Inquiry on dread:
Where do you feel the dread? In the chest, throat, belly.
Feel the dread. Feel the sensations. Take your time.
What do you see? Any mental images? Words? There is a picture of a gray mass around and in front of that area of my body.
Look at the image. Look at the color, texture, lines. Is the picture a threat? (Any reaction in your body is a “yes”.) Yes, there are sensations in my forehead and face.
Feel those sensations. Take your time. Are the sensations a threat? Yes, there is a sensation in my throat.
Feel that sensation. Do you see anything? I see the word “suffocate”.
Look at the word. The letters, the shapes, the spaces in-between and around. Notice the space between you and the word, and around and behind the word. Is the word a threat? Yes, there is a contraction in my stomach.
Feel the contraction. Notice the space it’s happening within. I see the word “dread”.
Look at the word “dread”. Is it a threat? Yes, there is a sensation in the throat.
Feel that sensation. Is it a threat? No.
Rest with what’s here. Notice. Allow. Where is the dread? There is still a sensation in the chest, although less.
Feel those sensations. I see the word “dread” written on top of it, on top of an image of the chest with the sensations.
Look at that image. Is it a threat? Yes, it seems connected to the sensation in the chest.
Feel the sensations. Notice they are already allowed. (To the sensations: Thank you for protecting me.) What does it want from you? To be loved. Thanked. Allowed. Respected. How would it be to give that to it? [Feel it.]
What’s the worst that can happen if you thank, love, allow the sensations in the chest? I’ll allow the dread. It’ll take over.
Look at those words. Is there a threat in those words? Yes, feel it in my forehead and face.
Feel those sensations. Do you see a picture or words? Yes, an image of the energy in my forehead and upper face.
Look at the image. Is it a threat? Yes, slight feeling in belly.
Feel those sensations. Are they the threat? No.
Rest with what’s here. Notice. Allow.
Look at the word “dread” on top of the chest sensations again. Is it a threat? No.
Look at the words “it’ll take over”. Are they a threat? Yes, slight feeling around the eyes.
Feel those feelings.
[A loop here with looking at images of the eyes, resting for a long time with slight sensations in belly, then with sensations in the chest and forehead/face. What’s the worst that can happen if thank, love, allow? “I’ll drown”. Sensations in throat.]
Rest with what’s here.
Can you find dread? Slightly, in center of chest.
[A loop of feeling the sensations in center of chest, forehead, stomach, looking at the word “dread” on top of the image of the chest, resting for a while with sensations in chest/throat. Picture of me looking as if experiencing dread, slight sensations in belly/chest/throat.]
Some of the sensations in the chest are still here, but they don’t seem like dread and I am OK with them being here. I thank them for protecting me. Feel sensations in the chest, and a bit in throat and belly and forehead. Rest with it for a while. It’s OK.