This is a guided meditation on working with fear.
Instead of running from it like we usually do,
We're going to change our relationship
With it,
Get interested in the texture of fear,
In what it does to us,
And in doing
So,
Over time,
We will help fear to become less of the monster we believe it to be.
Find a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down,
And gently close your eyes.
Begin by taking a few deep breaths,
Inhaling through your nose,
And exhaling through your
Nose.
Allow your breath to bring you here,
Into the present moment.
Think of something fearful that you usually avoid.
Start small,
Don't work with a trauma or absolute terror.
Begin with something you know you can handle.
As you become more accomplished,
You'll want to take on deeper fears,
But allow that to
Mature in its own time.
So now,
In the presence of fear,
We're going to move into it with interest.
Silently note it as fear.
Observe its qualities.
This might be a tightness in your chest,
A knot in your stomach,
Or any other sensation.
Observe how fear manifests and evolves.
It's constantly changing.
Drop in the noting technique,
Fear,
Fear,
And then look at it again.
See how it changes,
Becomes something else.
The manifestation of fear is not a static thing.
Even if it's a fluttering in the chest,
A knot,
That changes.
That's a moving energy.
It doesn't stay the same.
It evolves.
Watch this.
Watch it change.
Sit with it for a while.
Being in its presence,
Observing,
And then drop the words back in,
Fear,
Fear,
And watch
It change again.
Don't let go of any impulse to change or remove the fear.
Instead,
Get to know it intimately.
Note any changes in its intensity,
Location,
Or texture.
If there's an urge to escape it,
Use this affirmation,
I can feel this,
Instead of fear
This,
And embrace this opportunity to shift your relationship with fear.
Allow space,
As you watch it,
And then bring back the noting,
Fear,
Fear,
Every time you
Feel it.
As you note,
Be curious about the raw sensations,
Separate them from the mental narrative that
Often accompanies fear.
If the mind starts projecting into the future,
Or creating dark scenarios,
Gently note it
As thinking,
Thinking,
And return your attention to the direct experience of fear in the body.
Use the breath as an anchor,
Feeling the sensations of the breath,
Using them to ground
You in the present moment,
When you'll notice you'll be pulled again to another feeling,
A sensation,
Related to fear.
Notice it,
Feel it,
Note it.
As you continue noting,
Notice if there are any moments of stillness,
Or spaces between
The sensations of fear.
Observe these gaps,
With the same attention,
Allowing the breath in,
And recognising the
Impermanent nature of fear,
And the possibility of spacious within it.
Confirm to yourself that you are not trying to eliminate fear,
But rather,
Understand
It deeply.
You are learning to be with it,
Exploring its true nature,
Without attachment or aversion.
You should know by now that pushing away fear never works.
In the final moments of this meditation,
Take a few deep breaths,
Expressing gratitude for
Any insights you might have gained.
When you're ready,
Gently open your eyes,
Carrying this practice of noting into your
Daily life,
Fostering a compassionate and mindful relationship with fear,
And this will
Slowly help to free you from fear.
