A Gentle Practice for When the World Feels Heavy
Use when listening or watching the news, or when thoughts and feelings that cause you grief, fear, anguish — or any kind of suffering — arise.
Many of you have practiced this technique in class over the years. If you already know it, let this serve as a reminder.
If you are new to the technique, this is a simplified version you can begin using now.
Prepare the Mind
- Acknowledge that thoughts of “What if… How horrible… How could this… Those poor families…” etc. are the mind spooling its way into fear, horror, grief, anger, etc.
They are not helping you.
They are not helping anyone. - Remind yourself to simply observe the mind throughout the technique. When it begins to spool into other thoughts, gently bring it back to the technique.
Prepare the Heart
- Inhale softly and gently into the heart. Allow the breath to soften and open the heart.
- Exhale any sensations of tightness or constriction, letting the sensations of softness and openness remain.
The Practice to Ease Suffering
- Inhale the feeling that is causing your suffering and allow it to flow into the openness and softness of your heart. Don’t resist it. Rather, lean into it. Allow it in.
- Exhale a feeling of compassion. Exhale compassion for all beings — yourself included — who are experiencing the same feelings of suffering you inhaled.
- Repeat and continue until the feeling of compassion grows stronger than the feeling of suffering. It will.
Close
Send a blessing of compassion to all beings.