Have you ever reached a moment of pure peace only to be jarred away from your tranquility by the needs of others?  Your child, neighbor, friend, partner, or a perfect stranger comes into your awareness with an urgent need, fear, or whatever it may be.  Of course, you respond with compassionate assistance however you can, that is essential; we are here to help one another.  Ours is to learn how to listen to and be with others while sustaining and sharing peace rather than joining in worry, fear, and despair.

This post grew out of a conversation with my dear friend Anne whose extended family has been experiencing several challenges over quite some time.  She spoke of the pain and heartache of listening to their difficulties. She felt anxious, agitated, and helpless.  Her situation is one that most, if not all, of us have experienced; I know I have many times.

I’m grateful to say there is a simple, yet powerful practice which changes everything.[1]   Whenever you experience anything jarring or disturbing from a friend’s woes to the state of the world to an earsplitting argument or anything that takes you out of peace, put your hand on your heart to comfort yourself.  Keep it there for the entire conversation and afterwards, if needed.  As soon as our hands touch our hearts, we shift our processing away from our minds, which are inclined to worry and judgment, to the love, kindness, and comfort of our hearts. We open ourselves to Divine Love to flow in and through us creating a sustainable peace and honoring the truth that peace is our responsibility.

If you are speaking on the phone and/or comfortable doing this in person, also raise your other hand to beam love and peace to the person or person(s) in distress.  If you rest this hand on your knee, it’s unlikely to be noticed and creates a sustainable circle of love and peace coming into you from Divine Source and flowing out from you to your friend in need.

Another in need?

Hand on heart

Ready to start

****

Now serene

****

Love

Hope

Peace

We beam

Maintaining your peace creates a calm space in which you can listen and respond with compassion and love. Your peaceful inner silence will radiate to others naturally, effortlessly.

[1] This practice was briefly mentioned in the blog post on compassion. https://mypeacesanctuary.com/compassion-2/

Reflection: I do healing/energy work and remember when I first began doing Reiki, I literally used to get sick because I would absorb whatever was going on in the other person’s body into mine.  It took a few years and guidance from my friend David for me to figure out how to allow the sensation the other person was feeling into my body as information and to then let it pass on through.  Previously, I held onto their sensations and so became uncomfortable or even sick myself.

As I have been reflecting on this, I realize what has ultimately changed is my dedication to my own peace and love for myself.  Previously, I put the other person’s needs above mine as if I had none. It really never occurred to me that I had needs, I assumed I was okay when I really wasn’t and focused on the needs of others.

Now, whether it’s a friend’s needs, a stranger’s emergency, energy work or whatever, I know it is only by maintaining and increasing my serenity that I can help others without damaging myself.  It’s become automatic for me to help another to begin by simply by putting my hand on my heart, nurturing myself, and when centered and calm, beginning to beam healing on the other(s). I am grateful for this simple, powerful practice for sustaining inner peace.

Your turn to reflect – How do you feel when you put your hand on your heart? Try using this practice whenever you feel uncomfortable, especially when someone is sharing sad or jarring news with you.  Do you feel a difference?

Thank you for being a vital part of Peace on Earth by nurturing peace in your heart, in your life.  The more that you embody peace, the more peace there is.

Your comments and suggestions are welcomed. I want to know if this works for you and/or you have found some additions to add to this practice. (Click on the blue link below to add your comments.)