When It Feels Like A Sh*tshow

I share a bit of myself… perhaps it is a bit of you as well. With so much heaviness and chaos happening around us, it can be very difficult to maintain a level of uplift. Emotions are varied and complex, both wanted and unwanted. How we take care of them is how we take care of ourselves. Come along and create a safe space for all to be, no matter what you feel.

Transcript

I don't know about for you, But for me the world has felt very chaotic, Constantly jarring lately. The news, Social media, Information, Conversations, It's really rough. We're at war, In conflict, Official war, Non-official war. There's so much uncertainty. There's so much a feeling of lack of togetherness and seeing one another. Sometimes it's really difficult for me to stay grounded and peaceful and purposeful and energized, Which is what my whole practice is about, But yet I'm getting pulled and pushed around. I'm having moments of rage, Anger, A sense of injustice, Turning to fear and anxiety, Even moving sometimes for moments of disconnection where it's just too much. I can't do it anymore. It's really important for us to take care of ourselves when this is happening, Taking care of ourselves as an individual and taking care of ourselves as a community, Local community, Global community. But as we all know, It needs to begin with us. And when I have these really strong emotions, I can then flip-flop to something that's inspiring and great and hopeful. And I have a lot of gratitude for it. And that's so wonderful. It keeps me going. It's uplifting. I can ebb and flow in between the good and the bad. So often, It feels like I'm being ping ponged through the day and it's exhausting. So how can we create space for all of it? To not only take in the good, But not to push away those feelings and emotions that aren't good. And it doesn't mean that we're going to be fueling them or neglecting them. But instead, Being with all of our emotions, As complex as they are, As a multitude as they happen in the nanoseconds of the day. Emotions are an important part of us. They tell us how we are in this moment. And sometimes those emotions happen so quickly because our deep brain gets triggered by something. A feeling of assault or threat. A lack of security. And as much as we're able to, We want to bring awareness to the emotions so we can, With our higher level perspective of compassion and empathy, Take care of them. So for our meditation today, We are going to create a space, A space of invitation. So I invite you to come into a comfortable posture. Allow your breath to sink more deeply in and out of your body. Feeling your seat. Feeling your feet. Slowing yourself down. Creating the space of presence. I'm right here. It's okay. I'm right here. It's okay. And as you breathe, Perhaps invite in a gentle smile. As you slow to be right here, Bring in a gentle smile. Now I'd like you to imagine a space, A place, Whether you've been there once or many times, Or you just make it in your mind right now. A place where you feel present with goodness and ease and safety and comfort. It's your private place where you can just be. It's however feels good for you. Whatever you need it to be. But this is your space and place. So bring yourself there and take a seat. Sit down and notice the space around you. What are the things that you've brought into your space that are right here to support feeling good, Feeling fine, Feeling safe, Feeling secure? Are there trees and nature? Is there water? The sky? What are the colors and shapes of the things around you that create the space that support you, That hold you? That give you indicators of yes. We're creating this container, This private place. And as you sit, Notice if what you're sitting on feels stable and sturdy, Or if it's soft and mushy in an inviting way, A comforting way. And if you were to take your hand and reach down, What would you feel? What would you notice? And as you listen, What do you hear? What are the sounds of support? What are the sounds of this space? Birds or crickets? A gentle breeze? Water bubbly? And are there any scents or smells or even taste to this place? So taking it all in, Feeling that sense of comfort and ease and joy of just being right here in your space, Your private place. And now I'd like you to make some room. Just creating a little space beside you or in front of you. And I'd like you to invite in a positive emotion and feeling that you've had over the past few days. A feeling that's offered invigoration, Or energy, Joy, Happiness, A sense of freedom or flow. Whatever that emotion is. Something that was a positive connection. Invite it to sit right here beside you, Right here with you. And smiling to this emotion. And thanking it, Thanking it for its presence in however and whenever it was. And perhaps asking, What does it share with you? What does it offer? What does it give you? How does it show up in your body and in your mind? How do you know when it's here? And how can you enjoy this emotion? Bring more presence to it. Make sure that the invitation is always open. It's always welcome into your space. And then just sitting and being with the emotion. We don't need to make it bigger. We don't need to change it. We can just be here with this emotion. Feeling the steadiness and support it offers. Breathing together, Being together. And now, You still have space in your place. I'd like you to invite in an emotion or feeling sense that you've had that hasn't felt uplifting. That's perhaps been challenging, Or worrisome. One that's created some stress. Whatever that may be. And invite this emotion to sit with you. To be here. To be witnessed. And we might notice the qualities of this emotion. The heat. The vibrancy. A sense of scatteredness or chaos. And we're not changing the emotion or the qualities of it. Just simply inviting it to sit right here. Right at our side. In our space and place. And as we breathe, We can breathe with this emotion, Even if that emotion is breathing very differently. We're sitting as a witness, As a connector, As a trusted friend to this emotion. We're not fixing or changing or fueling. It's having its expression. And we're not running away. We're not pushing it away. We're right here. In this place of safety and security. This emotion can be safe and secure with us. It's not separate. It's part of, We are with it. And that may be different than how that emotion feels from us. Or thinks. Sometimes it can think that it's in charge, Or that nobody cares about it. Or it's all alone. And it's really hard and has to muster up the fight to survive. But yet, We can share and help retrain and be right here with this emotion and saying we're not leaving. We're right here. I'm sitting here with you. I am part of you. You are part of me. We are safe and secure and okay. And let's all breathe together. The difficult emotion, The uplifting positive emotion. And us as our beautiful being. All together, All three of us sitting in our safe space. Being with one another. Breathing together. Loving together. Caring together. And then wrapping our arms around us together in a loving embrace. It's okay. We're right here. We're all right here. Not losing ourselves. But being with ourselves. And let's take another few deep, Slow breaths. Reconnecting back to this safe, Beautiful space. Knowing that we can come back here anytime. Anytime the world feels like it's chaotic and disruptive. Giving ourselves the grace and the space to go to our private place. Many blessings to you. Many, Many blessings to you. Take care.

Reviews

Well Done Shanti. This meditation was like a soothing balm to the nagging, unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach. Restless sleep and vivid, apprehensive dreams have a way of creating self doubt and a sense of impending doom. Mindfulness, non-attachment, and impermanence are great tools, but it can feel like an exhausting full time practice. Hang in there. Keep up the good work. Many blessings from Millbury Massachusetts. ☮️🌞☯️