Acceptance Practice

One of my mindfulness practices is to notice when I’m frustrated, annoyed or upset, or if I’m avoiding something. Then I sit and do an acceptance practice.

Let me talk through this practice, because I think it’s really powerful.

Let’s say I’m annoyed with someone. I can get caught up in my thoughts about how they shouldn’t be that way, and litigate the case in my head. For a long time, if I let it go on and on.

But if I notice this annoyance … I might just sit for a few minutes.

Then I practice:

Notice how I’m feeling, as a physical sensation in my body (often tightness in my chest, a tension in my whole body, maybe my face is flushed).
Sit and breathe, just letting myself have the moment-to-moment experience. And to relax a bit.
Then I ask myself, “Why am I resisting accepting this moment?”
And finally, I try to relax some more and just see how I can love this situation just as it is, without needing to change it.

This process not only helps me to relax, but to see the situation that’s annoying me in a new light.

This works, btw, with avoidance as well: what’s the underlying experience I’m avoiding with this task? (Often overwhelm, anxiety, powerlessness, or discouragement.) Can I just do the task and find acceptance with the experience?

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This post was previously published on Zen Habits. Uncopyright courtesy Leo Babauta.

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