There are some days when the struggle is real.
And if you are going through one of those days right now where just now might feel like an uphill battle,
If everything's just feeling like it's melting down around you and inside of you,
I'd love to invite you to take a little pause with me as we start to tune into all of the sensations and feelings and whatever it is that's happening right now.
I'm Jamie Tan at Enlightened Spoon,
And I love sharing this practice that helps give me a little respite during my full-on busy days.
So wherever you are,
Let's take one big inhale through the nose,
And exhale through the mouth.
Just let it go.
Two more times.
Perhaps you'd like to inhale,
Stretch the arms overhead,
Give yourself a nice big stretch as you inhale through the nose,
And dropping the arms down,
Exhale,
Let it go.
Everything that doesn't serve you,
Just let it go.
One last time.
Deep inhale through the nose,
And exhale out through the mouth.
Let that burden go.
Now I'd like to invite you to get comfortable wherever you are,
Whether that's sitting down for the next few moments and finding a comfortable seat,
Whether it's on the floor,
On a chair,
Or perhaps you might like to lie down.
Now as you take the next few moments to get comfy,
Feel into where your body is at right now.
Are there areas that feel a little tense and wound up?
Perhaps you're holding onto tension somewhere,
Noticing the jaw,
If it's tight and clenched,
Noticing if your belly might feel like a tight ball is curling up there,
Or perhaps noticing if down the buttocks or legs,
There's any tension.
Now could you invite a little more ease and softening into any of these tight areas you might be noticing?
Just a simple energetic softness,
And as you do that,
Notice how the mind might be feeling.
And perhaps there's some racing thoughts or some frustration,
Anger,
Resentment,
Just welcoming,
Welcoming everything just as it is.
There's no need to fix or change whatever you're thinking or feeling.
Simply noticing what is present,
And if it's helpful,
Labelling the thought that's here or the emotion,
Ah,
Anger,
I see you,
Ah,
Disappointment,
I see you.
Welcoming everything just as it is.
And simply noticing what happens as you bring a little awareness and labelling the bodily sensations,
Labelling the emotion or the thought that's present.
Noticing what arises,
Perhaps more thoughts or emotions.
Noticing if that brings you down a story,
And that's okay,
But noticing.
As if there might be tension being held in a different part of the body,
Or perhaps even a softening,
A very gentle easing perhaps.
Every day is different.
Every moment is different.
Noticing all of these changing sensations,
Emotions,
Thoughts arising,
Dissolving,
Moving into other sensations,
Emotions,
Thoughts.
Or perhaps falling into a deeper level of quiet,
Perhaps sensing into a deeper stillness in which all of these changing sensations,
Emotions,
And thoughts are arising.
Notice what is present right now.
Is there something that's calling for your attention,
A particular thought or difficult emotion that seems to be persistent,
Perhaps calling for your attention?
Could you allow yourself to sense and feel into it?
Even if it might be a difficult,
Challenging belief or emotion,
Perhaps something that you might have been avoiding or trying to run away from,
Out of this quiet stillness,
Could you allow yourself to recognize what's here?
Allow yourself to acknowledge.
Now working with this challenging belief or emotion that is hard to shake off,
As you start to feel into it,
Could you accept that this thought or emotion,
For example,
Disappointment is here?
And as you sense and feel into this thought or belief or emotion,
Where in your body do you feel it?
Sensing if it's perhaps in your throat,
The belly,
Your hips,
Or somewhere else.
Notice what are the sensations associated with this challenging thought or emotion?
How does it show up in the body?
And then perhaps inquiring a little deeper,
What is this belief or thought or emotion that's been a little bit challenging to meet as we are right now?
What is it here to tell you?
Perhaps there's an unmet need underneath this all.
Noticing if your mind might be running away with a story and just simply bring yourself back to this moment and this breath.
Coming back to inquiring into this challenging belief or thought or emotion that you're working with today and notice what is it that could help you right now in this moment?
If there is an unmet need or if there is a .
.
.
It's something that's here to tell you.
With loving kindness towards yourself,
Is there a way or is there something that you could help yourself with in this moment?
Perhaps it's a simple reassurance that this too shall pass or perhaps it's just a reassurance that ah,
This too.
Touching back into that quiet stillness in which all of these changing sensations,
Thoughts and emotions are arising out of.
This deep presence and awareness that's always here.
Now noticing how you might be feeling in the body and the mind right now and notice how you might be feeling now compared to just a few moments earlier at the start of this practice.
And even if it might be just a little opening into a sense of gentleness and ease towards yourself,
Towards the current experience,
Towards whatever it is that might be going on in your life right now.
Could this be something that helps to support and nurture you through the next few moments,
Through till the end of today?
Now take a moment to thank yourself for giving yourself this precious time to simply check in.
Thank yourself for giving yourself this moment to simply allow whatever it was to wash over you,
To move through you and even if the issues or challenges might still be there,
Know that there's always a sense of ease and calm that you can take with you as you move through this challenging time.
May your practice continue to support and nurture you.
Thank you for practicing with me.
If you'd love to share your experience,
I'd love to hear it,
Let me know in the comments.
I hope this helps you find more grace,
Ease and flow in your busy life and I'll see you in the next one.
