Experiencing the loss of our known way of being these past few months because of the planetary pandemic has been emotionally grueling. The loss of life and livelihood on this grand scale seems unfathomable. And now, in the United States, we are at a crossroad.
If we want to be part of the solution to rebuilding a country that we can be proud of, a country that stands for justice for all, where honesty is valued, and where integrity is manifested every day, we need to calm down to be effective advocates and allies to wipe out racism and police brutality. I don’t mean calm down and give up – I mean calm down to come from a place of fierce compassion to join forces with the millions of our neighbors who have peaceful boots on the ground already, doing the work to move our society forward. Calm down to step up!
On Channel 8 News in San Diego this morning, I gave a few suggestions on how to calm down to step up.
We are at an inflection point. Our opportunity is to take advantage of the momentum of the peaceful demonstrations to win justice long term. There are incredible organizations that have been in the trenches making progress and raising awareness for many years.
Here are just a few:
During the above interview on CBS 8, I mention that meditation is helpful to calm your nervous system, as well as reduce your blood pressure, heart rate, inflammation response, anxiety, and depression. It helps overall mental health and well being. Now is a great time to begin a meditation practice, or to deepen your existing practice.
Giving ourselves tasks and a direction for change will minimize the feelings of overwhelm, because we are taking action. Demonstrations put pressure on the political system and it’s there where the change must take place. It’s going to be a patchwork of local mayors, police chiefs, district attorney offices, and city council meetings where the pressure needs to be held steady.
I look forward to seeing what unfolds, and I know we need patience because it’s going to be a long journey.
May we be safe, all of us really safe… and free from suffering.
