In Troubled Times: At Measured Moments

In these troubled times,

With unsettled nations,

A rancorous public discourse,

And unprecedented disruptions,

Cultivating our own sense of peace and extending it to that part of the world within our influence has never been more important.

And perhaps never has the primary practice of mindfulness been timelier and more effective.

Focusing our attention on our breath as we sit is meditation 101.

Many sessions here on Insight Timer teach us to do just that and instruct us on the nuances,

From belly breathing to box breathing.

I found that by taking the practice into measured moments throughout my day that I can resist the pull of anxious thinking that the current turmoil in the world can so easily incite within me.

I have on my phone an app that allows an hourly chime to ring at the top of each hour,

All through the day.

The ringing of a soft bell plays in whatever mode the phone is in,

Silent or vibrate.

The bell rings through the headphones if I'm meditating or listening to music.

The bell is rung while I've been sitting and meeting at work.

No matter what I'm doing,

When the chime sounds each hour,

I pause and take a few slow breaths.

I've noticed that when I do,

A soft smile forms.

I see the things around me more clearly,

The table of the coffee shop,

The traffic I'm waiting in,

The eyes of my partner as she speaks with me.

I'm brought back to the present moment and I'm able to appreciate the miracle of just being here.

At these times,

Whatever thinking that may have been consuming me pauses and I'm conscious and aware without thinking.

Lately,

I've been able to combine this hourly practice with the sphere of presence I've described in another meditation,

Recognizing the busyness of the world is out there at the border of my sphere of awareness.

And so,

When I take the breaths each hour,

I also raise my awareness of the troubled world as it exists at the borders of that sphere of presence and from a position of silent being,

Send compassion for those in distress.

It's too much for me to think that I could take this sense of well-being and presence into every moment of the day to extend it to every breath I take.

But I can practice throughout the day hourly,

Pausing with a few breaths and a smile to be here now.

Send compassion to others and then continue the work I've set myself.

I hope this practice or something similar helps you cultivate a sense of inner peace and well-being at measured moments throughout the day.

Have a beautiful day.