MANAGING EMOTIONS

The following are a few ways which you can support yourself in connecting with your emotions and feelings.

RELAX

Sit in a comfortable and quiet place where you will not be disturbed.

Allow your body to relax, soften and become heavy in the chair.

Take a few slow deep breaths.

FOCUS

Bring to mind a situation, an event or a particular relationship in your life.

Maybe something that is causing you anxiety, concern or irritation; but not something that is traumatic.

Now, as you pay attention to your body, see if you can identify how you feel in relation to that situation, event or person

NAME IT

Try to put a word onto the sensation in your body.

What name would you give it. This list may help you to find the word …

https://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Practices-FeelingsSensations.pdf

Stay with it – maybe there is more than one feeling there

GO DEEPER

Once you have identified the feeling you might ask yourself:

Where is this emotion or feeling located in my body? – put your left hand on that part of your body

Can I intuitively describe it without thinking about it too hard) …

Does it seem to have a shape?

Does it have a colour?

Does it have a particular texture?

Making the description more material can enable you in connecting with the process.

EXPERIENCE IT

Now give it your full and undivided attention

Allow the feeling or emotion to just BE  in your body

Giving all of your attention to it

Welcoming it even though it may be a bit uncomfortable.

Can you tolerate it as you sit with it?

EXPANSION

Breathe into it with some deep breaths

Imagine a sense of expansion – lots of space

Allow what unfolds

NURTURE YOURSELF

There is nothing wrong with us if we are having an uncomfortable emotional experience

Attempting to avoid our less comfortable feelings just keeps things stuck though.

The way to progress is to allow and experience them so that they can move through us