THIS TOO SHALL PASS

Depression, bouts of obsessive thoughts, a ball of rage, a panic attack, urges to self-destroy, intense fear of abandonment.

Your emotional pain often visits at unwelcome hours,

sweeping you by surprise.

Sometimes, you wake up with your unwelcome guests;

they erase all your plans and vision for the day.

Sometimes, your door is forced open by surprise,

and after hours of kicking and screaming, you realise you have no choice but to sit down with what has arrived at your doorstep. 

As the pain rinses over you,

you finally have to let go of your judgement and preferences of how things ‘should be’.

Reluctantly, you have to relinquish the expectation for a pain-free reality, the attachment to your pain-free past, even your identity as a pain-free person.

What is left are three things: the pain, your presence, and time passing by. 

You breathe into the different flavours of your emotional pain: throbbing, pulsating, pounding, beating, dulling, lingering. 

“This, too, shall pass. This, too, shall pass.” You hum again and again.

Until it passes. It will.

“Behind every beautiful thing, there's some kind of pain.” 
― Bob Dylan

This week’s experiment: SPEAK TO IT

Sit quietly in a safe place, and think of the situation that is causing you emotional pain.

Ask yourself: What specifically makes you fearful?

What might you be fearful of losing? It might be health, a person, a relationship, a business, your reputation, a vision.

Place both your fear and your clinging before you in visual form.

Remember, this is not about creating beautiful or realistic artwork. You could use symbols and words if you like.

Now, reach out to what haunts you.

Speak to it.

Write or draw what you wish to express.

Recognise that pain is transient, and what you are frightened of could not really hurt you except in your mind.

Repeat this several times while breathing slowly and deeply.