Hello and welcome to this Mindfulness Meditation track,
Which is going to investigate some of the ideas and feelings around disagreements and friendship dramas between teenagers in school.
So before we get going,
I'd just like to say well done for being here and for recognizing that sometimes we need a little help with these friendship issues.
And also congratulations for being open-minded and brave enough to try something new.
So we're going to start by finding a comfortable,
Quiet place to sit or lie down.
And I'd like you to take a deep breath in through your nose.
Hold it for a couple of seconds and then slowly release it.
And as you release it,
You're going to gently let your eyes close.
Now take a couple more deep breaths,
Again in through the nose.
But this time,
As you release the breath,
I'd like you to imagine the tension and stress leaving your body.
Maybe you have a tightness in your jaw or in your shoulders.
And with each big exhalation of breath,
Just watch your body soften and relax.
And now I'd like you just to let your breathing regain its natural rhythm.
And I'd like you to bring to mind any recent friendship issue or drama that you've experienced.
Maybe there was a misunderstanding,
Perhaps a disagreement or a falling out with a friend.
How do you feel when you remember that moment?
What emotions are present?
Allow yourself to feel those emotions as they come up.
Whether it's sadness,
Anger,
Frustration,
Disappointment,
Confusion,
Whatever it is that that friendship drama generates in you,
Recognize how it makes you feel and just acknowledge those feelings.
And now imagine yourself as an observer of those emotions.
Rather than getting caught up with them,
Rather than experiencing them,
Just watching them.
Notice where they are in your body.
In your chest,
Your stomach,
Your throat.
When you find where the emotions sit in your body,
Visualize breathing into them with deep breaths in through the nose,
Visualizing the breath going to that area and then with the out-breath,
The softening and the relaxing of that area.
And then let your breath return to its normal rhythms again.
And bring your attention to now,
To the present moment.
Notice the sensations in your body,
The sounds around you,
Any feelings of warmth or coolness that you're aware of.
Allow yourself to be fully present now in experiencing those feelings without getting caught up in any thoughts of the past or the future.
And now I'd like you to imagine sitting across from your friend or friends.
Take a big breath and send them thoughts of kindness and compassion.
Remind yourself,
Everybody can make a mistake.
My friends are as human as I am.
And think about what it is you want for yourself and for your friend.
Maybe you want to have an open discussion,
An honest conversation,
So you can express how you feel in a calm way.
Maybe you want to find a way to forgive and to move forward.
Hold your thoughts about what it is you want for yourself and your friend.
Remember that you have the power to choose your actions and your reactions.
You can't control what your friends say or do,
But you can control how you react to them and the things that you say and do.
Remember that you can always choose to be kind,
You can always choose to be patient,
You can always choose to be understanding.
You get to choose all of these things for yourself,
Even in the midst of drama.
Now take a moment to express some gratitude to the friendship that you've had and to the good times that you've shared with this person.
And remember there was a reason that you became friends in the first place.
So when you're ready,
Take another deep breath,
Slowly exhale,
And bring your awareness back to where you're sitting,
To your surroundings,
And take a moment to reflect on how you feel now and how this experience has been for you.
And so now take a moment to reflect on how you feel after this mindfulness experience.
And remember that you can return to this feeling at any time when you feel yourself getting wrapped up in friendship dramas.
Remember that you can come back and listen to this mindfulness exercise again and again and again,
And that with practice,
You'll find that you're able to calm yourself at the most difficult of times.
Have a peaceful day.
