My name is Raphael and this meditation will help you process anger and frustration.
Every emotion in the body arises,
Peaks,
And passes over time.
When we hold on to anger and frustration,
It can be difficult for these emotions to pass quickly.
This meditation is an opportunity to work with these emotions by first becoming aware of them and then learning to let them go.
We will use the breath as an anchor point to guide your attention away from any thoughts that are causing anger or frustration.
To begin,
Find a quiet place free of distractions if possible.
You can sit on a cushion,
Chair,
Or lie down if you prefer.
Gently close the eyes,
Soften the breath.
In through the nose,
Out through the mouth.
Settle into the breath.
Settle into the moment.
Focus on the breathing.
In through the nose,
Out through the mouth.
Slowly becoming aware of any sounds around you.
No need to label anything as good or bad,
Simply learning to observe the moment.
Understanding that the body and the mind are integrally connected to one another.
When there is tension in the mind,
There is usually tension somewhere in the body,
Even if we are not aware of it.
So ask yourself in this moment,
Is there any tension arising in the mind or the body?
Perhaps some tightness somewhere,
Shortness of the breath.
Try to soften the shoulders,
Relax the jaw.
Rest the hands heavy on the lap,
Palms facing up or down.
As we practice,
No need to suppress or deny any feelings arising.
Just acknowledge them and focus on the breath.
In through the nose,
Feeling the cool air coming in through the nostrils,
Out through the mouth heavy.
Now we will practice a technique called 3-9-6.
It is a breath practice that will help us train our awareness as if it were a muscle.
To practice,
You will inhale through the nose for a count of three,
Hold the breath for a count of nine,
Exhale through the nose for a count of six.
Now if a nine count hold is too much,
Adjust as needed.
We'll take a few rounds here together.
Inhale through the nose,
One,
Two,
Three,
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight,
Nine,
Exhale nose,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three,
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight,
Nine,
Exhale nose,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Continue at your own pace,
Tending to the breath,
Learning to witness the moment as it is without denying any emotions arising.
When frustration or anger arise,
Normal.
Bring your attention,
Work that muscle back onto the breath,
Onto the technique.
Is the mind active?
Remember to be gentle with yourself.
Remember,
We can't control the thoughts floating in our mind.
We can only control if we dwell on them.
Simply bring your awareness back to the breathing technique,
Strengthening the muscle that is your attention with the breathing pattern.
In for three,
Hold for nine,
Out for six.
Continue a few more rounds,
Doing your best to be here,
Witnessing the breath,
Witnessing the moment,
Slowing down time by observing your breathing.
Few more breaths at your own pace,
Signaling the mind to relax,
To unwind,
To let go.
Let go of the technique,
Breathe normally in through the nose,
Out through the nose or the mouth.
Slowly deepening the inhalations,
Lengthening the exhalations.
Understanding when we become frustrated or angry,
The breath becomes short and shallow.
Deepen the breath,
Give the body what it needs to calm down.
The more we meditate,
The more we become in tune with our emotions.
When someone is frustrating us or we are angry,
We gain access to awareness in that moment.
With time,
With practice,
We learn how to respond and not react.
Yes,
Anger is still there.
Yes,
Frustration may still be present,
But we don't get swept up with a wave of emotion arising and peaking.
That is the power of meditation.
That is the power of observing your breath and strengthening the muscle that is your attention.
You can learn to respond and not react.
One last big inhalation in through the nose.
Hold at the top,
Exhale through the mouth,
H-A.
One more here together,
In through the nose,
Filling the belly.
Sigh the energy out,
H-A.
When you feel ready,
Bringing your attention back to any sounds or smells around you.
Noticing the moment.
Very quickly just scanning the body from head to toe,
Noticing how it feels.
Again without judgment,
Seeing if you can notice any areas still in tension.
Coming back into the space,
Noticing the temperature on your skin and how the body feels at this moment.
Remember,
Every emotion rises,
Peaks,
And passes in the mind and the body.
When you get frustrated or angry,
Accept the emotion without denying it.
Trust that if you focus the muscle of your attention on the breath,
The emotion will pass with time.
Use this technique of 396 to help center yourself when you need it in your daily life.
I hope this practice has been helpful and I look forward to practicing with you again.
Until next time.
