Here's a RESET (20 min guided meditation) for breathing your way back to bravery.
This morning—as the world (in my phone) seems to be unraveling—I sat for meditation and, as I contemplated my intention for arriving, the words “Brave Silence” came to my mind.
With everything happening in the world, I'm aware that meditation might seem like a way of "opting out" or bypassing the hard work of love and justice.
But, these teachings remind me that my experience of the world is forever filtered through my mind—so if I see anger, hatred, and conflict in the world, I understand that I have anger, hatred and conflict (in my own mind) to work with.
And with that in mind 😉 the process of meditation begins.
In Buddhist philosophy (as I understand it), this is referred to as having "View." Namely, a view that tells us everything can become our teacher. It's actually a lot more nuanced that that, of course—having "View" allows us to weigh virtue, neutrality; reveals to us that are minds are conditioned to crave and grasp, and take things personally; and invites us to let go, or as Mark Manson calls it, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fu*ck—which I think really means giving a fu*ck about the right things—but I digress...
The root of the word courage is “cor” — the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant "To speak one's mind by telling all of one's heart."
And so, with this "View," when we experience heartbreak in the world, we can be reminded to turn with courage toward our own hearts, to heal and be happy, so that we can be beacons, and places of refuge for those in need. So that we can rise from our brave silence and share our truths. So that our peace and brilliance ripples in the waters of everyone we touch and everything we do.
This is why I meditate, anyway.
How about you?
Gratefully,
Kurt