Before today’s 10-minute meditation, I wanted to briefly address an issue that comes up for most of us at some point in our life as practitioners: we find that we more sensitive. Rather than making us impenetrable, meditation makes us more permeable. And this is a very good thing.

The foundation of compassion is opening up our hearts and allowing this world to touch us.

To open in this way, to let go of fixed notions to tune in instead to what is actually happening, is, to me, the highest form of fearlessness.

In meditation, we practice letting go of thoughts over and over to return our attention to the rhythm of the breath, which acts as a sort of stand-in for the present moment. (Which it is—you can’t breathe in the past or future, only in the now.)

So, do the math with me: Sensitivity is the first step in compassion and is rooted in openness which is a form of fearlessness which is cultivated in the sitting practice of meditation.

Please know that as we practice today, we are training in both compassion and fearlessness, which turn out to be the exact same thing. Who knew.