Reduce Anxiety Through Meditation: A New Mother’s Perspective

I found my way to meditation through a series of unfortunate events, and yes, I mean it. In 2012, I ended a toxic relationship and struggled to cope with what I knew was the best decision for my future but what felt like a failure. Enter my good friend Kathy, also a client of Charlotte Meditation, who recommended that I go see Guru Ranjit. Feeling like I was at a loss for what to do and wanting to take a healthy action, I made an appointment with Ranjit.

At the first session with Ranjit, I found myself retelling all the horrible stories of the failed relationship and my related fears. To this storm of worry and anxiety, Ranjit’s calming presence gave me comfort. He has a presence that suggests hope and positivity even when it feels impossible. Meditation and breathing made me aware of my thoughts and their powers. I began to feel like I could sense when I was having negative thoughts, and how to manage my response to them.  Emotions are a choice, your breath is the tool. These techniques have supported me through countless personal and professional stressors.

Now, seven years later, those same lessons of breath and meditation have continually come to my aid as a new mother. My new mama brain panics and shouts internally, “Help, my child is crying for no apparent reason! I’ve checked his diaper; feeding, rocking, and nothing is working, what do I do?”  My internal voice says, “Breathe.” (I  can hear Ranjit saying this with a smile.) My fears/anxiety for my baby awaken me at 3 a.m., my brain is in full “monkey mind” mode, full of racing thoughts and emotions. My internal voice says, “Breathe.” And as I focus on my breathing, feeling the air entering and leaving my body, I relax. I soften, knowing this is one way I can comfort myself and therefore improve my ability to comfort my child.

Surprisingly, this simple act of breathing slows down heart rate, lowers blood pressure and centers me in the moment. Does it completely change reality? No. However, it changes my response to it. Meditation gives me a space between my thoughts and emotions. I visualize my thoughts/emotions on the other side of a long hallway and the breathing helps me pause before responding. This ongoing lesson helps me be a healthier mother and wife, able to reduce my anxiety so I can pay attention to what truly is important. -Megan Brevard