Friends,
You know,
I suspected that no matter the outcome of this election,
There would be a very tense few months,
At least on the other side of it.
And so I wrote this before the election and haven't changed a word.
As you listen to this,
You know,
The outcome,
And you know that we are far from done with the divisiveness and brokenness of our politics and our nation.
The weight of this post-election time may be resting heavily in your body,
Mind and heart.
You might be grieving the outcome,
You might be fearful of what's next in our government,
Or on our streets,
Or in our neighborhoods,
And in our families.
So let yourself feel what's here,
Whether it's tension,
Racing thoughts,
Abject fear,
Waves of any kind of emotion.
I invite you to allow all of it to simply be.
Maybe take a few moments right now and find a space of calm in your body,
In your atmosphere.
Take a deep breath and exhale fully.
Continue with your intentional breathing.
See if you can slow your breathing down,
Which will in turn help to regulate your nervous system and your body,
Your heartbeat,
Quiet your mind.
Breathe deeply,
Exhale fully,
And be present in this moment,
This being the only moment you have.
See if you can relax tension throughout your body,
Your face muscles,
See if you can soften and relax them,
Any tightness in your jaw,
Your neck,
Your shoulders.
Allow this relaxation,
This relaxing of your muscles and your tension to flow right through your arms,
And your hands,
And your fingers,
Through your torso,
And your hips,
Your legs,
Down into your feet.
I invite you to bring a particular awareness to your feet.
Feel them grounding you and connecting you to the earth and to all that is.
Continue breathing,
Access a space of peace and calm,
And say to yourself,
Welcome,
Welcome,
Welcome.
Yes,
There's no need to change anything right now.
Just be still,
Act not,
Just notice what's happening for you and in you.
As we enter a practice wherein we will wait with patience,
And as you breathe,
Welcome each part of your experience right now with gentleness.
This is a time when fear,
Or anger,
Or sorrow may be closer to the surface than usual.
Recognize them without judgment.
Notice them,
Sense them in your body.
See if you can access where you are feeling whatever your emotions are,
And bring attention to that part of your body.
Hold it in love.
Say inwardly,
I welcome you fear.
I welcome you sorrow.
I welcome you anger.
Welcome,
Welcome.
Is this all you can do today?
Maybe so.
And if so,
Then know you are already loosening your fear's grip on you,
Your sorrow's grip on you,
Your anger's grip on you.
You are courageously being with what is,
And you are already just a little bit stronger.
Keep breathing.
Inhale deeply,
And exhale fully.
Welcome.
And if you are ready,
If you are able,
You are invited now to release what no longer serves you,
Your egoic compulsions to grasp for control,
For security,
And for esteem,
And to find groundedness in divine power,
Divine safety,
And divine love.
If it's possible,
See if you can release your compulsive grasping for control,
Which can so easily arise when you feel the world's direction is beyond your understanding.
And in letting go of control,
See if you can open to divine power,
The power that grounds us,
Holds us,
And connects us to something larger than any nation,
Leader,
Or election.
With each breath,
Say silently,
I let go of control in the hope of resting in divine power.
Now see if you can release your need for security,
Especially in a moment when the future seems unsettled and you might be feeling very vulnerable.
Invite yourself into divine safety,
The safety found in our connection to one another and in the grounding divine love that never leaves us.
If you can,
Say inwardly,
I release my grasping for security in the hope of resting in divine safety.
And now see if you can release your need for esteem,
Which can rise up as we brace ourselves against fear.
Instead,
We lean into divine love,
The love that reminds us of our worth just as we are in this very moment.
If you can,
Say silently,
I let go of my egoic desire for esteem in the hope of resting in divine love.
And if you can,
See if you can let go of any desires you might have to change the situation.
Not that you could,
But those desires might be strong.
See if you can begin to simply be present,
The reality of what is.
And as you sit with these words,
Allow the fears and anxieties stirred by this election,
By our nation's divisions,
By all the tension and conflict and hatred in our world to begin loosening their grip.
You may not feel relief immediately,
And that's okay.
Simply trust that each breath,
Each release is enough because in this openness,
We make room for courage,
Calm,
And clarity.
Finally as we end this meditation,
I invite you to place a hand on your heart.
Feel its steady rhythm.
This beat is your anchor,
Your connection to the divine and to humanity and the universe,
A reminder you are held and sustained.
Together,
We can be present with what's happening,
Trusting that this work within ourselves is the beginning of a new way forward.
Hold on to this space,
Carry it with you and let it be a refuge.
Remember you're not alone.
We're in this together,
Meeting whatever comes with openness,
Strength,
And a deep knowing light arises out of all darkness and leads us in love.
