Election Peace Challenge Day 2
It’s nine days to the election and counting, and the campaign buzz is everywhere. I’m in England right now for a writing retreat, and the U.S. presidential election is the lead story on the news here in the UK.
We know it’s been ugly, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of beauty all around. If you want more peace in your mind and heart during this contentious time—or any time—you get to choose where to put your focus.
So here’s today’s simple peace practice:
Scoop up beauty. A couple of days ago, we did a moving meditation here at the retreat. One of the movements is simple: Just swing your arms to your sides as though you’re scooping up the best of the world around you.
Scoop up birdcalls. Scoop up golden fall leaves. Scoop up the kindness someone extended to you yesterday, Scoop up sunshine. Scoop up poetry and your favorite music and the people who make you smile.
Scoop it all up and then raise your arms to the sky and imagine all that goodness falling down over and through you like a gentle rain. And when you’re done, bring that beautiful energy inside you, where you can drink it in and let it nourish you.
There’s no end to the beauty you can scoop up when you turn your attention to it. All it takes is a minute or two of focused attention, reminding you that in this seemingly divided and broken world, sheep still graze, the sun still comes up, kids still splash through puddles, and words like “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” and “I love you” still matter.
So find a minute to scoop. Make wide circles with your arms to take in as much as you can, and know there’s more where that came from. The world starts shifting when you see the abundance in it.
Now take a deep breath. It’s going to be okay.
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Heading outdoors to scoop!