Taking down walls and opening windows.
Exploring emotions.
Welcome to mindfulness meditation.
My name is Robin Albertson-Wren,
And in this session,
We are going to focus on recognizing and identifying emotions.
So take a moment to settle into a comfortable position.
Resting your feet flat on the floor and closing your eyes.
Or lowering your gaze so that you're not distracted by things around you.
I'm going to read a list of words.
All emotions.
Your only job is to notice whether you have ever felt those emotions before.
No need to get caught up in the story associated with that emotion.
Just recognizing whether it has existed in your life.
Happy.
Excited.
Restless.
Playful.
Stressed.
Weak.
Worried.
Envious.
Calm.
Angry.
Sad.
Anxious.
Eager.
Depressed.
Serene.
Lonely.
Jealous.
Hateful.
Joyful.
Peaceful.
Doubtful.
Curious.
Crappy.
Alone.
Mischievous.
Grateful.
Surprised.
Overwhelmed.
Frightened.
Bored.
Shocked.
Strong.
Serious.
Numb.
Bewildered.
Special.
Disappointed.
Resilient.
Loving.
Noticing what that experience was like for you.
How it felt to try to recognize emotions without becoming caught up in them.
Recognizing whether there were any emotions that you did not know about.
Recognizing whether there were any emotions that you did not hear that you would have added.
Next I'm going to share a Rumi poem with you.
It is called The Guest House.
I'm going to read it twice.
And I invite you to close your eyes.
And while you listen the first time,
Allow the poem to simply wash over you.
When you hear it again,
Feel free to tune in to particular phrases or ideas that resonate with you.
Or perhaps that you take issue with.
Guest House by Rumi.
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy.
A depression.
A meanness.
Some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all.
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture.
Still,
Treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought.
The shame.
The malice.
Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
Because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
Guest House by Rumi.
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy.
A depression.
A meanness.
Some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all.
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture.
Still,
Treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought.
The shame.
The malice.
Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
Because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
You may choose to take a few moments to sit quietly with the words of the poem.
Or perhaps to journal about what came up for you during this experience.
What did you notice?
Can you imagine yourself as a guest house?
What would shift if you were to allow your emotions to enter freely?
To treat each guest admirably.
Even the ones that violently sweep your house empty.
Until you feel wrecked.
What happens when we don't allow our emotions to surface?
When we shove them down into the basement?
How does that work for us?
They eventually come knocking again.
What would it feel like to let in self-doubt?
Would grit help lead self-doubt out the back door?
We call them feelings because we are meant to feel them.
Only then are we able to let them go.
Or to allow them to shift in some way.
Feel free to pause this recording now and take time for self-reflection before returning to the end of this session.
Take in a deep breath,
Imagining that your only job is to listen to the sound of the bell.
Staying with the sound until it completely disappears.
The bell is invited.
As you are ready,
Slowly blinking open your eyes to readjust to the light and to the space around you.
Perhaps keeping your gaze downward at first and taking a moment to set an intention for yourself.
An intention being a word or phrase to guide you as you leave this space and head out into the world.
Recognizing that an intention is different from a goal or a to-do list.
How do you want to be in the world?
Perhaps your intention is acceptance.
Or open awareness.
Or hello,
Grit.
Whatever it is,
Tucking it away in your heart,
In your mind,
To carry with you into the rest of your day.
Or night.
Thank you.
