When I got the news, I immediately panicked. It was early morning, ten minutes before 6:00 am and, phone in hand, I was told about my father’s heart attack. I could not enjoy a cup of tea or even my early morning meditation. In that moment fear seemed to permeate the whole world, a terrible sense of danger lurking in my every activity. A few weeks later I was able to fly and stay with my father and, against all odds, he recovered.
Back to the Source
When confronted with bad news, without a clear picture of where we are, our first reaction is to run, to try to escape the situation. How can you catch your breath, turn on the light of awareness and slowly return to center? The key is to slowly reclaim your breath, moment by moment, and to proceed with your practice of mindfulness until you can return to a state of clarity. Once you attain clarity, compassionate action follows.
Think about the many moments in your life when an unpredictable mess has send you into a state of panic. These days we are easily pushed to make rushed decisions, to react hastily, to live a life plagued with constant fear. Mindful leadership means to recognize the moments when an unpredictable event has clouded our view. The awareness will help us know when to slow down, pause, and see with clarity the needed action to follow. Cultivating clarity will help you with the unpredictable accidents of life.
How do you cultivate clarity in your life? Try this exercise:
1. Take a few minutes of slow breathing. Acknowledge your emotions in that moment, pay attention to the feelings and especially to those thoughts that trigger hot emotions.
2. During meditation, acknowledge the situations that send you into a state of panic in your life.
3. Slowly reclaim the clarity that comes when you embrace the here and now of the present moment.
4. End by writing a list of possible compassionate actions to follow. Envision the solution moment by moment.
Juan