And now we'll move into this.
Palms touch at the heart.
Let's sit tall.
Again,
If you can't move your body,
You can visualize this.
Inhale slowly,
Reach your right hand all the way up through center while the bottom hand comes down by the navel.
All of the fingers point up toward the sky.
And then we exhale really slowly.
Move your hands slowly to bring them back to your heart center.
Where the palms touch.
Nice and slow.
Inhale left hand up,
Right hand by navel.
Reach that arm straight up if possible.
Exhale really slowly.
Take your time.
This is a lovely way to.
.
.
Help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system,
That relaxation response.
Inhale right hand up left hand by navel and exhale slowly.
Take your time.
Feel the palms and the fingers touching.
Breathe slowly and deeply.
Let's place one hand on the heart,
The other hand on the belly.
If the eyes are still open,
I invite you to close them if that's comfortable or just have the gaze relaxed looking down.
Sometimes we feel so much discomfort inside of us.
That we can't even name what we're feeling.
Sometimes our emotions just feel like a pool of muddy water or we just feel like we want to get out of our skin.
It feels so uncomfortable inside.
Sometimes it's just an internal sensation of maybe buzzing or jitteriness.
We might call it anxiety.
Sometimes it might be an actual stronger physical sensation.
Heaviness in the heart or tightness in the throat or the belly.
What we can consider is that these physical sensations are showing us our emotional experience inside.
Many of us.
.
.
We're never taught how to really be with our emotions.
Don't feel mad,
Be happy.
Don't feel sad.
It's okay.
Stop crying.
Be happy.
Don't feel afraid,
It's gonna be okay.
Oh,
Don't feel ashamed or let anyone see that you feel embarrassed.
Better hide that one.
Yet emotion is the driving force in almost every single human being.
We know so little about the emotions.
Or how to be with them.
Or at least many of us were raised that way.
So today we'll practice.
Being with this inner world.
From a place of curiosity.
And maybe even kindness and compassion.
You're welcome to continue to hold the heart and the belly if that feels good.
Or you can just relax the hands down.
What if there are no bad or wrong emotions.
What if all emotions are like this spectrum of experience?
And every single one of them,
Including Fear and shame and rage,
They are all okay.
They're all part.
Of being human.
I invite you right now.
To allow any discomfort or emotion.
To come to the surface.
This might be very uncomfortable.
And of course,
If at any time it feels too uncomfortable,
You're welcome to take a pause from the practice.
Take some breaths.
Just allow.
Whatever emotional discomfort or pain that may be inside of you to come to the surface.
And maybe you just place your hand on your heart for a moment and say,
It's okay to feel.
There's nothing wrong with these emotions.
Even though they're uncomfortable.
There's nothing wrong with me for feeling this way.
And if you don't have any uncomfortable emotion arising today,
Maybe you just hold this kind presence.
As a practice for when you might have felt these feelings in the past.
Again say to yourself,
It's okay to feel.
It's okay.
I allow myself to feel.
Whatever is coming up right now,
Just for now.
You might find that in your life,
If this kind of discomfort arises,
You have and escape route.
Maybe you exercise.
Or eat.
Or call a friend.
Or watch TV.
Maybe you start working more.
Right now being able to just be with this discomfort.
Is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.
And now become aware of the place inside of you where there is the strongest sense of discomfort.
Maybe it's in your heart.
Your neck and shoulders,
Or your belly.
Although you may not be able to name the emotion that is here.
And you sense that there is part of you inside.
That is upset or having a difficult time.
This feeling you're carrying inside of you.
Is part of you.
Maybe this is a part of you that feels so angry about something.
Or lost and scared.
Or sad,
Or maybe all of these emotions.
And you find this part of you inside.
Who's carrying this pain or this discomfort.
You might see a version of yourself or it might just be a feeling inside that you sense.
Without trying to change this part of you or to make it go away.
Ask this part of you.
What's going on?
And give this part of you that's in pain total permission.
To just express itself fully.
Maybe in your mind this part of you just has so much to say or it needs to cry or scream.
Allow this part of you to be fully expressed.
Without judging it,
Without making it quiet or different.
For these next moments,
Just listen.
As this part of you really expresses itself fully.
It's okay to cry.
It's okay to feel.
Remember to breathe.
Give this part of you permission to say everything it needs to say,
To feel what it needs to feel.
Without being judged for it.
And you're just there to listen with an open mind and an open heart.
To be there for this part of you without abandoning yourself,
Without judging yourself.
Now ask this part of you.
What do you need from me?
What do you need from me?
And again,
Just listen with an open mind and an open heart.
And part of you might say things like,
I need you to not be so hard on me.
I need you to accept me.
I need you to let me play more and enjoy my life.
I need you to spend time with people.
I need you to spend more time alone.
I need you to let me rest.
I need you to be more kind with me.
You Thank this part of you.
Thank this part of you for the courage.
That it takes.
To express.
The courage that it takes to feel,
To face discomfort or pain.
Be so grateful to this part of you.
And now if there's anything that you wish to express to this part of you.
Speak from your heart.
Anything that you wish to say.
So often we abandon ourselves.
Or somebody else's approval.
Or to get to where we think we need to be.
Or to be who we think we're supposed to be,
We end up leaving ourselves behind,
Abandoning ourselves.
Not caring for ourselves.
So what is it like right now?
To really be there for yourself.
And again thank this part of you.
In whatever way feels good,
Maybe you embrace yourself.
Or bow to yourself.
Or offer a smile from your heart.
Take a deep breath.
Recall what this part of you said it was needing from you.
Kindness,
Rest,
Play,
Whatever it was.
And for these next few minutes,
We will imagine giving ourselves what we need.
As if it's already the way you live your life,
Not someday or if you change.
But imagine living your life.
Giving yourself what you need.
As if it's already the truth of your life.
If it's more rest,
Imagine yourself feeling so relaxed.
And rested and getting the nourishment that you need.
If it's more time with others.
Imagine yourself spending time with people who uplift you and inspire you.
Who you feel loved and cared for by.
You don't need to be concerned about the how of any of these things.
Simply see it as if it is your life.
Feel how good it feels to live a life of giving yourself what you need.
Do you feel relaxed?
Joyful.
Grateful.
Maybe even allow a gentle smile on your face.
And smiling at yourself.
So grateful for all of the ways that you are showing up for you.
Let's take a deep breath in and out.
Ah.
Another deep breath in and out,
Sigh on the exhale.
Oh my God.
Again,
Offer gratitude.
To yourself.
Slowly bring one or both hands to your heart.
And slowly massage some gentle circles on the heart.
And so kind with yourself.
You may feel like you're in a very tender or vulnerable space.
This is natural after we've taken this time to really be with ourselves.
If you wish,
Inhale,
Reach the arms up to the sky.
Open your chest.
Open your throat.
Slowly bring the hands back down.
Maybe hold your cheeks for a moment in this really loving gesture just gently hold your cheeks with the kind of tenderness that you would hold a baby.
And then slowly bring your hands down to your heart.
Hold your heart.
And just gently say to yourself,
Either out loud or in your mind,
Thank you.
I love you.
I accept you.
Just as you are.
Thank you.
I love you.
I accept you just as you are.
I'll take one more deep breath in and out.
Amen.
Relax the shoulders,
The jaw,
The belly.
And whenever you feel ready to.
Open the eyes.
Thank you.
You
