During times of fear and uncertainty,
We have many ways of coping and trying to feel in control.
We try to get away from the feelings or circumstances that seem to be causing our suffering.
We resist what is difficult and uncomfortable and in doing so our bodies naturally tightened and constrict.
Our bodies and minds are connected and just as the stress of our minds can impact our bodies,
So can the tensing of our bodies impact the quality of our minds.
This meditation will look specifically at how we contract in the face of uncertainty and fear and will support you in relaxing into the uncertainty through a tool I developed called SOS.
This tool can be an ongoing resource for you in times of distress.
SOS does not aim to get rid of difficult or uncomfortable emotions,
But rather to increase our ability to stay grounded and centered in the midst of chaos,
To develop inner resiliency in order to face all of life's challenges.
So we'll begin by finding an upright yet relaxed posture and this is important because when we take our seat we are metaphorically taking a stance toward our lives and that stance influences our mind,
Influences the way we engage and relate to our experience.
So we don't want to be slumped and we also don't want to be rigid or tight.
Rather we take a posture of integrity,
Openness,
And a sense of I'm available to meet whatever happens.
So whether we're sitting on a cushion or a chair we have an upright yet naturally curving spine.
Our belly is soft and relaxed.
We can rest our hands either in our laps or have our palms resting gently on our thighs.
And if you're sitting on a cushion and your legs are crossed then your legs can form a secure and stable base.
If we're on our chair our feet are planted firmly on the ground.
Either way our lower half is our connection to the earth.
It's what grounds us.
And once we feel stable and rooted we bring our awareness to our breath.
So begin with a few slow deep breaths feeling the breath enter in through your nostrils,
Moving through the nasal passage into the lungs,
And then moving even further down filling the lower belly.
Imagine that the breath is permeating into every nook and cranny of your body washing over it and on the exhale allowing the breath to slowly dissolve out.
And after having taken some slow deep breaths now relax into the natural rhythm of breathing without forcing your breath to be any particular way allowing each inhale and exhale to be just as it is.
SOS which stands for sensing opening and softening is a tool that we pair with our breath cycle.
So as we inhale we begin by sensing our bodies.
What sensations are we aware of?
Where is there tension or constriction?
Are we holding or bracing?
Are your shoulders tensed all the way up to your earlobes?
Do you notice constriction in your chest or a tightening in your belly?
Maybe your jaw is clenched or your brow is furrowed.
And again we're just sensing getting familiar with what tension lives in our bodies,
Where it is,
Where we can track around our feelings of fear,
Overwhelm,
Anger,
Hopelessness,
Whatever painful or uncomfortable emotion is present.
And just see where your attention lands.
No need to create something.
If you don't notice anything then just continue to sense or gently scan your body as you breathe in and then drop your attention as you exhale.
This is a complete practice in and of itself.
So as we sense the places of constriction or tension in our bodies we're going to take a stance.
And it's not necessarily a physical stance but more of a mental and emotional attitude of openness.
Can we allow ourselves to open up to this experience that we are contracting around?
Can I open up to my fear?
Open up to my resistance?
Can I decide in this moment to accept whatever is coming my way?
And so in that gap,
In that fraction of a moment between the in-breath and the out-breath,
We make a choice.
We make a conscious decision to open ourselves up.
Maybe that means our posture slightly shifts,
Our chest and shoulders open up,
We sit a little taller,
We open our hearts and we touch into a deep place of courage.
And then on the exhale we soften.
We allow any place in ourselves that is hardened or tensed up to gently relax even if it's just the tiniest bit.
We allow the shoulders to drop.
Any holding in the upper arms can slowly release.
If we hold tension in our face or jaw we allow it to soften.
We release the tension in the belly or allow the constriction in our chest to soften.
We allow ourselves to be held and supported by the earth beneath us.
Wherever your body is holding,
Allow that tension to dissolve out with the breath.
Right here,
Right now,
In this moment,
You are safe.
You are fundamentally okay.
And you can continue with this practice with each breath cycle.
Again,
As you breathe in,
Sensing the body,
Sensing where there's constriction.
And as the body is filled with breath,
We open to whatever it is that we're wanting to get away from and we allow it to be just as it is.
We take our stance of courage and acceptance and then with the out breath,
We allow our bodies to soften.
Allow the body to relax into and with whatever it is that is happening,
Whatever you're feeling,
Without trying to fix it or change it.
And in each moment,
We see how we contract,
How we resist experience as it is and then again and again,
We choose to relax into it.
As we continue to practice with this,
We can pair our mind with our breath cycle.
So as we inhale,
We can say in our minds sensing and in that gap,
That moment when you have filled your body with breath right before exhaling,
We can say in our minds opening.
And finally,
As we exhale,
We say in our minds softening.
And when we pair each word with the breath in this way,
We're training our minds to orient toward the experience of our body.
And as we continue to practice,
We can eventually drop the words,
Drop the tool itself and be present with our experience,
Present with the natural flow of contracting,
Opening and softening.
And when the mind wanders,
We gently bring it back to the practice.
And in this way,
We're training in the art of fearlessness and deep resiliency.
