You are now starting the exercise staying present during tense moments.
Sit in your quiet practice posture,
Like a prince or princess.
Move your attention to your body.
How is it there right now?
Feel the movement of your breath.
The movement just like a balloon in your belly.
Follow your breathing in and out very gently a few times.
Then bring your attention to a moment that was tense or unpleasant for you.
It can be something from today,
But also from yesterday or longer ago.
Just take the moment that comes to mind right now.
Was it a tense moment because of something that had already been or because of something yet to come?
Or maybe something had happened that you were anxious or nervous about.
Now imagine yourself fully alive in that situation again.
Simply by thinking yourself back into it.
Do you see the situation in front of you again now?
What do you notice in your body in the process?
Do you feel your heart beating faster?
A pressing feeling near your chest or tension in your belly?
Sometimes you feel tingling.
Listen silently to what your body wants to tell you.
You may find that you don't want to stay with this tense feeling at all.
What you then can do is explore breathing gently towards the feeling or the thoughts.
Breath after breath.
Being mindful of the tense feelings.
Explore the feeling and continue breathing.
Perhaps the feeling or thought will change shape if you stay with your gentle attention on it.
You breathe gentle attention towards yourself.
And now broaden your attention to your whole body.
Feel your breath in your whole body.
And smile at yourself.
Wow,
How well you did this.
You breathe it along through a tense moment.
A tense moment can sometimes be difficult or unsettling,
But it's good that you feel it all in your body.
You can listen to your body and your feelings.
It doesn't have to be anything other than it is,
But it's allowed to be tense.
You can just breathe with it.
Remain in silence for a while.
And then finish this exercise in your own way.
