I am not sure about you, but it does not take my mind very long to begin creating stories that make me question myself and my capabilities to the very core. It does not take long for my mind to travel down a path where my heart begins to race, where I am overwhelmed with my “to do list,” fraught with insecure feelings about a host of things and almost unable to move forward. How does his happen? What is it that makes us hop onto these tales, that we have conjured up and ride them, rather than observe and notice with curiosity what they may be about? Fear. It’s how we’re wired plain and simple. Our most primitive part of the brain that protected cave people from sabertooth tigers, is the part of our brain that activates when we perceive threat real or otherwise. I haven’t encountered many sabertooth tigers of late-just the ones in my mind. The ones that tell me I am not “doing enough,” as a mom, a partner, an employee or friend. The ones that make me question the path I am on-is it the correct one, will they find out that I am not what I say I am? Am I truly capable of “delivering” in all facets of my life? What happens when I am not feeling up to the responsibilities? Do these thoughts make me incapable or do they make me real and willing to admit that I have faults, fears and day to day challenges that can simply be exhausting. Where can we find space from these stories, hop off the lily pad and onto the bank if you will, to observe the current going by rather than getting swept up in its swirl?
After spending 40 minutes this morning mindlessly going back and forth from Facebook, to online shopping and bill pay and back to my list of to do’s, I felt a surge of anxiety run through me and an uncomfortable tightening in my chest. So I sat (which I “could-should” have started my morning with, but rather than beat myself up for it, I acknowledged that I had made a different choice). In just a few minutes as my mind settled-sure the thoughts were still popping in-but just by noticing them and my breath, my mind and my heart began to settle.
If you have not had the good fortune of finding the Insight Timer, I recommend it highly. It is an app you can download that has hundreds of guided meditations, from short to long and everything in between. For me, I have to enjoy the voice of the person leading the meditation. Some grate at me and others feel “just right.” I would encourage you to explore this app-there are short meditations on there for children as well. Susan Kaiser Greenland, who has written a wonderful book called “The Mindful Child” has some short practices that you can add to your list of Favorites.
Jason Murphy Pedulla has a terrific 20 minute guided mediation called, “Liberation of the Heart,” where he encourages us to extend these wishes to ourselves and to others…
May I feel safe and protected from inner and outer harm
May I be at ease with whatever my experience is
May I be free from suffering and the causes of suffering
(extending these wishes outward)
May you feel safe and protected from inner and outer harm
May you be at ease with whatever your experience is
May you be free from suffering and the causes of suffering
We do not make a habit of wishing ourselves well. Why is this? How we care for ourselves ultimately and directly impacts those in our midst-our family, students, colleagues, friends, neighbors, people we encounter in our day to day living. Allow your curiosity to explore this practice of wishing yourself and others well. You will be glad you did and so will your heart and mind.
Looking For Calm 
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