My name is Alonzo,
Also known as the Life Lama,
And I'd like to welcome you to this meditation.
In every wisdom tradition,
Buddhism,
Taoism,
Christianity,
Sufism,
There's a common teaching.
Peace is not something you find outside of yourself,
It's something you build within you.
The Taoist spoke of water stillness,
The Buddhist spoke of resting in awareness like a mountain unmoved by storms.
Christ offered peace not as the world gives,
But a peace that surpasses understanding.
These teachers didn't say we avoid chaos,
They taught us how to remain centered when chaos arises.
But in today's world,
Flooded with screens,
Alerts,
Noise,
And demands,
We've been trained to respond,
React,
And rush.
We rarely sit,
We rarely breathe.
This meditation is about reversing that trend.
We're going to train our nervous system to recognize calm as home,
So that when chaos inevitably knocks at our door,
We're not scrambling for peace,
We already know the way back.
Let's begin by sitting comfortable in an upright position,
Either on a cushion or a chair.
Let your spine be long,
But not stiff.
Your hands resting gently,
Palms down on your thighs,
Or loosely cupped in your lap.
Allow your eyes to close or soften your gaze.
Begin to notice your breath.
No need to change it,
Just let it come as it is.
Breathe in,
Breathe out.
Let the body settle,
Let the mind slow down.
Let yourself arrive here.
The way we train in calm begins with what we take in through our senses.
Ask yourself,
What do I watch?
What sounds do I allow into my ears?
What food do I eat and how do I eat it?
Each of these is shaping your nervous system.
With every quiet morning,
Every mindful bite,
Every peaceful song,
You're rehearsing for life.
You're saying to your body,
This is home.
This is how we live.
Let that silence be your teacher now.
What are your senses teaching your nervous system each day?
Where might you shift them toward calm?
Sit with that.
Now return to your breath.
The breath is always with us.
It's a metronome of calmness.
Inhale gently through your nose.
Exhale slowly through your mouth.
Let the breath be like the tide,
Coming in,
Going out.
With each exhale,
Soften your jaw,
Your shoulders,
Your belly.
You're returning home with each breath.
Sit with the breath in silence.
Let it carry you inward.
Where does your breath want to lead you?
Calm isn't passive.
It's alive.
It's present.
It's powerful.
So often we're distracted,
Not because we're weak,
But because the world demands it.
It's in our hands we scatter.
But presence is your power.
Right now,
Can you feel the full presence of your body?
The air on your skin?
The rhythm in your chest?
Let that presence burn away the noise.
Let it light your inner stillness.
Rest in this moment.
No past.
No future.
Just here.
Just presence.
What do you feel?
That presence is what you truly are.
Sit with that for a moment.
Imagine that calm is not something you visit,
But something you are.
Not a destination,
But a returning.
Let this thought settle in your heart.
No matter what chaos arises in my life,
I know the way home.
Feel that home now.
Safe.
Steady.
Familiar.
You've been building that home every time you pause,
Breathe,
And listen within.
This is your training ground.
This is your sanctuary.
Sit now in silence,
Anchored in calm.
Let it imprint into your being.
This is your refuge.
Return to it often.
Gently begin to bring your awareness back.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Notice the space around you.
And before you open your eyes,
Silently affirm,
Today,
I will carry calm into everything I do.
Take one final deep breath in,
And exhale out.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Thank you so much for taking the time to meditate with me today.
