Welcome to this mindfulness meditation practice aimed at helping you work with unwanted emotions in a compassionate and mindful way.
Find a comfortable position,
Either lying down or sitting,
And gently close your eyes.
Allow yourself to settle into the present moment,
Leaving behind any distractions or judgments,
And embrace this opportunity to cultivate awareness and acceptance of your emotions.
Let us begin by connecting with our breath,
The ever-present anchor that guides us back to the present moment.
Take a slow and deep breath,
In through your nose,
Feeling the air filling your lungs,
And then gently exhale back through your nose,
Releasing any tension or restlessness.
Let's do this again,
Breathing in deeply and exhaling fully.
Be fully aware of the sensations of each breath.
And now allow your breath to return to normal,
Still observing it,
Still being with it in the body.
And now bring your attention to any emotions that you are currently experiencing.
These might not be strong or overwhelming emotions right now.
That doesn't matter.
Practicing with any emotion will help you to work with overpowering ones when they arise in your daily life.
Acknowledge any present emotions without judgment,
Allowing them to be just as they are.
Remind yourself that emotions are a natural part of being human,
And they do not define your worth or identity.
And now imagine that you are holding your emotions with tenderness,
Like cradling a flower in your hands,
Or a small child.
If any unwanted emotions arise during this practice,
Observe them mindfully,
Paying attention to where you feel them in your body.
Gently investigate the physical sensations that accompany these emotions,
Acknowledging any tightness,
Warmth or discomfort.
Acknowledging any tightness,
Any heat,
Pain or discomfort.
As you continue to breathe,
Remind yourself that it is safe to experience these emotions fully.
Embrace them as messengers,
Carrying valuable insights about your inner landscape.
See if you can name the emotion without attachment,
Simply stating,
Here is,
And then the feeling.
So let's try that now.
Here is,
And insert the emotion.
So,
Here is anxiety.
But can you go deeper than that?
What does anxiety feel like?
Can you dissect it?
Here is a racing mind.
Here is a feeling in my abdomen.
Here is my palms sweating.
Here is physical shaking.
Here is a feeling of wanting to get away.
Do that now,
Observing deeply,
Any feelings that arise.
Now let's practice a mindfulness technique known as RAIN.
And that stands for recognize,
Accept,
Investigate and non-identification.
So first,
Recognize.
We've just done that,
But do it again now.
Acknowledge the emotion that is present.
Name it,
And be aware of its presence within you.
And you can use the line,
Here is.
So here is fear.
Here is uneasiness.
Here is anxiety.
And you can,
As we just did,
Take it a little deeper.
Here is a feeling of tightness in my chest.
This recognition creates space between you and the emotion.
It allows you to respond more skillfully.
And then A,
Accept.
Embrace the emotion with radical acceptance.
That means we take it as it is,
Without wanting to change it.
Avoid resisting or pushing it away.
Instead,
Allow it to exist without criticism or self-judgment.
Remind yourself that emotions and these physical feelings are impermanent.
And they will naturally arise and eventually pass away.
I investigate.
So explore the emotion with curiosity.
So this is going deeper,
As we did at the start.
Dissecting what is actually in the emotion we're experiencing.
What's it made of?
So ask yourself,
What thoughts and bodily sensations are connected to this emotion?
Gently observe the arising and passing of the emotion and all its components.
The constant change that occurs.
Staying present with it as it unfolds.
N,
Non-identification.
Remember that you are not your emotions.
They are temporary visitors passing through your consciousness.
Do not let them define your sense of self.
Allow them to come and go,
Like clouds in the sky.
Continue to breathe and practice RAIN with any other unwanted emotions that surface.
Recognise.
Accept.
Investigate.
Non-identification.
Treat each emotion with the same gentle and compassionate attention.
Knowing that you have the strength to hold them without being overwhelmed.
As we approach the end of this meditation,
Take a moment to appreciate yourself for engaging in this practice.
The ability to work with unwanted emotions mindfully is a powerful skill that will bring about greater emotional well-being.
When you are ready,
Gently open your eyes and carry this sense of mindfulness and acceptance with you as you move throughout your day.
Remember that you can always return to this practice whenever you need to embrace your emotions with mindfulness and compassion.
Have a wonderful day.
