State
of Peace
We
started our weekly meditation group last Wednesday and as I was
doing the meditation, the word "peace" kept coming through.
That is, after all, why we do meditation, isn't it - to experience
peace within or peace of mind as you may call it?
Let's
not live in fairyland ... we all have conflicts and stressors.
We know very well how to create the feelings of conflict and stress.
But how well do we know how to create peaceful feelings?
There's
a lovely quote, don't know who said it, "Peace is not the
absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it".
So
we need to do
more than search for peace; we need to actively create it. Where
do you start? By being at peace with others. Seek every opportunity
to spread harmony to those around you ... not just in a meditation
class. Instead of searching for the perfect location or the perfect
time to be calm, learn to create peace for yourself right where
you are.
Sometimes
it's easy to think that if I could only beat one more deadline,
or if the kids would stay asleep one more hour, then I would be
able to practice being peaceful. The truth is that life hardly
ever comes with built-in breaks between responsibilities.
If
you want peace and relaxation, then you must create it. Your state
of peace begins in your mind. Imagine being able to take yourself
into a state of peace simply by closing your eyes, ignoring your
surroundings, and envisioning yourself in a state of peace.
You
should develop a quick meditation that can induce peace ... with
eyes open ... while rushing through traffic. The time you spend
in your car is an ideal time to clear your head by peace to be
the foundation for your day.
You
can connect with your inner-self wherever you are.
Today,
you can introduce peace as the foundation of your day and let
life's challenges and opportunities rest on the strength of that
foundation.
Self-Reflection
Questions:
1.
How can you turn a mundane daily tasks into peaceful moments?
2.
Can you identify times in your day where you can create rest and
relaxation to build a peaceful foundation?
3.
Do you wait for peace to come to you, instead of actively creating
it? Do you practice peace on a regular basis?
It's time to grow your spiritual home with active work and
financial support. The New Thought
Centre is a non-profit organisation that depends on you.
Become involved - volunteer and/or practice the abundance
of circulation.
Financial donations (even a few dollars a week) help
us build more for you with a community of like-minded
people who make a difference in your world.
When
we give freely, we are telling the Universe that we have
no fear of lack and that we truly believe that abundance
will flow into the space created by our giving.
True or true?
__________________
AND
ANOTHER THING ...
7
Ways to Accept Yourself for Who You Are
Accepting
yourself and your situation in life can be a difficult task. Do
you tend to be more accepting of others' mistakes than your own?
If so, you're being too hard on yourself! Those people aren't
better than you! You were created with a unique set of talents
that no one else has. Plus, everyone makes mistakes. We're only
human!
Becoming
more accepting of yourself and loving yourself for the fine person
that you really are can lead you to greater happiness and a more
fulfilling life.
Here
are some excellent techniques you can use to help you better accept
yourself:
1. Focus on your positive qualities. Even though self-improvement
is a good thing, it's important that you identify and focus on
your positive qualities, rather than concentrating on the qualities
you feel negatively about.
* Maintaining
this positive focus will not only help you better accept yourself,
but it'll also make it easier for you to attain your goals by
utilizing your talents to boost yourself forward.
2.
Consciously prevent negative thinking patterns. Negative thinking
can really snowball fast if you don't get ahead of it. It's okay
to be in a bad mood every once in awhile and have some negative
thoughts; it happens to everyone. The trick is in learning how
to push those negative thoughts aside and replace them with something
positive.
* Replace
your negative thoughts about yourself with affirmations. Affirmations
are positive statements that affirm your positive qualities and
help bring out the best in you. You can find affirmations in bookstores
and on websites, or you can write your own.
* If you
believe in yourself, you can do it. It's really that simple.
3.
Accept your imperfections. Another part of being human is
having some imperfections. Instead of dwelling on the things you
can't change, accept them for what they are. Making the best of
your life starts with accepting your imperfections.
4.
Use positive self-talk. Positive self-talk can help you achieve
great things and change the way you think about yourself. Make
it a point to give sincere compliments to yourself.
* Compliment
yourself for the good things about your looks, your positive qualities,
and every time you do something right. Do this each and every
day until it becomes a habit.
5.
Disregard what other people might think about your decisions.
You'll never make everyone else happy. If you try, you'll soon
discover that, not only will other people still be unhappy, but
you'll also be exhausted and unhappy yourself.
* Make
your own decisions according to your priorities and be confident
that you've done what is right for you.
6.
Avoid worrying. Worrying will never help your situation. Rather
than wasting your time by being engulfed in fear, take action
to do what you can to make the situation better. If there's nothing
you can do to change it, focus on moving forward in other ways.
7.
Try your best and accept that you've done what you could. Do your
best every day and be proud of yourself for your efforts. Let
go of any negative thoughts, such as being angry with yourself
for not being able to accomplish an impossible feat.
* Even
when you haven't done your best, find a way to forgive yourself.
Move on and commit to trying harder next time.
In changing
the way you think about yourself, you'll also change the way you
see the world. Every day opens up new opportunities for you, and
by utilizing positive thinking, you can make a real difference!
