This emotions meditation teaches us present-moment focus and awareness of our emotions. Emotions are complex. Many times we are not experiencing just one emotion. We are usually experiencing a number of emotions at any given moment. When we are angry, for example, we may also be experiencing frustration and/or jealousy and/or we may be feeling guilty etc. Our emotions are a state of mind that is created from our active beliefs/stories that are swirling around in our brains. The stories may be conscious or subconscious.

Therefore we use our emotions to understand our underlying stories. This meditation allows us to observe our emotions and just note them. We take an observer stance of curiosity and kindness. We see our emotions as an experience, and that experience is passing. We use our observed emotions as data which sheds some light as to what our active stories really are.

In your everyday life, you can use what you have learned in your meditation practice by noticing how you are feeling, refocusing on what is present and conducting a three-breath practice.  You can do these as many times as you want throughout your day.  They are a great way to remind yourself of your learning and growing.  Best of all, they take less than a minute to do.