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Compassion enhances our self-confidence because a calm mind allows our marvelous human intelligence to bloom. When we’re angry, our thinking is distorted and we don’t see the different aspects of reality. A calm mind enables us to take a broader, more realistic view.”
— Dalaî Lama
Let's DO A Meditation especially if your home and need a little woosh in your life at this time.
If you are feeling stressed by this pandemic and want to ease your anxiety while practicing compassion for the world, please use this guided meditation. You can pull this up in your time of need, at work, home, before a stressful situation, etc.
This is an exercise in loving-kindness and compassion which can help you acknowledge and approach your distress, then meet it with compassion. It starts with feeling compassion for yourself and then expands your compassion to include the whole world. Because the world needs all the love it can get right now.
If doing this meditation increases your anxiety, throw it away. If it helps, use it as often as you need. Trust me, you'll enjoy!!
To begin, center yourself by taking three deep breaths. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. If you can do this, be grateful, you are alive!
Next, take three breaths counting from one to five as you inhale through your nose, hold it for a moment, then count from five to one as you breathe out. Pace yourself.
For the rest of the meditation, take three breaths for each category. If the category resonates with you, take more breaths there before moving on.
For yourself:
Breathe in your fear and anxiety, and breathe out peace and well-being
Breathe in fear of getting sick and suffering, breathe out wellness and easing of suffering
Breathe in the discomfort of unknown expectations, breathe out a wish for peace and freedom in the present moment.
For your friends and family (you can breathe for individuals as you think about them and then finish by including the larger group of people you didn’t focus on individually):
Breathe in their fear and anxiety, and breathe out peace and well-being for them
Breathe in your fear of their getting sick and suffering, and breathe out wellness and hope for easing their suffering
For your local community:
Breathe in everybody’s fear and anxiety, and breathe out peace and well-being for them
Breathe in your fear of their getting sick and suffering, and breathe out wellness and hope for easing of suffering.
For people who are infected:
Breathe in their fear and anxiety, and breathe out peace and well-being for them
Breathe in the pain and suffering that comes with illness, and breathe out wellness and hope for easing of suffering.
For people who are sick and suffering from all other diseases and ailments:
Breathe in their fear and anxiety. Breathe out peace and well-being for them
Breathe in the pain and suffering that comes with illness and ailments. Breathe out wellness and hope for easing of suffering.
For caregivers and helpers:
Breathe in as you think about all the caregivers who are helping those in need in large and small ways. Breathe out gratitude and wishes for success in their work.
For the whole world:
Breathe in all the pain and suffering, fear and grief of all human beings throughout the world. Breathe out peace and harmony for your world.
To end the Mediation:
Take four breaths counting from one to five as you inhale. Counting from five to one as you exhale. Feel the peace in the present moment.
Please let me know if you enjoyed this meditation. If so share it with others!