Learning to be mindful with suffering is like a dance. Suffering hurts. When we are mindful with our suffering, we are asking ourselves: Where does it hurt? And how does this hurting exactly feel in our body? We make room for our suffering and let the felt sense wash through us. This is hard work, because usually we do not want to feel what is unpleasant to feel. Yet, every emotion needs to be felt. So what do we do, to prevent us from experiencing overwhelm?
We open our heart and hold the space by being kind to ourselves. We give ourselves the gift of self-compassion. This way, we can live through the unpleasant feeling and heal and grow.
However, this process is not linear. It is a dance! One mindful step forward, into recognizing the suffering, two compassionate steps to the side, into your heart, just because you feel bad, and one step back - giving youself a break, just because this is hard and we do not want to land in overwhelm.
Image: eves_art_project
Your dance is different every day. Depending on how you feel, on your capacity to be mindful, and your capacity to open your heart and hold yourself while you are suffering. And your ability to pause, to give yourself a break by taking a step back.
Sometimes we rock, sometimes we turn, and sometimes we sway. You decide. This is your life. Your rhythm. Your dance.
What‘s your rhythm today?
RhythmOfTheHeart dance
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