Peace. The word appears everywhere this time of year. National leaders hold it up as a goal as they plan and conduct their wars. Newspapers shout it in advertisements and headlines. Shops hang it on their walls.
People post it online as their Christmas wish for all and send cards to each other with it floating above a snowy rural scene or beneath a shining star.
Peace. It holds the longings of the human heart. And yet it seems so elusive, a vague far-off dream, a state of being we can barely imagine, even when we’re wishing it only for our own lives.
And yet, there are those who walk in its light. And moments come to us all where we sink into its ocean of clarity and grace.
To touch peace, to hear its whisper in your own mind, your own heart, is a beautiful thing. It’s one of those golden moments that make all the rest of them worth it.
A spaciousness opens inside you. Brittleness disappears; walls of resistance fade away. And all that remains is this clear, flowing now, and this swell of gratitude from the center of your heart.
A wonderful thing about these golden moments, these precious little islands of peace, is that you can create them. On purpose. Hundreds of methods exist, from meditation to prayer to martial arts. Shop around and you’ll come across one that feels right for you. I’ll share one that I personally like in a minute. It’s a variation of loving-kindness meditation.
But first, here’s another thing that’s beautiful about moments of peace. When you’re sitting there in the middle of your peace island, you’re radiating little electromagnetic ripples of peace out into the atmosphere, into the consciousness we all share.
Touch a friend or loved one with your thoughts from the center of your moment of peace and they’ll feel it. It’s a measurable phenomenon. Thoughts are measurable things.
I have a quote on my bulletin board that says, “Be the ripple that turns the tide.” What would happen, do you imagine, if enough of us sent ripples of peace out into the world every day? Maybe it’s my duty, I think sometimes. But certainly it’s my privilege and joy.
So I do this practice I’ve come to treasure. I especially like that it wraps me in such a shimmering, spacious peace, and then lets me send ripples of peace to you, and you, to all of you precious, irreplaceable human beings.
It’s simple and easy and you can adapt it as you please. It’s a luscious way to start your day. It’s a fine way to spend some of your lunch break, too, or to do as you wind down your day. Pick one, or do all three.
Begin by sitting comfortably. Then relax your body as you breathe to a count of 5-in, 5-out for a full minute or two. Let your awareness go to your heart and focus on it as you send wishes for loving-kindness to yourself. Feel the warmth and love of them as you repeat them:
May I now be filled with loving kindness.
May I now be safe and protected.
May I now be resilient in mind and body.
May I now live with ease and joy.
Repeat it a few times if you like.
Then let your attention drift to people close to you. Family. Friends. And send them the same thoughts:
May you now be filled with loving kindness.
May you now be safe and protected.
May you now be resilient in mind and body.
May you now live with ease and joy.
Finally, let your attention flow outward to a wider and wider sphere of people until it encircles the whole globe, and then returns to you.
Feel the peace.
Feel the joy of knowing that you’re passing it on.
Happy Holidays, dear friends. May they be better than the best you can imagine.
Warmly,
Susan