I Am Willing Practice To Accept Difficult Emotions

A gentle practice of self permission for the parts of you that resist difficult emotions or sensations. Settling into a comfortable position, you scan for areas of tension or holding, rest your attention there and quietly offer the words I am willing, or I am willing to be with this exactly as it is. If resistance appears, it is welcomed too. Willingness does not mean liking what is present, only being open to experiencing it, and that openness is what allows emotions to move and release. Two or three minutes in each area is plenty. This pairs well with the Somatic Surfing practice.

Transcript

In this lesson, We're gonna explore a very simple practice that I call, I am willing. As we've explored, When we resist emotions or sensations, That resistance creates the very tension that fuels anxiety. Here we're practicing with something different. Simply being with what's here. So find a comfortable position. You can be seated or lying down. Let your eyes close or soften your gaze downwards. And take a moment to settle. Feel your body's weight. Notice the air on your skin. You're exactly where you need to be. Now we're going to scan through your body. Just looking for places you might be holding attention. Think of yourself as a detective, Investigating without trying to fix anything. And start from the top of your head. Move down. Noticing your forehead, Your eyes, Your jaw. Looking for any tightness or clenching. And moving down to your neck and your shoulders. See what you notice here. Continue down to your chest. And dropping down into your belly. A soft space below your ribs. And if you find an area that feels tight or resistant, Just gently place your attention there. There's nothing to change, Nothing to fix. You're just saying hello. And what's he found somewhere? Try offering these words and you can say silently to yourself or out loud. I am willing. I am willing to be with this exactly as it is and feel whatever might be here. You can say it yourself, Or out loud. I am willing to be with this exactly as it is. And to feel whatever might be here. And then just notice what happens. The tension might soften, It might get stronger. Both are totally normal. And if you feel a resistance to the willingness, That's a great starting point too. You might say, I'm willing to feel this resistance. And then you just hang out here. You can really trust your body's intuition. Maybe the tension shifts, Or maybe you're drawn to a different area in the body. The key to this practice is to keep listening to your body and when you notice any tension or discomfort, Just offer the phrase. I am willing to be with this. I am willing to feel what's here. And it's entirely possible that emotions might service sadness or fear, Anger, Even helplessness. And if they do, You can offer the same invitation. I'm willing to feel you too. Simply continue this way, Navigating your body. And each area of tension becomes a chance to practice willingness instead of resistance. And now I'll take a moment to zoom out and. . . Notice if anything has shifted. Sometimes the changes are subtle. Maybe a softening around the eyes, Maybe deeper breathing, Maybe even tears. And then you can begin to move or stretch any way that feels good. And gradually coming back to the space around you and you're welcome to keep practicing this in your own time, Or rest, Or whatever feels good. And remember, You can bring this simple practice with you anywhere you go. And there's three simple words, I am willing.