There are three basic ways.
The first way will seem a little strange. What you do when you're feeling anxious is to focus on death. Specifically, your own death. Ponder the fact that you're going to die. Ponder the fact that you could die tomorrow, or tonight.
Meditate on the fact that you will either eventually get some disease that you can't recover from, or you'll be taken out in a sudden car accident or whatever—but it's a certainty that you'll go through a process we call "death."
It might seem morbid to dwell on this, but it's a wonderful antidote to anxiety. Because when we remember that we're going to die soon, suddenly our problems are seen in their proper perspective. Maybe they're not as important as we thought from a larger perspective.
A second way of dealing with anxiety is to remember God. Remember who's actually running the show. While you're reading this, did you remember to breathe? You didn't have to; it's being taken care of for you.
Maybe everything in your life is actually that way. Maybe your life is actually being "done." Maybe this whole universe is being created, driven, energized by the One.
Maybe there's only One energy and it's doing everything. Pondering the possibility of this notion is wonderfully relaxing. Maybe you're not in charge after all—so you can relax!
A third way is think of all the people who love you or who have loved you in this life. Remember their good deeds. Then remember all the people that you love or have loved. Remember your own good deeds, your acts of kindness or love or generosity.
Let your heart fill with love. Perhaps, let your heart fill with love for this entire universe. This universe that seems so flawed—we might say perfectly imperfect.
Maybe it's as if the One is appearing in different guises and saying, in effect, "Can you love me like this?" "And what about that? Can you love me showing up like that?" "For example, can you love me when I show up as anxiety?"
—jim sloman, fall 2000 for Dec 6
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