In uncertain or difficult times, mindfulness practices can help you put things in perspective and find strength. Here are tips from three meditation teachers for cultivating mindfulness on your way to the ballot box.
“The hurtful and harmful speech we’ve been hearing makes some of us feel angry, sad, and anxious about the future and about other people. As an antidote, learn to pay attention to everyday beneficial kindnesses that are extended to you and that you extend to others. You’ll be surprised to notice how many you have in just in one day; the door you held open for a stranger, the funny store clerk who made you laugh, the gratitude you felt when your boss encouraged you. Mindfulness to all these positive interactions helps inspire confidence in our collective ability to take care of each other, and empowers us to meet difficult problems without becoming discouraged or overwhelmed.”
“Remember to breathe. When you are outside, look at the vast sky and smell the crisp autumn air. When you are inside, shut your eyes and feel the life in your own body. Wherever you are, remember there is a truth that is deeper than these torrents of words.”
“Ask yourself: what are the most important issues that this election season has brought to my attention? In addition to voting, what other ways can I express my care and support of what matters to me most? Getting into action by donating time, energy, and resources to support what is important to us can help us to find power when we feel powerless. And when we have done so, we can joyfully reflect on our wholesome contributions, remembering the countless others who are joining us in their own way.”
A Detail of the Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room; Tibet; 17th century; Gilt copper alloy with inlays of semiprecious stones; Rubin Museum of Art; C2005.8.1 (HAR 65407)
Listen to the Mindfulness Meditation podcast to stay mindful during election seasons and beyond.
Kate Johnson works at the intersections of spiritual practice, social action, and creativity. She has been practicing Buddhist meditation in the Western Insight/Theravada tradition since her early twenties and is empowered to teach through Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She holds a BFA in dance from the Alvin Ailey School/Fordham University, and MA in performance studies from NYU.
Kate is a core faculty member of MIT’s Presencing Institute, and has trained hundreds of leaders and change-makers in using Social Presencing Theater, a mindfulness and dance improvisation methodology used to inform strategic planning and systems change in our complex world.
Kimberly Brown is a meditation teacher and author. She leads classes and retreats that emphasize the power of compassion and kindness meditation to reconnect us to ourselves and others. She studies in both the Tibetan and Insight schools of Buddhism and is a certified mindfulness instructor. Her latest book is Happy Relationships: 25 Buddhist Practices to Transform Your Connection with Your Partner, Family, and Friends. You can learn more about Kimberly at meditationwithheart.com.
Tracy Cochran has been a student and teacher of meditation and spiritual practice for decades. She is the founder of the Hudson River Sangha. In addition to offering meditation online, Tracy has taught mindfulness meditation and mindful writing at the Rubin Museum and the New York Insight Meditation Center, as well as in schools, corporations, and other venues worldwide. She is also a writer and the editorial director of Parabola, an acclaimed quarterly magazine that seeks to bring timeless spiritual wisdom to the burning questions of the day.
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