This mindfulness meditation is designed to help you start to become aware of and process emotion in a gradual and gentle way.
So take a moment now to find a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
And you can do the exercise either with your eyes open or eyes closed,
Whichever feels best for you.
If at any point during the meditation you want to stop,
Simply open your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
You can end the exercise at any point.
Take a moment now just to take a few deep breaths.
Just allowing the body to breathe in and breathe out.
And start to become aware of any emotions that might be present for you in this moment.
And see if you can label those emotions.
They may be pleasant or unpleasant.
Just acknowledging whatever emotions might be showing up for you right now.
And just start to become aware of where those emotions are showing up for you physiologically in your body.
Also what sensations you're feeling might be a tightness or a knot in the belly,
A heaviness in the chest.
It might be a lump in the throat or something else.
So taking a moment now just to tune in,
Observe,
Notice whatever sensations are arising in your body in this moment.
And just breathing into those sensations.
Not trying to make anything happen.
Not trying to make them go away.
Just noticing and breathing.
And if it feels okay for you to do this now,
Bring awareness to the sensation that feels strongest in your body.
And imagine drawing an outline around that sensation.
To help you get a sense of how big it is.
A sense of containment.
That it isn't your whole body but just one part of your body that's experiencing this sensation right now.
And breathing into the sensation.
Does the sensation feel like it's on the surface of the skin?
Or does it go deeper within?
Does it feel dense,
Heavy or light and hollow?
What is it like this sensation?
Does it feel like it's moving,
Vibrating,
Pulsing in some way?
Or is it still?
If it was a shape or an object,
What would it be like?
Just noticing,
Observing like a curious scientist the sensations in your body.
And continuing to breathe into the sensations.
Not trying to change them.
Just noticing and seeing if you can allow some room for them to be there.
You might not like them,
They might not be pleasant.
You might not want them to be there.
But acknowledging that this is what's showing up in the body right now.
Realizing the sensations to be fully felt.
So they can be released and let go.
So not trying to make anything happen.
Just breathing and noticing.
And allowing the body to process the emotions and the sensations in its own time.
You may like to bring awareness to the breath at the nostrils for a few moments.
Seeing the air moving in and out through the nostrils.
You might also like to bring awareness to the belly gently rising and falling as the body breathes.
Just taking a moment to notice the belly expand as you breathe in.
And contract again as you breathe out.
Rising and falling with each breath.
So just taking a moment to rest your attention in the breath.
Noticing the breath rise and fall.
And knowing that just as our breath will rise and fall,
So too do our emotions and the sensations that accompany them.
Everything is permanent in our experience.
Everything is temporary.
Rising and falling away again.
Just like waves at the beach,
The sensations might come,
Rise in intensity,
Rising to a peak.
But then we'll start to drop away and fall back again.
Our emotions are just like these waves coming and going.
So just allowing yourself to breathe into the sensations,
Breathe into the emotion.
Knowing that at some point you will start to ease and dissipate and fall away.
Just like the waves in the ocean.
Breathing and noticing.
And you can continue in this way for as long as it feels right for you.
Bringing awareness to the body sitting or lying.
Having a sense of your body grounded.
Noticing any sounds that you might hear around you.
And very gently allowing yourself to open your eyes if you've had them closed.
And bring your awareness back into the room.
And if the emotions have felt intense today,
Just allowing yourself time to do something gentle and soothing now for yourself.
Or continuing to notice the breath for a little while if that feels right for you.
Take care,
Sun.
