Every day I hear from people who are suffering and feel they are at their breaking point. They are stressed out, overworked, wired and tired at the same time. They can’t sleep well and are riddled with anxiety. They feel pressure of not having the time to do everything and they certainly are NOT enjoying life. These people are either taking benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety), opioids or anti-depressants and in some cases a combination of these medications. Still others, if they are not taking these drugs, are considering it. They may have friends and family members on these medications and it appears on the surface to be helping them! It is so easy to get ahold of these substances and it seems like a good solution. These powerful nervous system depressants may have their place in medicine and should be used very sparingly if at all. The substances work very fast and have an almost immediate effect in relieving anxiety and panic. However, they are not meant for long term use because the withdraw effects are just as fast acting. I should know, I was highly addicted to benzos for years. It took me years to come off the drugs and still years more to restore my nervous system to working order.
As a society, we are in the middle of a Benzodiazepine epidemic. Valium (Diazepam) is the most widely prescribed drug in history. This class of anti-anxieties are a nervous system depressant. These drugs slow down the heart rate, the respiratory rate and decrease body temperature. They can be very deadly especially when combined with alcohol or opioids. Benzodiazepines directly affect memory and cognitive function.
Many people die daily from their use and abuse. Common names are Xanax, Valium (Diazepam), Klonopin, Lorazepam (Ativan), and Restoril. These drugs are widely available and there are over 100,000,000 prescriptions are written each year and over 10,000 deaths in the United States alone. This number is increasing according to NIH statistics.
In this information age, where everything is sped up, where we are glued to our phones/computers and where we don’t get out in nature enough, we need powerful tools to help us regain our sanity and peace of mind. We need tools to help us thrive; tools to give us energy and vitality; something to help us handle the pressure and to help us live with grace and ease. For me applied Kundalini Yogic Science is what did the job. It gave me the strength and the tools to get through the detox and put my life back together. I wish I would have found this technology before I had a breakdown of my nervous and glandular systems, but that was not my path. My path was to go through what I went did so I could help others not have to go down that same road.
It is true, sometimes we have to breakdown before we breakthrough. But that does not always have to happen. I found Kundalini Yogic Science when I was at the breaking point. And it has restored me! Kundalini Yoga is the yoga of awareness and it works perfectly to restore, reset and balance the nervous system to optimal health. The results are powerful and fast. Sixteen times faster than other forms of yoga. Kundalini Yoga is for everyone. It works for all ages and levels of fitness. I have seen people in wheelchairs and on oxygen machines doing Kundalini Yoga meditations.
There are five components to a Kundalini class.
1-Pranayama- breath work. With the breath we can energize, relax and balance. We can set our electromagnetic field in as little as 3 minutes.
2- Asanas/poses – specific movements and exercises
3- Mantras- chanting or repeating words that help massage the brain, stimulate the Vagus nerve and glandular system
4- Savasana with gong bath or other sound current for relaxation and integration
5- Meditation to wash all the stress away, increase happiness, awareness and bliss, helping us to feel our Oneness with all that is.
If you are feeling the pressure or are thinking of turning to pharmaceuticals for help, I urge you to find a Kundalini yoga class near you. We offer amazing yoga classes and meditation at CommuniTea Yoga. Some of them are specifically geared to target addiction and recovery. If it is not possible to visit us in person, check out our website for some great videos on how to relieve stress and anxiety. Alleviate Stress
Plus, there are thousands of quality classes available on video via YouTube and other amazing sites. In the meantime, check out this easy meditation below. And if you or someone you know needs personal coaching to get through their situation with benzodiazepines, I am available, simply contact the studio or email us at info@communiteayoga.com.
And there are some great resources listed here.
WORLD BENZODIAZEPINE AWARENESS
http://w-bad.org/statistics/
The Ashton Manual- Benzodiazepines, How They Work and How to Withdraw
https://benzo.org.uk/manual/
Superhealth- Yogic Science to Break Addictive Behavior
http://www.super-health.net
Mediations for Addictive Behavior
Mediations for Addictive Behavior
Cross Heart Kirtan Kriya
This meditation balances the hemispheres of your brain, allows your past to become processed and released, and eliminates insecurities. It works by stimulating the nerve endings in the fingertips which are associated to specific meridians in the brain. You must press firmly. This mediation also positively changes your habits and works through insecurities.
This meditation balances the hemispheres of your brain, allows your past to become processed and released, and eliminates insecurities. It works by stimulating the nerve endings in the fingertips which are associated to specific meridians in the brain. You must press firmly. This mediation also positively changes your habits and works through insecurities.
Practice for 11 to 31 minutes
Posture: Sit straight in a chair or cross-legged on the floor. Cross forearms below the wrist and hold them in front of the chest with the arms out slightly. Palms are face up and slightly turned toward the chest. Look at the tip of the nose and recite the following words (mantra) aloud:
“SA TA NA MA*” (the a’s sound like “a” in “father”).
The words SA TA NA MA are component parts of the mantra “Sat Nam,” which means Truth is my identity. As you recite each syllable, touch the thumbs to each fingertip, starting with the index finger:
“SA” – Index finger
“TA” – Middle finger
“NA” – Ring finger
“MA” – Little finger
“SA” – Index finger
“TA” – Middle finger
“NA” – Ring finger
“MA” – Little finger
Continue repeating the sequence always starting with the index finger. The pace between each movement is approximately 1 second per fingertip.
To end, inhale, hold the breath for a few seconds, focus the eyes upward, exhale and relax.
Leave a Reply