Pema Chödrön ordained nun, author, and teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage talks about “leaning into the sharp point” as a metaphor for facing our fears and insecurities with courage. Ani Pema is the first director of Gampo Abbey, a monestary for western monks and nuns in rural Nova Scotia.
Chödrön writes “…feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we’re stuck. This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are.”
Lucky is not the first word that comes to most peoples’ minds when dealing with bad news or any other negative emotion. Nevertheless when we are irritated or resentful, we do “perk up” don’t we? When we are embarrassed, we feel fully human, vulnerable and yet ready to react to the emotion. We may want to run away, yell or blame. We are definitely moved. Do we lean in when we experience anger, resentment or jealousy? Do we see clearly? Do we thank the messengers that can provide insight to our character? Are we willing to sit with our vulnerability? These moments can be our teacher just as a spiritual leader can be a guru for us. When we gather our courage to lean into the sharp point of the negative emotion instead of numbing the feeling and rejecting how we are stirred; we give ourselves a gift, a growth opportunity. The moments are always ever present. The actions we take can define our character.
Meditation is a wonderful tool for sitting with our emotions, welcoming our teachers without self judgment. Breathe in self compassion. Breathe out disappointment. Breathe in peace. Let go anger. Breathe in love. Breathe in love.
Namaste.
Laurie W
