10 Shamanic Top Tips on How to Stop Anxiety or a Panic Attack

Sometimes life just does not go the way we want it! Shit happens and we can either respond with anxiety, stress and fear, or acceptance and surrender. Unfortunately, we are not taught coping skills for when life gets us down, so we must go on our own path of self-discovery to find the tools to help us.

I used to suffer from crippling anxiety and depression and after an unsuccessful suicide attempt at thirteen years old I knew I had to find the tools to help me deal with it if I was to stay on this Planet another 80 years.

Here are some of the tools I have learned on my journey to deal with stress and anxiety.

1. Take Deep Breaths

Seven/eleven breathing immediately calms us down and brings us into the present. Breath in for seven counts and breath out for eleven counts. This stimulates the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and bring everything back into alignment so we can think clearly again.

2. Accept the Situation

Sometimes shit happens. When it does, the best thing we can do is accept it, whereas most of us are fighting the reality and wishing it was different. Life always has its ups and downs and we must learn to accept reality as it is, and not as we would like it to be. When we can accept the situation as it is, we can start recognising the solutions.

3. Recognising the Solutions

There is always a solution to every problem, it is the law of nature. They are always obvious, simple and effective, just like in nature but we have lost our trust in Natural Lore so we feel anxious and fearful, which creates catastrophe thinking, which in turn increases the stress and anxiety. Once we know there is always a solution the easier it is to find it.

4. See the Blessing in the Burden

It is the law of nature that within every burden there is an equal blessing embedded within it, and within every blessing there is an equal burden embedded in it. Most of us choose to focus on the burden, and miss the amazing beauty of the blessing that is happening simultaneously! Choose to embrace your burdens and you will find that life is also full of magical blessings.

5. Bring Yourself Back To The Present Moment

When you are feeling stressed or anxious, make a checklist and ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I have enough money right at this moment?

2. Do I have enough food right at this moment?

3. Do I have somewhere to sleep right at this moment?

4. Do I have someone who loves me right at this moment?

5. Do I have someone to love right at this moment?

If you can answer YES to these questions, then there is no point in worrying about the future, and something you do not have control over. When we ask these questions, we realise that we have everything we need in the moment.

6. Take a Hot Bath

A shamanic bath can ease stress and anxiety. Run a hot bath with salts, natural essences, candles and some relaxing music. Turn the light off and once the bath is full set your intention asking the water to gently cleanse you of any negative or disruptive energy.

7. Do Regular Exercise.

When we get physically tired we no longer overthink issues that we can’t control. Regular exercise can help clear the brain from too much ruminating, so that we can let go of the thoughts and see what solutions we have.

8. Releasing Negative Energy

Plant your bare feet firmly on the ground, feeling rooted into the Earth. Now, imagine the negative, stale or old thoughts just flowing out of the soles of your feet as black sludge, and imagine the fire at the centre of the planet burning it away. The more you can vision this, the more effective it becomes.

9. Imagine A Positive Outcome

Due to the Amygdala - the ancient part of our brains – we are defaulted to think negatively, so we will automatically think of all the terrible things that can happen to us, rather than the positives. If you are only thinking in ‘catastrophes’ find some time in silence to imagine a more positive outcome. Wherever we pay attention, that is what we are creating. Imagine and focus on what you want – not on what you don’t want! When we focus on what we want, we can achieve the positive outcome more easily and effortlessly.

10. Finding Forgiveness

If we are constantly berating and criticising ourselves it is very difficult to move forward. The quicker we can take forgive ourselves and take full responsibility for our actions the easier it is to let it go. We cannot control the actions of others so going over and over the injustices does not serve you. Forgiveness is the key to moving forward, learning from your mistakes and doing it differently next time. Using the technique of Ho’pono’pono is a wonderful and simple way of finding forgiveness for yourself.

Begin your ritual with a prayer of gratitude for all the blessings in your life and for theopportunity to bring more peace and harmony. Visualise the person that you need todo this ritual with, (it can also be yourself), and once you can see them in your mind, state these words with all the love and compassion:

• Forgive me

• I am sorry

• Thank you

• I love you

Continue repeating these words until the words contain power and energy and you

begin to feel a warm sensation of love and compassion flow through your body. Break through any resistances, knowing that life is too short for you to be carrying around anger, hate, sorrow, pain, and frustration. Once we let go of these emotions we free ourselves up to bring in more positive and loving experiences into our lives.

The purpose of this process is that by turning the attention inwards, where you are in control, rather than externally, where you are unable to change the actions of others, you shift whatever it is inside you that is attracting certain situations to you. Once you change your energy, you will find the outside world will change automatically, and effortlessly.

LOVE AND BLESSINGS