- When You’re In A Funk And Can’t Get Out: Three Keys to Exiting Funk
- When You're Overwhelmed - Part 1: Walking The Path of Tiger
Move — I said we have to, with all the gentleness in the world. Here's exactly how, from the bottom of the cave: find a drop of willingness, summon your Tiger, and let Tiger move your feet.
- Tiger: Energy of Contentedness
Touch down into the power and resilience flowing through you, however faint it feels today. This practice has carried me through so many difficult times — let it carry you one step.
- Walking with Tiger: Finding Freedom on the Other Side of Agoraphobia, Panic and Isolation
Want to know how far one paw at a time can carry you? From one corner of a sofa, unable to reach my own kitchen, to loping down a forest trail grinning — this is Tiger proven under the heaviest weight I've known.
- When You're Overwhelmed - Part 2: Dancing the Path of Snow Lion
Once Tiger has you on your feet, something new becomes possible. Let's bring the joy back — through a discipline you invite in, like sun and rain, not one you're whipped by.
- The Path of Tiger and Snow Lion
Sequential and simultaneous: Tiger first, and Tiger all the way through, with Snow Lion dancing on that ground. Now practice them together — one paw in front of the next, discipline invited in — and let them lead you toward clarity and joy.
- Sloggy Days: What To Do When You Don't Want To Do Anything
And on the days when everything weighs ten times what it should? Don't call them failures. They're the best free resistance training there is — let's go to the gym.
- When life breaks down: Be Uplifted in the Cradle of Loving Kindness
Sometimes it isn't a slog — the body itself breaks down and every plan is gone. Even then there's a choice: to turn toward the rising sun. Come and see how making a bed can become an act of upliftedness.
- Rest. Recharge.
And cradle yourself in loving-kindness. When you're exhausted, in pain or overstimulated, stop pushing more in. Come rest in the natural breath of life — the deep rest that genuinely recharges.
Play Meditation
The Path of Tiger and Snow Lion
These two dignities are my path through the sense of overwhelm that overtakes us. Placing one paw in front of the next and invoking discipline leads to clarity and joy.
Transcript
[0:00] Let's practice.
[0:18] Taking our seat just where we are, just as we are. And we can begin with just a one breath meditation. Breathing in. And breathing out. And we can follow it with another one breath meditation.
[1:27] And just fully being with the experience of breathing as we breathe in and as we breathe out.
[1:53] And this one breath meditation is something we can do anytime during the day.
[2:42] Creating spaciousness.
[3:04] Breathing in and breathing out.
[3:33] And this could be part of following the path of Tiger into contentment. And Snow Lion into joy.
[4:09] The Path of Tiger is in those times of overwhelm. Calling upon that inner strength to stand up, to walk, brush our teeth, to sleep, move our body. Moving our attention from the overwhelm to this inner strength, this inner tiger, our inner warrior. One breath meditation. Breathing in. Breathing out. Creating space. Letting everything fall away. Feeling our feet on the ground.
[6:11] What is it that is right here to do? To be ourselves. To be grounded. Breathing in. Breathing out.
[6:53] The basics of living, feeling, moving, breathing, sleeping.
[7:31] And then as we take care of these basics, our feet moving, we may be able to move to the path of snow line, moving up the mountain a little bit, where discipline brings joy. And here again we keep our gaze on what is around us. Forget the news and articles and stories about other people. If we seek to stand up in the midst of overwhelm, bringing our gaze to our practices, our projects, our loved ones. An inviting discipline to help us thrive. Breathing in and breathing out. The discipline and priorities. What's important? What's important for our values. For us, for our loved ones. And shifting our attention just as we place our attention on the breath. What's important? Placing our attention on what's important. Cultivating this discipline. And
[11:23] as we create and strengthen the structure, great joy is to be found. and the simplicity of placing our awareness on what's important to us.
[12:33] placing our awareness on what's important. As distractions arise. We can notice. We can notice. We can leave them be. bring our awareness back. What we choose. Spend our time and effort on creating. And as we place our attention. As we gain clarity. We overwhelm. Releases.
[14:03] And so the invitation is to keep practicing, placing our awareness, breathing in and breathing out. Slowing down to this natural rhythm of the body.
[14:46] Feeling the rest and space. And as always available.
[15:31] In the midst of everything. We can call upon Tiger, our inner warrior. We can call upon the discipline of Snow Lion. And we can take one breath meditation. Breathing in. Breathing out.
[16:47] And perhaps feeling as you do. A little smile. Have rest. Have joy. Have space.
[17:29] And more space we bring in. And the more we can thrive, the more we can help others.
[18:06] Thank you.
[18:49] The situation of all overwhelm continues. The more important it is for us to practice, to bring space.
[19:30] Breathing in and breathing out.
[20:15] The Path of Tiger and Snow Lion
Sloggy Days: What To Do When You Don't Want To Do AnythingAnd on the days when everything weighs ten times what it should? Don't call them failures. They're the best free resistance training there is — let's go to the gym.