The Tiger Within: Effort Without Struggle

Helps release worry, frustration, and anger by distinguishing purposeful effort from unnecessary struggle. Find what calm strength looks like right now, choose focused effort, and set the extra struggle down. (Originally released in 2015)

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Transcript

Effort Versus Struggle Setup

Chel Hamilton 0:00

This meditation will be helpful for people with stress and anxiety-related issues, but also anger and some other things. Here's the thing there's a huge difference between effort in life and putting in effort into struggling. And this guided meditation is really about you getting a feel for the difference between those. And to do that, we're going to use a tiger.

Drop Into The Meditation

Intro 0:25

This is the Meditation Minis podcast with your host, Hypnotist Shell Hamilton.

Chel Hamilton 0:32

Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and just let yourself begin to relax. Just kind of allowing a few more gentle breaths to settle in. You might even find that this is a perfect opportunity for you to imagine a comforting, relaxing feeling drifting from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, taking you even deeper into that meditative place deep inside.

Become A Tiger In The Jungle

Chel Hamilton 1:10

I'd like you now to imagine that you're in a jungle and you feel very safe and secure. This jungle is your home, and you're curled up, just getting ready to get up from your nighttime sleep. Except you're not a human being. You are a tiger. A tiger. Imagine how that would feel as you wake in the jungle as a beautiful tiger, so powerful. You get up and you have a good stretch, the way that cats of all sizes like to do when they wake up. And then just kind of smelling the air to decide which direction you're going to head off to for your day. To find lunch along the way.

Hunting With Calm Focus

Chel Hamilton 2:16

And you just set off along that little path through the jungle, headed towards the grasslands today, where that watering hole is, and the antelope like to come to drink. And as you walk along the path, just enjoying the sounds of the morning as the jungle is waking up. Just plodding along, and maybe even having a good scratch up against that tree the way that cats and tigers like to do. And just about mid-morning, you come across that tiny little spring that just bubbles up there off to one side of the path. It's a tiny little thing, but it has the freshest, most wonderfully delicious water. And having a refreshing little drink. And then going on about your way down that path towards the grasslands. And as you do, a little mouse just kind of runs across in front of you, and you grab up that unexpected snack. Because you're a tiger, of course, and so that's what you do. And you just continue on along your way. And when you reach the grasslands, it's the perfect time of day when the antelope like to come to drink. And so you crouch down and make your way slowly through the grass, feeling the heat of the sun on your back as it warms you, and you position yourself, and you choose your prey. As you launch yourself completely, a hundred and ten percent focused on your target, using all of the energy at your disposal in your body and mind to take down lunch. You really put in a massive effort, and it just feels good. As you have your success, and the sun is so warm in the afternoon as you set off back towards the jungle, your your belly full, feeling quite satisfied.

The Silly Human Struggle Trap

Chel Hamilton 4:46

You can consider, as the tiger, how lucky you are that you aren't one of those silly humans. Because a silly human would have woken up in the morning and probably would have been so worried and concerned about finding lunch, they wouldn't have stretched. They would have just gotten up and picked some direction kind of haphazardly, not really reading the signs, and would have just taken off down that path, worried, concerned. Oh my gosh, am I gonna get what I need? I'm so worried about this. It's such a struggle, it's so hard. Silly human, the tiger thinks. And that silly human pulls a muscle, of course, because they didn't stretch in the morning now, did they? And they certainly know nothing about that beautiful little bubbling spring. And they missed that snack completely, and they get to the grasslands way too early anyway. And when they arrive, they're so exhausted from having run around unfocused, scared, that they fall asleep in the hot sun and miss the prey completely. Silly little humans. And so as you walk back to your sleeping place in the jungle, you are a tiger, powerful, focused, and you know the difference between effort and needless struggle.

Bring Tiger Energy Into Your Day

Chel Hamilton 6:14

As you enjoy your walk back to where it is that you sleep, feeling the power in your body in that present-minded focus. Just breathe. Just be. Isn't that interesting? And as you return to your little spot in the jungle and kind of snuggle your way down to go to sleep. You put your head down to take your rest, knowing that you did your best. You put in the effort, and you know what? Some days you don't succeed. But it's okay. You did the best that you can do, and that's all anyone can ever expect of you, even you of you. When you come up out of this meditation today, I'd like you to take a little time throughout the day, throughout the next couple of days. And when you find yourself in that place of worry and struggle, imagine stopping for a moment, taking a deep breath, and maybe even closing your eyes. And imagine stepping into that tiger once again. What would a tiger do? How would they handle this situation? Now I know some of you are thinking, oh, a tiger would take that person's head off, but you know what I mean. Just relax and be in a place of powerful peace. Where effort is definitely put in, but the struggle is set aside. And how blessed you are. You're a tiger with a tiger's pride. And as you now begin to prepare yourself to come up out of this meditative state, you can choose if you want to bring the power of the tiger with you. And how that might help you throughout your day and week to be an even better human, too. Because it all belongs to you to choose.