This meditation is designed to help you find calm, centeredness, and mental clarity in times of conflict. It's going to help you become less reactive and more effective as you work to resolve things. So very often when we're involved in some kind of conflict or difficulty with another person, the mind gets really, really agitated and tumultuous and, and quite rigid. And of course this in turn whips up a lot of intense emotions and we can begin to lose our perspective and peace of mind. So if you care to come on this journey with me, I'm just going to guide you through a practice to help you move through this conflict in a more intentional and a more mindful and more grounded way.

So just beginning, first of all, by taking a few moments to settle into a comfortable position for the meditation and when you're ready, if you care to, just allowing the eyes to gently close, if that feels okay for you. Otherwise, you can feel free to keep them open and gaze softly a few feet in front of you. And Just taking three deep, slow breaths now. Breathing in fully and really filling the lungs with air on the inhale. That's it.

And a long, steady, smooth exhale. And again, in. And out. One more time. That's it, you're doing great.

So we can just let go of any control of the breath now. And let the breath settle into its own natural rhythm. During times of conflict, we often have a very fixed mental position that the mind replays again and again. So although this might seem a little counterintuitive, the great place to start resolving the conflict and the tension that we're feeling inside of us is to actually focus on the other person rather than ourselves. We can then start to accept that they feel differently or see things another way.

We don't have to agree with them or even like them. But if we can approach conflict situations more objectively, we can work through them more skillfully and improve our chances of creating the conditions where we're most likely to have interactions that promote understanding, resolution, respect, and harmony. So if it feels okay for you, just bringing to mind the other person involved in the conflict. And being aware that this person is a fellow human being just like you. Just like you, this person has experienced physical and emotional pain in their life, suffering.

Has probably endured loss and heartache. And just like you, this person wishes to be free from pain and suffering. And they wish to be safe and healthy and have their needs met. They want to be loved, just like you. Treated fairly.

And they want to be happy, and for their loved ones to be happy. So just inviting you now to imagine what this other person's point of view might be in this situation. Their own frustrations and desires and needs. Imagining how they might feel. How things might be seen from their point of view.

Now this might be a little bit challenging at first. The rational mind might not make sense of this and might want to resist it. But this practice really can help us to figure out where we can let go of a little bit of our own mental rigidity and turmoil. Seeing things from a higher perspective can really restore our own inner calm, presence and clarity of perspective. So perhaps letting go of the position of being right, and instead being open.

This is not about trying to come up with a solution right now or think about how we can get our way or fix things. For now, just allowing the mind to kind of soften our position. And if it feels okay for you, you might even allow a sense of goodwill to flow towards this person. Breathing in, and as you breathe out, perhaps imagining sharing with this person a sense of acceptance, compassion, and calm. That's it.

Maybe you can notice how the mind might be beginning to soften and settle a little bit with each exhale. As you send goodwill towards this person. Allowing your mind to unwind tension and open to a greater sense of inner peace. And coming back to your own breath now. And with each exhale, imagine mental and physical tension melting and softening.

And just taking a moment to ask yourself right now, what is your highest intention for this situation? What matters to you deep in your heart? Just take a moment to contemplate that. What's your highest intention? And as this practice starts to draw towards a close, taking a deep, slow, full breath in. And as you breathe out, begin to wriggle the fingers and toes. And when you're ready, just opening the eyes again. And if it feels right for you, making an intention to take this more open hearted, centred awareness with you into any interaction you're going to have.

I hope this has been helpful for you. Wishing you well, and we'll see you back here tomorrow.