Welcome.
This is a 10-minute practice where we're invited to open up and explore a difficulty that is around for us right now.
And paradoxically,
It's when we open up and begin to explore what is here already that sometimes choices and discernment become more available for us,
Rather than being reactive to events that we find challenging.
So this practice has three parts.
The first part is an invitation to step back and see what is going on for us.
The second part is to resource ourselves,
To steady ourselves with an anchor.
And the third part is really about giving ourselves permission to feel whatever we're feeling in a resourced and steady way.
So firstly,
Just inviting ourselves to briefly acknowledge what is going on for us.
An invitation to step back,
To create a little bit of distance between ourselves and the events we're experiencing.
So checking in with the quality of our mind,
For example.
Noticing the storylines we're caught up in,
The judging of ourselves or other people.
So without being carried away by these thoughts,
Or involved in elaborating or embellishing,
Just noticing the kind of thoughts and the busyness of the head that is around for us right now.
Bringing the same attitude of being a kindly observer to the kind of internal weather that we're noticing.
So maybe noticing any strong emotions that are around for us.
Or maybe it's something more subtle,
A sense of unease that's less easily defined.
And in particular,
Seeing if we can have a sense of what's happening in the body.
Noticing any tightness,
Noticing any tension,
And including in this any physical discomfort that we may be experiencing.
So having a sense in this first stage of just observing,
Noticing what's going on for us right now.
And moving into the second stage now.
Spending some time to resource ourselves by establishing a steadiness with an anchor of our choice.
So as we turn towards the body,
Finding an anchor,
Using your own wisdom.
Whether the anchor that works for you is establishing a sense of the solid ground beneath your feet.
So noticing the contact between your feet and the floor right now.
Or it may be more skillful for you to work with the sensations that are around in the hands.
Or the contact between the body and the chair if you're sitting down.
Or it might be the breath.
So if you're using the breath as an anchor.
And seeing if you can bring your awareness to the very next in-breath.
The full length of the out-breath.
Resting your awareness in the sensations that are around for you,
In the anchor of your choice.
And if you're noticing the turbulence of the mind,
Busyness of thoughts.
Remembering nothing has gone wrong.
Seeing if you can notice these things in a kindly way.
And invite your awareness back as best you can to the sensations in the anchor that you've chosen.
So having a sense of an anchor within the body,
However well established this is.
We can have a choice now.
If we're feeling overwhelmed and we feel it's best that we maintain and stay with our awareness of the anchor.
Then just proceeding with that through the rest of this practice.
And also if we find ourselves in the midst of busy thoughts.
The churn of storylines and blame.
So if these things are gripping us we can come back to the anchor at any point in this practice.
And if we feel we are able to.
The invitation here is to put out the welcome mat for the whole of our experience.
And in particular seeing if we can give ourselves some permission.
To allow ourselves to experience whatever is around for us.
So acknowledging any mood,
Any emotion.
Anything that it's being experienced by us right now.
And it can be particularly helpful to begin to bring some curiosity to what's happening in the body.
Maybe a sense of low level unease within the body.
Or maybe particular places where you can notice a tightness or a tension.
Or a sense of holding or bracing.
And including in this too any areas of physical discomfort.
So the invitation here is to allow some space.
To bring some curiosity to the sense in the body.
And the sense of the internal weather.
The mood,
The emotion.
And in particular how this is being experienced in the body right now for you.
So as we bring this kindly awareness.
Seeing if we can allow ourselves a sense of ease.
A sense of softening around our experience.
So often in life we find ourselves bracing against an experience.
Or fighting against an experience.
And the invitation here is to allow ourselves to come alongside.
Without seeking to fix ourselves.
So just for this moment acknowledging what's there.
And inviting some ease and some softness.
As we explore any difficulty that's appearing and around for us right now.
So as we come towards the end of the practice now.
It might be helpful just to come back to the anchor of your choice.
The feet on the floor.
The body resting on the chair.
Sensations in the hands.
The breath in the body.
And acknowledging and honouring the courage it takes to begin to explore the difficulties that are around for us.
So we may act in a less reactive,
More discerning,
A more resourceful way.
