BlogHer - peacefulness - Comments

that's beautiful

kazari — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 05:45:48 -0500

Thanks

JustKaren — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:33:49 -0500

Thanks for the feedback. I find that the more regularly I meditate, the quieter my mind becomes and I can get to that peaceful place more quickly. It is definitely a work in progress.

Best,

Karen

Loved the poem... I have the

freshstart2 — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:30:37 -0500

Loved the poem... I have the same problem... settling my mind... always lots running through it!

Anne, well done!

Mata H — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:00:05 -0500

One other phrase I love, in addition to "embracing uncertainty" is around the need to "detach from outcome". And you are so right that sometimes the simple precepts are the toughest to put into action.

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

Embracing Uncertainty

annejenner — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:47:05 -0500

I have recently gone through a phase of life where I made a decision that because I was unhappy with a number of significant areas of my life, job, personal life etc. I needed to change direction. Good decision, but life has its own agenda and things just take their own time regardless of how much we might want to drive them. In all of this I got frustrated, depressed, impatient and resentful with the non-happening of what I thought should be, to the extent that I realised I had to change my attitude first. In trying to do this, I came across a great book by Susan Jeffers called "Embracing Uncertainty" which makes all the wonderful points made in these posts very eloquently. Such simple precepts really but so hard to put into practice when we're constantly fighting against the unfolding of life with our own determined (and often misguided) willpower running the agenda. (So I'm now a reforming Control Freak!)

thanks for your comment

Mata H — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:16:02 -0500

yes indeed, living in the now is the best choice -- in fact the only real choice. When we try to live in the future, our only response is fear, because we have no place to stand -- the future does not exist, so trying to find refuge there is not possible.

I am not certain that something beautiful will always come, as you say, but I do know that the world has within it an abundance of resources that can help me, and in return I can help others.

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

It's about chosing to be present in our lives

JustKaren — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:54:20 -0500

I have been working on 'being here now'. If I am always living in the present moment, then the worry about the past or future disappears. The past is gone and the future has not yet happened so the only reality we have is the present. When I find my mind someplace different than my body, I know I am squandering a valuable moment.

As you stated so eloquently, we also need to be able to let go and let God when we are living in the present and don't like what it is offering us. I have a mantra that I try to live by...I am always exactly where I am suppose to be. If I can trust that my life is unfolding in the universe's perfect timing, then I can let go and enjoy the ride. If I am experiencing a rough spot, I can take refuge in knowing that all difficulties help me grow both emotionally and spiritually. If we all had hindsight in the midst of our crisis, we would realize that something beautiful will always come if we stop resisting and go with the flow.

Thanks for a wonderful post.

Karen

Hi Sandy-

Mata H — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:37:46 -0500

~I like the list on your "Anxiety Track" blog entry...well done !

~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

PS Suzanne

Mata H — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:34:09 -0500

I just got a reply email from Derrick Jensen. wow! Excellent reply, too -- took me very seriously.

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

Keeping Our Focus

SandyHov — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:23:38 -0500

Good blog! It's all in what you focus on, isn't it? We can focus on those things that we have no power to change, that cause us stress, etc., or we can focus on the positive changes we are making. And focusing on the positive increases the positive impact we can have! It becomes a wonderful cycle instead of a vicious cycle.

I wrote a similar blog recently that looked back at a horrible day I had. Of course it was only horrible because I focused on the badness of it all day. I appropriately named the blog "Jump off the Anxiety Track."

Thanks for the Monday reminder!
Sandy
http://apprehendinggrace.com/2008/07/05/jump-off-the-anxiety-track/

Moving in Faith

Liah_daDiva — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:15:54 -0500

Sometimes daily life can scratch our lifes anyway,were we give more energy to those things that upset us,take our joy anyway or even causes us to be rude and withdraw from others. So, i ask what are you lead by?Is it your desires, your dreams , your family, or just the need to strive to survive in this world. The only thing we should be lead by in life is God. Only God can give us the energy that our emotions steal away from us. And with that comes peace,sometimes it is easier to to hold tight to your worries and anxiety because we dont always want to deal with the things that disturb us.But at all times we should stay encouraged,and know that all things happen for a reason.Sometimes our setbacks ,opens a door to something so much Greater,then us.

Suzanne

Mata H — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:33:29 -0500

Hi Suzanne -- interestingly enough, I just sent an email to Derrick Jensen -- I am 2/3 of the way through. We'll see what comes of the mail.

Re narcissists - wow, I am not a doctor, and I don't even play one on TV, so take me and any advice I give on this topic with grains of salt -- a bucket of it maybe. I found some resources on google that might make interesting reading Here is what google said.

My Dad was a textbook narcissist, and it took a long time for me to understand that what he did was "not about me". I never became expert at that, so your best advice is going to be from someone other than me. I'd often lose my spiritual equilibrium when he got fired up. I got much better at managing this, but never perfected the art of blessing and releasing when it got very intense.

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

I'm trying....

the farmers wife — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:03:22 -0500

This is such a loaded topic for me. I've done many years of therapy, which was the most important things I've ever done for myself, but the issue you have mentioned here is the one area in my life that has created the most thorny problems. Therapy effectively got rid of depression, anxiety, future-worry and a whole basket of other nonsense, but letting go eludes me.

The problem is that I have someone living under my roof that is a strong narcissist who disrespects me on every level. She's elderly and ornery and just oblivious to anyone else's feelings. The behavior cannot be attributed to age because this has always been the case. I'm open to any and all suggestions as to dealing with this type of person. Each and every time I let go and move on I'm slammed with yet another act of guerilla behavior!!! I'm getting worn down as a result.

BTW Mata, I can't find the thread again but I wanted to mention that I'm very glad you picked up "The Culture of Make Believe". I'm astonished you're making good headway because the book is so draining emotionally that I've had to temporarily abandon it many times! It should be required reading for anyone who thinks they know something about hate and bigotry.

Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

I love the 3rd one the most

Mata H — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:24:01 -0500

Thanks for sharing these!

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

Philosophical Destruction of Stress

Mctavish — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:02:41 -0500

I find as I get older that my beliefs help me get through stressful times. As someone who was a natural worrier when I was younger I need all the positive things I can get in life. If you can handle severe stress you can handle anything. Some examples:

I create my own destiny

I was born to achieve

I will love and respect myself every day of my life

Problems are opportunities that make me stronger

Treating people with respect will assure my future

http://cuttingedgemotivation.co.uk