This is a practice from Rick Hansen.
And it's called 10,
000 Things Meditation.
And this practice helps us to walk in another's shoes.
A way of building empathy.
So.
.
.
Taking a few moments now to relax.
And steady the mind.
Focusing on the breath.
Just taking this time for yourself.
To do this practice.
And inviting you to pick a situation.
In which you feel someone.
Has wronged you.
Maybe someone recently or in the past?
And while bringing that situation to mind,
Be mindful of your reactions to this person,
Especially the deeper ones.
And now scan yourself.
For any ill will.
And releasing any tension.
And focusing on your breath again.
To settle.
As you bring to mind this situation,
This experience,
This person.
Are now inviting you to reflect.
On some of the various causes.
The 10,
000 things.
That have led that person to act in the way that he or she has or had.
Consider.
Biologically based factors affecting them.
Like any pain.
Or their age.
Or their innate temperament.
Or intelligence.
Consider this.
Consider the realities of their life.
Their race,
Their gender.
Class.
Their responsibilities and daily stresses.
Consider whatever you know or could guess about their childhood.
Consider major events in their life as an adult.
Consider their mental processes.
Their personality.
Their values and fears.
Their hopes.
And dreams.
Consider their parents.
In light of whatever you know or can reasonably guess about them.
Consider,
Too,
The factors which may have shaped their lives.
And reflect on the historical events and other upstream forces.
That have formed the river of causes flowing through their life today.
So consider and reflect on these 10,
000 things.
I'm inviting you now to look inside yourself once more.
Do you feel differently now about them?
Do you feel any differently about yourself?
I'm inviting you now to take those feelings with you into the rest of the day.
And when you're ready,
Just.
.
.
Gently opening your eyes.
And coming back into the room.
