Hello and welcome to this meditation on transforming anger.
I'll first provide an overview of the technique found in this meditation and then you will hear a bell which will signify the start of this guided meditation and then you'll hear a bell at the end of this meditation which will signify the end of the track and the meditation.
So there are four parts to this technique.
The first part is we'll start by feeling our emotions completely.
Going further we're just staying with the feeling tone of our emotions rather than getting caught in the contents behind whatever made us angry and this creates a feeling of non-resistance because we are embracing however we feel.
Then the second part is to focus on our breath at the same time releasing any kind of tension in the body and the mind.
So here we are creating the conditions for peace to occur.
Then the third step is to transform our way of being by adding loving-kindness practices.
So loving-kindness is the direct antidote for hatred and anger or any kind of annoyance that you may be experiencing and at the same time we are learning to take a step towards creating positive habits.
And then our final step is to practice gratitude and also share the fruits of our practice.
So we're going one step further to share our intention of alleviating suffering in other people.
So let's get started now.
Find a comfortable posture and take a moment and close your eyes.
Start to bring your attention inwards and see if you can locate where your anger is currently felt in your body.
This may be in the chest area or the head.
Once you've located where this anger seems to be coming from and rather than getting lost in the content of what made you angry such as stories or different words that repeat in your mind,
Pay attention to the feeling tone of your anger in the location that you notice.
For example,
When you're angry you may experience certain feeling of heat in the body or your energy rising up rather than sinking down.
Try to see if you can observe these sensations and simply watch it arise within you.
Further,
You identify the particular qualities of the anger that you feel.
You notice a pulsing sensation or a shooting sensation and you pay attention to the specific textures of your feelings.
Then begin to observe whether the sensations start to spread within your body.
So are the feelings of anger only located within your chest for example or just the head area?
Or does it slowly travel to the neck or the arms?
Just watch with a curious mind.
Take a moment to now zoom out from noticing these sensations within your body.
Start to pay attention to your exhalations.
As you observe your out-breath,
Imagine that the body is starting to cool down with every exhalation.
As you continue to watch your exhales,
So begin to release any kind of tension in the body as you exhale.
Typically when angry you tend to hold on to tension in the body.
This may look like a furrowing of the brow,
Dripping of the forehead,
Or even experiencing a mental tightness which feels like being dehydrated.
See if you can let go of this tension by easing up and allowing relaxation to flow in as you exhale.
To lengthen your exhales,
Making it slower and more mindful.
Find that as you do this,
While releasing tension at the same time,
Feelings of peace start to take root within your body.
Further expand these feelings of calm and peace.
Mentally repeat the phrase,
May I experience a calm and peaceful mind.
If you observe any kind of resistance when mentally reciting the phrase,
May I experience a calm and peaceful mind,
Then once again focus on your exhale and release any tension wherever it occurs within the body.
Once you've let go of any tension,
Once again repeat the phrase,
May I experience a calm and peaceful mind.
If your mind wanders off,
Simply just observe,
And once again return to repeating the phrase,
May I experience a calm and peaceful mind.
Now take a moment to bring your hands together.
You may either place your palms on your chest or your hands in a prayer position.
Take a moment to thank yourself for practicing today.
Even if your anger hasn't subsided completely,
Taking the step in the right direction to really honor yourself and take care of yourself,
And plant positive seeds that will eventually bloom when the time is right.
Imagine that you can share the level of peace that you are experiencing in this moment with someone in the world who is experiencing anger right now in this moment.
This could be a person you know well,
Or you can think of someone who you may not know.
And if you're having a hard time thinking of options,
Or you can always think of the thousands of people in the world right now who are stuck in rush hour traffic and are experiencing some serious road rage,
And you imagine sending them some peace and some kindness in this moment.
May all beings experience a calm and peaceful mind everywhere.
Thank you.