Week 1
Working with Difficult Emotions Week 1 (7/8/25)
The home practice this week is to recognize when a painful emotion is present, whether intense and obvious, or subtle and barely noticeable, and name the emotion as it arises.
Be aware of any resistance to the painful emotion, any aversion and efforts to push it away. Recognizing resistance is important because it’s conditioned and often unconscious. When unnoticed, what we are resistant to is strengthened via the resistance. When we’re able to notice it, we can then practice allowing and resting in the painful emotion until it naturally shifts on its own. It’s important to note that this is quite different from dwelling, which feeds the painful emotion and lengthens its life.
Be aware of the urge to move into action. For example, you may feel anxiety and automatically reach for your phone without even realizing it. In moments like this, name the emotion, pause, and gently shift your attention from the painful feeling to something grounding; the feeling of your feet on the floor, the sensations of your breath, or the sounds around you.