meditation

The Calming
Waters of
Relief
When it feels like the world is on fire, and us along with
it, mindfulness can cool the flames. Our pain points are
collective, so our solutions will be, too. May this curated
meditation retreat offer some relief and restoration, to
collectively nourish our awareness, so that we have the
opportunity to build authentic, trusting relationships, and
PHOTOGRAPH BY LAURA PASHKEVICH / ADOBESTOCK

from there, work together to create a kinder world—while

receiving the loving care we all deserve.

Introduction by Heather Hurlock

February 2023 mindful 59

Rest is
essential.
Rest is an
imperative.
It is also a
radical act to F ire has four
stages: ignition,
growth, full devel-
opment, and decay.
slow down, shift, Sometimes fires
are cleansing, creating

restore, and fertile ground for new growth. And

sometimes fires consume everything
in their path until they run out of
regenerate. heat, fuel…oxygen.
If the latter sounds like something
you can relate to, you’re not alone.
Burnout has become so prevalent, it’s
being talked about as “the new nor-
mal,” with some studies showing 77%
of workers saying they have experi-
enced burnout at their current job.
Healing burnout is past the point of
being a collective imperative. We all
need to take a beat. Breathe. And find
ways to skillfully use our resources to
replenish and renew.
Healing burnout isn’t about self-
care—it’s about systems.
All of our systems—in the work-
place, in our communities, in our
families, in our friendships, in our
technology, in our finances—were
built by people. Which makes them
fallible. Especially if they’re rigid.
That’s not a critique. That’s a fact.
In order to find relief, we have
to be able to see the larger systems
PHOTOGRAPH BY ICEMANPHOTOS / ADOBESTOCK

we’re a part of, how we contribute to

them (whether through resistance
or support), and how they affect us
and those around us. In order to heal
burnout, we need to be brave and
vulnerable enough to recognize what
isn’t working, have the courage to
admit when we’re adding fuel to the
fires burning around (or within) us,
and then be adaptable and nimble
enough to change.

Creating space for relief
The American Psychological Asso-
ciation (APA) describes burnout
as “physical, emotional, or mental
exhaustion accompanied by decreased
motivation, lowered performance, and
negative attitudes toward oneself and
others.” They add, “It results from
performing at a high level until stress
and tension, especially from extreme
and prolonged physical or mental
exertion or an overburdening work-
load, take their toll.”
In 2019, the World Health Organi-
zation (WHO) defined burnout as an
“occupational phenomenon” resulting
from “chronic workplace stress that
hasn’t been successfully managed”
resulting in “feelings of energy deple-
tion or exhaustion; increased mental
distance or cynicism related to your
job, and reduced efficacy.”
It’s the “workplace stress that
hasn’t been successfully managed”
part of the WHO definition that
makes people think beating burnout
is only about helping workers man-
age their individual stress levels. Yes,
we are responsible for taking care
of ourselves. But if we leave it there,
we’re not taking into account the part
of the APA’s definition that indicates
that burnout affects people who have
been “performing at a high level” to
the point of exhaustion. Because if
“high level” performers are working
themselves to a state of decay, then
the workplaces they’re in and the sys-
tems they’re part of aren’t caring for
them or providing the conditions for
thriving. In other words, our work-
places are creating systems where, in
the hustle to be considered a “high-
level” and valuable performer in their
workplace, people increasingly have
to ignore their need for real rest
and relief.
With that framework in mind,
there are two things to consider when
addressing burnout:
One: All people, whether on the
brink of burnout or not, require rest,
recovery, and the tools to help them
recognize when they’re working in
unsustainable systems.
Two: Organizations need systems
that are kinder to human physiol-
ogy, and to our mental and emotional
health. Period. Workplaces (read:
managers and executives) need to
interrogate their internal systems
(as well as how they are implicated
in those systems) in order to take the
necessary steps toward change.
In both of these cases, individually
and organizationally, mindfulness
can help.
Teetering on the
edge of burnout
In the mindfulness community, we
often describe the practice as moving
from “me” (my individual practice) to
“we” (our relational practice, how we
show up with others) to “us” (how we
show up collectively for each other,
the planet, and future generations).
In other words, your individual
mindfulness practice serves all of us,
relationally, collectively. When we
train our awareness to notice—notice
how our bodies feel, notice when
we’re slipping into old patterns that
harm ourselves and those around us,
notice how it feels to pause and allow
some space between our reactivity
and our activity—we give ourselves
the opportunity to get things done
together that otherwise might
seem impossible.
None of this is easy if you’re teeter-
ing on the edge of burnout. And if
that’s where you are, the first thing to
meditation
remember is that burnout is not your
fault. While you need to recognize
it, so you can take steps to heal and
repair, you also need to know that
burnout is a collective challenge, not
an individual one—and be supported
in that understanding.
The second thing to remember is
that rest is essential. Rest is an imper-
ative. It is also a radical act to slow
down, shift, restore, and regenerate.
That’s why rest can feel uncomfort-
able in a culture that places so much
worth on productivity. Our mindful-
ness practice can help us sit with
that discomfort.
The third thing to remember is that
if you’re alive, your breath is always
with you. And just three breaths can
help shift your perspective. Try this
three-breath practice from mindful-
ness coach Jason Gant: Take three
breaths. With the first breath, just pay
attention to how it feels to breathe.
With the second breath, relax your
body. Drop your shoulders. Relax your
jaw. And with the third breath, ask
yourself: What’s most important right
now? Then, use that wisdom to inform
the next thing you do.
We’ve put together a mini medita-
tion retreat for relief and restoration
in the next few pages. These medi-
tations are meant to take you from
“me” (connect with your practice), to
“we” (connect with your relations),
to “us” (engage in the unique ways
that are available to you). We hope
this relief package helps you nourish
your awareness, bring kind curiosity
to your thoughts and experiences, and
receive the care you deserve.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heather Hurlock is the editor-in-chief of Mindful
magazine and mindful.org. She's a longtime editor,
writer, musician, and meditator with deep roots in
service journalism.
February 2023 mindful 61