The following meditation by Lulas Burgado is designed to transform our relationship with emotions,
And thus their effect on us,
Through the use of metaphor.
Find a relatively comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down if preferred,
Where you can be undisturbed for the next six to eight minutes.
Gently closing your eyes,
Or keeping them softly open if desired,
Start by anchoring yourself in the present moment through a few long,
Slow exhales,
Perhaps through what we call pursed lips,
Like this.
As we move through the rest of the exercise,
You can return to the slower breathing anytime you wish.
For now,
Allow your breathing to find its own rate and rhythm,
As you take a moment to tune into your body,
And see if you can willingly invite any emotions,
Including those that might be dormant,
To show up and make themselves known.
Whether it be fear,
Anxiety,
Sadness,
Anger,
Guilt,
Shame,
Disappointment,
Or pleasant feelings such as joy or contentment.
Now,
Your mind might naturally protest to inviting emotions to surface,
As it's just doing its job in trying to protect you.
However,
In the service of learning how to relate to your emotions in more flexible ways,
See if you can let your mind know that you got this,
And proceed forward with the meditation.
Our emotions are like guests,
Guests that come to visit us,
Just like guests who might visit us at home.
Only in this case,
Our home is our sense of self.
Some guests are pleasant,
And others unpleasant.
Some are invited,
And others show up unannounced.
Some stay for a while,
And others leave after a short visit,
As is the case with our emotions.
And how is it that you would like to treat your guests?
What qualities do you want to embody as they visit you?
And can you treat your emotions similarly,
Whether they're pleasant or unpleasant,
Invited or not?
While they're visiting with you,
However long they stay,
Can you welcome them just as they are?
And just as our guests in life may have something important to share or ask of us,
Is it possible that our emotions also have something important to share or ask of us?
Can you be present long enough with your emotions so that they have a chance to relay any important messages?
Take a moment to focus on one particular emotion.
If this emotion had a voice,
If it could speak,
What is it that it might want to share or ask of you?
What might it want or need from you?
What might it be yearning for?
See if you can listen with receptive curiosity.
As the exercise comes to a close,
Return your attention to your breathing for a moment,
Perhaps with one more slow,
Long exhale.
And whatever messages may have been revealed,
Consider taking them with you as you move through the rest of your day and into your life.
