When we are sensitive,
Caring people,
Witnessing can be intense.
We read or watch the news,
See a friend going through a difficult time,
And we want to help and care,
But we can feel overwhelmed with our own reactions to someone else's pain.
Witnessing itself can be powerfully healing,
But we can practice doing that in a way that doesn't overwhelm our own systems.
Take a moment to get comfortable in your meditative seat.
You could be lying down for this meditation if that works better for you too,
That's fine.
Take a moment to acknowledge the land that you are on.
Consider this part of the world,
Your relationship with this place,
How it feels right now,
The season,
The weather,
Maybe the phase of the moon.
Locate yourself here and now.
Place your attention on the space of your heart.
You could place your hands there if you like as well.
Notice the pain,
Sensitivity,
Soreness,
Empathy,
Tension,
Whatever it is that you are feeling for someone else or for yourself.
There might be something or someone you're thinking about in particular.
It might be wider than that if you're tapping into the pain of a difficult world.
It might be as simple as witnessing yourself in a moment of difficulty.
For now,
All we need to do is notice.
See if you can name the sensations that you feel around your heart.
Is it tight?
Heavy?
Is there a color or a shape you can identify?
Is there someone or several someones you're holding in there?
Again,
For now,
Just notice.
And as you're noticing this energy,
Paying attention to these sensations around your heart,
Take a moment to ask yourself,
Is this mine?
Because the answer comes right away.
We may notice that we are actually feeling these feelings on behalf of someone else.
There may be a piece of it that's ours.
Someone else's pain may be triggering something within us that really is ours.
It may be totally unclear right now,
And all of that is fine.
Just notice what happens when you ask yourself,
Is this mine?
Now we're going to do a breath practice for witnessing and releasing.
In order to do this,
We must trust in the alchemy of our hearts to transform witnessing into compassion.
We're going to take three deep breaths,
And imagine really allowing the pain we are witnessing to enter our hearts fully,
Trusting in that alchemical process.
With each inhale,
We will allow the pain and the emotions to go all the way in.
On the exhales,
However,
We will fully release those emotions.
They are not for us to hold on to.
On each exhale,
We're going to let go of what's not ours,
Trusting that if there is something we need to keep,
We will keep it.
So when you feel ready,
Go ahead and take your three breaths at your own sweet pace.
Inhale completely,
Drawing in those emotions down to the bottom of your heart.
And then exhale,
Allowing them to leave your body and your system.
If you feel you need more than three breaths,
Take as many as you need.
When these breaths feel complete for you,
Notice how you feel.
Stay present to the sensations in your body.
If emotions are moving through you,
That's just fine.
Tears,
Sighs,
And deep breaths can all be ways of moving emotion through your body.
The key is not swallowing them down,
Not letting them get stuck in your system.
When this feels complete for you,
You may like to place your hands together at your heart in a form of prayer.
Bow your head gently and offer thanks,
Perhaps to your own heart,
To those that you are witnessing,
To the land,
And anything else that you want to offer gratitude towards.
Your practice is complete.
Feel free to come back to those three simple breaths anytime you need a little support in your witnessing.
Thank you for listening.
