Welcome.
This meditation is for times of uncertainty.
When the world feels unsettled and you may be feeling anxious,
Overwhelmed,
Or unsteady.
In this practice,
We're not trying to escape what's happening or force ourselves to feel calm.
Instead,
We'll gently explore how to find steadiness within change,
Drawing on simple Buddhist teachings of presence,
Impermanence,
And compassion.
Let's begin by finding a position that feels as comfortable and supportive as possible for you.
You can be seated or lying down.
There's no one right way to do this.
Just allow your body to settle in a way that feels comfortable,
Kind,
And supportive.
Take a moment to fully arrive.
And if it feels okay,
You might gently close your eyes,
Or if that's not comfortable,
Just invite a soft gaze,
Perhaps cast downward at your lap or at the floor,
And let it rest on one spot.
And now take a nice,
Slow,
Deep breath in through your nose and a long,
Easy breath out through your mouth.
Again,
Breathing in and breathing out.
And then allowing the breath to come in its own natural rhythm and pace and depth.
No need for effort or control now.
Let's begin by acknowledging what brings us here.
We are living in a time of profound uncertainty and political unrest.
Many of us are carrying fear,
Anger,
Grief,
Confusion,
Exhaustion.
Nothing is wrong with you for having any or all of these feelings.
In this practice,
We're not trying to make everything better.
We're learning how to be steady inside the storm.
I'd invite you to bring your attention to the feeling of your body breathing.
Not controlling the breath,
Just noticing it.
Feel the inhale arriving.
Feel the exhale releasing.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Arriving.
Releasing.
Arriving.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
And now gently widen your awareness to include the body as a whole.
Notice any points of contact.
Perhaps your feet on the ground.
Where your body is supported by whatever surface is holding you.
In the Buddhist tradition,
The body is often our first refuge.
Right now,
Let the body be an anchor.
Something solid,
Present,
And here.
If the mind wanders,
That's okay.
Each time you notice that your attention has drifted away,
Just gently return it to sensation.
Breathing.
Touch.
Gravity.
And now silently and gently,
Name what is true for you right now.
You might say inwardly,
This is a time of uncertainty.
This is a time of upheaval.
This is a time of strong emotions.
In Buddhism,
This is called right recognition.
Seeing clearly without judgment.
We're not feeding the fear.
We're also not pushing it away.
We're simply allowing the truth of this moment to be known.
Notice how it feels in the body when you acknowledge this honestly.
Is there tightness?
Heat?
Heaviness?
Numbness?
Let it all belong.
And now you might bring to mind a simple teaching of the Buddha.
All conditioned things are impermanent.
This includes political systems.
This includes social unrest.
This includes fear,
Anger,
And despair.
This even includes this very breath.
Nothing stays the same forever.
You might silently repeat,
This too is changing.
See if you can feel how impermanence doesn't only mean loss.
It also means possibility.
Movement.
Openings we can't yet see.
Steadiness does not come from controlling the world.
It comes from learning how to meet change without losing ourselves.
And now bring attention to the space of awareness itself.
That part of you that is noticing breath,
Body,
Thoughts,
And emotions.
Thoughts may be loud.
Emotions may be intense.
But notice awareness is already holding them.
We can take refuge in this very capacity to be present.
You might silently say to yourself,
I can rest in awareness.
There is space here.
I am not only the storm.
I am also the sky.
Let this be a moment of spiritual refuge.
I can rest in awareness.
There is space here.
I am not only the storm.
I am also the sky.
And now gently place a hand on your heart.
Or on another comforting place on your body.
Acknowledge the tenderness of being human in this moment.
You might silently offer yourself a few more phrases.
Letting them land softly.
May I be safe.
May I be steady.
May I meet this time with wisdom and care.
May I be safe.
May I be steady.
May I meet this time with wisdom and care.
And now if it feels right,
Expand this outward.
Bring to mind others who are feeling frightened or overwhelmed.
People you love.
People whose lives are directly affected by the unrest.
Perhaps even people you disagree with.
Without fixing or judging,
Simply offer,
May we be safe.
May we be steady.
May we remember our shared humanity.
This compassion does not mean agreement.
It means refusing to dehumanize.
May we be safe.
May we be steady.
May we remember our shared humanity.
As we come toward the end of this practice,
Return again to the body.
Feel the breath.
Feel your connection to the earth.
Know that steadiness is not something you achieve once and keep forever.
It's something you return to again and again.
You can always come back to the breath.
To the body.
To awareness.
To compassion.
And when you're ready,
You can gently open your eyes or lift your gaze.
Honor any need of your body to wiggle or readjust.
May this practice support you in meeting uncertainty with clarity,
Wisdom,
And care.
