How Do We Weather The Storm?

A meditation journey with Elephant

    Soften.

Soften your gaze on people who are acting out in ugly ways and examine the bigger picture. When you do, you will see their humanity.  Through kindness you will see the pain that is driving that behavior.  You will glimpse the vulnerability people are so eager to avoid.  When you do this, you will be able to access a part of yourself that can relate to these people. And from there, you can remember how to love them.

Soften your will.  You will not accomplish more by becoming hard and rigid. Remember the limber branches that can bend and sway in the wind.  Healthy trees maintain their flexibility.  It is the rigid branches that become brittle and snap when the strong winds come.  Have some “give” – it will serve you.

People mistakenly equate softness with weakness, but think of all the ways we seek out softness.  The best hugs are firm but soft, and science is just beginning to discover their healing potential.  Softness welcomes and buffers.  Softness soothes.  Softness also disarms.  No one armors themselves for approaching softness – the possibility of comfort and tenderness is virtually irresistible. 

Remember, the world is hard, not just for you, but for everyone.  And everyone is suffering and bracing for the next assault on their sense of safety.  Demonstrating something softer can encourage it in others.  Many have forgotten that there is a way to be both vulnerable and strong.  Show them it is possible.  Create that space.

Surrender to Meaningful Effort.

People spend a lot of energy resisting the work that is necessary to move life forward.  Fear creates obstacles that prevent them from growing and they often expend resources trying to escape the lessons required to enjoy all the gifts that await them on the other side of challenge.

When faced with difficulty, breathe.  Take a moment to let the fear and panic subside.  Examine any resistance you may feel in your body and see what it is really about.  Is life so perfect in any given moment that we need to grip it with both hands?  Or is it just the comfort of familiarity keeping you in place?  Breathe through some of this discomfort and simply notice that you are already moving through difficulty as you do this.  It is the beginning of flowing forward.  From this space it may be easier to see the next step.  And you only need to see the next step.

The answers don’t all come at once and the entire path does not always reveal itself.  That’s ok.  Find meaning in the task before you and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment at moving one step further. Avoid the pitfalls that come with trying to understand the entire way out of discomfort all at once – that can easily create feelings of overwhelm and anxiety.  Instead, enjoy the fulfillment that comes with completing each meaningful step.  Recognize it as a valuable part of your growth and cultivation.

You don’t wait until your child is fully grown with a successful career and healthy family before you praise her.  A good parent honors and cherishes each new step towards growth and independence.  Treat yourself as you would your beloved child.  You are equally deserving of love and support.

Remember, you are worth the effort.  And your goals warrant the dedication required to meet them.  Make the blood, sweat and tears your offerings and witness each moment of growth with gratitude.