Welcome,
And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.
Today I want to talk a little bit about overwhelm,
And this meditation is based on a live session that I did recently.
There's so much going on in the world today,
And there's probably so much going on in just your own life.
And so it's easy to experience overwhelm,
To feel like there's just too much going on,
And that can make us feel anxious,
And tense,
And overwhelmed.
You've heard me say before,
Probably many times,
That we can't really control the majority of things that happen in our lives,
But what we can positively control is how we react to the things in our lives,
And that includes overwhelm.
There are conflicts going on around the world.
There's unrest in some areas.
There's poverty and hunger.
And then in the United States,
There's just insanity,
Craziness going on every single day.
I know that sometimes it seems like we just aren't going to be able to get through it.
But in fact,
We will get through it.
I sometimes think about my parents during World War II,
Or even before that during the Great Depression.
They went through periods of time when they had very little to eat,
And no jobs.
And during the war,
Things were rationed.
They went through loved ones going away to war,
And sometimes not coming back.
Japanese citizens were put in internment camps.
There was hardship,
And heartache,
And hunger,
And deaths all over the world.
And yet,
They got through it.
And we'll get through this period of time.
I know all too well,
Sometimes it seems like we won't.
And that's when you have to have faith,
When you have to believe that this too shall pass.
Because it will.
It always has,
And it always will.
In the United States,
Overwhelm is the point of all these rapid fire changes.
It's a policy.
It's a plan.
And they want us to be overwhelmed.
And that's why the best thing you can do is slow down and focus.
Dealing with overwhelm can be challenging,
But here are some strategies that can help you manage it.
First,
Prioritize tasks.
Break things down into smaller,
More manageable steps,
And then focus,
One at a time,
To avoid feeling overwhelmed by the bigger picture.
And practice mindfulness.
Engage in exercises such as deep breathing,
Meditate,
Do yoga,
Exercise,
And help calm your mind and reduce stress.
During your day,
Take breaks,
Regular breaks,
Throughout the day to recharge and prevent burnout.
Set boundaries.
Learn to say no and set boundaries to protect your time and energy.
An example is I only read the news now once a day.
Turn off all your notifications from social media sites and news sites and that kind of thing.
No one needs to read this stuff multiple times a day.
Remember,
They want us scattered,
So our focus is our resistance.
Another thing we can do is get organized.
Use tools like planners and to-do lists to keep track of your tasks and deadlines.
And seek support from family and friends.
Talking about your feelings can help alleviate some of the stress.
And exercise is a great way to reduce stress and improve your mood.
Always remember to be kind to yourself.
Take the time to do things to nurture yourself.
Reading,
Listening to music,
Taking a bath,
Whatever makes you feel relaxed.
And stay positive.
Focus on the positive aspects of your life and practice gratitude.
But most of all,
You have to stay positive.
Positive that eventually everything will get better.
Close your eyes now and let's get in touch with our breath.
It doesn't matter if you're sitting,
Standing,
Or lying down.
The only thing that truly matters when you meditate is that you're comfortable and alert.
As we start to settle in,
Let's focus on our breath.
Breathing in and breathing out,
One breath at a time.
Relax your face,
Unfurl your brow,
And unclench your jaw.
Relax your neck,
A common place of tension in today's world.
Relax your shoulders.
Relax your arms and your hands.
Relax any tension in your chest or belly.
Relax your legs and your feet.
And as you begin to relax,
Let's focus even more on our breath.
Our breath is our anchor.
It's there for us in all times.
It's there for us when we're sad.
It's there for us when we're happy.
It's there for us when we're overwhelmed.
Our breath is like a river as it flows in and flows out.
Just use your breath and continue to relax.
Sink into this moment.
You know,
Thoughts are a part of us.
So if you have thoughts while you meditate,
Just let them pass.
They're like clouds in the sky or waves on a lake.
Just let them pass across and go away.
We're only concerned with our breath.
Breathing in and breathing out one breath at a time.
And if you hear sounds in the room,
Just let them go as well.
Barking dogs and meowing cats can affect your river of calm.
Now,
If you feel willing,
Take in a deep breath through your nose and let your chest expand and hold it for just a moment.
Then exhale slowly through your mouth.
Let's do that three times.
I'll do the counting and you can do the breathing.
So breathe in through your nose.
Hold two,
Three,
Four and exhale through your mouth.
Inhale through your nose.
Hold two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale through your mouth.
Last time,
Inhale through your nose.
Hold two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale through your mouth.
Now,
Bring your attention to the sensation of your body.
Just resting,
Whether you're sitting or lying down or standing.
Notice where your body touches the chair or the floor or the bed and feel that support.
The earth supporting you and you are safe and supported.
Now,
I'd like you to imagine a peaceful place,
A beach or a forest or a meadow.
It can be a real place or a place from your imagination or a place from a book or a place from a video game.
But picture yourself there,
Feeling the warmth of the sun,
The gentle breeze against your skin,
The sounds of nature.
And spend a moment and simply enjoy this serene place.
And I'm going to pause and let you do that and I'll be back in a minute.
Now,
I hope you're safely ensconced in your safe place.
Just breathing in and breathing out one breath at a time.
Now,
If you feel willing,
I'd like you to repeat the following positive affirmation.
Just repeat it silently to yourself or out loud.
And I'll say it three times.
I am capable,
I am strong,
And I am at peace.
I am capable,
I am strong,
And I am at peace.
I am capable,
I am strong,
And I am at peace.
I know that these times we live in can seem crazy.
They can seem overwhelming.
But we have our breath.
And when you get in touch with your breath multiple times a day,
It can change your life.
Now,
As we come to a close,
Open your eyes and come back into the room.
Wiggle your fingers and toes and stretch and feel how good it is to be alive.
How good it is to be in this moment,
No matter how crazy or overwhelming it might feel.
We have the power by getting in touch with our breath to calm ourselves,
To level out our day.
You know how I love quotes,
So I'm going to share a couple with you.
Author Karen Salmonson said,
Stop living in the land of why.
There are no happy answers to why me?
Why didn't I?
Why did I?
If you must ask any questions,
Ponder how can I grow?
What's in my control to change?
What's a gain in my pain?
It's wise words.
And the Dalai Lama said,
The moment you think only of yourself,
The focus of your whole reality narrows.
And because of this narrow focus,
Uncomfortable things can appear huge and bring you fear and discomfort and a sense of feeling overwhelmed by misery.
Also wise words.
These are troubling times for many of us,
But I know that we can get through it.
We always have.
We always will.
And we have the benefit of being able to get in touch with our breath.
I hope this is a beneficial and calming session.
Till next time.
