In this dark room, everything is ok.
The world needs to hear and see success stories, but ultimately each person, in his / her dark room, must experience this ‘everything is ok’.
It doesn’t make for much of a movie or a story, but *this is it*. Not emphatically, but simply because this really is it.
My tummy was not ok. I was seriously considering reaching out to the family for help, then opted to just be aware of the breath, for just 1-2 breaths.
In this dark room, the tummy not being ok, is also ok. Whatever not ok there is in your life, in your dark room, that not ok is also ok.
Can you tune into your breath for just a moment? If you can, you will experience a shift. The shift will be very subtle, but if you can notice it, it will be a gain.
When the waves of the not-ok are strong, you will likely get sucked into the not-ok again. You will likely have to reach out to your family, or do whatever else is necessary externally to address your specific not-ok. However, if you did notice that subtle shift that awareness on your breath brought, and check it out at other times in life too, when other not-oks come up, or other times when you are alone and quiet, that subtle shift will become more and more effective. It will still be subtle, but you will notice it more and more easily.
It does not require meditation. You don’t even have to close your eyes. Specially if you are literally in a dark room as I am just now. All that is required is awareness. Of just one or two breaths. Awareness of your body, without fear of the discomfort, for just 1-2 breaths. In your dark room. In your गर्भगृह। Standing with simple, matter-of-fact, easy awareness in the face of the waves of your not-ok.