Today's practice,
We are going to be tuning in to our body.
We're going to practice awareness of emotion in the form of bodily sensations.
And as I guide you through this,
I will remind you that emotions are not innately good or bad.
That is only how we label them,
Comfortable or uncomfortable to feel,
To realize,
To experience,
To be with.
But today,
I ask you to remove that judgment.
Try to remove the label of good and bad.
And maybe just recognize it as comfortable or uncomfortable,
Pleasurable or unpleasant.
And allow them to flow.
Instead of gripping on to what feels good and pushing away what doesn't,
Allow it all to flow through your body.
So as I ring this bell,
I want you to slowly begin to settle into your seat.
Feet flat on the ground or in a cross-like position,
Or even if you're laying down.
Make sure you're comfortable.
Your back is straight but not too rigid.
Your shoulders are relaxed,
Away from your ears.
And if you're lying down,
Palms facing up if that's comfortable for you.
And if you're seated,
You can place your palms on your lap or facing up toward the ceiling.
And with each sound of the bell,
Use your inhale to receive.
And use your exhale to release,
Ultimately bringing you to the present moment.
And now,
I want you to release.
And with each sound of the bell,
Use your inhale to release,
Today and again.
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A gentle reminder that today's intention is,
I notice sensations in my body and welcome emotions with compassion.
I notice sensations in my body and welcome emotions with compassion.
As you become settled in your seat,
The ground beneath you,
Take a moment to notice the contact points between your chair,
Your cushion,
Or maybe a mat.
Notice the points of your body that are completely supported.
Gently invite your body to release any clenching or tension.
Any muscles working extra hard to hold you up.
With grace and compassion,
Gently let go and trust that gravity and the chair beneath you are fully supporting you.
It's okay to relax.
It's okay to let go.
And you can extend that to your mind's eye.
It's okay to relax into this moment.
It's safe to pause your thinking for another time.
It's okay to release mental tension and to let go of thoughts,
Anticipations,
Ruminations,
Or worries.
You are safe here.
And this moment is dedicating.
It's dedicated to being.
Being here.
Being present.
And being with the emotions that arise within you.
In a moment,
I'm going to instruct you to bring forth an emotion.
But first I invite you to take this sense of calm groundedness with you.
The mind is powerful and can make us believe that something is happening all over again.
Even when we are here in the now,
Recalling a past event.
So at any moment,
Remind yourself of today's intention.
Remind yourself that the breath is always waiting for you in the present moment.
I invite you to recall an emotional event that happened in the last week or so for you.
Although this is a safe space,
Try not to bring up anything that's too intense for you.
Something that was challenging but not completely overwhelming.
In this case,
I invite you to recall an unpleasant emotion that arose within you.
Give yourself a moment to recount the details.
The people and environments involved.
Whatever helps you clearly remember this emotion.
And now,
Invite those details to drift away.
Allow yourself to let go of the grip you hold on so tightly to the people and places that hurt you,
That angered you,
That upset you.
Until you are only left with the emotion.
Can you observe how this emotion shows up in your body?
Can you locate it in a specific area,
Muscle,
Joint?
And finally,
Can you extend compassion to all of the places that you are experiencing this emotion?
Whether it's your heart beating faster,
Or your muscles tightening.
Send it all compassion.
And if it's challenging for you to visualize sending compassion to a part of your body or a memory of your emotion,
Then I invite you to do so with your breathing.
On the inhale,
Allow yourself to feel.
On the exhale,
Send that feeling compassion.
Inhale,
Allow your feeling.
Exhale,
Send it compassion.
Inhale,
Allow.
Exhale,
Compassion.
Even though you are recalling an event that has already happened,
By choosing to embody compassion,
You are creating real life change in the way that you experience this emotion.
Continue to let go of your thoughts and judgments and labels about this circumstance until you are only left with allowing and compassion.
In a moment I will ring the bell to put a close to this practice and bring you back into the present moment.
I encourage you to hold on to this feeling,
Hold on to this intention,
This practice of allowing compassion and take it with you throughout the rest of your day,
Week,
Month,
As long as you can keep it with you.
The bell is invited.
The bell is invited.
The bell is invited.
The bell is invited.
