The Second Arrow: Transcending Painful Emotions - Meditation #5

Linda Orsini: 00:00:05

Welcome friends, my name is Linda Orsini, and I will be your guide on this beautiful journey of transcending the second arrow. Slowly begin to soften, hear in this moment, by finding ease in your physical body. Shift and move your body so that you can become even 10% more comfortable allowing your whole body to soften into this moment. And begin by following your breath. As I share a tale with you told by Buddha, oh so long ago and it goes something like this. One day, the Buddha asked his students, if you were struck by an arrow, would it be painful? Would it hurt? Oh, yes, they reply. Then the Buddha asked, well, if you pulled that arrow out, and another arrow, a second arrow, hit you in the same spot. Do you think it would hurt even more? The students replied, Oh would be very painful and hurts so much more. Well, the Buddha said this is like life.

Linda Orsini: 00:02:03

If we can hold space for this, and start to think about what the Buddha is saying here, we can learn that in essence, there are things we can control. And those we cannot we cannot control or avoid the pains of the human condition. We cannot escape the reality of disappointment, loss, pain or illness, rejection, aging or death or even the reality of change itself. These first arrows are all a part of being human. We have no control over these events. However, the second arrow is our reaction to the first and that we do have control over that is optional. For instance, when something bad happens, and you blame yourself, you blame someone else for even the world and go into that pain story. Well, that is the second arrow. He does our thought base reactions to the event that actually causes even greater suffering, reliving it over and over in our mind. It's like an assault on an old wound over and over again by reliving and lamenting over perceived in justices. In essence, the Buddha was telling us that pain is inevitable. But suffering is optional. Chill Franz Dell says freedom in Buddhism is not freedom from emotions. Rather the freedom from complicating them to stop here pause for a moment can you notice where you complicate past experiences where you live past experiences over and over again in your mind it's true we tend to overcomplicate our thoughts, feelings and emotions. And the Buddha does say there is suffering. But what he really means is that life is not suffering, but rather life contains suffering. So if living this life means that we will experience uncomfortable and unwanted feelings that will indeed cause suffering. That is one thing. That first arrow is unavoidable. However, we have a choice with the second arrow. If we hold on to this pain, it will fester and become even more destructive to our emotional peace of mind, especially as time goes by. Indeed, the first arrow is out of our control but our reaction is not. Breathe here. Feel your breath, letting tension go. Breathe here and on the exhale relieve any tension relieve any holding let go. Use that exhale as the purging you can even envision that exhale as the second arrow going out into the ether into the universe. And no, you cannot save yourself from the first arrow. But you can save yourself from the second arrow. By practicing loving kindness to yourself for living this one life know and feel and realize that you are not alone. Everyone is on this journey. And our wound can be our wisdom

Linda Orsini: 00:08:03

I invite you to come into deeper stillness and gently place your left hand in the center of your chest and your right palm on top. Breathing into your heart center or any area that resonates and invite you to offer yourself some loving kindness. Say share these phrases these loving kindness affirmations may float in and out of your consciousness. Some may resonate more than others and allow those that comfort and soothe you to really land softly in your heart center as you move deeper into silence and stillness let's allow some space between each loving kindness affirmation

Linda Orsini: 00:09:28

May I feel safe

Linda Orsini: 00:09:40

May I rest in this moment?

Linda Orsini: 00:09:52

May I embrace my courage?

Linda Orsini: 00:10:03

May I connect with my higher self

Linda Orsini: 00:10:15

May I hold space for pain without pushing it away

Linda Orsini: 00:10:25

made me I noticed where I feel any pain in my body through physical sensations

Linda Orsini: 00:10:37

May I place my hands on my body where I feel I'm ease

Linda Orsini: 00:10:49

May I offer myself loving kindness through soothing touch

Linda Orsini: 00:11:00

May I breathe in and out in and out until I feel myself soften

Linda Orsini: 00:11:14

May I release thoughts feelings and emotions that no longer serve me

Linda Orsini: 00:11:26

may I feel supported

Linda Orsini: 00:11:34

May I let go of Suffering

Linda Orsini: 00:11:43

may I be embraced by love

Linda Orsini: 00:11:53

may I offer love

Linda Orsini: 00:12:02

me I rest in love may I know I am love