Welcome to the Calming the Storm Within meditation.
Oftentimes,
We seek equanimity or peace,
But we can struggle.
As human beings,
We all have times where we have big emotions and they can get the best of us,
Dictating behavior we don't want and don't see ourselves doing,
Not living within our values,
And being taken over by emotion mind.
For this meditation,
I invite you to explore a different relationship you could have with the storm within.
So as we begin,
I invite you to settle into a position that's comfortable for you.
You might notice in your body,
If you've come with big emotions,
Your body might reflect some elements of the agitation or the disruption you're feeling.
This could come as difficulty settling in,
Even to a seated position that feels comfortable.
It could feel like an urge to fidget.
And I want you to not try to fix it.
It's okay.
This is a space that we're going to make for the storm you have with you right now.
So just notice the fidgeting as you try to settle into your position for the meditation.
Notice right before the fidgeting,
Right before the actual movement,
You might feel the urge to move and begin by noticing that where in your body feels like it wants to move.
And you don't have to inhibit it for this meditation.
If you feel like adjusting your seat or your hands or your head,
Your neck,
That's okay.
At this moment,
We are just noticing what's there.
See if you can count how many urges to move you have.
And gently bring your attention to your breath,
Wherever you feel it,
At whatever inhale and exhale is normal for you.
Just a reminder that there's no right way to feel it.
Some people might notice their breath with the rising and falling of their breath.
Their shoulders or chest.
Some might feel it as an expansiveness in their body.
And still others like to notice it from the air entering and exiting their nostrils.
However you notice the sensation of your breath,
Just stick with it for a bit.
And remember if there's fidgeting or an urge,
That's okay.
Just notice that too.
In this meditation,
We're trying to make space for the storm to exist without trying to stuff it away or contain it.
We're simply basking in it,
Letting it settle on its own accord.
Take some time with your breath.
Take some time noticing the rhythms where you feel the cycle of inhale and exhale,
Like the push and pull of a tide coming in and out.
Notice how it has its own rhythm to it.
Your body has its own rhythm that's always there.
You might notice as you have these big emotions and this storm is brewing,
It could be quite hard to focus on a breath.
You might be distracted by whatever emotions are coming up.
And I just want to tell you that's okay.
We are here for that too.
We're here for the disruptions and we invite them to be a part of our practice.
As we notice the disruptions and we note them,
As we pass them by,
We don't hold onto them and we just return to the breath.
And if the emotion feels too big and you can't quite let go of it to return to the breath,
You can just thank it for bringing your attention to whatever it is and notice yourself clinging to that emotion.
That's okay too.
We're just here to observe the storm.
We're not here to control it.
Just as you can't wrangle the air,
The wind or water with a lasso,
We're not trying to do that with our thoughts.
We're not trying to grab onto them and put them away.
They would just slip through our fingers like sand.
So instead,
We're going to let them do their thing and just notice.
As you continue noticing your storm,
You might think of adding a mantra that would allow you to have it around as it does its thing.
One such phrase a wise woman told me was,
Just because you have emotions doesn't mean you have to do anything about it.
They want action,
But you don't have to act on them.
Just because you have them doesn't mean you have to do anything with them.
Just notice.
And at this time,
As we begin to wrap up our practice,
I invite you to show compassion to yourself and remember that we all have big emotions from time to time.
No one is exempt from being human.
None of us is exempt from feeling.
So allow yourself to feel.
Simply notice yourself feeling and remember it connects you to the rest of humanity.
May your storm be calm.
