It's so important to acknowledge and feel our feelings.
Natural,
It's healthy,
There is no shame associated with it.
Our feelings are perfectly valid.
Situations and circumstances arise.
Some things set,
We find ourselves in a particular scenario and we might experience strong emotions.
It's perfectly valid.
The stories we tell ourselves about those feelings,
About the people associated with those feelings,
About the past,
Present and future,
Are sometimes a bit less valid.
And so it's really helpful to explore ways to feel our feelings,
To acknowledge,
To recognize,
To validate,
But drop the story.
And that stops us from going down unhealthy rabbit holes.
And meditation is great because it pauses a story in your mind for long enough to remind you that your mind is always telling you a story.
So let's explore this in this practice.
And starting off by finding a comfortable position It can be helpful to have a strong spine,
Soft belly,
Soft front.
But you can equally lie down if that's more comfortable.
Stand up,
As long as you're comfortable.
Checking in with yourself.
How do you feel emotionally right now?
Be honest,
There's no judgement here.
And how do you feel physically?
Do you need to adjust yourself?
Are you breathing?
Sounds like a silly question,
I know,
But you can just jolt us into noticing the breath coming out of our heads and into our bodies.
You can ask yourself that in the course of the day when you find yourself on the thought train.
Just ask yourself,
Am I breathing?
And then it brings you into your body.
So what's it like to breathe right now?
Noticing the in-breath and the out-breath.
Not seeking to change anything,
Just noticing.
Noticing the spaces between the breath.
Between the in and the out.
The brief pause.
Settling now.
Perhaps using the in-breath and the out-breath as an anchor.
As a home ground to come back to when our minds wander.
Whatever arises is okay.
Trust the waves,
However you feel.
It's perfectly valid.
Just acknowledge.
Feel the feelings,
But drop the story.
The feelings like the waves might be stormy,
Angry,
Crashing,
Chaotic,
Big,
Overwhelming.
Acknowledge.
But you don't need the story.
The feelings like the waves might be calm,
Subtle,
Sick knowledge,
Good or bad,
Indifferent.
Acknowledge,
But drop the story.
In everyday life,
When you find yourself experiencing strong emotions,
Or reacting in ways you find less than helpful,
Feel the feelings,
Accept the feelings,
Drop the story.
You can do that by coming into your body,
Bringing yourself back to your body.
If feelings are perceived as negative,
Or they're feelings you associate as being negative,
You can ask yourself,
How can I best care for myself in this moment?
And just see what comes up.
How can I best care for myself in this moment?
Allowing the idea to settle.
Internalize it.
Add it to your toolbox.
How can I best care for myself in this moment?
Instead of rabbit holes,
Catastrophizing,
Recriminations,
Justifications.
How can I best care for myself in this moment?
Repeating silently or out loud.
Perhaps holding your own hand or with a hand on your heart or on your belly.
Making contact with yourself.
May I be well.
May I be well.
May I be well.
Really feeling what it means to be well.
May I live with ease.
I really like this one.
May I live with ease.
May I live with ease.
May I feel and be free.
Sensing in your body,
What it means to be free.
May I feel and be free.
May I feel and be free.
Gently and slowly coming back to the space around you and to your day.
