Make space for what you feel
Let your feelings move to lighten your emotional load.
Judging and fighting unpleasant feelings tenses our bodies, tightens muscles, and shrinks posture. Arms and legs fold in, shoulders curl forward, and the head sinks, trapping feelings inside. Giving them space to move eases the body and lightens the emotional weight we carry.
Emotions are the raw physical sensations in our body, while feelings are the interpretations or stories we attach to them. For example, a racing heart and tight chest can be interpreted as anxiety or excitement. To open up, we need to notice our emotions directly instead of getting caught up in the feelings we assign to them. The more we practice this, the easier it becomes.
Making space for what you feel is like unblocking a river and letting it flow freely.
Follow these simple steps to notice your emotions directly and release tension in your body:
1️⃣ Find a comfortable position, sitting or lying down, and close your eyes if that feels right. Take a moment to settle. Then slowly scan your body from head to toe. Notice any places that feel tense or uncomfortable, maybe a tightness in your chest, a knot in your stomach, or a quickened heartbeat. Choose the sensation that draws your attention the most. Stay with it. Observe it with curiosity, as if you were a scientist. Ask yourself: Where is it located? What shape does it have? What does it feel like? Is it light or heavy, warm or cold, still or moving?
2️⃣ Take slow, deep breaths. With each inhale, imagine your breath moving into and around the uncomfortable sensation. With each exhale, picture your body making a little more space for it. Let the breath soften the edges of what you feel and give it room to move.
3️⃣ As you keep breathing, don’t try to get rid of the sensation or make it different. Simply relax around it and let it be, even if it feels unpleasant. Notice any urge to resist, and see if you can soften into acceptance instead. If your mind drifts, gently bring your attention back to the breath. Keep breathing into and around the sensation until the struggle begins to ease.
4️⃣ Once the sensation feels lighter, notice another sensation that calls your attention and repeat the same steps.
Next time your body tenses, notice any uncomfortable sensations and breathe into them. With practice, you’ll carry less emotional weight.
