Breathe through This by Eline Snel

Author:Eline Snel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala

COMPASSION FOR FEELINGS

During our fourth session, Jim talks about a terrible argument he and his mother had earlier that day. She was furious about his bad grades and kept yelling that he would never get anywhere. That he would have to work as a supermarket cashier for the rest of his life if he didn’t change. And what nice girl would ever be interested in him? His anger rising, Jim ran up to his room. “My first thought was: ‘I want to break something, I’m going to smash up my desk. That will force her to come upstairs.’ Instead something else happened. I was reminded of the ice cube and of feeling your feelings. I approached this horrible feeling and realized I was really sad. I felt alone. It was really awful. I was shaking all over, and I got that familiar sensation in my stomach that I always get when nobody understands me. Every time I feel like that, I smash something, but this time I didn’t—I started breathing. It was really weird, but the breathing brought me into something like the eye of the storm, where everything was quiet. I didn’t have to do anything except wait for it to pass. It was the first time I didn’t break anything. But I felt exhausted afterward.”

Jim sighs, as does the rest of the group, which has been listening with rapt attention. I congratulate him on noticing his thoughts in such a difficult situation and on feeling the sadness hidden underneath his anger. The others think it is cool that he managed to do it.

“It was only the first time,” he says softly.

We talk some more about feelings of anger and sadness, which are familiar to everyone. We all agree that it helps to go back to your breath, even in the middle of a crisis. Or perhaps especially in the middle of a crisis.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.