Working With Discomfort Right Where You Are

How different would your life be, if instead of running from discomfort, you embraced it as an opportunity for growth? In this recording, Christopher guides you through a mindfulness practice, designed to help you to stop running from discomfort. If we learn to bear with our difficulties mindfully, can start to live a life of freedom, unencumbered by the inner saboteur.

Transcript

This is a short guided meditation on working with discomfort right where you are. If you can, Close your eyes and get in touch with your breathing. Where can you feel the breath right now? Maybe the rise and fall of the chest or the abdomen. Try to stay with that for a very short while and then move into the discomfort, Whatever that might be. This can be a situation you're not comfortable with or a physical discomfort. And note the interrelation between body and mind. Even if a discomfort is mental, It will still show up physically and vice versa. This is an act of bravery for your own growth. If we can get comfortable with discomfort, We gain a superpower. Now move from the breath into the physical sensations that the discomfort is causing. And feel what you can feel. And note it. Discomfort. Discomfort. And see what that does to it. See if the sensations change. Feeling into the sensations again, See if you can grow a little closer. Finding out what this discomfort is. Maybe it's an ache. If so, Note aching. Aching. Or whatever you find, Just note it twice. And watch that change. Embrace the opportunity to shift your relationship with discomfort. Watch what happens in the body. The changes. Nothing's solid. Everything is constantly in a state of flux. And then again, Note what you find. That can just be discomfort. Discomfort. Or you can name the specific feelings that accompany it. Note when the mind races off into thoughts. Catastrophizing. You can label that too. You can note catastrophizing. Catastrophizing. But then come back to the physical sensations. Normally in meditation, We use something like the breath as an anchor. But for this practice, We are using physical sensations in the body. And can you see that these sensations are like a wave? Moving from low intensity to high and then down again. And see if you can notice any periods where discomfort disappears. And don't have a mind that wants it to disappear. This is not the point of the meditation. The point is to change our relationship with it. Wishing discomfort away doesn't work. It takes a problem and creates a bigger one. So affirm that you are looking to understand discomfort. Not to eliminate it. So say this affirmation with me now. I welcome growth through embracing discomfort. I welcome growth through embracing discomfort. I welcome growth through embracing discomfort. We'll bring the meditation to a close now. But before we do, Check back in. Into the sensations. How is it now? Note the sensations. And then whenever you're ready, Open your eyes. Repeat this practice regularly. And your relationship with physical and mental discomfort will begin to change. You'll find a new power that is rare in this world. Because everybody moves away from discomfort. If you become one who moves towards it with interest, You will find a peace and power that is so rare in this world.