When the news is so sad that I just don’t think I can bear it, I remember to consciously and gently touch into the deep sadness with kindness, compassion, and enough equanimity to hold it in my heart without getting lost in it. When the news is so sad that I just don’t think I can bear it, I remember to consciously and gently touch into the deep sadness with kindness, compassion, and equanimity. When I see fear arising, instead of being hijacked by my fight, flight, and freeze reactivity, can I calm my nervous system and see the common suffering and relate to it, and to others, in a way that is consistent with a dedication to deepening kindness and compassion? Even if those “others” are exhibiting behavior that is making me feel threatened and concerned (dare I say, even if they are not socially distancing as I deem appropriate)? In choosing a compassionate response, I remember to feel my feet on the floor or take a few mindful breaths or even remind myself, with a hand on my heart, that I am doing all I can to keep myself and others healthy, safe and well. If I am paying attention when I get off course, which will inevitably happen, I can always make a course correction. One element of consciously choosing how to relate and respond to the world means I’m frequently asking myself, again and again: How do I want to respond to these challenging times? What is my intention in the midst of it all, and how does my practice support me? Can I “let be” and relax with this level of uncertainty and how does my intention support me in doing just that?Ĭan I cultivate self-compassion and compassion for others as we all navigate this uncharted territory? And can I begin again when I feel that I have strayed from my intention (which, if I am being totally honest, has certainly happened countless times)? The reminder here is that intention is pointing in a direction, it’s a north star, not a destination. What I can do is cultivate the ability, moment by moment, to choose how I relate to this experience. The reality is, I can do virtually nothing about much of what is unfolding. This has never been more evident to me than it is right now. Though I deeply appreciate how my mindfulness practice provides me with tremendous support in the midst of current challenges, it is specifically the questions around intention that have deepened that practice and enhanced my capacity to choose how I relate to this moment. What is my intention in these unprecedented times? And how does my practice help me orient in that direction?Īs wise teachers have said, everything arises at the tip of intention.
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