What if emotions could become your meditation?

The other night, I had a quiet moment with my 9-year-old bonus son—one of those little windows where life hands you a lesson when you least expect it. 

He’s been having a hard time lately with big feelings. 

You know the kind—frustration because it’s bedtime and he’s not tired, sadness because playtime ended before he was ready. 

And sitting there with him, I could feel how big those emotions felt inside his small body.

Then, with the sweetest kind of wisdom, he looked up and said, “Maybe my brain is still growing, just like my body is.”

That stopped me in my tracks…

Isn’t that what it’s all about? 

Giving ourselves the grace to grow into the understanding that emotions don’t have to sweep us away—they can become the path that leads us home to ourselves.

It reminded me of this passage from The Radiance Sutras, one that’s been living in my heart lately:

Desire, lust, longing—
Anger humming in your blood.
Confusion, jealousy, bewilderment,
Swirling in your head.

Catch the first hint as passion rises,
The first quickening heartbeat.
Embrace that vibrancy
With a mind vast as the sky.

Witness the elemental motion of emotion:
Fire burning, illuminating,
Water gushing, cleansing,
Air inspiring, soothing,
Earth supporting, holding,
Space expanding, embracing.

You are in the temple of desire.
Go deeper still and rest in essence,
Awake to infinite spiritual energy
Surging into form.

There’s so much in this life we try to fix or figure out. 

But what if the practice is simply to feel it all—to catch that first stir of emotion and meet it with curiosity instead of resistance?

Here’s a practice I’ve been leaning into when the hard feelings rise:

Notice the Spark. When frustration, sadness, or longing shows up, pause. Name it. “Ah…here’s frustration.” Just naming it brings a little more space.

Feel the Element. Ask yourself—is this fire? water? air? earth? space? What does this feeling need? Sometimes it wants to burn itself out. Sometimes it needs to be held.

Breathe Into It. Let your breath soften whatever edges are sharp. Feel your feet on the ground. You’re safe to feel this.

Remember, You’re Growing Too. Just like my sweet bonus son realized—our hearts, our understanding…they’re still growing. Be patient with yourself.

This isn’t about pushing emotions away or rushing through them. 

It’s about letting them become the very ground you walk on—the path through instead of the wall you hit.

And if a 9-year-old can pause long enough to recognize he’s still growing…maybe there’s hope for the rest of us, too.