Take a moment now and feel the difference in your heart when you say and hear, “non-judgmental” and when you say and hear, “openness.” Not only does openness offer the positive vibration we desire, it offers peaceful results in our lives when we choose to keep our hearts and minds open.
Audrey Hepburn’s name used to bring images to my mind of a beautiful, regal, slender woman who radiated poise, sophistication, and self-assurance in movie after movie. That was until my dear cousin Susan gave me the book, Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit.
Invitations to hate and fear are frequent these days which reminds me of some of the songs from the remarkable and inspiring musical, South Pacific by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Oscar Hammerstein’s lyrics remind us that love is our natural state since we must be taught to hate.
Knowing peace is possible, if not always easy, we continue to look to wise souls for guidance during these turbulent times. Today’s inspiration comes from the author of seven NY Times bestselling books Heartsongs 1 – 6 and one collection of essays and letters called Just Peace.
I chose orchids since they convey a sense of peace, calm, and purity and it feels like the right and perfect time for tranquility and beauty in our lives and our world.
As people of peace, is not ours to despair, but rather to rise to the occasion and stand up at this crucial time in our nation’s history, to speak out for government workers, for democracy, and for all our brothers and sisters.
Maintaining and sustaining inner peace is more essential than ever when all that we stand for as a nation is being dismantled and tossed aside in the pursuit of money and power for the privileged few.
As people of peace, maintaining and sustaining inner calm is our commitment to ourselves, to one another, and to our world, no matter the outer circumstances.
As people of peace, it is ours to walk the path of peace with open, loving, compassionate hearts while standing up for the democratic principles of our nation of Liberty and Justice for all.
Today we add to our growing list of inspirational guides, a young woman, mature beyond her years in hope, inspiration, and spiritual wisdom: Anne Frank.
Despite the massive challenges of Helen Keller’s limited world, she became a distinguished and prolific author of 18 books, a tireless disability rights advocate, and a political activist focused on civil rights and women’s rights.
I chose to share this photo from the Gulf with you because it embodies a time of rest and relief to me. I love the serenity, the contrasts, and the . . .
Peace never has, and never will, come from the world or conditions around us. While there may be settings in which we feel more comfortable than others, peace has always been, and always will be, our responsibility.
When truth is considered an unnecessary inconvenience, people are treated callously and vital institutions are being destroyed, it is ours as People of Peace to speak up for democracy while still maintaining inner peace.
At some point in our lives most of us internalize messages that tell us we are not enough: not smart enough, not funny enough, not good looking enough; we are simply not enough! It takes courage to love ourselves just as we are. It takes courage to love others just as they are.
How do we maintain our sanity, humanity, hope, and peace in a nation and a world that appear to be falling into chaos, cruelty, and greed? We want to be peaceful, but how?
Some years ago a friend introduced me to a playful routine of walking mantras. On a daily walk, practice speaking a word or syllable (silently or aloud) with each footstep so that an ordinary walk is transformed into a walking meditation.
Worry, uncertainty, and fear are always available as part of the human condition, and they are extremely evident now. Given that they are incompatible with peace, it is ours to be as zealous in protecting the health of our peace as we are in protecting our places of shelter in times of storms.
Peace lives and breathes within us in the present moment, not in a distant time when circumstances are exactly what we think might be ideal. What a blessing it is to know Peace is always available for the choosing.
There are, and always have been, voices willing and able to encourage us to practice “othering,” by looking for and focusing on differences and fault-finding. As people of peace, rather than waste the blessings of being alive by getting side-tracked into division and anger, it is ours to look for, see, and rejoice in the oneness of all.
We know living by the Golden Rule is essential for living together in a society of peace. The missing component, especially in times when division, anger, and injustice are being promoted is how. How do we return to and anchor inner peace? How do we choose peace when the world is not peaceful?
Eckhart Tolle’s states : “Whatever you accept completely will take you to peace, including the acceptance that you cannot accept, that you are in resistance.” Isn’t that luscious?
Our minds are willing and able to create a list of failures, shortcomings, and other nonsense with which to torment ourselves and others. Fortunately, we can choose to ignore harsh comments whether they come from within or without. Instead of condemnation, we are free to choose compassion and gentleness for ourselves and for all we meet.
Open hearts and minds willing to focus on, allow, and embody Light, Love, and Peace. This is ours to be.
Peace, like laughter, is contagious. All it takes is a giggle from one person to set off a room full of laughter. All it takes is a peaceful presence from one person, to shift the energy of a room from discord to peace.
