Welcome to the Mindfulness Without Bells and Beads meditation series.
Delving into the Difficult Meditation In this meditation we will be deliberately bringing up difficult situations.
Therefore,
Please use your best judgment regarding what you choose to work with during the exercise.
It's best not to start with the most traumatic situation in your life.
Or delving into the difficult,
Not diving into it.
Once you get the hang of being able to sit with discomfort,
I do recommend gradually moving to the edge of your comfort zone,
Where real growth can occur.
If at any time during this meditation things become overwhelming,
You can discontinue the exercise.
Let's begin.
Beginning by taking a seated posture and settling in for the exercise.
Once you're reasonably settled,
Allowing the eyes to close and tuning into your attention and awareness.
Just noticing whatever is here in the mind and the body for a few moments,
Allowing whatever you notice to be just as it is,
And letting go of any impulse to wish things to be different or wish them away.
Bringing your awareness to the breath as we have been practicing.
Noticing the sensations of breathing where you feel them most prominently.
Being aware of the full duration of each in-breath and each out-breath.
Anticipation of working with a difficulty or other thoughts may be arising.
This is fine.
Let's use this opportunity now to try out this new exercise.
Previously,
If we had gotten captivated by a thought or story,
We would have caught it,
Acknowledged it,
And brought our attention back to the breath.
The call in this exercise is to notice the thoughts,
Story,
And emotions carrying the difficulty,
Allowing them to remain on the main stage of our awareness,
Turning towards them to see them clearly,
Then delving into where the difficulty may be showing up in the body by noticing any physical sensations that the difficulty may have brought with it.
The sensations may be very subtle or readily noticed,
But in either case,
Seeing if you can recognize sensations that accompany the particular difficulty you're working with.
When you recognize the sensations associated with the difficulty,
Focus your attention on them just as you would in the body scan,
With a curious and non-judgmental approach.
Issa.
If no difficulties have arisen,
I invite you to bring to mind a difficulty currently impacting your life.
Remember,
There's no need to start with the most difficult or traumatic situation,
But instead something you're open to exploring and that brings up feelings of unpleasantness,
Annoyance,
Regret,
Or even anger.
Something current is most useful,
But if nothing arises from your present circumstances,
You can bring up something from the past to work with.
Bringing this situation to mind and seeing it as vividly as you can on the main stage of your awareness,
Then delving into where the difficulty is showing up in the body and bringing the spotlight of attention to explore the sensations you find here.
Using the spotlight of attention to delve into the sensations more deeply,
Noticing their quality,
Noticing whether they're static,
Changing,
Increasing or decreasing in intensity,
Noticing as well any automatic reactions that may be coming up,
Meeting whatever is coming up with acceptance,
Patience,
And non-judgmental curiosity,
Allowing it all to be on the main stage of awareness.
If pushing away,
Or other impulses to change or eliminate the sensations arise,
There's no need to criticize yourself.
Acknowledging that not wanting difficult experiences or sensations is natural,
But seeing if it's possible to allow them to remain on the main stage of awareness for a while.
Continuing to shine the spotlight of attention on these sensations,
Catching and releasing any resistance to being open to these unpleasant sensations and experiences in this moment.
Acknowledging that resistance to unpleasant things is an automatic reaction,
But seeing if there is space to be open to them and still be okay.
Reaching our door now.
You may find that the sensations fade after a while and can decide whether to bring the difficult situation to mind again,
Or a new one,
As vividly as you can,
And again delving into the area of the body where the difficulty is showing up.
Kayak.
And bringing attention now back to noticing the sensations of breathing.
Paying clear,
Focused attention to where you feel the body breathing most prominently.
Watching the full duration of each in-breath and each out-breath.
And,
Taking a moment to acknowledge whatever courage and strength it required to turn toward and delve into this difficulty today.
And knowing that building this skill leads to a greater ability to navigate life's ups and downs with a bit more ease.
And whenever you're ready,
Inviting you to open your eyes if you've closed them,
Bringing your attention back into the room you're in,
Giving yourself a moment to get your bearings,
Before moving into the next part of your day.
