Celebrating emotions in meditation

So many of us meditators are quite intimidated by emotions.

They are seen as major distractors, unworkably noisy and very often a source of discomfort.

But is it possible to be free with emotions?

First recognize fully the emotion that has arisen.

Resist the temptation to make it into a personal story, there is nothing to solve, at least right now.

No need to argue with it's presence or intensity.

No need to get ride of it.

Just become curious: lovingly, fearlessly, joyfully curious.

Where is it in the body?

Does it fluctuate and how?

What is the shape of the sensation?

What does it want to say about me or about the world?

With what thought or image is it connected?

How much do I want to stop it?

How threatened am I by it?

And now take a step back and question yourself:

Can what see the emotion be the emotion?

Emotions move (ex movere in latin, moving out of), by definition they come and go.

Is there something that doesn't come and go?

What about simply staying here, watching the emotions move away?

Like you would watch a bird fly in the sky: the sky simply remains, empty, vast and beautifully open.

Stay in that presence, until you know the emotions is simply a movement within the sky of Consciousness. Until it neither defines you not limits your experience

Until you see it, just like the bird, as a short dance in the vastness of space.

Whatever the case, do not get up before you know you are free and at peace.

Whether the emotions is still here or not is irrelevant.

Stay as long as it takes for you to realize the peace that you are around and through the emotion.

This might be very uncomfortable, but that's ok!

The path requires determination and courage, remember that others have done it before you!

But I promise you, if you do that thoroughly, the next time an intense emotion arises,

you will not be overwhelmed by nearly it as much.

And the next time even less...

Until you will have discovered a new, liberated and joyful relationship with emotions.

This is called the free space of equanimity:

Whatever arises will dissolve,

in the vastness of consciouness.

Simply celebrate it as impermanent beauty

and...simply rest within Yourself.