Hello,
I'm Christina.
This meditation is part of a series on emotion.
Today we're going to explore frustration.
Frustration arises when things aren't exactly as we wish them to be.
Rather than accepting a situation for what it is,
We become focused on our preferences or expectations.
This can cause a great deal of suffering.
In today's practice,
We're going to work on bringing awareness to our experience so we can begin to unwind those mental and physical knots and bring a sense of non-judgment and equanimity into the present moment.
Are you ready?
Let's begin.
Find a comfortable position where you can be both relaxed and alert.
This could be seated,
Lying down,
Or if you're feeling particularly restless,
Standing upright.
You may choose to close your eyes if that's comfortable or lower your gaze softly downward.
Let's begin by noticing those points of physical connection between your body and the space around you.
This might be your back against the ground,
The feeling of your seat on the chair,
Or the pressure of your feet against the floor.
Allow yourself to feel that grounding sensation of connection and support.
As you settle,
Notice what physical sensations might be present in the body.
When we're feeling frustrated,
We may feel restless,
Like we want to jump out of our skin.
Certain parts of the body may feel flush or maybe experiencing tension or clenching.
Allow yourself to be aware of how this feeling of frustration shows up for you.
Notice these sensations without judgment.
We don't need to like what's happening in the present moment in order to be aware of it.
Let's bring our attention now to the breath.
Notice the quality of your breathing in this moment.
Maybe it feels shallow or a bit labored.
It might be quick or panting.
I invite you now to take five deep cleansing breaths,
Allowing your body to fully expand,
And as you exhale,
Expelling the air out the mouth.
With the last exhale,
Notice how you're feeling now.
Maybe breathing deeply helped to create a sense of spaciousness.
Maybe you still feel a bit agitated.
Allowing your awareness to rest on the breath without judging the experience.
It can be helpful to bring attention to the physical sensation of breathing.
You might notice the air at the tip of the nostrils,
The rise and fall of the chest,
Or the softening of the belly.
Notice when you are breathing in and when you are breathing out.
This is what is happening here in the present moment.
Let's turn our attention now to what thoughts might be present.
What is arising for you in this moment?
Maybe there's a sense of aversion or a desire to turn away from the situation.
Maybe there's a desire to lash out at someone or something.
Without judging what's present,
Notice what is coming up.
Are you able to name what is there?
Sometimes being able to give voice to what is happening can allow us to see the situation more clearly.
If you were able to name this source of frustration,
Can you try giving it some space?
Sitting with that sense of unpleasantness without judging it.
If this feels challenging,
That's okay.
You can always return to the breath or to those points of physical connection to recenter yourself in the present.
In every situation,
There are things we can change and things that we can't.
In this situation,
What is it that you need?
Is there an action you can take or help you could seek that could eliminate this sense of frustration?
If nothing comes to mind,
Perhaps you can try offering yourself a little compassion.
Life is hard.
Not everything will go the way we envision.
In this moment,
Are you able to extend yourself a little bit of grace and love as you might for a friend or a loved one?
If it's helpful,
You may choose to place a hand on the chest,
Taking a few deep breaths.
It may also be helpful to repeat an encouraging phrase either silently or out loud.
I love you.
I trust you.
You are doing your best.
As we prepare to end our practice,
Take a moment to notice how you are feeling and give space for whatever is happening.
While we don't have the ability to control everything in our experience,
By cultivating awareness,
We can begin to choose how we react.
Whenever you're ready,
You can open the eyes if they were closed,
Take a stretch or add some small movements.
And remember,
Whatever comes next today,
You've got this.
Thank you for joining me.
I look forward to practicing with you again soon.
Thank you for joining me,
And I look forward to practicing with you again soon.
