A Gentle Practice for Opening Up to Painful Emotions

Taking a moment to pause can enable us to move in the direction of suffering, to work, and to alleviate it, with wisdom and compassion.

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This is a meditation that I sometimes rely on when I find myself feeling the reactivity that comes up from what’s happening in the news, what’s happening in our communities, what’s happening in our country, and what’s happening in the world right now. Whether it’s because of the pandemic, a shooting, or an unnecessary killing of a good human being—it happens too frequently. It happened to Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others. 

Take a moment to pause with all of the news coming at us, especially if you are someone who seeks to move in the direction of the suffering, to work, and to alleviate it, through actions and engagements in the world. This gentle practice can provide support to you in remaining grounded as you open up to information that may cause you pain. 

A Gentle Practice for Opening Up to Painful Emotions   A Gentle Practice for Opening Up to Painful Emotions 9:15 Noticing any of these kinds of reactivities coming up for you, you can, as always, just take a few deep and conscious breaths. And as you do so, you’re turning…