Hi everyone,
My name is Valerie Brown and I am a Buddhist Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition.
I'm also a Quaker,
A member of the Religious Society of France.
And this is a very short,
Maybe five minute video.
Video,
Meditation.
On how to stay calm.
How to stay cool and collected,
And actually how to reach out to another person with a sense of compassion when you're really not feeling it.
So here we go.
Do you ever find yourself kind of losing your temper?
I'm really having a challenging moment.
With people that you disagree with,
Maybe people that you have a very opposite viewpoint.
Well,
I know I do.
And when I'm in the company of those folks,
I really have to remind myself of this meditation that I really want to offer you.
So let's begin.
Begin by feeling your feet on the floor and your back against the chair.
And really take some solace from just feeling how you are supported if you're seated in a chair.
Just seated in a chair,
You can receive a lot of support.
You may be lying down.
And really feel the places where your body makes contact with the floor.
Underneath you or if you're standing.
Again,
Feel yourself rooted and connected.
Like a mountain that is solid.
Breathe in and become aware.
That you are breathing in.
Breathing out.
Become aware.
That you are breathing out.
Breathing in.
Relaxing.
The body as best you can.
Breathing out,
Calming your body.
Breathing in,
Releasing any tension that you might be holding in this moment.
Breathing out,
Releasing any tension,
Any holding,
Any gripping in the body.
And noticing how releasing tension calming the body.
Affects your mind.
Maybe affects the way you're thinking.
So again,
Taking another deep breath in.
And a deep breath out.
And bring to mind that person that I mentioned earlier,
A person you might disagree with.
The person with whom you may violently disagree with or have a challenge with.
And notice that that person.
Like you has ups and downs in life.
That person not unlike you has losses and sicknesses.
Just like you.
And that person has hopes and dreams.
Just like you.
They are doing the very best they can.
And holding the image of that person in your mind,
The person you find somewhat challenging.
And the awareness that that person.
Is not unlike you.
And noticing how that thought changes.
Feel a quality of maybe empathy or compassion.
Affects your body and affects your mind.
Take another deep breath in.
A deep breath out.
And notice how you feel now.
So thank you so much for practicing.
This guided meditation.
To help restore a sense of calm and peace and compassion,
Especially when we are confronted with people that we disagree with.
Thanks so much.
