Mediation From Four Ways To Be Still In Difficult Moments

When I’m upset, sometimes I think I’m the only one who feels like I do, or who’s having the problems I’m having. But that’s never the case: everyone gets upset, frustrated, bummed out, and scared, at some point or other.

When I can remember that, and learn from it – meaning, learn from the difficult moments – things feel lighter. I take things less personally. I remember we’re all in this together, and that everything changes. I can begin to notice when sadness gives way to gratitude, and anger to compassion.

If there’s a difference between easy and easeful, then I’d say, learning, remembering, and noticing are not easy. But when I do them, I land in a more easeful place. The effort feels worthwhile.

Transcript

So everyone, Finding your posture for your meditation for today, And settling in to this moment and to whatever the moment holds, Taking a few intentional deep breaths to maybe let the body settle in even further, Locating the breath or the sound in your environment and bringing the attention to either the breath as it flows in and out of the body or the sound as it arises and passes away, Choosing one of those two. And then just beginning to ride those waves of breath or sound, And then gently beginning to open to whatever else is present, Whatever the body is feeling, Whatever emotions may be present. So if there's discomfort, Restlessness, If there's frustration or concern or fear or anything, If it's possible to welcome whatever is here in this moment for you, Welcoming it maybe without focusing or pointing at the person who's causing the distress or the situation, And just being with what is. You know, Resisting the impulse, However subtle or strong, And to point outward to try to stop how this feels and how this feels, This difficulty. And just be with it as best you can. And maybe this moment or there is a moment which feels just full of ease as you're watching and paying attention. And see if you can summon some real gladness for that sense of ease. And for the difficult moments, It's both. It's self-compassion because, Owie. And it's also, Is there some gladness for this moment as a teacher? You know, What's possible? Remembering that in some ways, How does the nursery rhyme go? Life is but a dream. Life is but a dream. .