Finding Calm In Uncertain Times

This track is an exploration of anxiety in response to uncertain times, notably the state of the world today. Through centring and grounding exercises, you are encouraged to be present and appreciate the perfection of the moment. The meditation moves though kindness and compassion to yourself and to others feeling fear and hopelessness in regards to politics, warfare and climate degradation. You are encouraged to notice how your body responds to these feelings and to breathe into them, releasing tension. Finally, some practical steps are suggested to protect your wellbeing. Photo by Zayed Iqbal Abir on Unsplash

Transcript

Hello,

My name is Scott Langston and I'd like to welcome you to this mindfulness meditation about finding calm in uncertain times.

Welcome.

Wherever you are right now,

Allow yourself to pause.

You've arrived at this moment because the world feels heavy,

The headlines,

The noise,

The endless stream of conflict and uncertainty,

The unnecessary polarity,

The unkindness.

It weighs heavily on the heart.

But for the next 20 to 30 minutes,

I'd like to invite you to step away from all of that.

We begin that process by simply being aware of your breathing.

Feel the inhale,

Feel the exhale.

Settle down.

Find yourself a place of comfort,

Lying down,

Sitting down,

And if you can,

Gently allow your eyes to close.

Allow yourself to arrive here where you are.

Right here,

Right now.

Give yourself the permission to simply be.

Take a deep breath in through the nose,

And release it.

Again,

Inhale deeply,

Hold your breath,

And let it go.

Each time you exhale,

Let your shoulders soften.

Breathe in deeply,

Let it go.

There is nothing that you need to do in this moment.

You simply need to be.

Nothing to think about,

Nothing to fix.

Be still.

Be here with each breath that you take.

There is nothing you need to figure out.

Allow yourself to simply be.

Gently bring your awareness to the top of your head.

Notice any sensations you can feel there.

Tingling,

Warmth,

Let go of any judgment,

Just observe.

Slowly move your attention down your forehead,

Your eyes,

Your jaw.

Do you feel any tension there?

Can you allow it to soften?

Your neck,

Your shoulders,

Your arms,

Observe.

Be aware of the state of the muscles.

Pulse any tension that you're holding there.

With each exhalation,

Allow them to soften,

Even just a little.

Notice your hands resting where they are.

Notice your chest rising,

Falling.

Notice your belly softening with each breath.

Move on down to your hips,

Your thighs,

Your knees,

Your calves,

Your ankles and your feet.

Feel the weight of your body supported by the ground beneath you.

Holding you here,

Anchored in this present moment,

Safe in the here and now.

Take a few deep breaths and with each exhalation,

Focus on an area where you felt tension in your body and watch as it relaxes,

As it softens,

As it lets go of tension it was holding.

And now let's shift our attention to sound.

Notice the sounds that you can hear.

Which sounds can you hear closest to you?

What can you hear coming from further away?

Perhaps birdsong,

Traffic,

Voices.

There's no need to do anything with those sounds.

No need to judge them.

No need to work out where they're coming from.

Just be aware.

And now back to your breath.

Notice the gentle rhythm of inhale,

Exhale,

Inhale,

Exhale.

And as you're simply being present with your breath,

Thoughts will arise.

And as they do,

You can simply note that you've had a thought.

And you can watch it leave.

You don't need to follow it or judge yourself for having it.

Guide your attention back to the flow of your breathing and let it go.

Right here,

Right now,

In this moment,

There is breath.

There is your body.

There is safety.

Repeat quietly to yourself,

In this moment I am safe.

In this moment I am whole.

In this moment I have all that I need.

And again.

In this moment I am safe.

In this moment I am whole.

In this moment I have all that I need.

And now from this place of calm groundedness,

I'd like to invite you ever so gently to bring to mind the anxiety about the world that you have been carrying.

The stories you've heard.

The images you've seen.

The confusion of opinions.

The polarity of our political leaders.

Uncertainty about where the world is headed.

About inequality.

About warfare.

About environmental degradation.

About climate change.

Notice how your body feels when you think of these things.

Notice the weight of it.

The physicality of it.

Pay attention to where it turns up in your body.

Take a couple more centering breaths.

And imagine yourself breathing into that area of tension.

And as you breathe out,

Visualize it leaving you.

Place a hand on your heart.

Feel the warmth of your own touch.

And whisper silently to yourself.

These feelings are valid.

These fears are human.

And now let's offer some kindness and compassion to the part of you that feels scared.

That feels anxious.

Sometimes overwhelmed.

Sometimes just tired.

Silently repeat after me.

May I find peace in this moment.

May I be grounded in the face of uncertainty.

May the world move toward healing.

May I find peace in this moment.

May I be grounded in the face of uncertainty.

May the world move toward healing.

If it feels right to you now,

Imagine everybody else who feels the way that you do.

With your hand on your heart,

Spread that compassionate kindness to those beings.

May we all find peace in this moment.

May we all be grounded in the face of uncertainty.

May the world move toward healing.

May we all find peace in this moment.

May we all be grounded in the face of uncertainty.

May the world move toward healing.

Stay with this feeling of compassion for yourself and for others.

As you bring your attention back to your breathing.

And now I'd like to invite you to join me for a short visualization.

Picture yourself standing outside under a vast open sky.

Above you the clouds are moving,

Shifting shape,

Changing patterns.

Some are dark and heavy.

Others are lighter,

Softer.

There are patches of clear blue sky.

No cloud lasts forever.

Beneath your feet the earth is steady.

The earth is deep,

Patient,

Ancient.

As you stand there under the changing skies,

Imagine yourself to be like a tree.

Your roots extending deeply into the solidity,

The depth and the safety of the earth.

The winds of the world are disturbing your branches.

But your core remains strong,

Remains steady as you're deeply rooted in the present moment.

The world will continue to change.

It always has and it always will.

Change is the only thing that doesn't change.

But you can choose again and again and again to meet that change with calm,

With clarity,

With compassion.

Slowly bring your awareness back to your breathing,

To your body,

To where you're sitting or lying.

Gently wiggle your fingers,

Wiggle your toes.

Take a deep,

Nourishing breath in and slowly exhale.

Know that you can return to this time,

To this place within yourself whenever you wish.

You don't have to carry the weight of your anxiety about the world every step that you take.

You don't have to carry that weight alone.

Your grounded,

Compassionate care matters.

Your very presence here matters.

And though you probably can't see it,

The ripple effect that you have on others matters.

You matter,

Probably more than you will ever be aware of.

When you're ready,

Gently open your eyes.

Maybe roll your head from side to side,

Stretch out your shoulders.

And as we close this practice,

Let's consider some practical tools that we can use to take this calmness beyond this moment.

Try to limit your exposure to news.

Our desire to know what's happening goes back thousands of years to when the slightest bit of gossip meant life or death in our hundred-strong hunter-gatherer community.

Society has changed,

But we intrinsically have not.

And the desire we feel to know what's happening thousands of miles away fills us with anxiety and dread that doesn't serve us,

That doesn't help us to survive,

That simply causes us pain.

We know that negative news sells.

But it can be overwhelming to constantly consume negative stories.

And we know now that AI algorithms will continue to feed them to you when you do interact with them.

Take a break from your media consumption.

Designate specific times to check the news.

On a regular basis,

Take a day off.

No news.

Try focusing on some good news sources.

A simple internet search will provide you with many.

Try to balance the negativity with some positivity.

Monitor your screen time.

We know that too much time on devices does lead to an increase in anxiety.

Try to track your screen time and limit it.

Set daily limits for news or social media use.

Switch off notifications that aren't essential to you.

This will help you to stay present in this moment.

Practice mindful breathing.

Throughout your day,

Pause and reconnect with your breath.

It takes just a few seconds to take a deep breath in,

Exhale,

Feel your feet on the floor,

Grounded in this moment,

And staying present in the real world.

Try to engage in small acts of kindness.

Reaching out to a friend,

Volunteering,

Offering a smile to someone.

Tiny acts of kindness not only boost your mood,

But create ripples of positivity in the world.

And practice gratitude.

Daily,

Find one,

Two,

Three things for which you're grateful.

From as basic as the roof over your head,

Or the warm cup of coffee in your hand,

To the conversation with a friend,

To the time you're able to invest in your relationships.

Gratitude shifts our focus from what's missing,

What's wrong,

What we lack,

To what we have,

To what's right,

And promotes a sense of calm.

Remember,

Be aware right now of the steadiness that you feel.

Take it with you into the rest of your day.

And when the world feels heavy,

Reflect on how you can pause,

Relax,

Soften,

Offer yourself and others compassion.

You are safe,

You are whole,

You are enough.

Thank you for spending this time with me today.