Feeling Overwhelmed?
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sharon Salzberg is one of the most loved teachers in the Ten Percent ecosystem and in the broader meditation community. This week, we’re celebrating the publication of her new book, "Finding Your Way." Thanks, Sharon, for all you do to help us wake up and get real!
Getting more centered, even for a few moments, can help us settle into our own body and mind and not be so overcome by the agitation, or pressure, or chaos that may be happening around us.
- Use doorways as a way to focus your attention on where you are. As you come to that in-between space, feel your feet against the floor. This can bring you right into the present moment and help ground you.
- Before beginning work, set an intention for the day. For example, “May I treat everyone today with respect, whether I agree with them or not, whether I like them or not. I want to end the day free of regrets about how I speak to others.” This will give you a sense of purpose no matter what is happening.
- Take a few minutes of quiet, and move your attention from seeing, to hearing, to the sensation of touch in your body. This is a way of getting centered, and it’s especially helpful in providing moments of respite in a time of chaos or growing anxiety.
(Excerpted from Sharon’s book, Finding Your Way: Meditations, Thoughts, and Wisdom for Living an Authentic Life, available for purchase here.)
Sharon Salzberg is a renowned meditation teacher who played a crucial role in bringing mindfulness to the West. Sharon is a New York Times bestselling author of nine books, including Lovingkindness, Real Happiness and Real Love.
More Articles
From Wellness to Wellbeing
Beloved meditation teacher Sebene Selassie was rediagnosed with cancer last summer. In this extraordinary essay, she describes how she fell into the trap of equating wellness with self-worth – and how the wisdom of bell hooks helped her emerge from it.
The Most Important Word in Meditation
Having practiced meditation for around twenty years now, the most important word I’ve learned about it is: Intuitive.
Here’s what I mean.
Trying to be mindful is a lot of work. You have to remember, all the time, to notice your body, notice what you’re saying, notice your surroundings, notice notice notice.
The Practice of Freedom
True freedom may come from a much-misused word: morality.
While the term ‘morality’ may have connotations today of prudishness or judgment, in fact, a commitment to morality is a commitment to living life in the most free, most loving, and most expansive sense. It means living a life that reflects our love and compassion for ourselves and others.