One of the most important wisdom truths is that the only constant in life is change. We have all experienced chapters of uncertainty in our lives. How can we navigate these times of fear and confusion? I believe we can learn patience and acceptance as well as the compassion that comes from knowing we’ve made it through each time. In the words of Mark Nero, poet and teacher, “Fear wants us to act too soon. But patience, hard as it is, helps us outlast our preconceptions”. It is challenging to not get caught up in the chaos, make assumptions, and rush towards a solution. With patience comes the deep knowing of the heart-mind that things will change.
Meditation is a tool that helps to navigate uncertainty by showing us how to find the still, quiet heart center that knows all will work out. Oren Jay Sofer, author and meditation teacher, writes “When life feels out of control at home or beyond, sanity and clarity arrive not from trying to bring order to the chaos but from sitting down right in the middle of it … We find our way through the chaos not by frantically reacting, but by reestablishing our center in the midst of it. Here, in the still quiet space of the heart, we uncover the space to honor what’s true. Then something fresh and unexpected can emerge—an authentic, wise response to life.”
One way to tap into the heart’s ability to respond wisely to life is the meditation practices of grounding and connecting to nature. Noticing how nature continues to flow through the seasons even during uncertainty, helps us. As Sofer advises, “Close your eyes. Breathe. Feel the ground beneath you, the sky above. Sense the tender flutter of life that flows through you this very moment. Recognize the clear, spacious awareness that knows” all is well in the present moment.
The following meditation practice encourages us to ground ourselves through heart-mind awareness. Patience is the theme of this family practice that takes place in an outdoor setting and welcomes nature’s guidance.
| Mindful Waiting: A grounding meditation practice to invite patience • We begin by centering our attention on the breath. Start out with a couple deeper than usual breaths to relax the nervous system. Then, allow the breath to be normal as you notice where you sense the breath the most: nostrils, chest, or belly. • Once you feel settled, choose something nearby that is pleasant to look at and rest your gaze on it. Keep your eyes soft and lightly focused on the object. This is your attention anchor for the practice. • As you continue to gaze gently at your object, notice any changes in your surroundings (colors, sounds, changes in light). Gently notice any changes without losing focus on the stability of your anchor object. • Sometimes thoughts will arise. When thoughts distract you, let them be. If you don’t fixate on them, they will drift away as clouds in the sky. When you notice that you’re distracted, that’s mindful awareness. Acknowledge that and kindly return to gazing softly at the object. • You can choose to change the anchor to another object if you desire. Patience sometimes requires changing course. Just choose one object at a time and stay focused on it for as long as you can. • When it seems time to bring the practice to an end, close your eyes and bring awareness back to the breath going in and out of the body. Then, when it feels right, open your eyes and smile. If you have time, these discussion questions can be introduced: 1. What object did you focus on? 2. Did you notice any changes in the environment as you focused on your anchor? 3. Did the time pass slowly or quickly? |
The article was originally published, July 11, 2024, in The Taos News.
Anne-Marie Emanuelli is the founder and Creative Director at Mindful Frontiers LLC, a Benefit Corporation (BCorp) committed to Community Wellness by providing schools and organizations with mindfulness meditation tools that nurture positive social-emotional growth. With over two decades of meditation experience, Anne-Marie provides coaching for children, families, individuals, groups, and classrooms. She is a certified meditation leader and a certified labyrinth facilitator. Featured practices can be found on the Welcoming a Mindful Future podcast and Insight Timer app. The website is MindfulFrontiers.net.
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