Having a sense of urgency can involve things like rushing from one task to another,
Not being able to take a pause,
Thinking of a response while someone else is talking,
Or feeling really anxious when you're running late.
It can involve rushing through something even when you don't have a deadline or a reason to rush.
And also feeling anger and resentment towards someone or something that you perceive to be holding you up.
So if you're getting in touch with those kind of feelings,
I'd like you to consider that urgency is a perpetual need to get into the next moment.
So you're not really landing anywhere or able to be present.
It's as if you're being chased in some ways or pulled forward,
Propelled forward in some ways and it can become really uncomfortable for your body and make you feel as I'm sure you know anxious and jittery.
It can affect your sleep and your digestion and your relationships with others and just rob you of peace and joy and being in the moment.
Urgency is something we might have learnt from someone else or from society as a whole.
We might have adopted it as a kind of survival response if at one time there really was a need to get quickly into the next moment because the present moment wasn't safe.
Because it was too much for us to hold at that time.
So one of the things we're going to be doing in this practice I'm offering is to update any past fear signals to the present where there isn't a need to rush and run.
Because now in your day to day life there's a way to manage the rhythms,
To work with your urgency and find greater ease,
Greater presence,
Greater safety.
How does that sound?
So urgency can exist because basically we feel a lack of support in the present.
So our body wants to just keep pushing us forward,
Forward,
Forward.
So something we can practice is deliberately bringing in feelings,
Visceral feelings of being supported in the present to come off that emergency button.
One of the things we can do that's very powerful is to change the position of our body and also to open a dialogue with the energy itself so that we can show it that we're indeed supported in this moment,
That indeed you are safe.
So the first thing to invite yourself to do is to bring to presence your actual feeling of urgency.
Notice in your body when this urgency comes up what it feels like.
What's happening with your body when you're in the grip of this feeling of urgency?
Are you leaning forward?
Is your pelvis tilted forward?
Where are your ribs?
Are your shoulders up by your ears?
What's your jaw doing?
Notice how this positioning,
If you're experiencing any of this,
Is literally as if your body is trying to bring you forward into that next moment and just acknowledge this expression from your body.
So can you say to yourself and your body,
I see you,
I get it,
Thank you.
Because your body's communicating something with you.
I see you,
I get it,
Thank you.
And then ask,
Would it be okay if we relaxed right now?
And see if you could make that okay.
We're not going to be here for long but it's going to make a difference.
So if it is okay,
Begin to sit back and let your spine be supported.
Maybe that's by the back of a chair,
You're leaning backwards into a sofa or a wall if you're sitting on the ground.
You might even lie on the floor if that feels okay.
And then allow your shoulders to relax.
Feel if they think they're holding on to something,
Carrying something.
If they're up by your ears.
And just melt,
Release them down.
And if your belly is gripping,
Can you just let it flop,
A nice soft floppy belly.
And release holding around your hips and your sitting bones.
And just breathe,
Breathe a little with yourself.
So you've changed your posture a little and now you can connect to the sense of urgency by feeling into where it lives inside your body.
So can you ask yourself,
Is it okay if I give you some support right now?
Now that you've given yourself a bit of relaxation of your body.
And if so,
Find in your body where you're getting a real charge of that urgency.
It might be in your chest,
Your head,
Your legs even.
Maybe your belly is churning.
Find where there's any feeling of excess energy.
And then let a hand rest on that space of your body and ask.
What is the purpose you feel like you're serving for me?
Feel the contact under your hand and your breath there.
And see if that feeling has a voice.
You could ask,
Is it something you're afraid of?
Just feel and see what comes,
No forcing.
But is it something you're afraid of?
And words may come or images or memories.
And so you're breathing very kindly,
Steadily and softly.
Creating space for that part to talk to you.
You could ask,
Do you belong to me or to something else,
Someone else?
Do you belong to me truly?
Because of course we can take on other people's stress and urgency.
And that may go a long way back.
When we thought we had to hold feelings for other people.
Or dance to the rhythm of an urgent drum.
You could ask,
Where do you come from?
Relaxing your face,
Soft gaze.
Relaxing your breath into this part.
See what it shows you.
And then you could ask,
What would you like from me to feel supported?
Go slowly,
Go gently.
And if there is anything,
It might be some words that this part needs to hear.
To come down from this.
Since it needs to keep propelling forward and propelling you forward.
Is there something this part would like to hear from you?
And if so,
Something you might do for it.
Is use your hand resting there to softly soothe and massage with your touch.
While saying these words.
As if massaging them into your body.
Where the feeling is.
The feeling that's so very real.
It might be words like,
You are safe to slow down.
In the present it's safe to take a break.
I am allowed to go at my own pace now.
Nothing is urgent.
I have time and I have space.
And then just notice now how your body feels.
Since you began the practice.
And just sense into any shifts or changes.
There may be some,
There may not.
But have a feel for any shifts or changes inside your body.
How is your posture now?
Is any part of you able to surrender more into that support that has your back?
Or into the ground underneath you?
What is your heartbeat doing?
And the general feeling of energy moving in your body.
Has the rhythm changed in any way?
Are there any other physical sensation changes?
And how might you describe them if you were describing them to someone else?
Even if what you're feeling is very subtle or you're not aware of too much change.
Please know that just by doing this practice.
You've shown your body that you are safe in the present.
To move away from urgency for a while.
And that's very powerful and profound.
So thank yourself for taking this practice.
And know that it's here for you to repeat.
And familiarize your body with this new sensation of being able to manage.
Your own pace on the inside.
And if you found these questions useful and you want to be with them more.
With kindness,
Generosity and compassion.
Just being curious.
They may be ones you want to take to your journaling.
Thank you for joining me with this practice.
Hope you've enjoyed it and I hope you'll come again.
When you're ready.
Slide elegantly and gracefully back into your day.
And see if you can just dial down a little bit.
To a pace in the present.
That tells you.
I'm safe.
And I'm safe to go.
Now.
Through life.
At my own pace in my own rhythm.
