Welcome,
Today's meditation is on recognizing and naming our emotions.
This is a practice that takes time to establish,
So please be patient with yourself.
Most of us are not accustomed to taking note of what is felt in the body,
Unless it is acute pain.
Let's begin by taking a long,
Slow,
Deep breath in,
And slowly releasing it.
Allow the eyes to close naturally.
Let's take another long,
Slow,
Deep breath in,
And let that go.
Continue to follow the natural rhythm of your breath,
Settling into your seat,
Feeling the rhythm and sensations of your breath as it enters through the nose and as it leaves.
Notice the sounds around you,
The sensations on your skin,
The sensations within your body.
Tenderly notice any thoughts that may be floating to the surface.
Now imagine your thoughts as icebergs.
Your thought is what you see above the surface of the water.
Beneath the surface,
The larger part of the iceberg,
Contains your emotions.
For example,
If you are thinking about your long to-do list and how you're never going to get it all done,
The emotion below the surface might be anxiety or guilt.
Or if you're struggling with an argument you had with a loved one,
The underlying energy might be sadness,
Resentment,
Or a feeling of abandonment.
What emotions are beneath the surface of the water right now?
If you are able,
Name these emotions silently or aloud.
When you notice your thoughts have wandered or get lost in the story,
Gently return to naming the emotion.
I feel sad,
Angry.
Now notice if there are any emotions lingering that may feel less challenging.
Is there joy,
Excitement,
Inspiration?
There is space for all emotions to be present.
Whenever a thought arises,
Name the emotion beneath it,
That large unseen part of the iceberg.
I will pause to allow you to continue naming the emotions.
Once you feel you've named all your current emotions,
Notice if you can feel where these emotions are living in your body.
Emotions may show up as tingling,
Tightness,
Fluttering,
Or tension.
You might feel physical pain.
Now let's go through your body slowly from head to toe.
Notice any sensations of the emotion in your head,
Neck,
And throat,
Chest,
Upper back,
And the space around your heart.
Travel through your shoulders,
Upper arms,
Forearms,
Hands,
Belly,
Low abdomen,
Pelvis.
Bring your consciousness to your seat and low back,
Your thighs,
Calves,
And the soles of your feet.
If you notice any feelings or sensations in any of these places,
Simply observe without interacting or judging your experience.
Be curious and compassionate.
It is human to have emotions.
Being alive means you are feeling them in your physical body.
If you've been preoccupied,
You may not have noticed these feelings until now,
Or you may not want to experience these emotions.
Notice if you can allow your feelings to simply be present.
Can you sit with the fluttering or buzzing and simply experience it?
Notice if any fear comes up around experiencing your emotions,
Which is natural.
If any emotion feels too jarring or overwhelming,
If it doesn't feel safe to feel,
Let it go for now.
Notice if there's a message your body or self needs to hear right now.
Perhaps,
I'm here.
It's safe for me to feel.
I'm doing my best.
I'm forgiven.
I am worthy.
I am loved.
If it feels natural,
Place one or both hands over your heart or abdomen.
Whatever message came up for you,
Repeat this message gently and kindly to yourself until you notice a shift.
Then gently let it go.
I will now pause for about one minute so you can repeat this with as many feelings as you like.
As we transition back from our meditation,
Gently bring your awareness back to the space you are in,
Then back to your body.
Begin to deepen your breath,
Wiggling your fingers and toes.
Together,
We'll take one long,
Slow,
Deep breath in and let it go.
When ready,
Gently blink your eyes open,
Taking your time to transition into the rest of your day.
Until we meet again,
Namaste.
