Peaceful You

Modern Life: A series of events we struggle to get to, rush to finish, and despair of ever completing. Our frenzy feeds on competition as we race to see who can accomplish the most without actually having to be checked into the hospital for nervous exhaustion!

Let's change this scenario; shift, dream, visualize, wonder, wish:

In the midst of Life’s hullaballoo, you are an oasis of calm. You see the busyness surrounding you, but you are not caught up in the whirlpool. You are able to think, to respond, and to act from a space of quiet thought and wisdom.

Does this even seem possible? Can you imagine yourself calm while all around you rushes and strains? Try it out. Find your Peaceful Breath and breathe it. Even if your moment of calm lasts for half of one breath, that is enough for a start. 

Breathe again. and again. and again. Funny how something you do unconsciously and constantly can take on a new timbre when you become aware of it. Watch your breath flow; listen to it, feel it. 

Become an oasis of calm for a moment. 

Peace.

Peaceful Intention

Modern Life: A series of events we struggle to get to, rush to finish, and despair of ever completing. Our frenzy feeds on competition as we race to see who can get the craziest without actually having to be checked into the hospital for nervous exhaustion!

  

We cannot remove all stressors from our lives, of course: Whatever would we do with all those loose kids? As we pass through each stage of life there are things we simply must deal with, and that is part of the School of Life here on Earth. The trick is to counteract the moments of crazy with moments of peacefulness, and then to enhance the whole enchilada with pops of joy, awe, excitement, and wonder.

Yoga, meditation, whole foods and holistic medicine can invigorate and heal your inner and outer bodies. Become aware of what makes your physical body feel and look great, and do more of that. Notice what allows your emotional and mental bodies to relax and rejuvenate. See what lets your spirit soar, and keep it up!

Peaceful intention: I move through this beautiful, bountiful life with equanimity and love, with joy and care, with the intent to increase these peaceful feelings and the knowledge that these emotions will spread to those around me.

Peaceful Movement

Moving the body is a joy not to be overlooked.

Flowing through yoga poses, walking through the woods, and sharing qi gong or tai chi can bring peace to your body, and so to your mind and spirit. Some people find joy in running, some in team sports; others fancy a Zumba class! Joyful movement awakens you to the miracle of the body. Muscles stretch and strengthen, knees lose their aches, tension eases out of the back. Happiness suffuses you.

Peaceful movement brings ease and joy to your life. Not only will your body rejoice every morning as it springs out of bed, but your spirit will be lighter and your mind will be clear.

Dance.

Peaceful Breath

The first time I sat in a yoga class, legs crossed on a sticky mat, and was told to breathe, I couldn’t resist opening one eye to see what the others were doing. Duh, I’ve been breathing my whole life, so what was the deal with breathing in this class?

Then more direction came from the teacher. I followed along, filling my body from seat to crown with air, then emptying out. It was both calming and energizing. As time passed, I learned that I was not only inhaling air, but also prana, or life force energy. I was not just filling my lungs, but my entire being. Each exhale was a release of whatever I had no use for at that moment; but if I changed my mind I could just breathe it back in, no questions asked!

Oh, yeah, in that first yoga class we learned some poses, too. That was fun.

Extreme Peace

While watching a video of extreme athletes doing their thing on YouTube, I found myself feeling a little jealous of them. The exhilaration they must feel while flying through the air on skis, or balancing on a board as a tremendous wave drives them forward! The amazing strength, speed and balance demonstrated as the parkour guys leap from pillar to post! And the sight of rock climbers high up on a sheer face simply took my breath away.

As I watched these crazy folks, I realized that extreme sports demand intense concentration. For me, moving from Wild Thing to Full Wheel in yoga class takes attention and a certain amount of courage; but really, if I failed I would only have a headache and maybe a lump on my head. A double flip on a snowboard turns out badly and, well, I’d rather not go there . . . And although there are plenty of physical factors that need to be in place during an extreme challenge, I am sure the mental and emotional factors are at least as important.

There is nothing in my system that would allow me to do any of those things. If you’re like me, preferring the safety of a yoga mat over the perils of a mountain bike, I recommend adding meditation to your routine. I know that sitting in a chair with your eyes closed doesn’t seem to be on par with flying through the snowy air, but I assure you that both activities concentrate and focus the mind in a beneficial way. Extreme sports and meditation each encourage your mind to move away from the thousands of tiny details of life to focus on one thing. While surfing, you’ll focus on what the water may do next; during meditation, you’ll focus on a mantra, your breath, or nothing. In the end, everyone will feel clear, healthy and released.

Your choice: ski-jump or meditate. Result: Peace.