Hi,
I'm Tina Nadiak.
All of us at times are faced with really big and difficult emotions.
You know the ones like overwhelm,
Stress,
Panic,
Racing thoughts,
Anxiety,
Even panic attacks.
You know the ones we don't want to feel.
So this practice is meant to serve you in the moment when these big emotions are present and also as a daily practice to help build your muscle to be with these big difficult emotions in a mindful and compassionate way.
Let's begin.
I'll invite you to find a comfortable way to sit where you're able to sit upright,
Lengthening through the crown of your head,
And roll your shoulders back.
Take a couple of deep breaths into your belly.
Bringing the breath into your belly stimulates the vagus nerve which helps calm the nervous system down.
So you can use your breath to help calm your body down.
I'll invite you to feel the points of contact beneath you.
So as you maintain this belly breath just notice where your seat and your feet,
Your legs connect to the earth or the surfaces beneath you.
And allow these points of contact to begin to widen as you settle more deeply into the earth.
Notice the support that's here and the steadiness.
And allow yourself to be completely supported and grounded.
As you continue to breathe into your belly I'll invite you during this practice to take on an attitude of okayness.
Even if nothing feels okay right now,
Trust in your capacity.
I'll invite you to also take on an attitude of curiosity.
Letting go of the commentary and judgments that we so often have.
And allow yourself to be open to what is here.
And lastly I'll invite you to trust.
Trust in your body and in your capacity.
You can do this.
Now I invite you to let go of consciously or deliberately guiding the breath into your belly and allow it to move into your belly.
So rather than forcing it see if you can just gently guide it there.
Allowing your belly to become soft so the breath can move freely and easily.
And feel the sensation of breathing through your belly.
And allow it to relax even deeper.
I'll invite you now to bring your attention to your body and the sensations that are here.
And some of these sensations might include things like feeling shaky or racing heart or the flood of adrenaline through your body.
And again with this attitude of okayness and curiosity I'll invite you to turn your attention to these sensations.
And even just by turning your attention towards them you now create a little bit of space between you and them.
They can no longer absorb you.
So notice what is the most dominant sensation here and allow your attention to rest on it.
Just noticing it.
Can you name it?
Notice what it feels like,
Where it's located.
Keep your breath in your belly relaxed and at ease.
You can do this.
And whatever sensations are here see if you can open your attention to them.
Direct your attention to them.
Can you be curious?
Can you be curious?
And no matter what the sensation is here know that it will change.
It will not be here forever.
You can trust that.
I'll invite you now to bring your attention to the dominant emotion that's here.
Can you name it?
And I'll invite you to locate where this emotion is in your body.
We wouldn't even know what emotions we were having unless we felt it in the body first.
So see if you can find it.
Where is it living?
And then with curiosity I'll invite you to begin to investigate it.
Notice if it has a movement to it.
Maybe it rises or falls,
Contracts or expands.
Just notice what is the movement of this,
If there is one,
Of this emotion.
Notice if it feels solid or more airy.
How much space it takes up.
Maybe even noticing if it has a color.
Becoming more intimate with this emotion.
Just getting to learn a little bit more about it.
Just getting to learn a little bit more about it.
Keep your breath moving through your belly.
Now I'll invite you to turn your attention towards your thoughts.
Not so much the content,
The types of thoughts that are here,
But more in the intensity of the thoughts.
If they feel really rapid-fire and intense,
Or maybe if they're really relaxed,
More like a slow amble,
What is the speed?
Notice the volume.
Do they feel really loud or soft?
And perhaps even noticing if they feel really adamant or more like a whisper.
Keep your breath in your belly.
Relax and at ease.
Now I invite you to begin to notice your breath and see if it has relaxed from the beginning of the practice.
Does it feel more open and free?
Even if it's just a little bit.
Notice your body and the sensations and see if those have relaxed.
Notice the emotion that's here.
Has it softened?
Notice your thoughts.
Have they slowed down or become more relaxed?
Know that you are building a muscle.
Every time you turn towards these big difficult emotions,
You are building strength and your capacity.
You are stronger than you know.
Believe in your strength.
It takes so much courage to face these big emotions and know that you are strong and brave and that you can do this.
I'll invite you now to begin to deepen your breath.
And when you're ready,
I'll invite you to open your eyes and come back.
