Hello and welcome to my meditation page on Insight Timer.
My name is Kimberly Johnson.
I am so grateful that you have chosen to take this time to sit with me.
In today's meditation we're going to practice letting go.
And we're going to practice specifically with letting go of frustration.
Life is full of frustrations.
It's such a beautiful and complex human experience.
And as we practice meditation and mindfulness we can begin to expand our ability to be with frustration.
Knowing that when it arises that it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with us or that there's anything wrong with our life.
But just practicing really skillfully being with frustration.
So we're going to go ahead and just start the meditation by just finding a comfortable seat.
Taking some micro adjustments.
Letting the body settle.
And as the body settles and if it feels safe and comfortable,
Letting the eyes shut down.
Allowing your awareness to begin to be inward.
Curious.
And right here beginning to let the body relax.
Letting the forehead relax.
The cheeks.
The jawline.
Letting the shoulders and upper back relax.
Letting the belly fall open in relaxation.
And letting the legs and the hips get really heavy on the earth or the couch or the chair wherever you're sitting.
See if you can let go of the habitual tension that you hold.
And the tension will return.
This is normal.
And when it returns,
We can continue to practice letting it go.
As the body settles,
Go ahead and redirect your attention and your awareness to your breath,
To your breathing.
And at first you'll want to manipulate the breathing and that's okay.
Letting it get a little bit stronger so that your awareness can focus.
So your awareness can settle.
And with the body relaxed and settled,
Just begin noticing your inhales and your exhales.
Knowing that the wild mind will wander.
And every time the mind wanders,
We have a choice to let go of the wandering and return back to the breathing.
Another choice to let go and return.
Returning to the inhale and the exhale.
And seeing if we can let go of controlling the breath to just observing the natural breathing.
And as you observe the breathing,
You might notice the bird sound in the back and maybe it's distracting or maybe it's pleasant even.
And see if you can even let that go.
Redirecting the attention back to the breathing.
Hhh Gently noticing if your mind has wandered.
And if so,
No problem.
This is normal.
Gently bringing the awareness right back to the next inhale and exhale.
Gently releasing the awareness right back to the next inhale and exhale.
Now,
Right here,
Bring the awareness to the area of life that's frustrating.
And keeping your eyes closed,
Just allow yourself to relive whatever is frustrating.
Maybe it's a conflict,
Maybe it's something at work,
Maybe it's a situation happening at home.
And see if you can just put yourself right back in the place that's frustrating.
Notice what's happening.
Notice what's being said.
Notice your thoughts.
Notice how you feel.
And see if you can actually see your face in frustration.
What does your face look like?
What does your body posture look like?
Understanding how frustration changes or alters or affects the body.
Now,
Going beneath the skin,
Notice how the frustration feels in the body.
And see if you can notice where you feel it the most.
And see if you can just sit with that sensation without judging it,
Without trying to change it.
Just actually opening yourself up to experiencing the frustration.
Letting the body relax as you pay attention to the sensations in the body.
If you feel any resistance,
You might ask yourself,
Can I let this be here just as it is?
Can I let this be here just as it is?
Keeping sharp attention on the sensation,
Tight pulsing,
Churning,
Heavy.
Really feel what it feels like to be frustrated.
And lock your eyes to beadeon engrossed.
As you continue to pay attention to the sensations that are occurring in the body,
Maybe place a hand on that part of the body,
Offering a moment of compassion,
Kindness,
Understanding.
Giving your own support.
And right here,
I want you to ask yourself,
What do I need to hear most right now?
What do I need to hear most right now that would help me calm the sensations,
That would help me feel at peace,
That would help me feel seen,
Loved?
What do I need to hear most right now?
And right here,
I want you to begin saying to yourself what you need to hear most,
Setting down the frustration and picking up a deep support of yourself and how you're feeling.
Whispering the words that you want and need to hear,
Giving yourself what you need.
There are many struggling people because they are afraid of you and they think you can do Now taking a deep inhale and a slow exhale.
And right here I just want you to feel how you feel now.
How does your body feel now?
How does your mind feel now?
Just take a moment in stillness to be with how you feel now.
I'm going to end with a poem and then I'll ring the bell three times.
Let it go by Donna Faulds.
Let go of the ways you thought life would unfold.
The holding of plans or dreams or expectations.
Let it all go.
Save your strength to swim with the tide.
The choice to fight what is here before you now will only result in struggle,
Fear,
And desperate attempts to flee from the very energy you long for.
Let go.
Let it all go and flow with the grace that washes through your days whether you received it gently or with all your quills raised to defend against invaders.
Take this on faith.
The mind may never find the explanations that it seeks but you will move forward nonetheless.
Let go and the waves crest will carry you to unknown shores beyond your wildest dreams or destinations.
Let it all go and find the place of rest and peace and certain transformation.
Let it all go.
