Finding Peace in Chaotic Times

Rather than focusing exclusively on what is happening – either in the world or in our own minds – self-compassion gently shifts our attention to how we are relating to what is happening. This shift is subtle but profound. Instead of being lost in the content of experience, we begin to hold the experience in compassionate awareness.

We bring in mindfulness, the spacious awareness that allows us to notice what is here without being overwhelmed by it. We give ourselves kindness, warmth and care because we’re stressed and confused. We remember our common humanity, that struggle is part of being human, that we are not alone in our fear or uncertainty.

These three elements work together like a three-legged stool. If one leg is missing, we wobble. But when mindfulness, kindness, and common humanity are all present, we find our seat. We become grounded even when the world feels unstable.

Mindfulness gives us space. Kindness offers warmth. Common humanity provides groundedness. Together, they create a refuge of peace that is not dependent on circumstances.

One simple way to access this refuge is with a practice called Affectionate Breathing, which I’m including here.

In this meditation, we use the breath as a place to rest our attention. We allow our awareness to be spacious and anchored in the present moment.  We feel the embodied, physical experience of breathing – the rise and fall of the chest, the movement of the belly, the subtle sensations of air entering and leaving the body. And importantly, we bring a gentle sense of affection to the breath, allowing a soft, warm quality to infuse our attention. 

In chaotic times – whether outer or inner – peace doesn’t come from controlling circumstances. It comes from finding our seat. From relating to our experience with care. From remembering that even in uncertainty, we can offer ourselves warmth.

The breath is always here. And so is self-compassion.