Optimal Integral Wellness
Thinking about the future can steal our attention away from the present moment and can lead us down the jagged path of anxiety. In his new DVD, Mindfulness Meditations for Anxiety, Ira Israel presents seven practices that redirect the mind away from the dissonance of black and white thinking. Encouraging practitioners to look for the balanced “gray-areas” through these techniques, Israel empowers victory over the fluctuations of an anxious mind.
With soothing musical accompaniment by Jacqueline Fuentes and Ayman, each of the seven selections begins with a quote which introduces a theme. Followed with commentary from Israel, the practice unfolds upon the theme, utilizing a focusing activity such as breathwork, visualization, mantra, or a brief writing exercise. All of the practices end in a period of silent mindfulness meditation culminating in the soft chiming of a bell, letting viewers know they can either end the period of meditation or return to the main menu for an additional practice.
Inviting viewers to discover for themselves the profound psychological outcomes of the practices, Israel urges viewers to, “entertain the possibility that there could be other models or paradigms more empowering” than medication to treat anxiety. Additional tools, including acceptance, gratitude, non-reactivity, and self-observation, are introduced to equip viewers with the knowledge that, “if we are the cause of our own anxiety, then we might also have the power to overcome it.”
Beth Prandini is a YogaWorks Certified Yoga Teacher and a lover of all media. bethprandiniyoga.com
