Simple Guide to Inner Peace

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Inner Peace

A Simple Guide To

Joseph Bernard, Ph.D.


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Inner PeaceA Simple Guide To

Joseph Bernard, Ph.D.

2006 Joseph M. Bernard. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. International rights and foreign

translations are available only through negotiation of a licensing agreement with the publisher.

Inquiries regarding permission for use of the material contained in this book should be addresses to:

Joseph M. Bernard, 76 Mineola Court, Boulder, CO 80303

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Introduction

You are blessed with an unlimited potential. You can become who you want to be. The

only thing in your way is you. This short book is designed to encourage your exploration

o who you are, what you can become and how to nd your inner peace. Welcome to

nding yoursel at a new and deeper level. Take these ideas and practices and let them stirred in you

a real inspiration that will guide you on a transorming journey toward your true greatness and

genuine peace within.

First a few simple instructions

An open mind, a willingness to ask yoursel real questions and a desire to be all you know you

can be, will guide you well in this chapter. There is no real order. Read the ones that interest

you rst. Experiment and get a eel or the ideas and see what you can learn about yoursel as you

go. Purposely attempt to break old patterns and have some un while doing it. Avoid taking yoursel

too seriously it will only hold you back.

Inner peace comes rom living lie with a sense o lightness and calmness. There are no right ways

and wrong ways o exploring the practices in this guide. Find out ways that work or you. This guide

is set up to encourage you to write about your experiences. On the let page you will have text to

read and explore and on the right side you will have blank pages or your notes and observations.

The writing will deepen your sel-awareness by encouraging you to observe yoursel in the process o

investigating these provocative lessons o human potential and inner peace. The blank side can also

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be used or drawings and other visuals o your experiences. Colored pencils or pictures rom

magazines can make it un to experiment with visual images.

See this as a special project that you do on your own unless you know someone who might want to

play and explore with you. Keep open and allow the depth and simplicity o these practices to

captivate you. It is important to remember as you change, the world changes with you.

Slowing Down

Do you ever eel your lie is too ast, or in too much o a hurry? Take some time each day tobreak rom the ast pace o lie. Go or a slow walk; sit quietly; try not doing anything orawhile; stop by a quiet place like a church or garden and enjoy being there; drive a slower more

relaxing way home rom work; or do some other activity which downshits you to a slower speed.

Experience the peace inside as you do explore these activities. Notice how it eels to slow down.

How does it eel inside when you are slower? How is the world around when you move more slowly

through it? Watch when you are hurrying and then break the pattern by slowing down.

Slow down and be with others you care about and see how much more they enjoy your company.

Also see how much more you enjoy yoursel when living in the world at a more relaxed pace. As you

slow down you will experience the world around you in new and wonderul ways. When you are

slowed down you bring peace to yoursel and the world.

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Breathing

Ido realize that you already know breathing is important. Breathing happens without you

thinking about it. That is ortunate because, like the rest o us, you do tend to get distracted. In

this dierent way o breathing, you will actually be using your mind to ocus on your breath. When

you bring ocus to your breath, your breath naturally gets deeper. A deeper breath relaxes you, slows

you down and opens you more too each moment. With hardly any eort you can deepen your

breath, eel more energized, be clearer in thinking and eel peaceul.

Since the breath is a constant, it is a great place in you to use as a ocal point or your attention. As a

way to ocus the breath, bring your attention to a long slow exhale, notice the point between air

passing out o the body and the moment when air comes into the body. Invite the air to ully ll the

lungs again. I you eel overwhelmed with lie breathe in slowly and deeply as i you lling up your

belly and chest.Then as you let the breath spill out imagine that you are releasing all the tension in

your body. Experiment with the amount o inhale and exhale in dierent situations. A ull steady

breath will help you eel condent, healthy, present, ully alive and at peace.

Feeling Gratitude

You have so much to be grateul or today. I you truly saw how beautiully your lie wasunolding; how wonderul everything is around you, you would nd yoursel in almost aconstant state o awe, gratitude and joy. At the beginning or end o each day take time to appreciate

all the blessing you have. Look around periodically and experience the richness o your lie. Try

being especially thankul to those you love. They will be grateul when you do. Thanksgiving Day

can happen year round.


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I love the ocean and when I am walking along the beach I almost always eel gratitude. On bright

days when the sun sparkles on the water with such beauty, my eelings o gratitude can almost be

overwhelming.

The United States is one o the richest nations in the world. Compared to many people o the world

you have such incredible wealth. Billions o people in the world live on less then a $2 per day. You

can be grateul or your reedom, or being alive, or your healthy body and your wonderul senses,

or your car starting, and on and on. Each o us takes or granted so many things. Instead imagine a

world in which you elt grateul throughout the day. Experience the inner peace that comes rom a

grateul heart.

Writing For Insight

Apowerul and insightul way to understand you is to write about your thoughts and eelings.Have a notebook handy and when you eel something going on inside sit down and writeabout it. Avoid editing and worrying about spelling and grammar. Simply write and let the words

fow reely across the page. This ree orm o writing can: bring clarity about yoursel; help explore

your ideas; lighten the load o heavy emotions; bring a sense o stillness; or even turn into creative

expressions like a song, poem or story.

Writing helps sort things out and lets things fow. When you nd yoursel stuck, conused, or

spinning in a circle, sit and write and watch yoursel open up to direction. I you nd yoursel

conused about how you are eeling try writing rom your heart. Writing can also be a way or yourHigher Sel to communicate with you.


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As a way to prepare mysel or writing projects, I oten spend a number o days reely writing every

idea that wants to come up. Because I avoided censoring my writing, there are a wider variety o

ideas available or my projects.

What would it be like in this world i people who were upset took time to write about it? Writing

about your own unrest helps bring quiet to your inside landscape. There would be many more

healthy thoughts and loving hearts in the world i writing was used to unclog the congestion caused

rom holding so much inside.

Quieting the Inner Critic

Have you noticed there is a critic inhabiting your thoughts? The inner critic stops you romdoing many things. The critic zaps the lie out o your creative expression. The critic has nojoy; no peace; takes itsel way to seriously (warning: seriousness can be terminal); and generally

makes you eel worthless. It is never okay with anything you do. This critic may sound a lot like a

critical parent. Sometimes the critic seems like an endless tape replaying in your head what is wrong

with you and your lie. Please stop reading, remove the tape rom the player in you head and stomp

on it until there is nothing let. Experience the peace o a silenced inner critic.

The inner critic doesnt make you a better human being, it just make you eel lousy about yoursel.

Be aware enough to work on those aspects o yoursel that arent working and put the inner critic on

the unemployment line. Develop compassion or who you are. Remember you essence is Divine.

Make your inner dialogue supportive and encouraging and watch your world come alive with moreo what you desire.


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Watching Your Thoughts

Be aware that in addition to shrinking your inner critic there is still much work to be done with

your thinking i you want inner peace. Did you know you have somewhere around 50,000

thoughts each day and up to 80% o them are the same as the day beore? No wonder inner peace

seems so elusive with all this endless jabber going on. Your thoughts shape your experience o the

world. I you inner words are negative, earul and worrisome then your world will refect that. I

your thoughts are positive, peaceul, loving and hopeul then your lie will be ull o that. Take a ew

minutes multiple times throughout the day to watch your inner dialogue. Notice it and be careul

not to judge yoursel. Judging will increases your negative sel-talk.

I you truly want more aliveness, peace, joy and love in your lie think about experiencing that rather

then concentrating on what you dont have. Dont argue or your limitations or they will be

yours says Donald Shiboda in the inspirational novel, Illusions. Instead argue or your dreams and

or all you can be. Your thinking can change you and the world.

See the Beauty

You are surrounded by beauty. Whether it is the beauty o a smiling ace, a fower, a moon litnight, a moment o sel-appreciation or some other special experience, all you have to do islook around and discover. Being in nature is a great place to practice seeing the beauty since it is

everywhere you look. When you take time to quiet yoursel you will notice that oten the beauty o

things become more apparent. Imagine seeing the beauty o your partners heart; the sparkling eyes

o someone laughing and ull o lie; the light o a city as dusk ades to darkness; the lively colors o

a painting; or the many other beautiul things just waiting or you to see them.


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Seeing the amazing perection o creation will enrich your lie and open you to seeing the beauty in

you. The world will be a better place when you are able to see into the depth o the beautiul person

you are.

Walking

When you dont know what to do; are eeling rustrated; restless and unable to sleep; tooheated over something; stued rom a good meal, get up and go or a walk. Walks are veryhealing to our body, mind and spirit. As you walk breathe ully, let your mind clear and experience

the peace o a quiet walk. Walking along a river, through a neighborhood, along a trail, over to

riends house, or wherever you would like. Walks oten make you eel great.

One way to generate ideas and solutions is to get up and go or a walk. Listen as the ideas come

fying to you. Walking can be very meditative. Slow your walk down, breathe more deeply and ocus

your attention on a point up ahead. With some practice this method o meditation has the ability to

create genuine peace within, awaken you to a deeper consciousness and open you to a richer sel-

expression. Thich Nhat Hahn an inspirational Buddhist monk and writer has a wonderul little

book on walking meditation called The Long Roads Turns To Joy.

I nd walking as a orm o meditation to be very powerul especially at the end o the day. This

practice helps me release any tension rom the day; it helps me tune into a quiet knowing place

inside; and inspires me or the next day.


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Being Divine

You are Divine. Even in your imperection you are Divine. See yoursel as the son/daughter o

the Creative Source o the Universe. Ask daily to be guided toward the realization o your

Divine nature. This guidance is always available i you are quiet enough to receive it. Some choose a

path o prayer or meditation others open to their Higher Sel or the Divine Within seeking to

contact that guidance. When asking or guidance, ask as i you deserve it. Begging or help is selling

your sel short. As you open to this guidance you will discover great wisdom, higher states o

consciousness and the direction you need to realize your highest potential.

The Divine Spirit within you knows no limits. You are a Divine creature having a human experience.

Imagine yoursel opening to your Divine nature and then imagine waves o peace and love

surrounding the earth as you join with other Divinely realized individuals.

Freeing Yourself From JudgingJ udging others takes away you energy. How is it that you think you have the right to judge others?Observe what happens to you personal energy when you concentrate on the shortcomings oothers. Even more devastating to your lie orce is judging yoursel. What this judging does is make

you ar less sel-accepting. Explore ways to go beyond seeing everything as good or bad. The labeling

o good or bad might have made sense when you were a child as a way to protect yoursel. As an

adult see yoursel, other people and situations with a sense o impartiality as i you are simply

observing. Become an observer o lie and learn rom what you see. This is called becoming more

conscious.


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A powerul question to ask yoursel: Is the way that I am working or me or not? I not, see what

you need to do and choose to change. Eliminating your judging wont take away your ability to

assess others and situations. It will simply allow you to see people and things beyond the narrow

limits o a good vs. bad perspective. As you ree your lie rom the weight o judging notice how

much lighter you eel.

Laughing Works

I

you watch children you will see they laugh many times a day. How many times a day do you?

Has your lie gotten so serious that you have stopped laughing? I so STOP and take some time to

re-evaluate everything because your lie has been derailed. Taking things too seriously can be

terminal (as in dead, not the train station).

Find ways to bring laughter into your lie. Hang out with people who make you laugh. Watch unny

shows when you are attacked by the imagined seriousness o your lie. There have been a number o

studies that show laughter is actually healing. Lets say there is a political gure (maybe even in the

White House) you nd especially annoying, image him/her when they speak as Bozo the Clown, with a

big red nose. Even laugh at your own mistakes especially why playing some un games like gol (a

game which people take way too seriously because they orgot it was a game and you are suppose to

play). When you can laugh at your own ollies you have made a major step in your evolution.

Laughing through lie is more un. Laughter opens you to being at peace with you and your lie.


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Healing Nature

Nature is heaven on earth. Walking along the beach eel your spirit soar. Hiking in the

mountains takes you higher. Listening to a stream sends you into another world. Sitting

against a tree connects you too the earth. When you lie is conused, your heart is heavy, your mind

is troubled, simply enter the womb o nature and soak in its healing energy. Take time to notice the

rhythms o nature like the changing o seasons, weather patterns, the movement o the wind, the

play o light and darkness, and eel your sel in response to them. Feel the stillness o nature engul you.

I you are concerned about protecting the environment take time to get deeply acquainted with it.

Your work to preserve it will be more powerul i you actually have experienced natures depth. As

you let nature work its magic you will eel you body relax, your mind quiet, your heart expand and

your spirit dance.

Sitting Quietly

Sitting quietly has or centuries been a valued practice that enriched the lives o many whosought a higher way o being. There have been many studies that report and support thebenets o meditation. Do your own research project. Take time each day (try 20 minutes) and see

what benets you receive. When you listen quietly inside you nd out who you are and open

yoursel to the deepest inspiration. Many individuals like you have used the practice o meditation

to reach high states o consciousness and love.

Find a comortable place in your home where you can sit undisturbed and begin your meditation by

becoming aware o the inhale and exhale o your breath, as you notice your breath you automatically

begin to enter into a more relaxed state. As your thoughts come up simply notice you are thinking


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and then return to ollowing the inhale and exhale o the breath. This breathing meditation is

simple by design but it will oer you many challenges as you explore the ego minds endless chatter.

There are many books and tapes that have meditation instruction. Finding a teacher may be even better.

Meditation has the power to liberate you rom old limiting patterns. In meditation you have access

to expanded states o sel-realization. As you meditate you are able to open up to who you are. This

opening to yoursel will bring more awareness and light into your lie. This light and awareness

raises you vibrations. As you and others meditate the consciousness o the planet expands. This is an

invitation to you to come and join orces with the many o us who meditate and help bring peace,

love and consciousness to the planet.

Develop Compassion

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ompassion is the way o the heart. A compassionate heart is a powerul guiding orce that will

enrich your lie and those you interact with. So much o lies struggles can be oset by

compassion. Your open heart can be a healing orce or those in the midst o dicult lie challenges.

The loving support you give will be greatly appreciated.

One o the most compassionate acts you can do is learn to listen. A person in the midst o struggle

oten just needs to be listened to and this will help them release much o the anxiety. As a counselor,

I have spent many hours listening. Listening was what most people wanted who came to see me. It

was the most precious git I could give. Many who came or counseling seemed as i no one hadreally listened to them ever beore. I elt like my listening gave then a chance to renew their lie. I

was oten very touched and enriched by their journeys.


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When you reach out to help those in need, your ability to love expands. As you open to ways to

serve others, you will be inspired to act beyond your sel needs. The amazing thing is when you

compassionately give to others, you are almost immediately rewarded by the eelings you have

inside. Having compassion or you is twice as powerul. I you can learn to care or yoursel even in

the lowest o moments, this act o compassion will lit your spirits.

Possibly the biggest challenge is to have compassion or those you dont like, those you have labeled

as not okay, those you have seen as your enemy. The power o compassion can heal even the most

troubled relationships. Imagine what would happen in the Middle East, Northern Ireland and other

contentious places i compassion or the suering o each other was developed. How big can your

compassion be? Inner peace is oten a product o your compassion or yoursel.

Exploring Inspiration

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veryone needs inspiration. When you compliment; when you recognize a special ability; when

you appreciate someone, it eels good on both ends. What you appreciate, appreciates. Imagine

i it was your sole/soul job in lie to inspire others. How would you go about your job? How would

you encourage the best in those around you? How would you bring out the best in yoursel?

Inspiration is all around us. You can nd it in the lives o people determined to make a dierence. The

public libraries are ull o books, tapes, videos and cds that can inspire. Seek out places that are

inspirational in your city. Find people that uplit you and learn what qualities they have that makes

them so enlivening to be around. Listen inside to hear the call o what inspires you. Read poets likeRumi and Rilke.


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I love to paint so I oten explore the artwork o others or inspiration. Two o my avorites are

Kandinsky and Rothko. I also appreciate the works o many o the local artists.

Imagine a world in which inspiration took us all beyond sel-limiting ideas, beyond belies o

superiority and beyond war.

Creating

E

ach o you has creativity as part o your inheritance as a human being. When was the last time

you wrote a poem, painted a picture, made up a song, designed a garden or participated in

other creative adventures? It is well worth the time to explore where your innate creativity wants to

express itsel. Find activities that inspire the create urge. Fun places or inspiration include: arts and

crat stores, music shops and bookstores, galleries and libraries, print/rame shops and more. When

you eel creativity, explore it. Creativity oten makes you eel alive and in a place o inner calmness.

There never has been ound a limit to human imagination.

Let yoursel be open to the creation o a lie that matters, a lie inspired by your creative solutions

or a better world. Look around you. Most everything you see began as an idea in someones mind.

Which one o you will create the next thing that changes the world?

Uniting Forces

You and I are deeply connected. When the astronauts ventures out toward the moon they sawthis beautiul blue globe down below with no boundaries. They were inspired by the visualunity o our planet. All o us together inhabit this small speck out in the universe. The energy o


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who you are aects those around you, which then impacts others until it circles the globe. Your acts

o kindness send waves o compassion around the world. Your inner peace spreads outward. When

you hurt, others eel it. When others struggle you may sense it. The vibrations o who you are fow

on and on. Imagine the kind o vibes you want to send out as a member o this closely connected

global amily? Individuals like Jesus, Gandhi, Einstein, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa and so

many more have had a proound aect on the whole planet. What levels are you willing to raise

your consciousness and love to be an agent or transormation?

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous

Talented and fabulous?

Actually who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small doesnt serve

The world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so

That other people wont feel insecure around you

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is

Within us. It is not just in some of us; its in everyone

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give

Other people permission to do the same

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence

Automatically liberates others.

Nelson Mandela


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Loving Possibility

There is no greater way o being in the world then expressing love. Love is really all there is. Fear,anger, hate and other expressions are because o the lack o love. When you love you are openand expansive; you are experiencing your highest state. Think o the all the love you have when you

are in love. Love is the most natural o states. Imagine being in love with lie. Love is joy, passion

and aliveness. I you are uncertain, or earul o what to do, love is the answer. Love is the liberating

orce o the universe. True reedom comes rom opening your heart. Sel- love is actually very

revolutionary and radical. When you give your power to others, allow others to deceive you, exploit

you or oppress you it is because o a lack o sel-love. Sel-love eels so joyous that beore long you

will want to spread all the love you can.

There are so many books written about love. Find an author you are drawn to and explore their

writings about love and compassion. Jesus, the Buddha, Mohammed, as do all religions, had love as

the core o their teachings. It is time or you to explore ways o expressing your love to those who

matter to you.

A simple way to expand your loving ways is in any situation ask yoursel what would be the loving

thing to do and do that. Sometimes to love can eel scary, step past the ear and chose to love.

What i you loved everybody? What i you chose to live your lie with as much compassion as you

could? Your heart deeply longs to express itsel. Can you eel that longing? You have enough love

inside to ll the universe. Let this call to love be your guide.


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Living on Purpose

Remembering why you are here in this lietime may be your greatest task. You have a special

purpose only you can ulll. Your purpose or mission can be like a compass that gives your

lie direction. The whole planet benets rom you realizing your mission. I you go through your lie

and never ully discover or act on your purpose, then everyone misses out. When you are on

purpose, you are lled with energy, eel alive, have ocus, are at peace, and love what you do.

I you are unclear what your mission is then take the time you need to nd out. There is an ancient

practice called a vision quest that has been used by indigenous cultures and guides to assist others

in exploring their purpose. I you are lost as to what your purpose is nd someone to help guide

you. A Lie Coach (like mysel) can help you explore you inner nature and discover what is

important to you and how to realize your potential. As your lie evolves so too can your purpose. Set

out to realize your mission and see how everything alls into place to make it happen.

Dont Worry Be HappyRemember the song? Well that was a simple song and a powerul idea or inner peace. Worry isincredibly ineective. When you worry about something the more you worry the bigger theanxiety. Have you ever watched someone take a small worry and turn it into something very large in

a short time? You and I do that in our minds regularly. This is a waste o your lie orce.

Choose instead to be happy. Focus on those aspects o your lie that are going well. Make a plan and

take action on those areas o lie in need o renovation. Put the light on being happy and watch

happiness become your lie.


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Trust in things working out or the best. The more you trust the more things work out. Sometimes

you will even be surprised at how lie works out so much dierently and even much better then you

had thought it would.

Taking this dont worry be happy as a global perspective can be a little more challenging especially

i you watch nightly news. The news does not portray a happy world where most things work out in

the best o ways. Instead the emphasis is on reporting so much o what went wrong. It is as i ear is

the networks preerence or programming? You can choose to get your news rom other sources and

read about the good, the happy, the real lie separated rom all the drama. I have been on nightly

news ast or some time now and I am glad to have so many less earul images in my lie.

Do what it takes or you to eel okay; or you to not worry and most o all be happy. The world

needs you to be happy and ree o worry so your light can shine on all o us.

Awakening

F irst one to enlightenment wins. Find out who you are? What is truly important to you? Whatyou value most? Explore what turns you on about lie and makes you eel alive. What reallymakes you happy? What do you want to do with your lie? What helps create peace inside? As you

tune in, listen and become more awake to these questions, your lie will seem so much richer. With

all o your lie experiences and social conditioning sometimes you can become numb or less alive.

The world is ull o people walking around in trance like states doing their jobs and surviving.

Awakening is the opposite. It is questioning yoursel, the quality o your lie and the ways you relateto others. These kinds o questions wake you up and expand your awareness and bring real wisdom

into your lie.


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The Sel Help and Spiritual sections o you local bookstore are ull o books waiting to assist your

awakening. Seek out authors who have a depth o understanding that you appreciate. Abraham

Maslow, a pioneer in exploring the Human Potential says when you involve yoursel in personal

growth you eel positive about yoursel. Unless you are growing you may experience a restlessness

about lie, as i things arent as they should be. Awakening is lled with wonderul insight and

delicious opportunities to be more o who you can be. Image a world in which everyone awakened

to the many great possibilities inside o them.

Following The Golden RuleThe Golden Rule is simple, it says, Do onto others as you would have them do unto you.Translated to simple terms the rule is: treat others, as you would want to be treated. I you

choose to ollow this powerul rule your lie will be lled with joy. What you put out comes back to

you. I you are kind and loving to others, your lie will be ull o kindness and love. I you are angry

and hateul toward others then lie will be unhappy. The law o karma applies here. What kind o

karma is unolding in your lie? I you have noticed your lie is not what you had hoped then look

at how you are limiting yoursel by the way you are.

I have noticed about mysel that when I am loving and compassionate to others my lie seems to go

so much better then when I am closed and guarded. When my heart is open love comes into my lie

very reely. When protected I may even push the love I want away.

Imagine your lie lled with loving-kindness? How would you act in your lie to make that happen?How would you and the rest o us need to act to end all war, murder, greed and other problems on

our planet? What part can you play to help turn things around?


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Explore Your Spirit

It has been said, we are not human beings having a spiritual experience but really spiritual

beings having a human experience. When you explore the spiritual aspects o yoursel, you will

discover an endless resource within. Spirit is the guiding orce o your lie. There are two major paths

o spiritual exploration. One is the path o wisdom in which you study and meditate on the great

truths gaining deeper and deeper understanding until you reach enlightenment. The other path is o

the heart in which you explore love opening to richer and richer expressions o love until you reach

unconditional love o all things. These two paths are too simply stated but spiritual expression is at

its purest orm simple in its nature. Your Spirit has no limit, is Divine and eternal.

There are many ways to explore your Spirit: reading inspirational books, going on retreat, exploring

spiritual teachings, interacting with other seekers, meditation and listening deep inside, compassionate

action, creative expression, being present, having a spiritual teacher and so many more. As you

explore dierent ways to tune in to Spirit pay attention to what takes you to joy, an open heart,

inner peace, a eeling o connection to all things, to the light, and then ollow that way. The path o

your Spirit is an inner journey. The quality o that journey will be enhanced as you open more ully

to insight and awareness. With consciousness your light brightens. The world needs your light.

Seeking Balance

As a human being you are made up o our aspects: mind, body, emotions and spirit. Each o

these aspects needs to grow and be cared or i lie is to be balanced and harmonious. You

create real health or yoursel by keeping your body t, your mind alert, your emotions explored and

your spirit enriched. Balancing these our aspects can be challenging but worth the eort. You can


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have aspects your naturally are drawn to and others you simple dont think much about. Focus on

one too much and you can eel out o balance.

A good practice is to nd ways each day to take care o your mind, body, eelings and spirit. An

example o some activities that take care o these aspects include: going or a walk or hike; reading

books o wisdom; writing in a journal; communicating with others about how you are eeling and

what thoughts have you inspired; spending a morning in silence; and so many others ways just

waiting or you to explore. Balance comes rom listening deeply inside: to the messages o the body;

to the passionate vibrations o the heart; to the thirst or knowing o the mind; and to the joyous

call o the spirit. When you truly hear yoursel and the wisdom o all you can know then balance

comes naturally. This is the way to richly live lie.

Accepting Yourself and Your Feelings

B

egin today by accepting who you are and all that you eel. Accepting yoursel helps you open to

learning how to be even better. With acceptance comes a deep sense o peace.

Feelings serve a powerul purpose by inorming us what is going on inside. Your eelings are telling

you that you are alive enough to have reactions to lie. When you learn to pay attention to how you

are eeling you have so much more inormation about what you want and need. I you ignore your

eelings they tend to eat away at you and make you much less accepting o yoursel. Feeling who you

are is a powerul honoring o you as a person.

Loving and accepting yoursel makes it possible or you to love an accept others. The better you get

at this sel-acceptance the more you become an inspiration or the world around you. Imagine a

world where sel-acceptance and sel-love was highly valued.


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Be Here Now

The only place you can truly be is in the moment. As you read this and remain ocused on the

words you are present to the possibilities o these ideas. Too oten you spend time thinking

about how things were in the past or imagining how lie will be in the uture. When your thoughts

are in the past or uture you can easily miss the opportunities o the present.

You know what it is like to read something while your thoughts wander o; what you are reading is

lost because your ocus is elsewhere. Have you ever thought lie will be better when this or that

happens? When I nish school, get the job I like or have enough money then everything will be ok.

This idea that the uture will make lie ok is inaccurate. Only in the moment can lie be ok. Only in

the moment can there be real joy and love. I you truly want to enjoy lie be present to each

moment. The git o lie is called the present. Planning or the uture and learning rom the past are

valuable and only possible in the now. Appreciate your lie and live it ully each moment o each

day. How the world would change i each moment was appreciated or all it has to give.

Practicing Forgiveness

Forgiveness is essential to inner peace. I you hold on to the wrongs others have done to you,you give those people precious amounts o your lie orce. Resentments are small little hurts you areholding against others. These too need to be orgiven or you will be less open in your heart. You

need to learn to orgive even the most dicult o situations to keep yoursel healthy and ully alive.

A ew years ago, I read a story about a woman whose daughter had been killed by a young man. She

ound hersel very ill and came to understand it was rom all the hate she had against this young


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man. She decided she needed to heal hersel so she wrote him letters in jail. He nally responded

with such a sense o sadness and remorse that they opened up a dialogue. The dialogue brought

healing to the mother and to this young man. She was able to orgive and her health returned.

When he was released rom prison she went and picked him up and helped him start a new lie. Her

lie was transormed rom that incredible act o orgiveness. She began to do talks and teach others

about the power o orgiveness. I she can orgive the man who killed her daughter, what keeps you

and me rom orgiving those around us?

Take time each day to orgive and release. Forgive yoursel also or the times you have allen short o

your own expectations. Today ree yoursel rom the limits you have placed on yoursel by holding

on to the past. Forgive, let go, and be ree to enjoy lie as ully as possible.

Sensing and Imagining

Y

our senses o sight, sound, touch, smell, taste, and inner knowing can be wonderul allies in the

creation o a more powerul expression o yoursel. Anything you can imagine has the

possibility o happening in your lie. I you can see it happening; eel it coming into existence; hear

the sounds o it in your lie; smell the richness o it; taste the glory o success; and sense it deeply,

you can maniest it. Creative visualization involves using the senses to create new realities or you.

Athletes have used creative visualization and mental rehearsal (the practice o ocusing and

imagining yoursel doing something over and over again in your mind until you eel you can do it

just right) or years as a way to enhance perormance and success.

I have taught athletes in gymnastics, tennis, gol, swimming, baseball, running and other sports to

enhance their perormance through their imagination. It was a real pleasure or me to see the

athletes take this inormation and really upgrade their ability to succeed.


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The results o training your mind to improve perormance can be amazing. This goes way beyond

athletics. Many successul people began their road to success by seeing the results they wanted in

their minds. Jim Carey, the comedian, wrote a million dollar check (long beore he was known in

the business) that he was to receive in the uture or his work. He not only received that check but

many more. He imagined the end result.

Here is a little exercise to let you see the power o the mind to create reality. Close your eyes or a

moment and image there is a lemon sitting in ront o you on table. Imagine sitting next to the

lemon is a knie. Imagine taking the knie and cutting the lemon in hal. Now imagine taking the

lemon and sucking on it. Did you pucker? That is the power o imagination. Now imagine the lie

you want and see it daily in your mind. Imagine a world in which there is peace, where everyone has

all they need, where.

Spreading Light and Love Daily

As a daily practice this is a antastic trip. Imagine everywhere you go you spread love and light.

Everyone you cross paths with is touched by this love and light you spread. Light can loosely

be dened as insight, consciousness, grace, blessings or whatever else you want to include. Imagine

how it would eel i each day you rst elt yoursel ull o light and love and then went out into the

world and spread it everywhere you went. People would enjoy your company and get naturally high

rom being with you. Would that be un or what?

There once was a sad young man I met who could nd no happiness in his lie. In a moment oinspiration I bought him a book called Living in the Light. He took that book and decided to nd

the light in his lie. As he sought the light his lie was transormed. He called me a year later and I elt so

blessed by his happiness. There is no doubt that spreading your light and love can change the world.


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Last Thoughts

W

ell these ideas have hopeully stirred you and you are no longer quite the same. Now go

back over these ideas, i you havent already, and see which ones resonate most strongly

with you. There may be several or many. Take the time to explore them even more deeply. There are

easily lietimes o exploration available here. Dont stop here however. Keep on growing every day o

your lie. Live in total awe and wonder about all that is inside o you and around you. There is so

much love, joy, light, success, ulllment and inner peace available to you. Why not go or the best

lie you can. All humanity is awaiting the realization o who you can be.

Please feel free to send emails with questions, guidance or inspiration to create more happiness in your [email protected] www.powerminutes4success.com www.peace-together.com

Documents

Simple Guide to Inner Peace