Dear Common Awakening Community, 

With the rise of violence in the Middle East, we may feel an equally rising tension within ourselves –one of fear and distress. We long and ache to make our world a better place. 

We know what works psycho-spiritually to alleviate rather than increase suffering, pain, and loss. We also know what doesn’t work. When we have the best of intentions that come at change with a forced fist and heavy hand, our good ideas can add to the chaos of the world by transmitting ego rather than alleviating pain and supporting healing work. 

Thoughts, prayers, energy, and good intentions are not a replacement for social action and political change. However, they are the bedrock from which change occurs. Action and word that is born of connectedness within equanimous silence is the sort of change that moves mountains and shakes systems. 

Learning how to embody compassionate equanimity or balance (mental calmness, composure, and evenness, especially in a difficult situation) changes our autonomic nervous system, and it influences the autonomic nervous system of those we are in contact with. We regulate our world when we are in balance. In other words, your state communicates beyond your words, and you actualize the change you long for. This isn’t just for the world. It begins with you.

This week I offer a 5-minute meditation for you to participate in that transmits balance for anyone/anything/anywhere that you want to hold in equanimity. It’s a mystical method based upon the classic loving-kindness meditation, which is proven in clinical research trials to provide spiritual influence in the relational connections with people and circumstances who matter to us the most.

The research and practice from this week’s meditation is the foundation of our upcoming SPACES Seminar: How Change Happens. Come and hear more about neuroscience, research, stories, and examples of how to change your life and change the world.

With love, Annie

P.S. Our upcoming SPACES Seminar isn’t just a presentation. We facilitate a loving, supportive, and powerful presence-filled event that gives you the boost you need to find balance in your life. We show you how the SPACES change process can gently and naturally guide you to finding steadiness in a rapidly changing world.