Feelings such as sadness,
Anger,
And fear are necessary for us to interact effectively with the world and in relationships.
These emotional messengers help us to know what is needed in any given moment and help provide the energy for us to take action.
We often avoid difficult feelings such as anxiety because they are uncomfortable and sometimes very painful to sit with.
When we understandably push anxiety away,
We may miss an important message regarding something from our past that needs to be accepted or something in the present that needs to be attended to or acted upon.
Using the breath,
Let's allow our anxiety to show up,
Communicate its message,
And then move on.
Closing your eyes and sitting comfortably but alertly,
Breathe in through the nose deeply,
Holding for a few seconds,
And then exhale fully.
Again,
In through the nose,
Holding,
And breathe out slowly.
Notice your body in this space.
Nothing to be done,
Nothing to change in this moment.
Safe,
Open.
Now invite your anxiety in as you would a friend.
Notice how it shows up in your body,
The thoughts that arise with this feeling.
And ask your anxiety,
What do you need right now?
What would put you at ease?
Allow space for your anxiety to communicate its purpose.
Perhaps it wants a painful relationship to be abandoned or a task to be accomplished.
It may be suggesting that now is not the time for a major change you've been contemplating.
Allow your wise mind,
Your core self,
To hear this anxiety without judgment.
Take a few moments to be with this information,
To feel compassion for yourself as you sit with this difficult emotion of anxiety.
Set your intention to be kind to yourself,
Open to your emotions,
And willing to experience whatever the present moment has to offer.
Open your eyes.
