No matter how much we try,
We cannot control the things that happen around us or to us.
We can,
However,
Learn how to act or react skillfully.
Doing so takes an awareness of the emotions we are feeling.
If we can use them as our object of exploration,
We no longer need to be ruled by them.
At first,
You may only notice the most obvious emotions,
But with more practice,
You can begin to become aware of the more subtle ones.
Take a comfortable position and close your eyes.
Begin to soften the mind by noticing any sounds as they appear.
Notice the sounds the furthest away from you.
And notice the sounds closer to you.
Settle into the awareness of your body,
Awareness of your breath.
Use the mental note of in,
Out,
Or rising,
Falling to sharpen your attention.
Begin to observe what feeling tone is in the mind.
Is the mind calm?
Peaceful?
Is it anxious or excited?
Perhaps the mind is neutral?
See if you can open to and notice the emotional background as you would with the breath and physical sensations.
Are you feeling particularly happy or sad?
You might feel tired.
Whatever you are feeling,
Notice if the emotion becomes the dominant experience.
Perhaps memories,
Plans,
Or storylines become associated with what you're feeling.
Can you let those storylines go and come back to the emotion?
Perhaps the emotion is coming up around the experience of discomfort or pain.
Use the emotions as your new meditation object,
Your object of exploration.
Where do you feel it in your body?
Do you feel the fatigue,
Happiness,
Sadness,
Anger,
Or whatever it is you're feeling in the chest?
Perhaps you feel it in the pelvis or even in the legs and feet.
What exactly does it feel like?
Openness,
Tension or contraction,
Tingling,
Vibrations,
Heat.
Don't struggle with your experience.
Explore it with curiosity.
Once you've explored your emotions as much as is available right now,
Come back to your breath in a relaxed,
Soft,
And curious way.
Gently blink your eyes open and see if you can bring some of this quality of presence into your day.
