This is Justin Michael Williams and welcome to your practice.
We've all been in those situations where we can't stop thinking about something.
We're playing a situation over and over in our heads,
Reaching out to our friends and our family and search for answers,
Turning to podcasts and tarot cards and astrology,
You name it,
Just begging for a sign or some spark of clarity.
If your mind has already started catastrophizing and looping and spinning and making you feel crazy or if you started calling your friends and your family to ask,
What do you think I should do?
I want you to just stop now,
Take a breath and use this practice to snap you out of it because baby,
You got more important things in the world to be doing on this planet than stressing about this situation.
The key here is separating the facts from the story you're making up in your head about what's going on.
And we usually get hooked on the stories because we're trying to control something or we're trying to predict the future or the most common culprit of obsessive thinking,
Trying to manipulate situations so that they lean in our favor,
Which is especially common when we're stuck in a situation that we don't like or if someone does something that we don't understand.
So you may notice that when you separate the facts from the story you're making up that although some situations are genuinely terrible,
Most situations are pretty neutral.
And even if you're dealing with something that's actually terrible,
Something that you don't have control over or something that makes you confused or anxious or upset,
You still get to choose how you react and how you respond and ultimately how or if you choose to grow.
This practice will help.
I'd like you to find a comfortable way to sit and then close your eyes and then place both of your hands over your heart.
And let's take five slow deep breaths together.
We'll start by aligning our breaths.
So I want you on the count of three to exhale everything out of your system through your nose.
One,
Two,
Three,
Exhale everything out.
And then slowly through the nose,
Inhale for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold.
And then exhale through the mouth for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold.
Again,
Inhale for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold.
And exhale for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold.
Again,
Through the nose for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold.
Mouth exhale for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold.
Two more.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold.
Exhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold.
Last one.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold.
Exhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold.
And now breathe normally.
Now with your hands over your heart,
And if you've moved them it's okay,
Just bring them back over your heart.
Bring awareness to the energy of your heart.
When you do this you might see a color or feel your heartbeat lightly pulsing under your chest or even notice a little spark of energy that is living inside your chest.
There's no right or wrong way to do this,
Just see what you notice.
Now feel that energy expanding in all directions,
Expanding beyond your body,
Beyond your room,
Beyond your city,
Expanding beyond your state even,
Beyond your country,
Beyond this planet.
Feel the energy just expanding beyond and beyond as far as you can let it go.
And breathe.
And now imagine that energy coming back inward toward you,
Slowly condensing in from the planet and inward toward the country,
Condensing in from your state,
Condensing in from your city,
Condensing back in from your room,
Falling right back into your heart.
If your mind begins to wander at any point during this practice remember that's okay,
It's normal.
Just welcome yourself back with this mantra.
I see truth.
I choose truth.
I am truth.
I will not try to manipulate this situation to lean in my favor.
I see truth.
I choose truth.
I am truth.
Show me what stories I'm making up that are causing me pain.
Show me what stories I'm making up that are causing me pain.
Show me and allow it to arise.
Just listen.
Listen.
Accept truth.
Accept truth.
Accept truth.
And breathe.
Breathe.
Accept truth.
Accept truth.
Accept truth.
Real truth.
And breathe.
When I anchor into my heart,
I know the way.
I know the way.
I know the way.
I am strong enough to know the way.
I am strong enough to know the truth.
Show me what's true.
Show me the facts.
Show me what's true.
I am ready for truth.
I am ready for truth.
Allow it to arise.
When we anchor into our hearts,
We find the truth.
We find acceptance.
We find certainty.
And we find growth.
So ask yourself now,
Knowing the truth,
What's your next move?
What's your next move?
What's in the highest good for you?
Center in that and take a deep breath in and a deep breath out.
One more deep full breath in and open the mouth.
Let it go.
And if you're ready,
Open your eyes.
When we accept truth,
When we choose to accept truth because it is a choice,
We don't have to be afraid because my Bhaka used to always tell me the truth will set you free,
Baby.
It is a great honor to practice with you today.
I send you love,
Clarity,
And the biggest blessings.
Namaste.
