Inner Calm
In times of great stress, it’s crucial that we have pathways to quiet our minds, relax our bodies and rest in a calm, steady presence. This meditation guides us in using the breath, body scan, and a home base of presence to find that inner refuge that can carry us through difficult times.Making the U-Turn – Awakening Through Conflict
How do we honor the intelligence within anger, but not get hijacked into emotional reactivity? In this short reflection, we’ll explores the U-turn that enables us to offer a healing attention to the feelings and unmet needs under anger. Once present with our inner life, we are able to respond to those around us with wisdom, empathy and true strength.Light RAIN in Difficult Times
This meditation guides us in bringing the mindfulness and self-compassion of RAIN to a challenging part of our life, and particularly, to places of self-judgment or feelings of failure. The acronym RAIN is an easy-to-remember tool for practicing mindfulness and compassion using the following four steps: Recognize what is happening; Allow the experience to be there, just as it is; Investigate with interest and care; Nurture with self-compassion. You can take your time and explore RAIN as a stand-alone meditation or move through the steps whenever challenging feelings arise.Responding, not Reacting
“We live in a field where our emotions are an open loop – we affect each other. When we’re with someone who’s blaming, we tighten. Anger makes us tighten. When we’re with someone who’s open and caring, we become more open. It’s very, very powerful what’s possible when we put down the blame and we connect with our own being.” If we learn to release blame and deepen attention to our embodied experience, conflict can become a portal for more loving, alive relationships and awakening into the fullness of our being.
