Emotions and the physical changes they create come when you Dislike something as well.

Normally, when you Dislike something and you are functioning unconsciously from your small, habitual Chattering Mind, the tendency is to Resist.

Imagine summer has just begun and you take a fall on your bike and break your arm. You experience immense pain from the break and great discomfort from the cast. And now you learn that having a cast means you can’t go swimming for six to eight weeks!

You are simultaneously fuming and devastated. You do not want this to be your summer! You spend your days lost in your own mental anguish over your ruined summer.

This Resistance gives rise to feelings such as fear, anger, depression and anxiety.

When you’re not mindful of Dislike leading to Resistance, these emotions arise and influence how you see yourself, your situation and the world.

The stress response is signaled to kick on, leaving you with the pain of your initial hurt and your painful Resistance and now your nervous system is working from a heightened state.

Not only have you broken your arm, but now you are so upset that you can’t find any pleasure in anything. The summer looks like a long empty expanse ahead.

However, when Dislike moves through you and you open bravely to it, instead of closing down around Resistance, emotions such as acceptance, clarity and compassion begin to arise.

You’re bummed about your broken arm, and from your own Open Mind you are able to meet that disappointment with compassion.

Your own compassion grows towards all the other kids who are hurt or sick just like you this summer.

You are also able to see that although being hurt is not ideal, there is still a lot of fun and adventure to be had.

Your awareness of how Dislike brings Resistance helps to support the activation of your parasympathetic nervous system and prefrontal cortex.

And this mentally and physically sets you up to courageously step beyond your Resistance and accept the reality of your situation.