This meditation/exercise is about allowing yourself to feel what you don’t like, that which is getting in your way of peace and happiness. Name it. Write it down and then choose some art materials to creatively express the feeling or obstruction.
I’m writing this in BIG black letters because when you are in the grip of anger or doubt or fear, or whatever keeps you down we become absorbed by it and lose our ability to simply observe and be a witness. For it to pass we must bring compassion to it and get to know it better.
If you like you can begin this exercise by first meditating, bringing awareness to your breath and letting the mind settle and calm. Allow the name of what holds you down, or is a hindrance to your joy, to come to you. Perhaps it will be an image or a picture of a scene. Maybe it’s a felt sense, a feeling or sensation. With the mind anchored to the breath and the present moment, simply observe it. Then, when you are ready, move from your meditation position to a table that you have supplied with art materials of your choice and represent this hindrance. Choose colors and forms that reflect this negativity. You can also create a collage with pictures from magazines or even fabrics. You can create an image in clay. Give yourself permission to explore and create freely. After you have done this, look at what you’ve created and write about it.
This can also be done as a writing exercise, but it can be very illuminating and freeing to combine the two modalities. Enjoy the process. Remember, it is a learning experience. Everything changes. You can notice if this experience changes you and your attitude toward your challenge. Be aware of your attitude as you do this exercise. Notice when you lose interest. Notice what holds your attention. Be aware of when you feel open and when you feel closed. When you are finished, congratulate yourself for taking the time to examine something difficult. Praise yourself. You’re allowed!