This meditation,
Approximately five minutes in length,
Can be used at any time,
But may be particularly helpful when you want to pause and become mindful when you feel the urge to react in unhelpful ways to stress.
For example,
Eating when you are not hungry,
Yelling when angry,
Engaging in unhealthy or impulsive habits or behaviors,
Or just when you want to slow down and pause in your day.
Take a moment to ground yourself,
To connect in with your body,
And feel your feet on the ground beneath you.
Bring your awareness to the sensations in the bottoms of your feet as you feel the support of the floor.
Notice the support of the surface that you are sitting on.
Take a few conscious breaths,
Allowing the breath to come in and out fully.
Acknowledge to yourself that you took this time to pause,
That you had the awareness and willingness to stop and turn inward.
Bring your attention into your body and notice what you are feeling.
Maybe there are strong sensations in your body.
Maybe there are strong emotions.
Imagine that these are like waves of the ocean.
They come and they go.
They arise and they pass.
Just meet them where they are right now.
See if you can make space for what is there.
Make space for any discomfort.
Make space for anger,
Sadness,
Hurt,
Fear,
Or something else.
See if you can just be with whatever is there.
Notice what these emotions or sensations look like in your body.
They have a color or shape.
If they could talk,
What would they say?
Stop and listen to what the need is underneath.
Are you feeling sad and in need of comfort?
Are you hungry?
Are you upset about something you have not expressed?
Is there some part of you in need of your own attention right now?
Can you turn your attention towards what is there and greet it openly with compassion?
Take a step back now in your mind and imagine seeing the big picture,
Zooming out and seeing things from a larger perspective.
Take into account things you may not have been aware of when you first began this meditation,
If there are any.
Be open to seeing things in a new way.
Noticing how your thoughts,
Feelings,
And actions all connect.
Noticing any impact each of these has on you and on others around you.
Now take a moment to ask yourself what would be most helpful right now for you.
Imagine yourself doing that thing that is most helpful and supportive for you.
How does it feel when you imagine yourself doing that?
Take several breaths as you begin to bring your awareness back into the room now,
Ready to move forward in your day,
Having taken the time to pause and be mindful.
