Hi and welcome to this meditation for anger and I understand anger we've all felt that emotion from time to time.
A moment ago my neighbor's dog was barking so loudly every time I went to record and yeah I felt that surge of anger but I'm sure the anger you're here for today is something that's been festering away for a long time and then something happens just to make it burst wide open and there it is.
So I'm Emily Hayden and I just want to start by thanking you for taking the time to meditate with me today and to change that state of anger into something that feels lighter for you.
And these next moments are just for you to slow down to go inwardly and to also meet yourself with some understanding some kindness.
So when you're ready I want you to take a slow breath in for me through the nose and then an even longer exhale out and just find in a comfortable position wherever you are.
If you feel more comfortable laying down then just lay down right now.
If you prefer to sit up then just make sure your body is supported.
And when you're ready closing your eyelids down taking another deep breath in a longer exhale out and again breathing in.
And now as you exhale I want it to be audible give that sigh all the way out through the mouth ah let it go.
We're gonna begin with a little visualization so I want you to just imagine you're standing inside a quiet familiar house and this is your inner house and most of the rooms feel lived in and known.
But imagine there's one door that always seems to stick and this is the room that your anger lives in.
Some days the door rattles loudly as if something inside wants to burst out of that room.
Other days the slightest brush against it swings it open unexpectedly where you feel unprepared.
And sometimes that door stays shut for so long that the pressure builds behind that door quietly.
But we were never taught how to open this door gently.
So we push it,
We brace against it or avoid it entirely.
But today we're going to open this door differently with curiosity,
With softness.
And take another deep breath in and exhale completely.
Soften your shoulders,
Your jaw.
And begin to feel your body being supported beneath you.
And now I want you to ask your body where do I feel anger today?
Where do you feel it in your body?
And you may notice heat,
Tightness,
Pressure,
A build-up or even a sense of numbness,
Dissociation.
Wherever it lives I want you to imagine that spot as the doorway in your inner house.
You don't have to go in that room yet,
You're just standing nearby knowing you're safe.
And now just bring your awareness a little closer to that space.
Maybe even give that door a color.
And anger often rises when something feels threatened,
When a boundary is being crossed,
When a deeper emotion has gone unheard.
Anger is a secondary emotion and a build-up of many things,
Many triggers.
It can just be set off but anger isn't the enemy,
It's actually a messenger.
The first I want you to imagine you're standing outside the door and saying to that anger,
I hear you,
You don't have to shout,
I am finally listening to you.
And notice what shifts even subtly in your body,
In your mind.
Because when anger is named,
Acknowledged instead of pushed away it can really start to change the energy of that anger.
And now just imagine placing your hand gently against that stuck door,
Not to yank it open but just to feel it,
Feel its energy.
And as you realize the door isn't stuck because something dangerous is inside,
It's stuck because everything behind it has been left alone for a long time.
Every word that's gone unsaid,
Every disappointment,
Every bit of sadness,
Every time you've felt pushed down,
Not important,
Not enough.
So rather than forcing that door,
I want you to imagine the hinges softening with each breath,
Every inhale and every exhale.
Slowly the door begins to open,
Just enough for you to look inside.
And as you peer into this room,
You begin to see that anger isn't the only one here.
Perhaps behind the anger is also some sadness,
Maybe some fear,
Maybe even some disappointment.
Or perhaps there's even a younger version of you who's there waiting patiently to be seen.
Because this anger was never the root,
It was the guard,
The gatekeeper,
The protector.
And now as you see your anger,
I want you in your mind just to ask that anger,
What are you trying to protect me from?
And just listen out for the answer,
That first thing that pops into your mind before you've even had the chance to think about it.
Maybe you want to ask that anger what lives beneath you,
What are the emotions there?
And just let whatever appears,
Appear.
No forcing,
No judging.
It may come as words,
Sensations,
Memories,
Or perhaps even silence.
All of it is welcome here,
All of you is valid.
And anger is the body remembering something before the mind does,
Before that logical mind gets to step in.
So just notice how that lands with you.
Let your breath cradle whatever arises,
Knowing you are capable of feeling the emotions underneath that anger.
And just imagine now a soft warm light gently filling this room.
This light is warm,
Not bright,
Not overwhelming,
It's just warm enough to soothe the edges.
And this light is not trying to erase the anger,
It's surrounding it,
It's supporting it.
It whispers you don't have to react for me anymore,
You don't have to protect me alone.
And now just feel the edges of that anger melt,
That protective energy melt,
Not disappearing,
Just loosening,
Just softening,
As your breath is guiding you right now in this moment.
And as you stand in that doorway now,
Seeing the whole room more clearly,
Than you may have seen it in years.
And from this place of understanding,
You are reclaiming your choice.
Instead of reaction,
You become responsive.
Instead of always having to wear armor,
You feel more softness.
And where you felt that pressure before,
You now feel presence.
There is empowerment in your awareness,
Not forcing,
Not pushing,
Just the realization that you can hold all your emotions without them overwhelming you now.
And just take one last slow,
Deep breath in now.
And a gentle breath out through your mouth,
Slowly returning to your body.
Noticing the space you've created within yourself,
Notice what feels different,
Even those subtle changes.
And you can do this practice whenever you feel anger arise.
So thank you for meditating with me today.
It's truly an honor to guide you,
To sit with you,
And to support you in meeting your inner world with compassion.
And if this practice helped you in any way,
I would be so grateful if you left me a review.
It helps others find this meditation and allows this work to reach people who may really need it.
So really slowly,
Gently start to wiggle your fingers and toes,
Roll through your shoulders if it feels good,
And gently open in your eyes.
I hope you have a beautiful rest of your day.
