On November 18th and December 3rd, 2017, I found myself at the forefront of a poignant moment, leading a meditation outside the grandeur of one of the city's most storied institutions — an act of stillness in the midst of movement, of presence in the face of unrest.
Organized by Brooke Montgomery Waterhouse, the gathering was held in response to a deeply divided national climate. Our intention was simple and profound: to foster unity. To meet the noise of the world with silence.
Nearly 150 people gathered and sat down together. We meditated. A local female politician offered her voice. Community artists brought original work. Palo Santo smoke moved through the crowd. Gongs and crystal bowls held the space in sound. A resource table offered ways to take action — to serve the community, to stand against hate.
Even in silence, there exists a potent energy for change.
What I witnessed those days confirmed something I have always known to be true: collective stillness is not passive. It is one of the most powerful acts of resistance available to us. When we sit together, breathe together, and turn inward together, we remember what connects us beneath the divisions the world would have us believe are permanent.
Consider offering yourself five minutes of consistent daily meditation. Not as escape — but as preparation. As return. As the most radical thing you can do in a world that profits from your distraction.