Fear, anxiety, resistance—these are valid emotions. They are welcomed, and can be gently worked with. Uncomfortable, yes… but that’s their function: to alert you to something that requires your presence and attention. They call for us to ‘open our eyes’ to, and ‘look at’, whatever is giving rise to these emotions.
Any emotions felt can be proportional to the situation—there is an observable reality to the present moment experience, where survival is threatened, that requires attention and possible action. Or, they can be disproportional, where the apparent reality does not seem to directly impacting survival.
Dis-proportionality in emotions does not invalidate these feelings, but rather points to something else at play, that is beyond the apparent, and requires a different kind of attention.
This is important. If dis-proportionate emotions are being held as proportional, the attention is misplaced, and therefor the underlying source of the emotions cannot be ‘looked at’. This also happens if emotions are invalidated or avoided (because they’re too uncomfortable).
This free introductory guided meditation practice is an opportunity to develop your capacity for:
- remaining present with uncomfortable emotions,
- allowing you to discern their proportionality to present-moment reality, and
- exploring and discovering what requires your presence and attention.
Preparation
- Consider going to the toilet prior to the session.
- Have water available to keep hydrated.
- Dress comfortably, and in a way that is not restrictive.
- Arrange yourself comfortably, either sitting or lying down, using cushions to support you in whatever way feels good for your body and allows for relaxation.
- A blanket or something warm close by may be useful if you are likely to experience cold.
- Allow yourself to feel safe and supported.
- Ensure you are unlikely to be disturbed for the duration of the session – switch off mobile phones and minimise any other possible distractions.
- Low lighting is preferable.
Guided Meditation Practice
In this practice you are encouraged to observe all the sensations in your body, remain present with all your thoughts and emotions, and allow yourself permission to feel them, with curiosity and compassion.
It is easy get ahead of ourselves, and skip over what’s happening right now—driving towards an outcome, seeking the next experience, or getting caught up in a drama. Slow the fuck down and bring attention to what is going on for you, right now.
You are also encouraged to be aware of your breathing. Attention to breath helps you return to presence, taking attention away from distractions of the mind. Allowing your breath to slow and deepen invites relaxation, openness and availability in your body to feel emotions. Felt emotions allow energy invested in held emotions to be released. A flow of energy brings greater aliveness. Greater aliveness supports your capacity to gently step closer towards the fullness of your potential.
Begin by taking a moment to be present with the reality of where you are.
Be aware of, and consciously connect to your embodied experience, with as much sensory detail as possible: physicality, sounds, scents, colours, textures, …
This is your Embodied Present-moment Reality. Know that it is a reference point for you to return to whenever needed. Continue this practice once you confidently have this knowing.
When you feel ready, bring to mind something that holds desire, fear or resistance.
If this is your first time doing an exercise like this, pick something gentle—a low-handing fruit—something that is not overly confronting, or likely to overwhelm you.
The intention is for you to remain curiously present with whatever feelings arise.
So, be mindful of your capacity in this moment. Pick something you feel acknowledges and respects your present-moment state-of-being.
Bring into your awareness that you are not being asked to enter into the actual experiential reality of whatever your desire, fear or resistance relates to—that this should not be threatening your survival in this moment. The invitation is to bring it to mind, to think about it, with a knowing that your Embodied Present-moment Reality is a reference point you can return to whenever needed.
With the thought of your desire, fear or resistance being held in your mind, notice any uncomfortable emotions you might be feeling.
Your thoughts and emotions may be about something in the future, an anticipation. That is the unknown, the edge, the mystery.
Be present with those emotions, and observe yourself with curiosity and compassion.
Breathe.
Observe the physical sensations of your body, and notice any thoughts that arise.
Breathe.
Notice what of it is real: the truth of what you are experiencing in this moment.
There may also be desires, wanting to experience or achieve something.
Wanting and fear often come together. The dance between the two can be a form of suffering.
Notice the desires and your attachment to them. What does it say about you now?
If ________ happens then I will be________. So what I feel about myself now is________.
Feel that.
Don’t escape it.
Notice your techniques to escape. Can you expose these to yourself, and learn to recognise them?
Breathe.
When you feel complete, whatever that means for you, return to your Embodied Present-moment Reality, actively engaging all your senses to connect to the physicality, sounds, scents, colours, and textures of your embodied experience.
Breathe, and allow for a slow and gentle integration and transition, in whatever manner feels true for you.
Grounding & Integration
After any practice, it’s valuable to take a little time for a slow transition, and to support integration. The following can be supportive:
- Journal writing
- Drawing or painting
- Dancing, walking or stretching
- Being in nature
- Grounding your body to the earth