BENEFITS
Physical Reduces stress. Relaxes tissue. Integrates heart and breath. Calms stomach and gut. Reduces pain.
Psychological Improves self-management. Stabilises mood. Develops compassion to self and others.
DROP
Let your body drop down into being at ease. Let your abdomen and stomach sink. Like relaxing on a sun-lounger, contented after a good meal or sitting in your favourite place watching the world go by.
SOFTEN
Switch on the caring attitude that you would give to a hurt and vulnerable infant or animal. Your eyes soften. Your breath calms. Your heart opens. Your vibe is kind and reassuring.
FOCUS
Gently give attention to your own body.
Move your toes.
Feel your clothes against your skin.
Experiment with focusing on the subtle sensations in different areas of your body.
Soft eyes • Calm breath • Abdomen at ease • Open heart
Kind, caring and accepting attitude
ACCEPT
Focus on whatever is giving you distress. It might be physical. It might be emotional or psychological. Just be with it. Calm breath.
ONGOING SCAN
For ongoing health spend time every day scanning your body and greeting all parts of yourself.
METAPHORS FOR YOUR BODY
Tree or landscape – give it good weather.
Pot, chalice or cauldron – fill it with good things.
Planet or cosmos – be a kind deity. Inner child – care for it.
When the world is shaking with political upheaval it is easy to become distressed and overexcited. Unfortunately our vibrations of distress and agitation only make the situation worse.
We live in a huge interconnected energy field and people’s emotional and mental vibrations roll through this field like waves in an ocean.
If we are sensitive to these energy waves, then distressing mass events can influence us in a negative way, causing anxiety and depression. Even if you have a strong and upbeat disposition, you can be wobbled into temporary discomfort.
So what is the answer to our discomfort?
There is an aphorism which has arisen recently in spiritual circles which says, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough meditate.’
Yes I agree that is a good call. Centre yourself. Use your breath. Ground. Self-soothe. That will stop us from adding to the psychic pollution.
But I also want to look at it from a different angle and ask: What would serve the community of life? In times of danger and consternation, what can we do to look after others?
In response to that ethical question I suggest that the appropriate response is a commitment to be seen, to confront bullying and to protect minorities and the vulnerable.
There is here another relevant spiritual aphorism: ‘There is no merit in meditation when you can stand up and prevent abuse.’
But this requires courage. Coeur. Rage. Rage of the heart.
This ethical and righteous rage needs to be mindful, intelligent and wise. It also needs to be fuelled and inspired. The ultimate source of fuel and inspiration for our ethics and righteous hearts is our connection with . . . what shall we call it? …. The benevolent life force. God. Spirit. Goddess. Tao. Source. Life itself.
There are over one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe. The size of our universe is beyond comprehension. It is an immense energy field. In this context our planet is tiny. Humanity’s energy field is a speck, a blip, in the cosmos.
So when faced with humanity passing through one its regular upheavals, we need to feel the wonder and goodness of life, and not just humanity’s distress.
It is crucial spiritual practice that we expand our sensitivity and our awareness, so that we feel the energy and vibrations of the cosmos. It is crucial that we use our own particular gateways to connection whatever they are: Jesus, angels, Goddess or just an awed sense of the glory of the cosmos. Feel the natural world of earth, moon, the sun, the stars, the vast mystery.
Thus we connect with and are fuelled by the awesome flow and good energies of earth and universe. We are not wobbled by the disturbing vibrations of a disturbed humanity. In the words of Julian of Norwich, ‘All shall be well, all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well … for there is a Force of love moving through the universe that holds us fast and will never let us go.’
Then, at the very least, in times of social distress – centred and inspired – we radiate a benevolence, calm safety and goodwill that encourages the good in others. We do not add to the distress with more agitation.
And, at best, we have the courage to front off bullies, protect the innocent and continue to build heaven on earth.
