Hi,
I'm Cheryl.
Thank you for joining me today for this meditation on releasing anger.
It's important to attend to our feelings of anger rather than suppress them.
When we suppress our angry feelings,
We often notice that they quietly build up and usually come out in some form,
And often not in a good way.
Mindfulness helps us better understand our anger.
Simply acknowledge it and see it as a passing emotion.
This meditation can help us learn to let it go.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable position.
When you find a comfortable position,
Simply allow your eyes to close or gaze softly in front of you.
Let's first begin by noticing any thoughts around our angry feelings.
Those thoughts are often spinning in our heads when we're angry about something.
So just take a moment to notice your thoughts and notice how they make you feel.
Thoughts or beliefs are often like oil to a fire.
They usually increase or prolong the flames.
In the same way,
Our thoughts often cause us to maintain that feeling of anger or make us even angrier.
They prolong those feelings of anger in our body.
So simply noticing our thoughts can help us recognize that these thoughts are not serving us.
We can also notice how we have a desire to add to our story,
But take this opportunity to disconnect from that story,
Resist that temptation to get carried away in those angry thoughts.
Instead,
Simply notice your thoughts as just thoughts and notice how they make you feel.
Next,
We're going to practice letting go of those thoughts by focusing our attention inward,
Tuning in to how anger feels in our bodies.
Anger is often projected outward at others or at the world,
But when we disconnect from our angry thoughts and tune in to our own bodies,
We can begin to simply notice how anger feels.
So take a moment now to just notice what's going on in your body.
See if you can identify where you feel anger in your body.
This may be a feeling of heat,
A tightening of muscles,
Clenching of your jaw,
A headache,
Or a tightening of your chest.
Anger can have a sort of buzzing energy.
Just take a moment to notice how anger shows up in your body.
As you explore these sensations,
Observe them with a sense of curiosity.
We don't need to judge them or change them.
Simply notice how you feel.
Next,
We're going to help release that anger that we're holding on to in our bodies.
First,
Begin by tightening your hands and your arms and your shoulders.
Tighten all those muscles and just hold it there for a count of five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One,
And slowly relax your muscles.
Next,
Tighten the muscles of your face and your jaw,
Squeezing your eyes,
And hold it there for five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One,
And let go.
And finally,
We're going to tighten our whole bodies,
Tightening your legs,
Your arms,
Your hands,
Your shoulders,
Your face,
And holding it there,
Tightening for five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One,
And let go.
Allow your whole body to soften,
Your muscles to relax,
And allowing all that anger to release from your body.
Now take a nice deep inhale,
Creating space and openness,
And as you exhale,
Releasing any remaining tension or tightness,
Allowing your body to soften and relax.
Now allow your attention to remain grounded in your body.
Simply notice how you feel right now.
Feel the weight of your body or even a sense of gravity gently connecting you to the chair or the ground beneath you.
As you sit in a relaxed,
Comfortable position,
Simply notice how you're feeling right now.
Sometimes when we release anger,
We find another emotion,
Another layer.
Perhaps there's some sadness or disappointment.
Whatever you're feeling,
Simply notice it with a sense of curiosity and compassion.
Sometimes it's easier to feel angry and send that energy outward than to simply sit with the pain or discomfort of these other emotions.
But if we allow them to just be,
To simply say to ourselves,
This is simply what I'm feeling right now,
And it's perfectly okay.
We can remind ourselves that this is simply part of being human,
And that you're okay,
Just as you are.
You don't need to change anything.
You don't need to push any feelings away.
You can simply recognize exactly what's there.
And with a sense of openness and compassion and love,
Take a nice deep breath in.
And as you exhale,
Let go.
Let go of tension and tightness.
Let go of judgment.
Let go of anger.
Allow your body to soften and relax.
If your eyes are closed,
You can begin to open your eyes and welcome in all of the sights around you.
Take one more nice deep breath in and one long slow exhale.
Thank you for joining me today for this opportunity to let go of anger.
I hope you'll join me again soon.
Until next time,
Take good care of yourself.
