8/13/15

Antidote to Anxiety

Breathe
Easy to say, but to do?
guided imagery
therapy
Star of Bethlehem
Songs for the Inner Child
notice/practice

Breathe
count in and out and breathe
affirm and breathe
I am Peace (in)
I am Calm (out)
I am Safe (in)
I am Protected (out)
Seal Lullaby

Breathe
Balance energy
head hug
Cook’s Hook-ups
Stress relief remedies, but
not too much
imagine the scarves being pulled
out like from a magic top hat

Breathe…and count
1…2…3…in and 1…2…3… out
Drug a little, not like it
but necessary boat to get by for a while
Dig to the root cause
not everything has to be
solved at once

Breathe
manage pain
notice/practice
count
listen to Hildegard von Bingen chant
water outside plants

Breathe
stand face to the sun
call for help
receive
massage
acupuncture
healing energy

Breathe
kindness
rest
imagine restoration of optimism
Let belly rise and fall
like a baby breathes
open in the moment
Right here. Right now.
Distraction
Reading
2 bunnies in the yard
2 birdbaths and birds come
to drink and bathe
movies
Facebook

Breathe
hydrate
Breathe
eat good food
breathe
rest

wait

Margaret Dubay Mikus
© 2015

This poem is from a collection I assembled for my youngest sister, who is struggling with stage 4 breast cancer. I wrote it as a reminder to myself of what I did to reduce anxiety the summer I had a series of medical crises including kidney stones, etc.