Transforming Unresolved Conflict

This meditation explores how to accept and transform stress and unresolved conflict. Learn how to transform suffering into gratitude and peace.

Transcript

This meditation will explore how to accept and transform stress and unresolved conflict.

If I'm stressed,

I'm overwhelmed by suffering and the stress in others.

It's possible to transform suffering into gratitude and peace even if we can't fix our situation or those of others.

Begin by finding a comfortable posture.

Presence begins with the body,

The legs,

And the spine are related directly to the earth and supported by the earth.

Gravity takes care of the pelvis and the spine responds upwards.

The side ribs and the kidneys are uplifted by the quiet inhale.

The ears,

Which are open in a thousand directions,

Line up with the shoulders and the plane of the hips.

The corners of the mouth are uplifted into a soft and gentle smile and the eyes,

Which tend to follow images even when the eyelids are closed,

Are still and the eyeballs themselves slowly drop down towards the cheekbones.

Give attention to the natural inhalation and exhalation.

Bring impeccable attentiveness to each vivid breath.

Feel the breath as over time it moves from coarse to fine and as we create space for the breath to move through the body,

The breath naturally gets softer and quieter as the mind also quiets along with the nervous system and the habits of the body.

Aware of how we receive life through the breath and aware of the peaceful quality of the breath when we're not trying to change it.

If the breath is long you don't have to make it short and if the breath is short there's no need to lengthen it.

Just let the breath breathe itself.

And notice as well how when the breath begins to settle naturally the body becomes calm and in that calmness an inner resilience begins to arise.

Calming rushing,

Calming restlessness,

Calming stress by opening to the breath and focusing our attention on the gentleness of breathing.

You you you you even if the body is stirred up or our attention is discursive and caught up in stories and entangled in ideas even if the breath may seem constricted or shallow there is a place in the breath cycle where we can feel the breath is gentle can you feel where in the inhale the breath is gentle and within the support of this posture this noble posture can you feel where in the exhale the breath is gentle and open to the gentleness of the breath you continue to feel the support of the posture of the earth of the breath and also of silence receiving silence as you receive the breath you you you bring awareness to where in your life there is stress where there is anguish or regret where you ache or where there is unresolved conflict there is no need to call up the whole story or every detail of a conflict just to be present with the feeling of conflict with how the body feels right now and perhaps with your inability to fix or resolve a situation allow the whole body to open toward what you feel you you conflict that is unresolved is difficult to find peace with unless we use the body the tendency of the mind is to grasp hold of what you are feeling look at your own mind notice the way the mind spin stories out of what we feel and instead see if you can open to feelings you have around unresolved conflict or difficulty maybe even notice the tendency to create stories about another person stories about yourself categories of good or bad right or wrong you you now open to the simple changing feelings that are coming and going breath by breath moment by moment you you you you in every moment you are complete even if you can't fix or change a situation you are complete even in this flux flux is what we are you can be intimate with how you are feeling with the nature of change even in situations where you can't change a conflict a reaction or another person so we begin with feeling how gentle the breath is how nothing stays the same how the sensations of the body the movements of thought the fleeting images everything that makes up the object of our awareness is changing and open to this change through breathing feeling how gentle the breath is how nourishing the breath is opening to the silence that surrounds the breath you you we are so lucky to be able to breathe right now we are alive and this body is precious and this breath can transform suffering into relief even as you sit if there is suffering present when you breathe out the body accepts and absorbs the peace and calm of this moment you the breath says yes the body says yes we can turn towards conflict and we can take care of our reactivity and stress by finding the gentleness of each vivid breath where in the inhale can you find gentleness of breath you where in the exhale can you feel the tender breath you even in the midst of conflict even in the midst of unresolved difficulty or even when the difficulty was far in the past we can feel the breath I can open to anger hurt grief I can open to the ground of the breathing body of this body under the brokenness the ruins or the hurt I feel and at the same time grateful to be breathing in this body in this life inhaling and exhaling is a vow to include everything there are always conflicts we cannot resolve and still and still we can be intimate with ourselves and from there intimate with others to truly be at home in this world we need to be willing to open to all states of mind of relationship and also how precious this body is how lucky we are to be breathing to be alive to be here to really be awake to our lives even in times of difficulty to appreciate how difficulty wakes us up you every time we inhale the breath says yes when we exhale the whole body opens and says yes life is so important and it's also changing an opportunity gets lost let's use this practice to wake up so we don't miss and drift through our lives so we don't miss this precious life you you you you you You You

Reviews

Thank you for creating this. It was exactly the peace I needed and space to reflect was perfect.

Brilliant.

Thank you so much for helping me to wake up. I've drifted, languished for much of my life. Knowing the connection between breath, body and change will now help me move forward. I will practice more gratitude even during stressful, unresolved conflicts. I'm especially grateful for a most meaningful meditation at a time I'm in much need for.

This is definitely my favourite meditation. I appreciate that there’s no music, and the guidance is thorough, relaxing, and helpful. 😊

This was really very well guided. I am planning to practice this many times. Thank you 🙏

Precious teachings 🙏✨❤️

Beautiful guidance from an insightful soulful teacher 🙇‍♀️✨💕

Very compassionate, helpful, the ending Bell is a little harsh/jolting for me after such a calm and profound meditation. Thank you so much.

I needed this today when simply sitting in silent meditation was not possible. Wherever you are, Michael, thank you for this gift.

A beautiful and calming experience

I am so thankful for Michael’s teachings.

Wonderful insight

Very helpful thank you

Grounding, calming encompassing all feeling, all experience.

Thank you, that was beautiful

Very helpful, and soothing...

Very steady and pleasant guidance. Thank you.

Don’t worry it’s still playing during the long silences

Excellent. Thank you.

Michael,you are right next to us.Thank you. RIP.