It's ok to feel bad

Dear Helen, sending you all my love, xxx

Dear Anne, thank you for your comment (and compliment :-))!

Dear Kristin, love your sentence "Lately I am leaning into (this) discomfort"....So good you are doing that and sensing you're growing because of it. Glad to hear the talks are of any support in this! xxx

Hi Francesca, yes, there seems to be a tendency to come forward with the happy or succesful things in our life (especially on Facebook), and not with the stuff that is painful or difficult..I guess the only thing we can do about that is share our own, true feelings. Even when they are less shiny!

Thank you Esther, I always keep fighting my bad feelings which only makes things worse. Your meditation was a little reminder to let go and let things be. Thank you again x

True...that's why we need to sit down with ourselves...at least I need to do that!

Hey dear Alice, glad you enjoyed the meditation, thanks for your comment!

Dear Veronica, don't know what to say... a big, big thank you back! And a warm hug to go with it :-)

hi Agata and Colleen, welcome on board ;) I am also suffering from depression and severe anxieties at the moment - I feel I am very deeply in it, aften having pushed all the signs away in the last weeks and months. so now, this doesn't work anymore. for me, it is the hardest struggle to let go even a bit, because my tendency to "hold together" and control myself is so big - also I always try to avoid, that people see how I really feel - how hurt, desperate, broken, anxious, vulnerable. so I shut up myself more an more - the last days it was severe, I could not even connect to any of my mindful practises like the meditation or yoga. now, it was the first time that I managed again - and Esthers words -also about her own experience - were at least a bit of a relief. I think it is a lifelong thing to learn to really love onself - for me, it is an extremely difficult thing - a lot of struggle. if you suffer from psychic pain a lot, one always tends to self-blame and as Colleen says beat you for it. but it is there anyway, so it is part of your life, part of my life and part of life of a lot of people. but I thinks it helps to remember, that you are more than that hurtful feelings - even if it doesn't feel so. so...I hope we all find our way through all the anxienty and the despair by accepting babystep by babystep that the way we are is ok! lots of hugs Stefanie

Dear Agatha, Colleen and Stephanie, I wasn't able to respond sooner because of a shoulder issue (couldn't type), and was touched to read your comments on each other. So beautiful and true (I think I will wait more often with answering comments so all this wisdom of yours can come forth :-)). I so agree with that in our own inner world we can be so hard and unloving with ourselves. Like we insist being different from how we are. While in fact, depression and anxiety may have something to say to us, pointing at that we somehow lost connection with what we truly need, or who we truly are. Like indeed beating ourselves up while all we need is loving attention, or slowing down. And how good to share this with each other, and feel less alone in our struggle, and perhaps feel more encouraged to listen to our needs instead of how we believe we should be. Thanks all, for coming forward, xxx

Hi Agata, I'm sorry that you're having such a hard time. I have anxiety and depression issues as well, so I think I understand your frustration at the never-ending cycle that you can feel caught in when it goes on for a long time. I can't tell you how to feel or what to do, but what I find for myself is that when I'm caught in anxiety, I feel it in my body, usually as stomach pain or digestive issues. I can also get headaches and get really wound up, burning up all kinds of energy and ending up exhausted. Depression for me is what happens when I run out of steam from all that anxiety. I think the depression is a way for my body to get me to slow down and rest. I am trying to use meditation and mindfulness to be more aware of what I'm thinking, what I'm feeling, and what I'm doing. I am trying different things to see what might help. Maybe I need to rest, maybe I need to do some yoga or other activity, maybe I need to go see my counsellor or a trust friend/family member and get some additional support. I don't think you have to be okay with being anxious or depressed. Maybe being able to "accept" that it's happening and not beating yourself up metaphorically/mentally is what she means. When I feel bad, I tend to beat myself up mentally and tell myself to "buck up" and stop being weak. That kind of harsh self talk just makes me feel worse. I am learning to treat myself with kindness and compassion, especially when I'm very vulnerable at these low times. I try foot soaks with epsom salts and lavender or rose oil. The smell is comforting, the foot soak is good for my feet (plus gives my body a little magnesium), and it makes me stop and sit on the couch for 20 minutes. I usually put on relaxing music and might read a book, though I think ideally I shouldn't even be reading the book. :)

Thank you, Lindsey

Ah, wonderful! xxx

x

Dear Monika, I guess getting real tired of it means you are ready for change. Even when it seems so hard to shake! It seems that fighting the unloving voice is quite a struggle, making you feel even worse (like being weak for not being able to win). I read the first sentence of your comment and thought, wow, here's one motivated teacher! Lucky pupils! And then you said it makes you feel horrible about yourself. Like you already punished yourself for not being able to come up with something, or solving the difficulty in teaching them in a satisfying way. Don't do this to yourself. You are trying, that's what counts, and you cannot control the outcome. Trust your goodness! x

Great Kat, yes, stay with that.

Sorry Kat, I somehow didn't reply your comment. Anger is in fact a perfectly sane emotion, just letting us know that we feel someone crossed a boundary. Acknowledging this anger and not making it a bad thing is helpful in becoming present: this is me feeling angry. And that is just fine!

;-)

Hello Kayla, is this the class? https://www.ekhartyoga.com/classes/2673/emotional-pain-series-part-4-into-the-heart-of-sadness Sending you love and strength x

Thank you Ylenia, very welcome.

Hi Lauren, most of my meditations are about welcoming how you feel. So you can pick any that speaks to you. For longer meditations you could try the Quiet down meditation (33 minutes) or the 45 minutes meditation (Coming to stillness) x

Thank you so much, Yaman

Thanks for your comment, Lee!