Sitting With The Storm

In this meditation, we’ll explore how to gently turn toward difficult emotions instead of pushing them away. Rather than trying to fix or avoid what we’re feeling, we’ll practice simply being with what’s here—curious, present, and kind to ourselves in the process. You might be surprised by what shifts when you stop resisting the storm and start sitting with it.

Transcript

Alright, Let's take a breath in through your nose, And slowly out through your mouth. Let's begin here, Right now. Wherever you are, However you're feeling, This moment is yours. You don't have to change anything. You don't have to do anything. You've come here with something on your heart, Something stirring, Something heavy, Maybe something unclear. You can just let it be here. Now if it feels okay, You can gently close your eyes or soften your gaze. Let's take another slow breath in, And a longer breath out. We're going to spend a little time with whatever is present for you. No labels, No stories, No fixing. Just awareness. Just start by noticing where the emotion lives in the body. You don't have to name the emotion, Just noticing the sensation. Where do you feel it the most? Maybe it's a tightness in your chest, Or warmth in your belly, Maybe a heaviness behind your eyes, Or a fluttering, A pressure, A dull ache. Whatever it is. Just rest your attention there and breathe. Breathing in, Breathing out. Right now we're trying not to pull away from it, We're trying not to analyze it, We're just noticing. We're just seeing, Is it moving or is it still? Is it sharp or is it dull? We're not trying to make it go away, We're just sitting beside it, Breathing with it. This is what emotion feels like. This my friend is what it feels like to be human. You can just let the breath be your anchor as you continue to sit with this experience. Breathing in and breathing out. See if we can soften around the sensation. We're not pushing it out, We're just loosening our grip on it. What happens when you stop bracing? When you let go of the urge to fight or fix whatever is going on? You can let the breath kind of wrap around that emotion like a warm blanket. Breathing in to the tension and exhaling with kindness. Notice if any thoughts are arising. Thoughts about the situation, About yourself, And if they do, It's okay. You don't have to follow the thoughts, You don't have to believe them. Just return to the body, To the breath. And if it helps, You can gently say to yourself, This is here and I can be with it, Or I don't have to push this away. You're not broken for feeling this, You're not weak, You're aware. And that awareness, That willingness to stay is a form of strength. So, Let's take a few more breaths together. In through the nose, Out through the mouth, In and out. Just letting this emotion be what it is. Letting your breath be what it is. Letting you be what you are, Right here, Right now. So, As we begin to close, Let's bring your attention to the part of you that chose to show up for this, The part that was willing to sit still and just feel, Because that, My friend, Is something to honor. One of my favorite quotes from Pema Chodron reminds us, You are the sky, Everything else is just the weather. Whatever you're feeling, It will shift, Eventually. Storms never stay in one place. But this grounded part of you, The one breathing through it, That ground is always there. So, As you move through the rest of your day, See if you can return to this steadiness, This quiet bravery. Even if the storm hasn't passed, You can choose to no longer run from it. So, Let's take one last deep breath in and a soft breath out. And when you're ready, You can gently open your eyes. May you be happy, May you be healthy, And may you be at peace. Thank you so much for joining me.