Dealing With Emotions Mindfulness Meditation

This practice will guide you in being with emotions and thoughts, even intense or difficult ones, in an open, allowing, and accepting way. By working with emotions during meditation, you will improve your ability to recognize a feeling just as it begins instead of after you've said or done something you regret. Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present and aware of where we are and what we are doing.

Transcript

Mindfulness allows us to watch our thoughts,

See how one thought leads to the next,

Decide if we're heading down an unhealthy path,

And if so,

Let go and change directions.

Take a comfortable meditative posture,

Sitting or lying down.

Close your eyes,

Or if you prefer,

Lower your gaze.

Take a few moments to settle into awareness of your body.

Be aware of sounds as they're arising,

And then turn your attention to the breath.

If you like,

You can use the mental note in,

Out,

Or rising,

Falling.

Observe the tone of feeling in your mind,

And then simply notice any emotions or labels that arise.

Does your mind feel calm and peaceful?

Are you agitated?

Bored?

Is there happiness?

Is there sadness?

Is your mind in neutral?

If you're not sure,

That's okay too.

See if you can open up to and recognize the emotional background as you're with the breath.

As you follow your breath,

Be aware of any predominant emotions.

If no emotions arise that are strong enough to distract you,

Just keep following your breath.

If any feeling is strong enough to take your attention away from your breath,

Make it the new object of your meditation.

See if you can locate the emotion in your body.

What physical sensations accompany it?

Do you have butterflies in your stomach,

Or a racing pulse?

Are your eyelids heavy?

Your shoulders drawn up?

Be with the emotion in a soft and relaxed way,

Observing it without judgment.

You don't need to fix or change anything.

Notice as you observe the emotion if it eventually fades away,

Or is replaced by a new feeling.

If something new arises,

Note that,

And witness this new feeling with an unbiased interest.

Notice where and how you feel it.

Observe if that emotion stays with you,

Or eventually fades to the background of your awareness.

If observing your emotion starts to feel overwhelming,

Return to following the breath as it flows in and out of your body.

Continue to observe and notice for a few more moments,

Noting feelings,

Allowing them to be present.

Let yourself gently investigate how an emotion feels physically in your body,

And then allow it to go.

Gently begin to reawaken to the present moment.

Feel the sensation of your breath,

The connection with the ground or seat beneath you,

And the subtle movements within your body.

As you open your eyes,

Carry with you the awareness and presence that you have cultivated during this practice into the rest of your day.

May your day be filled with peace and possibility.