Mindfulnes based practice and emotional releasing

Mindfulness has been described as the ability to live and act only in the present moment but also involves your awareness of the point we call the now. We are going to deal here with the use of mindfulness to defuse negative emotions by surrendering to them.

With mindfulness we simply become aware of the negativeness and stay with it almost in a way surrendering to the feeling without fighting it which is the usual way of trying to defuse strong and unwanted emotions. Why would we want to surrender ourselves to our unwanted feelings? Because by fighting them we may actually increase and reinforce them which will only handicap us further

It may seem paradoxical. that participants in mindfulness training are taught to pay close attention to internal stimuli instead of battling them. However if you start off with just a small unwanted feeling and simply be with it, be more aware of it, you will begin to notice that you are now being a witness to it and after a little while it will begin to lose its power. It is important that you don't start off using very intense feelings to do this, just small ones to start.

This may sound daunting at first because we are taught to tackle things and not let them be but I assure you that when practiced regularly this is a most liberating form of change.

However in order to speed things up a little we are going to combine our mindfulness with a few unusual self-questioning techniques that we will call 'emotional releasing'.

I would like you to think of a time and a place where you had a negative feeling that you no longer would like - just be aware of it - don't be frightened of it - let it come and just witness it - be aware of where it is in your body - maybe in your head or your sternum or in your tummy or somewhere else. But just be with it. I know it isn't pleasant but hold on a little longer.

Place one of your hands on your mid-sternum or over your heart area.

Now ask yourself this question below:

(Say your name first) "Could you welcome this feeling"

For instance, if your name is Carol you say

"Carol, could you welcome this feeling?", and wait a few moments and pay attention to your internal senses.

Then say again "Carol (or whatever your name is), could you welcome this feeling even more?"

Wait a few moments.

Now for most people providing its not the most intense feeling you have it will feel like it is dissipating, rising up or changing in its energy. It took me a few gos before I felt its affect so don't be dismayed if your one of those people who needs to do it a few times before you feel its effect. Most people however do feel it the first time ti happens.

If you prefer you can ask this alternative question.

"(Your name), could you welcome this feeling?" wait a few moments and then ask

"Could you welcome this feeling even more?" Remember you are directing the question at yourself. Wait a few moments. It is common to feel the unwanted feeling to just vanish - honestly - this really works very well. You can do this during the day where ever you are without anyone knowing at all.

So you now have a simple mindfulness based practice combined with self-questioning to rid yourself of unwanted feelings. However you can use this in an advanced way to make it even better than it is. Before you go on , please make sure that you have tried this with at least a few bad feelings and felt them leave you.

Important points to remember:

• Fully feel the feeling first
• Witness it or just be with the feeling
• Place one hand over your heart region or on your mid-sternum - this helps you to be present with the feeling more
• State the question by using your name first and asking the question of yourself. Say it a few times if necessary.
• Be aware of your internal sense again and see if you have made s shift in the feeling.

>> - Part Two -  Advanced mindfulness and emotional releasing