Cultivating the Seed Within by Cultivating Love and Peace
by Cindy (Harpe) Hively
We can learn to locate the seed of Love and peace inside ourselves in order to have a Reliable Source of Serenity.
In our noisy world, we often find ourselves longing for love and peace and searching to find it somewhere else. While it’s true that there are places we can visit where we can experience peace, such as sacred sites or buildings, even places in our home or in nature, we do not need to wait until we get to one of these places to feel at peace. Instead, we can learn to locate the seeds of love and peace inside ourselves and cultivate them so they grow into a reliable source of serenity that we can always access, no matter where we are. What gratitude I feel when I know I can go deep within to find serenity, calmness and peace. I have found myself cultivating this seed within and the change in my life has been pure, self-compassionate, and overflowing with more love than I could ever thought possible for myself.
You see, we are not taught to love ourselves but to love others. I know this is society's way to encourage us to be all that you can be. It really means you are usually living in such a fast pace you don't even want to get up in the morning, and you definitely don't take the time to love anything or anyone. Doesn't that strike you as sad? It does me. As I have learned to love myself without judgment, but with pure authenticity, my entire outlook on life is completely different. I do feel deep compassion for myself—and love. I give unto others more of myself because I am able to be compassionate and have love for all beings just as I do for myself.
We experience love and peace when we are in a state of mental calm, clarity and serenity. It might surprise you to notice how infrequently you allow yourself to be free from all the chaos in your life and in the world. Realizing this is the first step to inner peace. If you wait until all the details of your life are taken care of to allow yourself to experience peace, you will never feel peaceful because there is always something that your mind can grab onto to create emotions that can make us feel paralyzed. It is important to consciously set aside your worries and make time to cultivate inner peace. You have to believe the time is right now.
Ideally, you could schedule time each day to meditate on love, peace, and gratitude and experience what it feels like to be calm and serene. It takes practice to learn how to let go of your worries, so give yourself some time. Inhale deeply, and feel your worries dissolve with every exhale. Remind yourself that soon enough you will be able to take care of everything you need to, but right now you are taking a break, you are taking a time out. As the clutter of your thoughts and concerns clear away, you will start to feel more serene. Allow yourself to move deeper into this state with each inhale. Realize that you have the power to free yourself from this never ending cycle, simply by deciding to do so. The more you practice feeling peaceful, the easier it will be for you to feel at peace.
Jan Lundy of AwakenedLiving.com, teaches a "90-Second Rule" to clear away our negative emotions. I learned this process in one of her online courses and it has been a saving grace many times when my emotions were taking over. You can listen to this process and practice by going to this link. Knowing and practicing this 90-Second Rule can change your life.
http://www.awakenedliving.com/podcasts/M6GTeaching90SecondRule.mp3
One area of emotional healing that is frequently overlooked is the idea of focusing on what you want in life to promote healing. When you focus on what you want, and not on what you just think you want, there is an energy that will awaken within you that will drive you forward and heal you from the inside out. Take a moment and decide what is important to you in life in this new year and what you want to go after. Pursuing that which matters most to you will lead you on to greater love and more peace and joy from within. What could be more healing than that?
Did you know that love, peace, happiness, compassion and joy are always there in your life? They are our true essence—the women that we are meant to be. But if you can’t feel this at the moment, chances are there are painful emotions that are obscuring them. Healing the emotions that obscure your center will improve your life beyond measure. Whether you’re healing anxiety, depression or whatever, check out some of the ideas on emotional healing below and see if you can learn to apply them in your life to make it better.
1) Emotional healing is in the moment
Although going to see a counselor so you can get in touch with what you are really feeling can be beneficial, the best time to clear away emotions that are bothering you is in the moment, in the the moment that they occur. You will probably find that certain things trigger negative emotions in the body and make you feel uncomfortable. The best way to deal with this is to accept the emotional energy rush in the moment and ride it out as best you can. This will dissipate some of its energy and make it easier to handle.
2) Knowing where it all began
When it comes to healing emotions, it can really help to know the origin of where the emotion began. The reason being is that it is a lot easier for the conscious mind to accept painful emotional experiences when it knows that they are coming from the past and are not related to the present moment as much. To this end it's worth asking yourself, where did all this emotional pain begin? Where did it start? You might find that a thought or image pops into your head as a response. These repressed emotions and memories will make themselves known to us when we are ready, so be patient and take your time.
3) Using alternative therapies
If you are healing emotions at the moment there are a variety of alternative remedies that you can use to help yourself in this regard. I personally have used homeopathy, meditation, yoga, the 90-Second Rule, aromatherapy and self-compassion as remedies to help myself with painful emotional experiences that I had and am having. At the center of these therapies is the idea that you have to get to the core of what is causing the imbalance and clear it. These can be surprisingly effective when it comes to treating emotional pain.
It is a new year, a new beginning, a time to reflect over last year and make a few decisions that are just for you to heal or grow in 2012. Don't hesitate or wait any longer; awaken to your essence of Love, Joy and Peace. This is your year. This is your time. This is your life. Embrace it!
We are women who light up the world ...
with our beauty,
our creativity,
our intelligence
and charm.
Our eyes sparkle
as we talk and laugh among ourselves.
Our smiles radiate warmth and comfort
to those who love us.
Our faces beam happily
when we're engaged in fulfilling work.
We shine,
we illuminate,
we enlighten,
we dazzle.
We glow softly when contented
and burn brightly when passionate.
We are always lighting up the world,
one way or another.
But who's the keeper of the flame?
Who will fill our lamps
in order for us to light up the world?
We must do it for ourselves, dear sisters,
and for each other.
We must fill our own lamps first -- not last.
We must commit to our own well-being and self-care,
lest our oil run low and our flames flicker out.
For a woman whose flame has extinguished
can no longer fulfill her mission in life.
So take some time, sweet sisters,
to rest, recoup, relax, and regroup.
Take time to fill your lamp.
The world needs your flame --
but first, you need your oil.
Author: BJ Gallagher
(Photo credit above: kenphotos)
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Cindy calls the Roanoke Valley in Virginia her home. She is surrounded by beautiful mountains that inspire and heal her everyday. Having worked twenty five years in the retail industry, she moved up quickly and loved her career, but had to quit work due to chronic illness. She is on a healing journey through Metta meditation, mindfulness practices and self compassion. Cindy's heads up the "Mindful Living" department here. She also writes here:
"Awakening The Woman Within" with Goffstown Today, www.Goffstowntoday.com Simple Steps Real Change, FB page http://www.simplestepsrealchange.com Psychological Health of Roanoke, VA, www.PsychHealthRoanoke.blogspot.com Cindy (Harpe) Hively FB page, http://facebook.com/cindyhivelybc
"Awakening The Woman Within" with Goffstown Today, www.Goffstowntoday.com Simple Steps Real Change, FB page http://www.simplestepsrealchange.com Psychological Health of Roanoke, VA, www.PsychHealthRoanoke.blogspot.com Cindy (Harpe) Hively FB page, http://facebook.com/cindyhivelybc
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