How To Meditate When You're Freaking Out | Kaira Jewel Lingo

Overview

This episode explores how to approach meditation during moments of intense emotional turmoil, such as anxiety, grief, or overwhelm. Kaira Jewel Lingo, the Teacher of the Month, offers practical and compassionate strategies to adapt meditation practices to meet these challenging states.

Notable Quotes

- The tree's shade is a kind of love. The bird's song is a kind of solidarity. – Kaira Jewel Lingo, on finding connection and support in nature.

- You can sit on the cushion and not be there for yourself. That posture doesn’t mean X, Y, and Z is happening. – Kaira Jewel Lingo, on redefining what it means to truly practice meditation.

- Thich Nhat Hanh had the serenity of a cloud and the force of a Mack truck. – DJ Kashmir, reflecting on the balance of compassion and strength in Kaira Jewel Lingo’s teachings.

🌊 Adapting Meditation for Emotional Overwhelm

- Kaira Jewel Lingo emphasizes softening expectations during difficult times. Meditation doesn’t have to look like sitting still on a cushion.

- Walking meditation, especially outdoors, can be a powerful alternative. Connecting with nature—trees, sky, and earth—can help carry the emotional weight.

- Movement-based practices like dancing or swimming can also serve as forms of meditation.

🌳 The Healing Power of Community and Connection

- Being in a supportive community, whether a spiritual group or a grief circle, can help regulate dysregulated nervous systems.

- Kaira Jewel Lingo highlights the collective energy of others as a resource for grounding and healing.

- If human connection isn’t accessible, turning to nature—trees, birds, and even the sky—can provide a sense of solidarity and nourishment.

🌀 Expanding the Definition of Meditation

- Meditation doesn’t have to follow rigid rules. Practices like lying down, guided meditations, or even crying while holding a tree can be valid forms of mindfulness.

- Kaira Jewel Lingo encourages listeners to let go of self-judgment and embrace whatever practice feels supportive in the moment.

💪 The Vulnerability of Opening Up

- DJ Kashmir notes the duality in Kaira’s teachings: they are both soothing and challenging, urging listeners to work harder at listening to themselves and trusting others.

- Opening up to others or even to the natural world requires courage and goes against the grain of individualistic culture.

- Kaira Jewel Lingo shares a story about a woman’s transformative relationship with a wild hare, illustrating the profound healing available through connection with other species.

🌟 Redefining Success in Meditation

- Success isn’t about achieving calm but about being present for yourself in whatever way is accessible.

- For some, sitting through discomfort may lead to eventual calm, while for others, shorter or alternative practices may be more effective.

- The key is to meet yourself where you are, without judgment, and to embrace the mystery of how meditation unfolds.