Tending the Nervous System in Times of Crisis

Recordings of Supportive Practices:

A short Grounding Practice to listen to in times of crisis:

A short guided practice (same as above) followed by a short talk on how to modify your meditation practice in times of crisis to tend to you nervous system in order to foster greater well-being.

Grateful Heart Meditation:  Gratitude can be a counterbalance to grief.  This short practice offers an invitation to drink in the nourishment of beauty and appreciation.

Home: Finding Refuge Amidst the Rubble – A talk given on 1/4/2022 to a local meditation community offering support for tending the nervous system in the wake of the fires.

Grounding Practices:

Below are three micro-practices that can help bring stability to the nervous system to allow us to meet the challenges of daily life.

• 3 breaths practice – Deep breathing helps flip the switch from your sympathetic (fight/flight/freeze) nervous system to your parasympathetic (the relaxed) nervous system. Find your breath in your body where it is most obvious to you…In three breaths, notice the feeling of your breath from the very beginning of your inbreath, to the very end of your outbreath…even noticing the little place where your inbreath turns into your outbreath…and the still quiet place at the end of your outbreath…
• Soles of the feet – Get out of your head for a few minutes to soften rumination. This is an informal practice you can do anytime, anywhere.  Sometimes it helps to do it without shoes – so can really feel floor beneath your feet.  Notice the feel of the floor – hard…soft…cushiony…warm…cold.  Stretch out your toes.  Rock side to side a bit – notice as weight shifts.  Circle your knees.  Bring full attention to movement of body and the physical sensations in your feet.  You might begin to walk around a bit – notice movement of leg through space with each step, the shifting of your weight.  Take a few steps without trying to get anywhere…just feel of your feet against the floor…touch, texture, pressure.  Be curious.  Maybe take a moment to express some gratitude for your feet, aware of what your feet do for you.
• A moment for me – Rather than plowing through your anxiety, take a few moments to meet your anxiety and yourself with kindness and experience the benefit of being a good friend to yourself in difficult moment. There are three steps to this practice: Step 1: Acknowledge you are feeling some anxiety.  “This is hard…I am really feeling scared…this is overwhelming.” Step 2– Acknowledge common humanity, recognizing that you are not the only one.  “What I am experiencing is something we all experience.  These are uncertain times.  We all feel it.  I am not alone.  Lots of people are afraid these days.” Step 3– Offer yourself some kindness, perhaps thinking about what might you say to a friend who was anxious.  Something like “May I be safe.  May I be free from fear.  May I find courage to face this moment.  This won’t be forever.  This will pass.”
• Moving the body and time connecting with the natural world also help cultivate well-being in the face of anxiety.
• And when anxiety or other strong emotions (grief, overwhelm, depression, helplessness, hopelessness or despair) persist or interfere with physical, social, or educational functioning, a referral for counseling for an individual or for a child/family is often appropriate to connect with additional support.

Tips for adapting your meditation practice in times of crisis:

During times of crisis, it is not uncommon to feel like meditation is “no longer working” or not working as well.  Inviting choice into your meditation practice and daily life in simple ways can be empowering and offer a sense of agency as you navigate the disturbance and disorientation of what is happening internally and externally. Keep considering What works for me? in any given moment of your practice, and allow for flexibility.

• Practicing with the eyes open might be a support –  If we have experienced a trauma or distress, closing the eyes might not feel safe to the nervous system.  We live in an animal body and seeing danger is part of our survival system.  Sometimes practicing with the eyes open better allows settling in our nervous system.  Looking around before closing the eyes can also be supportive.
• Consider a moving meditation rather than sitting – perhaps walking meditation or some gentle yoga or tai chi?
• You may find it helpful to select a different anchor other than the breath – something like soles of the feet, hands, butt on the chair, or sounds in the room.
• It might help to sit for shorter periods of time.
• Informal practice – Paying attention to bodily sensations during everyday life activities such as washing the dishes, chopping vegetables, brushing your teeth or folding the laundry can be grounding, offering a sense of routine amidst the chaos of a crisis.
• Kindness or compassion practice might be most comforting, bringing a sense of care to the distress or wishes for well being.