The Meditation That Makes Your Worries Feel Smaller

Emily Johnson · 2026-11-03

Ever feel like your thoughts are taking up all the space in your head? Like there's no room left for anything else? Shamash Alidina, a renowned meditation teacher, has a practice that can help. It's a meditation to awaken the joy of feeling small. And no, it's not about diminishing yourself—it's about expanding your perspective. ### What Does It Mean to Feel Small? Feeling small isn't about low self-esteem. It's about recognizing your place in the grand scheme of things. When you feel small, your problems often feel smaller too. You gain a sense of awe and connection to something larger than yourself. This meditation helps you tap into that feeling. ### The Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide Here's how to do the meditation. Find a comfortable seat and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths to settle in. - **Start with your breath:** Notice the sensation of breathing. Don't control it, just observe. - **Expand your awareness:** Imagine your awareness expanding beyond your body, filling the room. - **Visualize the sky:** Picture a vast, open sky. Your thoughts are like clouds passing by. - **Feel the space:** Notice the space between your thoughts. That space is always there. - **Rest in that space:** Allow yourself to simply be, without needing to change anything. As you practice, you might notice that your thoughts and worries still exist, but there's more room around them. They don't feel as overwhelming. ### Why It Works When you feel small in a healthy way, you're not minimizing yourself—you're expanding your perspective. You're reminding yourself that you're part of something bigger. This can be incredibly freeing. > "You are a drop in the ocean, but you are also the entire ocean in a drop." – Rumi This meditation helps you experience that truth directly. It's not about escaping your problems; it's about seeing them from a broader vantage point. ### Tips for Getting the Most Out of It - **Practice regularly:** Even a few minutes a day can make a difference. - **Be patient:** It might take time to feel the effects. Stick with it. - **Use it during stressful times:** When you feel overwhelmed, this practice can be a lifeline. ### Final Thoughts Feeling small doesn't mean feeling insignificant. It means feeling connected. It means recognizing that your worries are just a small part of a much larger picture. Give this meditation a try and see how it shifts your perspective. You might just find a little more space in your mind—and a lot more peace.