There is pain inside you.
Pain that wants to be felt.
Let's experience it in a way that is more supported and less overwhelming.
In a way that might feel like relief.
We want to process what is here.
There are three important pieces that we'll identify,
Care for,
And then rest with.
We'll notice a thought,
An emotion,
And a physical body sensation.
After each piece,
We'll take a deep breath,
Notice any pain or discomfort you may be experiencing,
Allow it to exist because it does exist,
And then rest with it,
Holding your pain with care,
Without analysis,
Figuring out whether you're correct or not,
Or needing to figure out what to do.
These are all good things we'll eventually want to do,
But those are different tools for another time.
Right now,
During this practice,
You're noticing what is here and caring for your pain.
At least for this moment,
You get to just be.
So to start,
Take a slow,
Deep breath.
You can repeat in your mind,
As I say out loud,
I'm noticing a thought.
One thought coming up for me right now is.
.
.
And then fill in the rest of this one sentence with a painful thought that's coming up for you.
We're not telling a story or over-filtering ourselves.
Just let that thought come into the open and be observed as a thought,
Without judgment.
Ask yourself,
As you notice this thought and allow it your whole attention,
Are you experiencing any pain or discomfort?
If so,
That's our cue for self-compassion,
Because pain deserves to be met with care.
You may choose,
If you'd like,
To place a hand on your heart.
For one,
Because loving,
Caring touch can be an impactful,
Self-soothing gesture.
And two,
To act as a physical reminder to yourself to put your heart on the pain that you find.
To at least attempt to feel your pain through a gentle,
Caring lens.
Your pain deserves care.
Now take a breath as we rest with the existence of this thought and the pain that comes with it.
And then we move on.
For the second part,
Repeat in your mind,
I'm noticing an emotion.
An emotion coming up for me is.
.
.
And then look for what emotion you may be feeling in this moment.
Choose an emotion word,
Maybe two,
That describes what you're feeling.
Once you've identified an emotion you're feeling,
Rest with it.
Let yourself feel it.
Remind yourself there are no bad emotions,
Though they can feel very painful.
If you are feeling some level of pain or discomfort,
Meet that with care.
There is no need to erase or distract.
Let yourself be and care for your pain for the space of one deep breath.
Take another deep breath if it feels good to do.
And now we practice being present in our physical bodies while experiencing this thought and this emotion.
Repeat in your mind and fill in the blanks.
I'm noticing sensations in my physical body.
I'm feeling blank in my blank.
You might be noticing your heart feeling like it's pounding in the center of your chest.
You might notice shakiness in your hands,
Tension in your jaw,
Or what feels like a dense pit in your stomach.
If you're not accustomed to feeling emotions and their presence in your physical body,
This part might feel difficult or confusing.
And that's okay.
It doesn't matter.
Try scanning your body from your toes to the top of your head,
Across your shoulders,
And down to the tips of your fingers.
What is something you can feel in your body?
You can feel pressure where your body presses into the surfaces it's resting on.
You might feel sensations of clothing,
Or the sensation of your hair around your face,
Or the temperature of the room on your skin.
Remember that sense of non-judgmental curiosity as you identify a sensation to focus on,
And the specific area of the body where it feels most intense.
Does this sensation feel uncomfortable?
Painful even?
You will feel physical pain and discomfort sometimes.
The sensation you are noticing exists,
And your discomfort is worthy of care.
Pain deserves care.
Take a deep breath,
Accepting and allowing for the fact that in this moment,
This thing exists.
It is part of your experience.
With gentle compassion,
Let yourself be.
Deep breath.
If you would like,
You may choose to be done,
Or you may repeat these steps with a new thought that's coming up,
And it's accompanying emotions and body sensations.
Remember,
There are no wrong answers when it comes to your experiences.
Thoughts are just thoughts.
Emotions are just emotions.
None are inherently bad,
Though they can feel very painful.
You are learning to hold compassion for your pain and discomfort while allowing yourself to observe whatever there is to observe.
Pain deserves care,
Even yours.
