As our Living in a Divided World meditation series comes to end, I wanted to wrap up the month with a discussion with one of the amazing creative souls that has provided me with a sense of connection and hope during the pandemic - my cousin!

For nearly a decade, Uli has ridden the subway through New York City to observe, interview, and photograph some of its most imaginative people: the readers of books. Between The Lines: Stories from the Underground, Uli’s first book, is the remarkable result—a collection of conversations that beautifully illuminate who we are and where we are going.

Between the Lines is an enthusiastic celebration of the ways stories invite us into each other’s lives, and a call to action for imagining a bold, empathetic future together. So, get on board, stand clear of the closing doors and enjoy this special ride.

In this mini meditation, we dig into the four qualities that all beings possess in immeasurable quantities. Lovingkindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy & Equanimity. This guided meditation will walk us through all four qualities, allowing us to foster and grow what we need most for the days that lie ahead.

This meditation series, Living in a Divided World, is a series about truly acknowledging the level of divisiveness in our society and in ourselves at this particular moment in time. It is a series exploring how we might find a sense of balance or even peace within the fractures.

In part 3, we dig into the four qualities that all beings possess in immeasurable quantities. Compassion is one of them, to be sure, but compassion alone isn’t enough to get us through this moment. Join me for today’s dharma talk and guided meditation practice; it is designed to help us draw out these 4 immeasurable qualities when we need them the most. Right now.

As we explore living in a divided world, as we struggle with the myriad of problems that face us in this moment, it can be hard to understand the teaching of The Middle Way. The invitation to rest in the middle of tension, paradox or discord without needing to resolve it, can feel uncomfortable to say the least.

As we talk about facing the divisiveness that plagues our every moment, the never-ending list of crises that need solving, we are exploring a path within meditation known as “The Middle Way”.

The Middle Way lies between aversion and attachment; it lies within the meeting point of opposites.

We can choose to battle out right/left politics, and all the other ways of division, but the truth is we are the same. We, all beings, Are. The. Same. We share 99.9% of our genetic material with every other human on this earth. We are all scared of dying and of being alone. We all biologically need to belong and feel ‘correct’ in some way. And yet, the more we entrench ourselves in our own correctness, the more we ensure our fears become true. We feel more alone. We feel more threatened and unsafe. 

Climb out of the trench. Sit on your cushion. Land right here, right now. 

Let’s practice. 

This month, on The Mindful Minute we are going to *Deal with Divisiveness* -

I struggle as much as the next person with fear, outrage, frustration and exhaustion. And yet, I do believe there is a way forward, and I believe that our meditation practice always shows us the next right step when we are willing to listen. ⁠

Meditation is always inviting us into the reality of the present, where all opposites exist at once. "The still point of the turning world" as T.S. Eliot calls it... but once we land here, what do we do?⁠

Join me for today’s discussion and guided meditation as we begin an exploration of division and interdependence * together* <3

Today’s 10-minute meditation is a sound meditation that includes an ancient practice from the zen tradition known as a koan.

A koan is a type of teaching that is offered as a phrase, question, short poem that feels both completely cryptic and deeply understood in the same moment.

You don’t have to try to understand or explain it. Just let it live inside you as you listen.

Pop some headphones on for the best sound experience, and let’s begin.