everything belongs

Today’s message is short and sweet. 

I wanted to share a phrase from the meditation teacher Tara Brach.

Everything belongs.

Tara has a meditation by this name, too. 

The idea is, every feeling or sensation that may be coming up in you - no matter how unpleasant or difficult - is OK. 

It belongs.

When I first heard this, I felt my whole body sigh with relief.

To be honest, my instinct is to only welcome the positive emotions. 

To only allow what feels good, safe, productive, and optimistic. 

I have a tendency to fight feelings of fear, worry, or anger…as if an unpleasant emotion will jinx me or be a black mark on my positivity scorecard.

But every feeling arises from somewhere inside of me, and every feeling belongs.

Don’t get me wrong…I don’t think it’s helpful to hang out for a long time in fear, anxiety or anger. 

When you hang on to any emotion for a long time - practicing it day after day - it can become an attitude.

Living with an attitude of anger or fear isn’t going to make you or me healthy and resilient.

But allowing those emotions to be as they come up…to observe them and allow them to pass through…

That’s healthy and congruent.

When I first heard Tara Brach say, ‘everything belongs’, I sighed with relief because the truth is, those uncomfortable feelings do come up in me.

Knowing that it’s OK to be real in this moment, understanding that I don’t have to hide my feelings or change them before they’re ready to change…helps me feel normal. 

I’m human, and humans have complex feelings.

So next time that difficult feeling comes, allow it. Feel it. Get curious. Thank it for coming, and let it leave when it’s ready.

It won’t be long before something else comes along to take its place.

Emotions are energy in motion, and everything belongs.