When The Dark Takes Up All The Space (Emotional SOS)

When difficult emotions arrive, it can feel overwhelming, like a storm overtaking you. This practice offers a simple, reliable way to meet them — not to push them away, but to find the light within. Emotional SOS guides you into the body, into breath, into the steady flame of presence that holds even the hardest feelings.

Return to yourself, even in the middle of the storm.

Includes soft background music from Music of Wisdom.

Transcript

Hello and welcome. I'm so glad you are here. If you are here in this emotional SOS meditation, Then you are likely feeling some kind of strong emotional feeling. This meditation is intended to bring you back to a place of your strong connected center where you have greater capacity to be with whatever is here. Trust this practice and trust that you are in exactly the right place. So let's begin by closing our eyes together and just put one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly to really let yourself land fully here in this space together and then take several long slow breaths into the belly, Into the space in your heart, Wherever it feels it's most needed now. Now let your hands rest gently in your lap and become aware of the feeling inside your body that you're working with. So become aware of the strong emotion that is present for you now. It could be sadness or loneliness or anger or stress or something else. Just notice where is this taking up residence in my body now. It might be in your belly or your heart or somewhere else. Become aware of how big it is and notice if it has a color or a shape. And just breathe into that feeling for a few breaths. Saying to it silently to yourself, I see you, I feel you, I'm here for you. Is this an old feeling that's been with you for a while? Is it new? Notice if it has an age. Now become aware of the I that is knowing this feeling. When we say I am sad, For example, Go now to the I of your feeling. And then notice and become curious about the space in which this I appears, The awareness. Notice its qualities. Does this space I have any edges or boundaries? And really explore for a moment this space. See that this space of I has no edges or boundaries. See that what you are exists in an infinite, Boundless space in which everything, Including the feelings, Are arising. Ask this feeling, Can you give me more space? And see if that opens up even more spaciousness. To feel and know yourself beyond the feeling that's here. Ask yourself, Does this I come and go in time? Or see that this I is an unchanging, Timeless essence. See and allow yourself to rest deeper for a few more moments in this essence of you, Beyond the feelings of your strong emotions. Now, As this essential presence of your being, Turn towards the strong emotion. And be curious. Ask it, What are you here to teach me? Do you have a message for me? Everything that arises is here for a reason, Is here to teach us. Rather than pushing this feeling away, Give it space. And an ear to listen to what it knows and what it's been trying to do. To tell you. And if you received a knowing or a message, Then say to it, Thank you. I see you, I hear you. And if you don't hear a message yet, That's okay too. Just continue to say, I'm listening. I'm here no matter what. And now return your gaze, If it wandered back to your essential presence, Your essence self. And see that all feelings, All experiences come and go. And this too shall pass. But that you are not passing. That who you are is good and pure. Feel that like a steady flame in the night. This light of you cannot be extinguished. And let that light be like a radiant flame in your heart that you can return to at any moment when you feel lost or overwhelmed. And when you are ready, Gently blink open your eyes. May you always remember the radiant loving being that is your true essence. Blessings on your day, Blessings on your life, Blessings to this earth. Namaste.