the practice of only being
The Only Being exercises are based on acceptance. Life demands our acceptance. When we wake up on the wrong side of the bed: acceptance. When we get into an argument with someone we care for: acceptance. When we’re stressed from unforeseen events: acceptance. Acceptance means seeing reality as it is, and stopping the fight against it. The first step in acceptance is acknowledgment, which helps us identify feelings we’re fighting against. When we identify negative feelings and listen to them, they can lose their power. When we identify positive feelings, they can empower us. Understanding our inner-world experiences gives us the clarity to make the best choices in the challenges we face.
Where we place our attention is the practice of only being. We humans are made up of physical, mental, psychological, and spiritual landscapes. This inner world holds memory. Sensations, moods, and emotions from inner-world imprints guide our lives, and that’s a good thing. We are meant to feel. But some emotions can undermine our well-being, such as anxiety, anger, frustration, and grief.
For example, we may feel tension in our bodies from emotions we’ve locked up. We may procrastinate on goals or avoid conversations because we’re unsettled by emotions. Taking a few minutes a day to identify stressful or anxious feelings can help us tune in to our deeper selves and access greater intuition, creativity, and resilience. Tuning in is one of the most natural things we do. This exercise can help you connect to a greater intelligence within you. Connection offers us greater influence over our experiences and can shape our future.
THE EXERCISE
Step 1:
Begin by sitting or lying down in a quiet and comfortable place. Notice the warmth or coolness of the air on your skin and any tension in your body. Paying attention to physical sensations helps to ground you with present-moment awareness.
Step 2:
Take slow, deep breaths to relax your body and mind. Inhale and exhale comfortably. Visualize oxygen filling your chest, and relax the cells in your body. Be present in the stillness within you.
Step 3:
Now ask yourself, “What am I feeling in this moment? Are there any sensations in my body? Am I calm and peaceful, neutral and indifferent, or worried and concerned? One minute ago was the past. What happens in one minute is within your influence.
Take a moment to identify and name the feelings inside you. Happy, sad, anxious, excited, angry, etc. Allow yourself to open your heart, lean in, and listen to your feelings. Be gentle as you let them speak to you.
Say to yourself, “I feel_____________.”
By listening, you pull back the hidden layers of your inner world to feel what’s there. When you take a moment to breathe and be with your feelings, you make it possible to understand them. Understanding offers you acceptance, tuning you into the timeless intelligence of your deeper self, your essence. This is where your higher self resides.
Visualize yourself as a facet of your higher self. You are the reflection.
Step 4:
Say to yourself:
“May I feel empathy.”
“May I feel compassion.”
“May I feel love.”
“These feelings come from me, are for me, and for others.”
The energy of empathy, compassion, and love fosters acceptance. Acceptance frees you to be present and gives you a deeper appreciation of yourself and others.
Our essence provides us with resilience, making us emotionally flexible, less judgmental, and more forgiving. By tuning in, we lay the foundation to grow rich with independence and freedom of spirit.