Welcome to the Experiencing Uncomfortable Emotions Meditation.
Discomfort is a part of life,
Especially during times of uncertainty.
Difficult emotions can rise to the surface,
So discomfort in the face of the unknown is a natural human response.
We like to know,
To feel that we can be prepared and in control.
So when the future is unknown,
These things that usually make us feel comfortable are taken away from us,
And so discomfort results.
Uncertainty can make us anxious.
Change or loss can make us sad.
Feeling like we're not in control can make us angry.
These are all very uncomfortable emotions.
It's not normal to want to feel them.
In this meditation today,
We'll discover that when it comes to uncomfortable emotions,
The only way to release them is to feel them.
So find a comfortable position.
Take a deep breath in.
And on the exhale,
Feel your shoulders drop,
Let your jaw soften,
And your forehead relax.
Allow your eyes to softly close,
And begin to bring awareness into your body.
How's your body feeling?
Every emotion has a physical presence in the body.
We call them feelings because we feel them in the body.
When we resist feeling them by denying them,
Distracting ourselves,
Or even trying to force a positive attitude,
They simply get pushed down,
And they can get stuck inside the body.
Although it sounds counterintuitive,
The key to not feeling uncomfortable emotions anymore is to actually feel them fully and completely.
You see,
When we allow ourselves discomfort,
When we acknowledge what we're feeling,
We provide an open state in which the emotion can arise,
In which the emotion can move through us and be released.
We free ourselves by feeling.
So let's practice this now.
With your awareness still in your body,
Ask again,
How is my body feeling?
What emotions am I feeling in my body?
Where am I feeling them?
Are these emotions pleasant or unpleasant?
At times,
You may become aware of challenging or uncomfortable emotions.
So when these emotions arise,
See if you can open to the feeling of them,
Connect to them,
Let yourself feel.
And know in this moment,
You are safe.
And as you feel,
Know that this emotion is not who you are.
You can acknowledge the emotion as present in you without fully needing to identify with it.
You are not angry.
You are not sad or anxious or confused.
Whatever you're feeling,
Say to yourself instead,
Right now,
I'm feeling sad.
Right now,
I'm feeling angry.
Right now,
I'm feeling anxious.
But this is not who I really am.
Try if you can to take an open and curious attitude.
Oh,
I see.
This is what frustration feels like.
Aha.
This is what disappointment feels like.
We often do everything we can to escape discomfort in the present.
So think of a time when you thought about something in the past,
Going over and over and over what you could have done differently.
Or a time you projected yourself in the future,
Endlessly planning and strategizing.
And ask yourself,
Were these strategies really helpful?
Of course,
We need to plan some things on a practical level.
But has your planning become obsessive?
Does it feel like a grasping for control?
The most effective thing you can do in this moment is to feel the emotion in your body until you don't feel it anymore.
So breathe into whatever it is you're feeling.
Try not to make it worse by feeling guilty.
And tell yourself,
It's okay to feel it.
Simply acknowledge it.
Allow it.
Know that you're safe.
Below the constant rise and fall of your emotions,
Both pleasant and unpleasant,
There's a deeper part of you that's pure stillness,
Pure peace.
When you open to discomfort and allow it to release,
This part of you is able to shine through the part of you that knows that no matter what,
All is well.
So repeat this silently to yourself.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
Let's continue to meditate silently with this affirmation.
And if uncomfortable emotions arise,
Simply practice being with them.
Know that there's nothing you need to do about them right now.
Simply continue to bring your attention back to repeating the affirmation.
All is well.
All is well.
I'll let you know when it's time to stop.
All is well.
All is well.
And keeping your eyes softly closed,
Release the affirmation.
Continue to breathe and simply allow yourself to rest.
And when you feel ready,
Open your eyes.
And as you go about your day,
Trust that beneath the rise and fall of human emotions,
Beneath the turbulence of a world in flux,
All is well.
Namaste.
