Hello,
Dear heart.
Welcome to this your meditation for when frustration sets in.
My name is Diel and I'll be guiding you for the next eight minutes.
Please be comfortably seated,
Sitting tall and light,
Feet flat on the floor.
Rest your hands in your lap and give yourself permission to be still for these few minutes.
First,
Congratulations on choosing to spend a few minutes in meditation.
You've already proven the power of stepping back and stepping away when frustration sets in.
But let's go a little deeper.
Things can go wrong or they don't go our way.
Objects break down when we need them.
We can feel like we're banging our heads against a wall or rolling a big rock up a hill only to watch it roll back down again.
The stress of frustration is never a pleasant experience.
Things of being blocked or obstructed tend to snowball and often get taken out on others.
How can we break the cycle?
To begin,
Let's take three sniffs in through the nose as we gently lift the shoulders up towards the ears with each sniff.
We'll hold the breath and squeeze the shoulders,
Then exhale forcefully through the mouth as we release the shoulders.
Let's go.
Three sniffs in.
Hold the breath and squeeze the shoulders up towards the ears.
Hold and release the breath.
Let's repeat.
Three sniffs in.
Hold and squeeze.
And release the breath and the shoulders.
Last time,
Three sniffs in.
Hold.
And release.
What is frustration all about anyway?
We know what it feels like,
But what is it?
Frustration is like a wound-up,
Tight little ball of many things,
Including emotions such as impatience,
Annoyance,
Anger,
Anxiety,
And disappointment,
Along with hormones like adrenaline and other neurochemicals.
Once these chemicals are released,
Our physiology tends to take control.
But there is something we can do.
We can sit with our frustration.
We can pick up that wound-up little ball,
Sit it on our lap,
And take a look.
So let's do that.
Invite your frustration to sit with you.
Hold it on your lap and look at all the tiny intricacies.
Get curious.
Feel the heat that this ball of frustration generates.
Hear it scream or rage,
But stay as the witness.
Notice changes in color or shape.
Now let it become an exhausted little ball.
Notice it's out of energy and breath.
Let it pulse with its fatigue and comfort it with the following words.
You may repeat them after me or simply listen.
I see you.
I feel you.
I'm sorry.
Everything will be okay.
This will pass.
Breathe.
Rest.
Now sit for a couple of minutes in silence.
If your frustration stirs,
Calm it with a comforting phrase.
Otherwise just focus on your breath in and out and rest.
You may now take a slow deep breath.
Open your eyes gently and acknowledge any changes to your state of mind and being.
Emerge feeling calmer,
More centered,
And more at peace.
That concludes this meditation.
