Sitting With Discomfort: A Meditation On Acceptance

This guided meditation invites you to explore the practice of sitting with discomfort, inspired by the teachings of Pema Chodron. The meditation fosters self-compassion and acceptance by acknowledging tension and restlessness without resistance. Through breath and awareness, you learn to create space for challenging emotions and sensations, cultivating a sense of peace and openness in the present moment.
Music by Chris Collins

Transcript

Find a comfortable seat and allow your body to settle.

Close your eyes and take a long,

Slow inhale.

As you exhale,

Feel yourself soften.

Begin by noticing any resistance within you.

Perhaps there's tension in your body or a feeling of restlessness in your mind.

Do not push these sensations away.

Instead,

Allow them to be exactly as they are.

We need to learn to sit with discomfort rather than resist it.

On your next breath,

Welcome whatever you're feeling,

Whether it's physical tension or an emotional heaviness,

Acknowledge it.

Say to yourself,

It's okay to feel this.

As you breathe in,

Give space to the discomfort.

As you breathe out,

Release the need to fix or change it.

Imagine you're creating more room within yourself to simply be.

Let go of judgment.

Let go.

Stay with this practice of acceptance for several more rounds of breath,

Noticing how your body and mind respond to allowing things to be as they are.

When you're ready,

Gently bring your attention back to your breath and feel a sense of openness in the present moment.