Mindfulness for Hard Times
In a world marked by deepening global divisions, persistent social injustice, and the crushing weight of economic and housing crises, it’s no wonder so many of us feel overwhelmed, anxious and exhausted. These forces don’t just exist in headlines; they seep into daily life, shaping our sense of safety, stability, and hope, and sometimes with real consequences for our standard of living and dignity. When personal challenges pile on top - illness, loss, burnout, or the quiet struggles no one else sees - it can feel almost impossible to keep going.
I’ve been reflecting on how mindfulness can support us in these times. Although it’s generally recommended that we learn mindfulness for the first time when life feels steady, my experience is that it really comes into its own in hard times, providing relief and inner steadiness to hold and bear whatever is going on, sometimes even transforming the suffering we may be experiencing into inspired action. Here are some ways mindfulness practice can support us in hard times:
Finding the ground: In turbulent times, when our stress response is activated, we tend to spend more time up in our head, getting lost in anxiety and projecting scenarios into the future. While anxiety always has something to tell us, it also releases stress hormones and inhibits the body’s ability to rest and heal.
It can be incredibly powerful to simply connect with the ground beneath us – to notice your feet on the ground and to surrender the weight of the body to gravity. This practice helps to soften the focus on the anxious thoughts and connect with a sense of stability and steadiness that lies beneath. It anchors us to present moment physical sensations, helping to settle and calm the mind. I find this practice also very connecting – to explicitly take attention to where we connect with the ground can activate our sense of belonging to the wider world.
Finding the breath: The breath too can help to anchor and connect us. There is a peacefulness in resting attention with the breath that supports stabilisation and helps to settle overwhelm. Sometimes we can tap into quiet depths in the ocean of our being, despite the waves up above being choppy and volatile. The rhythm of the breath is naturally soothing, gently guiding us back to a place of inner steadiness where we can meet even the hardest moments with a little more calm.
Finding connection: As we learn to settle our awareness in the heart and connect with a sense of warmth for our fellow humans, we learn how to sooth our own and others’ distress. We can connect emotionally and energetically with others who are suffering as well as other who are working to make the changes we so desperately need in our world. As we learn to breath in solidarity with one another, we can deepen our ability to meet and hold challenging experiences with tenderness and love, watching them transform into something else as we do so.
Taking action: Mindfulness isn’t just about sitting down and being still. We can take mindful action every day, inspired by qualities of awareness and compassion. When we take the time to tune in with ourselves and cultivate steadiness, awareness and kindness, the possibilities for action can reveal themselves to us in new and surprising ways, imbued with an energy and aliveness that is rooted in our deepest longings and values. This action in itself can be healing.
While mindfulness is not a panacea that can fight injustice on its own, these practices can support us with the emotional costs and consequences of living in a unjust world and campaigning for a better one. We can develop the emotional literacy to honour our feelings yet not be quite so overwhelmed by them, and sometimes to discover beauty and peace amidst the chaos – sustaining us for the task ahead.
If you’re interested in learning mindfulness in the context of social change work, do join me for the upcoming Seeds of Change course starting 24th April.
