This is a guided meditation practice from Buddhism Guide called Working with Your Emotions.
Sit comfortably on the floor or an unarmed chair with your back straight but not too rigid and gently close your eyes.
Now let's start the meditation practice.
I want you to breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose.
Hold the breath and now release the air out through your mouth and drop your shoulders.
Breathe in deeply.
Hold and release the air and drop your shoulders.
Breathe in.
Hold and release the air and drop your shoulders.
Now breathe normally making sure your breath is slow and natural.
So don't try to change the breath in any way.
Just allow it to find its own natural rhythm.
This breathing exercise brings you comfortably into the present moment.
So now I want you to become aware that you're breathing in and breathing out and just leave your focus on that for a moment.
And superpower is there for you.
Now I want you to think of the last time you had a strong emotion,
Such as anger,
Jealousy,
Loneliness or sadness.
Whatever it was,
Just bring that emotion into the front of your mind.
If at any point during this meditation you become overwhelmed,
Just return to watching your breath entering and leaving your body.
And once you've calmed down,
Return back to the practice.
Usually we would try and fight the emotion or get all tangled up in it,
But I want you to observe it with curiosity,
But also with kindness and compassion towards yourself and an open heart.
When you look at the emotion,
What do you feel?
Is it fear,
Confusion,
Impatience,
Anxiety?
Get in touch with whatever you're feeling and just sit with that feeling for a moment.
Instead of fighting the emotion,
I want you to acknowledge that at this moment you are feeling this emotion.
Accept it and now investigate it with a beginner's mind.
Don't judge it,
Try to change it or blame anyone for it.
Just acknowledge,
Accept and investigate the root cause of the emotion.
Now think of the best way to help yourself through this emotion by asking yourself this question,
What do I need to do to let this emotion go?
So the best way to deal with the emotion is to acknowledge that at this moment you have this emotion.
Accept that fact and then investigate why are you feeling this emotion.
Be curious and then find a way of helping yourself through the emotion so you can learn to let go.
Just now want you to move away from your feelings and place your awareness on any physical sensations that are connected to this emotion you're feeling.
It may be tension in the shoulders,
A strange sensation in your stomach,
Even sweaty palms.
Whatever it is,
Just acknowledge the sensation and rest there a moment.
So now I want you to put your emotions to one side for a moment and place your awareness on something that you're grateful for today.
It doesn't have to be a big thing.
It can be simply the sound of rain or the smell of freshly cut grass,
A smile on a child's face or someone special in your life.
Whatever it is,
Just allow the gratitude to flow into your awareness and sit there a moment engulfed in your feeling of gratitude.
So now move away from your feelings of gratitude.
Place your awareness on any physical sensations connected to this gratitude.
So that could be relaxed shoulders,
A lightness in the body,
A soft smile on your face.
Whatever it is,
Just acknowledge that sensation and rest there a moment.
So now gently start to bring your awareness back to your breathing again.
And just become aware that you're breathing in and you're breathing out.
And just leave your focus on that for a moment.
Continue to watch your breath and notice how calm and relaxed you are now.
See how regular your breathing has become.
How peaceful your mind is.
Remember,
Whatever emotions you have,
They're not solid or permanent.
They're fluid and so they won't last.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed by a strong emotion,
Acknowledge,
Accept,
Investigate and find a way to help yourself through it.
In a moment,
You'll hear the final bell.
Once the bells have ended,
Very slowly start to open your eyes and introduce yourself back into the outside world.
And tank the tongue.
