Calming the Rush of Panic by Bob Stahl

people’s morning routine is fraught with potentially mindless tasks, such as brushing their teeth. When you wake up with feelings of impending doom, make up your mind to brush your teeth with mindfulness. Mindfulness will help you move more gently through your morning panic and restore a sense of calm and order in your body for the rest of your day.
     
Before you pick up your toothbrush, take a few deep breaths. Take several full breaths, tuning in to the cool air passing through your nose on the inhale and the warm air passing through your mouth or nose on the exhale. Be mindful of each breath and notice how it feels in your body.
Set your intentions aloud or to yourself for brushing your teeth mindfully. State what you would like to gain by this practice. You may say: May this practice bring me more closely connected to my body. May this practice restore balance to my mind and body. Feel free to fill in your own words of what you’d like to experience as a result of your application of mindfulness.
As you begin your tooth-brushing routine, move slowly, methodically, and consciously. Pick up your toothbrush and notice all the tiny bristles. Notice the weight of the toothbrush and how it feels in your hand. As you hold your toothbrush under the running water, notice whether you prefer warm or cold water. Notice whether you leave the water running or shut it off when you’re done. As you apply the toothpaste, notice something about it too. Is it mint or some other flavor? Does it have a scent? How much toothpaste is left in the tube?
Remember to return to the present moment by returning to your breath.
If you notice some doubt emerge, or a little voice saying This exercise won’t work. It can’t help me with my panic , simply acknowledge and observe these feelings of doubt, without making any judgments about them. Doubt is a normal mind state that occasionally springs up and tries to steer you away from the present moment. This is simply how you feel in this moment, and each moment is passing, just as everything in life is continually changing.
Begin to brush your teeth, paying attention to how you maneuver the brush and what sensations you feel in your mouth. Do you brush in small, circular motions or just back and forth across your teeth? Notice the feeling of the toothpaste foaming. Remember to stay present and connected to your breathing.
When you’re ready to rinse your mouth, turn your awareness to the water and how it feels swirling and swishing in your mouth.
After you’ve rinsed, guide your tongue along your teeth and acknowledge the smoothness and freshness that you feel.
Take a brief moment to reflect on what’s going on with your mind and body right now. Are you still holding a sensation of dread and of impending doom, or has it started to subside? Let whatever you’re feeling just be what it is. Acknowledge the transient nature of these sensations, and let them come and go of their own accord.
Take a few more breaths before returning to your morning duties.
We used tooth brushing as an example, but you can apply a mindful approach to any routine morning task. Each habitual action is an opportunity to be more mindful and more engaged with your physical body. When you practice mindfulness during these tedious but necessary tasks, you deepen your awareness of the present moment, the only moment in which you’re truly alive and can make changes in your life.
Wash Away Your Panic
Have you ever had a panic attack in your sleep? One woman told us that on many mornings she’d wake up trembling in a cold sweat. On these occasions she ached for a long, hot bath before starting her day, but she never had the time.
Few people have time for a long soak in the bath before work. A brisk shower is the best most of us can hope for to wash away sleep and pull ourselves together for the long day ahead. And sadly, showers can also be another part of a mindless routine, a task that we do simply to get it over with and get