Choosing Peace in this Moment
At times many of us feel as if we might be swept up in the waves of emotional upheaval with the pandemic and world changes. We can return to that place of peace and security within when we step back and go within. We can have direct access that place of peace inside. We can ask for assistance and help from the Divine. The Divine lives inside of all of US. We all have access to this place of love and peace within. Placing this as our first priority can help us to recognize when our minds or emotions have been hijacked into the mainstream thoughtforms of the media or even a movie that depicts trauma and drama.
YOUR MIND DOES WHAT YOU TELL IT TO DO
You can choose what to focus on in this moment with your conscious mind. The interesting thing about the mind is it does what you tell it to do. It is perfectly willing, but most of us seem to think there is something or someone out there running us. The external world is very enticing with its ups and downs and invitations. It all comes down to your moment to moment choices. The good news about this is that this moment is always a new moment and you can choose again. And again and again and again. It is as if you were playing tennis and are practicing your forehand. The ball is going to keep coming back to you so you can practice and try again and keep getting better. It doesn’t matter how many times you forget and think you got it wrong or missed, you can always choose again. Each moment of your life is another opportunity to choose a different thought or make a different choice about what you are focusing on.
Meditation can help you. You can choose to listen to the inner wisdom and guidance from the still small voice within and be more conscious and aware in this moment. There is a wise all knowing part of you that can help you and that you can access through quieting your mind with meditation.
One type of meditation that is simple and easy to do is a Zen Buddhist meditation technique I learned at Shasta Abbey in Mt. Shasta California. In this meditation you simply set a time, usually about 10 minutes. This is a focus exercise and you can build up to 20 or 30 minutes with a little practice. You will want to find a quiet place to sit, preferably in front of a blank wall, or floor, sitting in a chair or on a mediations cushion with your back straight. Set a timer for 10 minutes for the first time. As you sit gaze or focus upon a spot on the blank wall or on the floor in front of you. See if you can bring all your attention, awareness and focus to this moment as you do this. ( I usually find a place about 2 feet from the wall, and find a spot where I am looking down a bit. ) As you sit, bring your awareness to your breath as you focus. You can count your breaths starting at 1 with the exhale and count up to the number 10, counting with each exhale. When you reach the number 10 you count backwards back down to 1 and then you start over. Just observe what happens in your thoughts as you bring all of your attention and focus to this moment. Practice being still and quiet without any distractions. Observe how you feel when your done and more present in the moment.
Another way to connect with the Divine in you is to HAVE FUN!! Spend time in activities that bring you joy, expansion, and fun. Seek out and listen to happy inspiration music, uplifting and inspiring stories. Do your best to stay away from the news that is based in violence, separation and fear. I am not saying ignore what is happening in these times. Educate yourself enough to be a cause for good, but recognize when you have been pulled in to fear and anxiety. When you feel you have been drawn into a fearful state, simply recognize it and pull out something that makes you feel good.
Below are some ways to find peace and joy and come back home to yourself.
Create a gratitude list and read it every day. Write down who and what you are grateful for in your life today. This can be as simple as a delicious meal, a dear friend, your health and well being, or your perfect healing of a physical body ailment.
Find and create a playlist of inspiration happy music. Find songs that lift and inspire you to be loving, kind, and happy.
Create a vision board of things you love and what you would like to create in your life right now.
Buy a journal for your favorite quotes or affirmations. Create affirmations about how you would like to feel and what you would like to be doing.
Go for a hike and connect with and take in the beauty of nature.
You can create a more peaceful loving world but choosing to focus on what is loving, kind, and truthful and navigate these tumultuous times with inner peace.