Hello hello,
In this meditation, we take on emotion watching.
As I said in this Wednesday’s newsletter, it isn’t easy to reframe a feeling.
We have to first see it for what it is. Be with it, without judging.
Once we do that, we can look at the words surrounding it.
This is a process, but one that yields great reward when practiced often.
Wishing you all the best,
James
today we’re going to practice being present with our emotions, so that we may see them for what they really are. when we are able to do this, the power they hold on us slips away.
if you don’t have an emotion to work with at this time, use this practice so you will be ready when one comes up in the future.
first let’s ground into the presence of our being. become aware of the flow of breath as it courses in and out of the body. whatever state you find your breath in, see it as it is now. experience it, without trying to change it.
find the gentle rhythm of this energy, as it floats in and out of the body.
imagine the air flowing down into the body, all the way to the bottoms of the feet, connecting with the earth below. you are the breath and the spaces in between the breath. the effortless giving and receiving.
in this space, is there an emotion that comes forward in your mind’s eye?
rather than immediately labelling it, see if you can simply sit with the sensation, as one does with a friend on a park bench.
two entities, spending time with one another, existing in their own worlds.
the experience of the emotion is not inherently one way or another. it is not good or bad, strong or weak. it simply is.
with the emotion comes a narrative to create a mythology of power. notice any words that perhaps circle around the emotion.
are you willing to keep feeding those words power? is it possible to peel away the layers, replacing them with words that feel more in alignment with your true being?
what narratives provide you with support and strength, rather than the illusory emotions that have kept you in a loop?
when the narrative ties are broken, the feeling is like finding the outline of a window you could not see until now.
the window swings open, and soft light falls upon your cheeks. it touches your eyelids and warms the crown of your head. the feeling spreads to every limb of the body.
it is as if a sun has risen within you. it’s bright light shines into the new day just outside your window.
this sensation is the freedom that comes from truly embodying non attachment. there are only windows and no need for walls.
the next time you find yourself face to face with the sensation of emotion, see if you can practice holding it without instantly labelling.
Emotion Watching