I’ve been doing this practice lately where when I catch myself contracting — getting tense emotionally (the knot in the stomach) or hang up on something mentally (someone said something or acted somehow, and that triggered a reaction), I try to immediately let it go, relax the knot in my stomach and release the whatever mental story-drama begins unfolding.

I watch the pattern trying to start to unfold and play out, I watch the one who is watching the pattern and I take a step back, expand beyond (around?) it, and it is released. The trick is not to buy into the drama, step off the track of the same broken record. Expansion feels so great. Sometimes it’s just noticing. Sometimes taking a deep breath. Sometimes a smile. Other times retreating into silence to regroup.

“Do not expand consciousness, do not contract it instead,” says Michael Singer.

“Experience, don’t react,” echoes Ken McLeod.

Expand, don’t contract — it is a fun game. Do you play it? Any tips?