppl 2):S76-83. Lesser RP. Psychogenic seizures. Neurology 1996;46:1499-2507.
Reeves AL, McAuley JW, Moore JL, et al. Medication use, self-reported drug allergies, and estimated medication cost in patients with epileptic versus nonepileptic seizures. Journal of Epilepsy 1998;11:191-194.
Selwa LM, Geyer J, Nikakhtar N, et al. Nonepileptic seizure outcome varies by type of spell and duration of illness. Epilepsia 2000;41:1330-
Shen W, Bowman ES, Markand ON: Presenting the diagnosis of psychogenic seizure. Neurology 1990; 40; 5: 756- 759.
Silva W, Giagante B, Saizar R, et al. Clinical features and prognosis of nonepileptic seizures in a developing country. Epilepsia 2001;42:398-401.
Sirven JI, Glosser DS. Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: theoretic and clinical considerations. Neuropsychiatry Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurology 1998;11:225-35.
Szaflarski JP, Ficker DM, Cahill WT, et al. Four-year incidence of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures in adults in Hamilton county, OH. Neurology 2000 28;55:1561-3.
Tojek TM, Lumley M, Barkley G, Mahr G, et al. Stress and other psychosocial characteristics of patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Psychosomatics 2000;41:221-6.
Wyllie E, Glazer JP, Benbadis S, et al. Psychiatric features of children and adolescents with pseudoseizures. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 1999;153:244-8.
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]]>“Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures: A guide. Lorna Myers, Ph. D.
Signs of PNES
- Seizures seem to follow periods of stress.
- Very high number of seizures-as many as one or more daily;
- Repeated seizures-related hospital stays and/or emergency room visits.
- Lack of response to anti-epileptic medicines.
Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) look like epileptic seizures but do not demonstrate epileptiform activity during a brain wave recording with an electro-encephalogram (EEG) and are instead considered to be triggered by emotion. A video EEG is used to test for PNES.
Splitting of Awareness: Dissociation
The brain is an incredible organ. In extreme conditions it can actually activate or deactivate certain parts of itself. The process of deactivating is called dissociation. Dissociation is a very powerful defense mechanism often seen in those who have had extremely overwhelming experiences and undergone severe trauma. Essentially what happens is the conscious mind splits off from the “here and now” in order to protect itself. The individual may still be awake and even somewhat responsive but is actually detached. The mind has “gone away” in order to avoid the pain.
During dissociation, the body can become stiff and slow to respond, eyelids may flutter, there may be blank stare, and self-soothing behaviors (e.g. rocking or stroking oneself) can occur. Internally, the individual may feel like an observer, sense that the outside world is too slow/fast and seems unreal, suffer memory lapses and feel no sensation of pain.
People who have been brutally, repeatedly victimized over time may utilize dissociation on a somewhat regular basis. But while it’s a useful mechanism when one is being traumatized, it can also start to surface later on in response to much lower levels of stress and seriously disrupt one’s life.
In PNES, dissociation is a major part of the episode. The patient is often “removed” during the episode. PNES is often considered by mental health professionals to be a kind of “conversion disorder” which can overlap with dissociation. In this type of disorder, powerful emotional reactions are unconsciously converted into physical symptoms (grunting, far-off stares, loss of consciousness) or a ;motor event (convulsions, shaking). The symptoms might be as severe as blindness or paralysis and aren’t under the voluntary control of the patient. These symptoms can’t be explained by a medical/neurological condition, the effect of a substance, or culturally accepted behaviors (for example, in some cultures, grieving is commonly expressed through vigorous movement, altered consciousness and wailing). However, they are preceded or fueled by emotional conflicts or stressors. Of the four subtypes of conversion disorders, one of them produces “seizures or convulsions”. Most patients with PNES carry this diagnosis.
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Words of the White Tantric Yoga facilitator during the Summer Solstice Celebration have continued to resonate within me since the experience. Eloquently, softly and with immense grace she told hundreds of attendees that, “Yogi Bhajan wanted us to know survival…as well as luxury…” I have since pondered and ‘felt’ this wisdom in many forms.
Checking into Solstice in 100+ degree weather in the high desert of New Mexico was far from a luxurious experience. It was dusty. It was hot. It was really dusty, and it was really really hot. From my first-timer judgmental perspective I also felt it to be a little on the disorganized side as well. Then, putting all of these things together and adding two children under the age of 7 alongside it all, I can certainly say that I quietly questioned my decision to put this trip on the list of ‘summer vacations.’
The experience began, let’s say, a bit rocky. As time continued, however, I allowed my judgmental thinking to slowly evolve and gradually unveiled the layers that clung to the need for predictability, ease, and a desired outcome. I slowly connected the reality that with all experiences, especially new experiences, not all things are going to run smoothly or exactly as anticipated, yet it is how I choose to approach these experiences that makes all the difference. I continued to hear the words of Yogi Bhajan, “Patience Pays” and talk among Solstice attendees, “This is why he chose this area in the desert. Because if we can survive this, if we can work together and ‘Keep Up’ in these elements, we will be able to carry this into our everyday lives.” We had to pace ourselves in the heat. We had to be patient with when the food would arrive, and we had to trust that when we worked together, when we had positive energetic exchanges, we could carry each other. This, we did. Through White Tantric Yoga to slowing our need for luxury, we carried each other through the beautifully moving week of Summer Solstice.
Our experience in the high desert then made itself immediately present in the days following our departure…
My partner, son and I entered ‘Part 2’ of summer vacation directly after Solstice with a flight to a family reunion on Lake Michigan. Believing, for whatever strange reason, that traffic from southern Colorado to DIA in the middle of the summer would somehow be “predictable, easy, and with certain outcome” we found our thought processes challenged once again. Long of it short, we found ourselves tying up our laces when still in the car, shoving any last minute items into the carry-on luggage, and literally running (yes, just like Home Alone), every step of the way…from the parking garage, to and through security, to the very last terminal, to the very last gate. I’m not kidding, the very last, only to find that once we got there the boarding doors had closed…and our flight was delayed by 30 minutes, giving us time to do everything we needed.
My partner and I looked at each other with adoration and exasperation, I leaned over and kissed my trooper of a 7-year old on the top of the head, and we all smiled with grateful exhaustion. Through it all, not once did we get angry with one another. We kindly understood the urgency, nervousness, and anxiety that was below the surface throughout the car ride all the way to the last step in the terminal. There was a trust that whatever the outcome was, it would ‘work out’ in some form or another. Sometimes I relied on my partner, sometimes he relied on me, and all the while my son trust the process. It was beautiful, and it worked out just as the universe intended.
Getting to Michigan was not easy. Getting settled at Solstice was not easy. The outcome, however, was more beautiful than could have ever been predicted, and this lesson will forever be with me.
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]]>Did you know May is Skin Cancer Awareness & Prevention Month? Find out how to protect yourself in THIS ARTICLE.
IS YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND?
By Kathryn A. Green
Creating more awareness in our everyday experiences, moment by moment, is so important in living our healthiest lives. So often we put our heads in the sand out of fear of the unknown. We project our worst fears on the potential outcome. . . something in the future that doesn’t even yet exist. Interestingly enough, that process creates unnecessary pain in our lives. When we ignore what we know is in our best interest because we’re afraid of what might happen, we’re in fact imprisoning ourselves in a “what if” kind of life. There is no freedom there. No possibility.
When I was at a doctor’s visit just over a year ago, I inquired about a couple of moles on my stomach. She took a look, and while she wasn’t overly concerned, she suggested I get them looked at by a specialist. Needless to say, I didn’t go make that appointment. Instead, I worried, I fretted, I “googled” skin cancer, I forgot about it, I remembered, I worried, I fretted. . . and the random cycle continued.
I finally booked an appointment with a dermatologist and went to see her today. Guess what? The last year of periodic, self-induced anxiety, worry, and drama was all for nothing. I’m JUST FINE and I won’t need to go back for a few more years! This is fantastic news and I feel so blessed, but it does make me stop and think about all the unnecessary anguish I caused myself. If I had simply made the appointment a year ago, I would’ve known then my moles were in the normal range and that I had nothing to worry about. I could’ve lived the past 365+ days without the fear hanging over my head. Lesson learned.
So, let’s look at the other possible outcome to my visit today. What if the outcome of my visit with the dermatologist had been different? What if the doctor would have found something? Would my worry, pain and stress for the last year have changed that? The answer is NO. The reality is simply the reality. In fact, finding things early is always beneficial in terms of treatment.
It’s always a good idea to face things head on, with our eyes wide open and a trusting heart. This allows the truth to come forward and possibilities to unfold. When we move through our lives with this approach, life has the opportunity to respond to us in kind. Freedom comes when we listen to ourselves, when we shine the light on whatever is causing the discomfort.
What are you shying away from right now? Are you ready to step out of your self-imposed jail and take the next step toward the truth? Isn’t it time for you to BE FREE?
Kathryn Green
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kathryn is a certified integrative nutrition health coach, registered yoga teacher and owner of a health & wellness company called True You, LLC. She is passionate about taking a holistic approach to health and well-being, living life to the fullest, doing what feels soulfully true, living a life that lifts everyone up AND she is inspired to help others live their happiest, healthiest and most soulful life.
Kathryn is honored to teach yoga and offer health coaching at Awarefull! If you want to get in touch with her, please contact us at 970.232.9585 or office@awarefull.com.
Kathryn A. Green
Health & Lifestyle Coach, and Certified Yoga Teacher
Health & Lifestyle Coaching ~ Yoga ~ Corporate Wellness
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]]>I am in the process of evolution. This is not Darwin’s misguided concept that evolution is fueled by survival. This evolution is one of gradual, and peaceful change. Why peaceful? I choose the direction I want to be. Choosing is a peaceful action. Having to choose is a battle. When has fighting for survival really helped mankind and life? All life wants to grow and bloom.
What I seek is not war; I truly seek the peace of knowing that I add to life. Peace is not necessarily the easy choice. Peace for me means I am acting in alignment with who I am. Evolution may mean standing up and saying no, changing the routine, and risking a new outcome. This is not war. It is following my inner knowing that clues in on what I am feeling/experiencing in the moment. I use this information to grow. All life needs to grow.
When I stop growing, I get anxious and eventually depressed. Whenever I try to make the anxiety or depression go away, I am really being stubborn in my refusal to listen to the message that I need to make a change. Anxiety and depression are communications from life that I need to evolve, to grow, to change. Anxiety and depression are not diseases. They are signals from life that it is time to go forward.
Today
What I am anxious about today? Websites. We have two websites that are like needy people. Black holes of energy. To top it off, I can only do so much since I am technically challenged and haven’t a clue about the inner workings of programing. I can usually see what needs to be done, but I do not know how to make it happen. This feeling of wanting something but not knowing how to get is often the root of anxiety for me. I feel threatened when I perceive that I lack something to create an outcome.
I took anxiety at its word and realize how I perceive websites is causing me to feel uncomfortable. Ok. I will evolve. I love my work. The more people connect to what I have to teach, the more power it carries forward. So, that’s not the problem. What is it that spooks me? The awareness comes that the problem is that I hold a fear of stepping forward with my truth and heaven forbid others may not agree. Ok. I’ll jump in. I’ve done a blog even though I lack the ability to see around the corner. Truth is. I feel relief. A good sign.
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]]>In yoga, you start where you are. You start with you. It’s not about competing with your neighbor to get deeper into a stretch. It’s about finding your sweet spot. My classes are and have always been all-level. I actively encourage the use of props. Even those of us who have been practicing for years will still pick up a strap or a bolster to allow us to savor a stretch just a little more. A strap can aid a yogi or yogini in going a little deeper into a stretch, just as it can aid a beginner in providing a little assistance.
Yoga unites us all
- Yoga doesn’t align with my religious beliefs
Although the first written words about yoga were found in India, cave dwellings thousands of years’ old, depicting yoga poses have been found all across the globe. The teachings in yoga are universal to all religions, all spiritual beliefs. Yoga is about being aware, about being mindful, to oneself and to others, both on and off the mat. It is about letting go of ego and finding the divine, whatever that means to you. Yoga is an individual practice and about finding that place of stillness, a place that resonates with you.
Yoga unites us all
- Yoga is only for “granolas”
Yoga can be whatever you want it to be. In my classes, I have had runners, Tai Kwon Do studio owners wanting to kick higher in a competition; children wanting to be children and have fun; mothers-to-be wanting to connect with their unborn child; new mothers wanting to find some time just for themselves; people of advanced age interesting in maintaining or gaining flexibility; people with high blood pressure; people who have been sexually assaulted; and people whose doctors have prescribed Yoga. Yoga appeals to all socio-economic ranges; all religions; all body types; all fitness levels; and all mobility levels. Yoga can serve whatever purpose you need it to. If you’re looking for a spiritual awakening, you can find it; if you’re trying to kick a little higher in Tai Kwon Do, you can also find it.
Yoga unites us all.
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]]>Awarefull is a combination of theoretical processes that we have found work. These process work with your basic biological system. We teach you how to use this system and listen to it and get out of your head.
Animals know when not to go to a certain place. Animals know when a predator is stocking them. News Flash! Humans are animals. The difference is that humans allow their intellect to get in the way rather than use it enhance their lives.
When you learn to use your body’s messages you reset your autonomic system to work for you and your mind can be used to enhance your life rather than complicate it. This allows less stress and anxiety almost instantly.
The easiest way to experience this is to come to one of my meditation classes. I teach a simple process of coming into and listening to the physical body and using that information to direct your system rather than scare yourself.
Why did I create awarefull?
Through my own evolutionary process I have realized that anyone has the power within them to create meaningful change. I wish to share what knowledge I have. I see people as powerful, not broken. I believe the path to a peaceful world is an inside job for each of us. I believe that we can all learn with a n open heart and awareness from each other. I know that as I help the person across from me they are also helping me become more aware and more awake in that shared moment.
I received a face book meme that said, “Vote it’s easier than moving to Canada.” I think this brings home the reality that within each of lays the power to create change within ourselves, demonstrating this change on the outside through the choices we make each day.
When I was 11 I would wake up angry every day. One day my dad said to me, “Wendy, you get to choose how you want to wake up each day. You can wake up mad or happy.” I chose from that day on to wake up happy, and it worked. Through awarefull, I hope to change the world one person at a time. Empowering each person to come to the awareness that they can choose to be happy.
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]]>The practice of t’ai chi has added a whole new world of mindfulness I never knew I could experience. T’ai chi is meditation-movement. The deep breathing and slow moves promote staying in the present moment but, more surprisingly, the practice drives awareness deep into my physical being. I ‘see’ my center of gravity, my ridgepole, my spine. My ridgepole is as straight as it can be, given my human form. My muscles hold me erect and strong as I extend the crown of my head up to the skies. Yet, fluidity is the key to my movement. Just like earthquake structures that shake and sway so as not to ‘break’, so too must I remain open to twisting, stretching and bending as I move through space.
I love the analogy of the spine as a string of pearls. Individual calcifications brought together, side by side, move as a coordinated whole. Each ‘pearl’ supports, directs the movement of its neighbor on the string. The string of pearls expresses the ultimate in flexibility. I visualize that same flexibility throughout my whole presence through the practice of t’ai chi.
Pearl
Round, smooth, unique, imperfect.
The smallest irritant. Not even noticed at first.
Mother recognizes a presence.
An irritant? Build up a defense…
It is present.
Time and efforts to isolate, keep separate.
We now become one.
Nestled. Grown. Cherished.
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]]>The post Meditation: It is easier than you think! appeared first on Awarefull.
]]>There is no right or wrong way to meditate.
Many people believe that meditation is only stopping thoughts and completely silencing the mind. There can be so much more to meditation than silencing the mind. In fact, most of the meditation practices I have come across do not seek to silence the mind, but seek to harness the power of the mind to create something new!
For example, Lovingkindness meditation focuses on four different qualities of love: lovingkindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity. These four attitudes and states are cultivated by reciting a personal mantra (mind is: may I be peaceful, may I be loved, may I be healthy, may I be happy). When you can recite these phrases to yourself and they feel true and genuine, you move on to others in your life until lovingkindness becomes an automatic response. This meditation practice uses thoughts and word to retrain the mind rather than silence it.
Another type of meditation, usually called mindfulness meditation, asks you to consciously follow your breath. In this meditation you bring your awareness to every minute detail of the inhale and the exhale. When your attention strays from the breath (and it will!), you gently bring it back to the breath. That’s it. No stopping of thoughts, though you may notice you have less thoughts as you continue your practice.
You can also meditate by bringing conscious awareness to your physical body and its sensations. This meditation is rooted in Tantra Yoga and works very similarly to the breath meditation. We bring our awareness to any sensations happening in the moment and if our attention strays, we gently bring it back. In this form of meditation it is crucial to let go of any judgements about your sensations. No sensation is better or worse than any other, just like no inhale is better or worse than another. Again, the focus is not on stopping the thoughts, just changing your focus from internal chatter to your sensations in the present moment.
As you can see, all three of these meditation practices involve thoughts of some kind. The key is to bring your attention to the INTENTION of your meditation rather than allowing your thoughts to spin randomly.
So next time you think about practicing meditation, just remember, there is no right or wrong in meditation! So go ahead, give it a try!
Happy meditating,
Liz
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]]>I introduce myself and the class: just a simple, free yoga class open to anyone and everyone. We begin. Noticing sensations, feeling. Then the intention. Being. Just be; whatever is coming up right now, in this moment, just be. The breath comes next, pranayama. Inhaling and exhaling so deliberately, so consciously. And my heart is pounding through it all. We begin to move and I start to come into the flow. As we move together, the atmosphere changes. I no longer feel nervous, I am no longer worried about the sequence, I am just being. We created a beautiful practice together, he and I, by Being. Just like our intention.
Being. This is the intention I chose for my first ever yoga class, and it was lovely. Not because I had a horde of students; I didn’t. And not because the class went smoothly; it didn’t. Because I was able to offer the space for myself and my students to just be. Nothing to do, nothing to achieve, nothing to fret over or perfect. Just being.
Namaste,
Liz
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First posted on the Holistic Yoga School Blog!
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