A Mediation From Learning To Tolerate Being Terrified

I’m scared that the terrible things happening in other parts of the world or to other people will visit my town, my home, my family.

I’m terrified that when that happens, despite all my training and experience as a lawyer, as a mom, as a yogi and a meditator, I won’t know how to help. Or the help I'll be able to offer will not be enough. Or I won't be able to turn towards the situation fully to even see what help is needed, because the situation will strike too deeply or pierce too sharply into my own heart. Or that I’ll simply be overwhelmed.

In your law practice, do you worry about any of that? If so, maybe we can learn how to be wise, and compassionate, and fierce, in the face of our fear, together.

Transcript

So finding your posture for today,

The posture that most supports you,

And if it's useful and feels safe to you,

You can take one hand and place it on the heart,

You can take another hand and place it on the belly,

And just feel the body breathing,

Just start by feeling the body breathing,

The chest rising and falling,

The sensation on the hand of the chest rising and falling,

Or the sensation in the chest,

Feeling the earth beneath your feet or beneath your seat,

Even if it's several stories down,

Feeling the earth,

Feeling your connection to the earth,

Sensing the earth as refuge,

Your sensation of having a few moments of refuge,

If it does feel like refuge to you right now,

If the hand is on the heart,

Maybe tapping in the heart space gently,

Taking a moment to be compassionate with yourself or whatever experiences you may be having right now that are difficult,

Whether they're very personal or whether they are interpersonal or whether because of what's happening in the world,

Anywhere in the world,

Or more than one of those three things,

All of those three things could be,

Knowing that you're doing your best,

Standing in the fire of things,

Standing in the midst of whatever you're standing in the midst of,

And just continuing to breathe and to tap the hand on the heart if that feels supportive,

Maybe considering that we're all just here,

We're all just here for a minute,

And it's not necessarily an easy minute,

And yet here we are together,

And that's not a small thing,

And maybe in these last few breaths of our sit together,

Having the intention of sending the compassion that you have for yourself out into the world to all beings who are suffering.

May all beings be safe.

I see you.

It's difficult.

May all beings be safe.