Welcome to week five of the Art and Science of Human Flourishing.
In this week,
We will be exploring emotions and the title of this contemplative practice is Mindfulness of Emotions.
In this contemplative practice,
We will be bringing our attention to physical feelings or sensations,
Then emotional feelings,
And then to our thoughts.
This is a practice of learning to welcome with openness and kindness whatever is present,
Just as if you were welcoming a friend.
Welcoming feelings in this way includes noticing when we may be trying to suppress or ignore a feeling,
Or if we're indulging or dwelling or wanting things to be different in any way.
In this exercise,
We're training just to notice.
Now begin by finding a comfortable position,
Whether that be seated in a chair,
Or in this particular exercise,
You may like to lie down.
In whatever position your body is,
Relax your body and be aware of what's going on.
You may like to close your eyes or keep them partially open or gaze downward.
To begin,
Take a long,
Deep in-breath and a long,
Deep out-breath,
Letting your mind rest on the full length of the in-breath and the full length of the out-breath,
Letting go of other distractions around you.
Now bring your attention into your body and choose a place in particular to be aware of.
This may be a place where you feel a type of physical sensation most strongly.
For example,
On your shoulders or your back,
Or if you're hungry,
You may feel your stomach.
And sense whatever physical feeling is there.
It may be a pleasant feeling or an unpleasant feeling or neither a pleasant nor unpleasant feeling,
More of a neutral feeling.
What do the physical sensations feel like?
And again,
We're just noticing,
Just being aware of whatever is present with a gentle,
Friendly attitude of allowing.
Notice how it feels to just allow this physical feeling to be there.
And if you notice any reaction to the physical feeling like a desire for it to go away,
Or if you want to indulge in it,
Or suppress or ignore it,
Then just be aware of that reaction.
And in that same gentle accepting way,
Without trying to change or resolve anything at all,
Just let it be there.
It may also be that the physical sensation you choose to notice will change and allow yourself to be present to whatever replaces it in the same way,
Welcoming whatever new feeling or reaction arises.
Now we'll turn our attention to an emotional feeling.
And it could be any kind of emotional feeling,
One that you're feeling right now,
Or one that's familiar.
It could be something you've been struggling with recently,
Like a feeling of worry inside,
Or perhaps a background low-grade sense of urgency,
Or a feeling that there's too much to do,
Or being overwhelmed by obligations,
Or even frustration with someone or something,
Or even sadness.
It can also be a pleasant emotional feeling or a neutral emotional feeling.
Now notice,
How does this feeling express itself?
Not just in your thinking mind,
But within your whole being.
Maybe there's a tightening up with a sense of feeling urgency,
Or a twinge of fear inside,
Or a queasy feeling of worry.
Welcome whatever feeling is present,
Even if it's a feeling of sadness or a burning feeling of frustration,
Or an uncomfortable feeling inside of worry.
Just try to sense how it feels inside.
Allow this emotional feeling to be present,
Welcoming it with gentleness and kindness.
What does it feel like to just accept the feeling,
Not indulging or rejecting or trying to solve or change anything or ruminating?
How does it feel like just to be with the feeling,
Like a friend in need?
And again,
If there's a reaction of not wanting this feeling or pushing it away,
Then just be with this reaction in the same way,
Allowing it to be there.
It also may be that when focusing on this feeling,
Other reactions and feelings may arise.
And again,
Just notice those.
You can also bring awareness to thoughts that occur in connection with this feeling.
Neither being enmeshed in your thoughts,
Nor seeking to suppress or avoid them,
Just being aware of them as they are.
And as this practice deepens,
You may find your mind resting right in the very core of the feeling or of the thought.
And this may even transform into another feeling,
Like a feeling of calm or peace within you.
And if that happens,
Just let it be.
Without seeking to get such a thing to happen,
Just notice.
Let your mind rest right in the core,
Right in the essence of the feeling or thought.
Now return back to your breath,
Taking three deep breaths,
Fully aware of the in-breath,
Fully aware of the out-breath.
Now start to slowly come out of this contemplative practice by moving your body subtly,
Opening your eyes.
And as you move on into the rest of your day,
See if you can notice on another deeper level what's happening when emotions arise or noticing your body in different contexts throughout the day,
The different physical sensations that are present as they relate to how you feel in the moment.
