I was teaching a meditation class Last weekwhen the craziest thing happened.
- It is currently cold outside so the two of us had a space heating system running inside of the studio to keep us comfortable.
We had been standing in meditation with our eyes closed for about fifteen fourths and I could hear the space heating system running. The next thing I know, I begin to odor smoke and swiftly peak my eyes open. I saw the space heating system from across the room beaming with smoke and flames coming from the electrical outlet! Careful not to cause a panic in the class, I stood up and excused myself from the meditation to tend to the space heater. I didn’t recognize if I should ask the class to leave the studio while I ensured the heating system was not a danger or threat, so I swiftly assessed the situation to determine. I turned off the space heating system and grabbed a thick towel to help myself and others unplug the heating system from the outlet as safely and swiftly as possible. I opened up the window so the smoke could begin to leave the room and used a fan to cool off the space heater. By this point, people in the class were laying and approaching myself and others to help tend to the situation. Because almost everyone was feeling calm and peaceful from the meditation, the two of us were all collectively coming up with solutions without freaking out or panicking. It was a bit horrifying to deal with at the moment, but it honestly showed myself and others how powerful meditation can be on the amygdala.