Making Room for Pain or Discomfort
Making Room for Pain or Discomfort. You tense the body when you are struggling, trying to rid yourself of the unpleasantness. Instead of tightening, you can make room for the pain.
Space for Feeling
It’s common to tighten around your discomfort.
You tense the body when you are struggling, trying to rid yourself of the unpleasantness.
Instead of tightening, you can make room for the pain.
Welcoming it in and meeting it with a caring presence, you have the power to retrain the mind.
This helps you build a nonreactive awareness.
Rather than being controlled by every challenging situation, you can notice it, allow it to be present, and move forward.
For this practice, find a comfortable position.
You may investigate doing this exercise sitting or lying down.
Give yourself a few minutes to settle.
Breathe deeply, allowing the mind and body to relax with each exhale.
Without ignoring the unpleasantness, invite in calmness.
Pay attention to the painful emotion you are experiencing.
Don’t fall into the story.
Recognize how the mind and body feel right now.
Ask if it is sadness, fear, frustration, or disappointment.
Just notice the general tone and experience you are feeling.
Begin making space for the emotion by offering a few phrases of compassion.
Remember your intention to care for the pain rather than push it away.
Offer these phrases to the pain or difficulty:
You are welcome here.
There is space for you.
May I welcome you with compassion.
Continue to offer the phrases for five minutes or so, reconnecting with your intention to tend to the experience with an open and caring heart.
As you wrap up, return to the breath for a minute or two.
With each exhale, soften the body.
Let the shoulders drop down, allow the jaw to relax, and soften the muscles in the abdomen.
end
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