Over the weekend, a friend of mine experienced one of the most surreal and potentially devastating experiences they have ever lived through. In short, it was around 2 in the morning, and they were driving home after taxiing a friend home from the airport. On the way home, they were involved in a serious car accident in which an individual had proceeded to run into the middle of a dual-lane motorway which caused the collision. They were pronounced dead at the scene. My friend was in shock, but unharmed.
Now, as you can imagine, this incident occurred completely out of nowhere and there is no way that anybody could have prepared for it. It’s safe to say they were shaken up, at the very least, and the entire experience still feels like a blur. My heart and sincere condolences go out to the family and their friends through this extremely difficult time. Although still unclear on what happened, pending investigation, after conversing with my friend, one thing is very clear.
Me and my friend, who will remain nameless, both started meditating around the same time. We had spoken about it for a while, and after receiving ridicule from some friends and family about the practice being spiritual mumbo-jumbo, we decided to give it a go anyway. This was about 6-7 months ago. We have practised every day, exploring different books, apps and practices to find the most effective methods.
During this time, we have discussed the benefits and the struggles of the practice. For any of you that have tried meditation before, clearing your mind of all thoughts is a challenge, to say the least. However, having spoken to my friend in detail about the event that occurred over the weekend, they state that meditation has single-handedly changed their life.
During meditative practices, especially during guided meditation, you’re told to do several things. These include; passing no judgement on your inner thoughts, remaining calm and assessing situations from a neutral perspective and remaining positive. Without practising these skills, the situation that occurred over the weekend would have had a much more detrimental effect.
Of course, the initial shock of the event was devastating, and he describes shaking, crying and difficulty to breath. However, these effects were short-lived. Once the emergency services arrived, the friend was able breath deeply. Their mind was able to remember his training and exercises that allowed him to remain calm. Using these techniques, he was able to collect and organise his thoughts, letting go of any irrelevant thoughts at the time and focusing on what was important.
While discussing this process, I was stunned by the effectiveness of the techniques. It was mind-opening how, even in such an unexpected circumstance, the months of practice had automatically kicked into effect. Searching online, it’s easy to find stories in which mediation has been recommended to deal with traumatic events. This is especially present for conditions such as PTSD. It has also helped countless people who suffer depression, anxiety or urges to self-harm.
Help Where You Can
These states of mind are considered quite a taboo subject. Many people won’t know what to say in response or how to deal with the information they have received. This means receiving support can become quite difficult which can lead to the individual feeling alone or excluded. This will only make matters worse. If you know someone who is suffering from a similar ordeal or may need support, talk to them about it. Be kind, open and honest and, most importantly, listen to what they have to say.
If they are finding life hard to deal with at the moment, consider advising meditating. Explain the many benefits such as clearing the mind and the ability to maintain a present mindset. When explaining to a friend or family member, a great place to start is ten minutes a day. If practised for a week, the individual will already start to see the benefits.
Have you got any advice for people that have witnessed similar experiences? Maybe you’ve gone through something similar and would like to share your experiences? Here at Antaryami, we are always here to help, to listen and to be there for you. One step at a time, we can help to make the world a better place. Leave your thoughts with us in the comment section below.