The Israel-Palestine conflict.
The devastating flooding in North Carolina.
Another mass shooting.
Pretty much anything Donald Trump mutters.
Every morning I am torn between the pull to know what’s happening in the world and the dread that it will break my heart.
I’m emotionally tapped out. Aren’t we all? Every day seems to bring more horrifying, traumatic, and exhausting news. Weather, people, and fate brutally destroy each other and our world. We respond by tearing each other apart in our grief. Then we retreat and shut ourselves off from the pain.
Our pain is real. Our overwhelm is real. We shouldn’t feel guilty about needing a break from a world that was never set up to protect our mental health in the first place. We aren’t designed to experience so much destruction.
What to do? Perhaps we could choose to be gentler with ourselves and each other. When it feels like we are only one small human in a staggering 8 billion, when we feel powerless and hopeless, we could simply lean into just being a little gentler. Softness opens doors that force alone cannot move.
When the feelings feel too big, trade your peace-stealing phone for something that gives comfort instead – a puppy with soft ears, a slice of perfectly toasted bread, a book you’ve read a hundred times and still love. Hug someone and forgive someone and send someone a text so they know you love them. Establish boundaries and guard them carefully. Give a gentle answer to a harsh or triggering question; you do not have to attend every argument you’re invited to. Sit under a tree and let the falling leaves land on your skin. Soften your jaw, your breath, your gaze, your opinions. Assume everyone is doing their best. Know that some people do not care about being better or kinder. Give those people a wide berth, even as you send them the love they deserve too.
The Loving-Kindness meditation is thought to have originated in ancient India, before the time of Buddha. This practice challenges our culture’s belief that love and goodwill are transactional. It’s simple to practice; whenever you’re despairing for humanity, simply repeat the following mantra:
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be free from suffering.
