So this is a somatic resistance meditation that you can use for anywhere you're feeling resistance in your life,
Whether that's something that you're experiencing that you don't want to be experiencing,
Such as a sensation or circumstance,
Or it can also be helpful if you are trying to do some healing practices or start a habit or do something that you know would be helpful but you're finding it hard to actually do it and there's resistance coming up around that.
So if you want to just get comfortable,
Maybe close your eyes if that helps you tune in,
And just notice,
Where am I feeling resistance?
What am I resisting?
And if you're noticing multiple things,
I would suggest just choosing one,
Whichever one feels the biggest or the hardest,
Or whichever one is calling to you to be worked on today.
We're just going to notice that resistance with a sense of welcoming curiosity and begin to feel,
Where is this resistance in my body?
Where do I feel it?
Either inside or around my body?
What is the location,
The physical location of this resistance?
And then we'll notice the size of it.
See if you can find the edges.
What is the shape?
Is it a ball of resistance?
Or is it spread out?
And does it have a texture?
Is it soft or sticky or sharp?
What is the weight of it?
You might notice,
Does this resistance have a color?
Does it have a sound or a smell that you would associate with it?
And we're just going to spend a little time noticing the sensations in the body that are connected to this resistance.
Not the thing that you're resisting,
But the resistance that you're feeling.
The resistance itself,
That feeling of pushing against or feeling blocked,
Turning away from.
What are the sensations in this part of the body where you find this resistance?
And you can breathe into them.
They may be uncomfortable,
And that's okay.
We're completely safe to just notice these sensations.
In fact,
This is very healing and supportive for the nervous system and the brain to just be present with these sensations.
You might watch them change or move.
They might go to a different part of the body,
Or they might stay right here.
They might stay the same.
And that's completely okay.
The healing power of this practice is not in changing the sensations,
But just bringing a calm and curious awareness to the presence of them.
And I would invite you now to bring your awareness to the surface beneath you.
So we're just going to pause and take a moment to become aware of the surface beneath you,
Whatever you're sitting or laying or standing on,
And just feel,
What is that surface like?
Where is it touching my body?
Can I sink into it?
Is it hard or soft?
You might notice a texture or a color.
Allowing yourself to be supported by the surface,
Maybe releasing a little bit of tension,
Down through your feet or your seat or your back.
I like to do this on a nice,
Slow exhale,
Imagining that I can just breathe out any tension down into the earth.
You feel any parts of you that are bracing against gravity,
That are holding yourself rigidly,
Holding yourself up.
Can you just release a little bit,
Maybe 10% of that resistance into the call of gravity,
Into a little bit more relaxation,
Even a little more trust that this surface underneath you is able to support you.
And these sensations of the surface beneath you are something that you can return to at any time if the sensations of resistance or other sensations in your body become overwhelming or difficult to be present with.
And so let's return to that sense of resistance,
Coming back into that part of the body that we were exploring a little bit earlier.
And just notice what is here now.
It may be the same,
It may be different,
And both are completely fine.
Notice where you feel that resistance is.
Now,
Is it in the same place?
Is it the same size?
Is it closer or further away?
You might notice if the texture has changed or the color.
Or just being present.
And with this calm,
Observing awareness,
We begin to release our resistance to the resistance itself.
And that is the first step in surrender and acceptance.
Releasing the resistance to the resistance.
So we'll spend another moment or two here with this sensation of resistance,
However it's showing up now,
However you feel it in your body.
Letting yourself breathe into it.
Watching if it shifts or changes or moves.
That calm and curious awareness.
And then one more time,
Let's move our awareness down to the surface beneath you,
Wherever you're connected to the earth,
Through the floor,
The chair,
The bed,
Feel those points of connection,
Those places on your body.
Maybe some of that tension or bracing has crept back in,
And you can just take a nice,
Long exhale,
And let it soften.
We'll take a couple more nice,
Long,
Slow exhales.
Letting everything get just 10% softer.
Feeling the surface beneath you,
Supporting you,
Holding you up,
Relaxing into it.
Becoming aware of the space that you're in,
The room around you,
Aware of your position within this space.
Gently opening the eyes when you feel ready,
Maybe taking a moment to look around,
To reorient yourself to this moment,
To this place.
And then from here,
You might just tap into,
Check in with that thing that you are resisting.
Just bring it to mind,
And notice if you feel any differently towards it.
And again,
The purpose of this practice is not to change how we feel,
But to change our relationship to the resistance itself.
