Naming & Caring For Emotions

This is a short practice to help recognize and name emotions. When we name what we’re feeling, it helps diffuse the energetic charge of emotions so that it’s easier to feel them, rather than be overwhelmed by them. This builds skillfullness in caring for emotions.

Transcript

This is a short practice to help recognize and name emotions.

When we name what we're feeling,

It helps diffuse the energetic charge of emotions so that it's easier to feel them rather than be overwhelmed by them.

Feeling allows our prefrontal cortex,

Our rational brain,

To organize our experience so that we're not overtaken by the intensity of emotion.

To begin,

Pause whatever you're doing.

If possible,

Sit down and allow your body a moment to rest.

See if you can bring your attention to all the contact points of your body with the ground.

Let your energy settle.

Ask yourself,

How am I feeling right now?

Give yourself the space to reflect on this question.

Notice what arises in your body,

What sensations you feel.

See if you can name what emotions are here.

It's often helpful to say the words aloud,

But you can also say them internally in your mind.

I'm feeling happiness.

I'm feeling sadness.

I'm feeling frustration.

I'm feeling joy.

I'm feeling anger.

I'm feeling loneliness.

Try to meet each emotion with a quality of friendliness.

If it's a difficult emotion,

It may be helpful to visualize the emotion as a pet or animal that needs care and compassion.

Visualizing can help us get some distance between ourselves and the emotion so that we can relate to it rather than be immersed in it.

You may wish to stop at just naming the emotions.

This might be enough to help you manage them for the time being.

Or if you'd like to respond to them in a deeper way,

You can ask yourself,

What need does this emotion point to?

Give yourself the space to reflect.

And then,

See how you can care for the need underlying the emotion.

Especially if connecting with your emotions are difficult for you,

Try to check in with yourself and practice naming your feelings at least once or twice each day.

Remember to be gentle with yourself as you build these new emotional muscles.