By: Rev. Gwen Smith
November 21/21
Happy Sunday, I am a few days late with this Friday blog. I am away from home and very caught up with my grandson who makes the days fly by with joy, discoveries and fun.
There is an unsettled feeling with so much going on in the world. It is a challenge to not get “caught up” is it all. People are affected by floods, fires, uprising, corruption, racisms, and on and on…..
I was feeling like I was spiralling into the consciousness of “hell” and then I took a conscious breath. And then another until I was still and I am remembered I am not of this world.
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world.” And I am not OF this world….I can transcend all the happenings around me rather than be IN it. I go forward as the LIGHT as I am……
“Let us in the stillness of our own soul go back to that ineffable Presence which is Peace and proclaim it even in the midst of confusion, that Peace which is the Power at the heart of God” “World Peace is Not an Illusion.” Ernest Holmes.
I found this quote as I was beginning this article and it fits perfectly. The other gem I found was the article from Mark Waldman who is professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He, also writes an article for the Science of Mind magazine. I want to share these exercises of “mindfulness to the centre of your being”, and consider adding it as a part of your spiritual practise.
Each of the following strategies are backed up with scientific evidence. Post the list near your workplace, and experiment with one of them once an hour:
1. Try doing three mindful yawns and notice how your mental state changes each time.
2. Take a full sixty seconds to make one super-slow gentle rotation of your head.
3. Yawn and stretch and then find a single word to answer this question: “What is my deepest value?” Repeat it 20 times and notice how much more grounded you feel.
4. Turn your inner value into an affirmation. Example: “I breathe in love (or peace or confidence or integrity, etc.), I breathe out stress.”
5. Identify one negative recurring thought and remind yourself it’s just your imagination.
6. Identify one “limiting” belief you think you have, and remind yourself that this is nothing more than an old memory you are digging up from the past. Then find one optimistic belief and meditate on it for 60 seconds.
7. Take 60 seconds to do something physically pleasurable.
8. Write down three things you accomplished today.
9. Close your eyes and visualize someone who you deeply care for.
10. Close your eyes and visualize someone who has deeply cared for you.
11. Feel stuck? Ask your intuition to come up with one creative solution.
12. Visualize your goal for today. Visualize one obstacle you might encounter. Write down three simple ways to overcome it and put your plan into action.
I’m willing to bet that all you have done so far is to read the above list. Relax and mindfully gaze at your list for 60 seconds and then circle three of them that appeal to you. Using your intuition, do one of those three right now. The research shows that your stress level has just gone down and that your confidence and attentiveness has increased. Now set a goal that you want to accomplish in the next 10-30 minutes and do it! At the end of one week your self-esteem will have increased, along with your performance and productivity throughout the day!
NeuroTip: If you teach just one person how to do one of these strategies, your own skillset will improve. How cool is that?! Mark Waldman
Enjoy this, try it as an experiment, sure why not? After all you will be the direct recipient of the benefits. Nothing to lose. Rejoicing in the new.
Allow it to move and shift your life’s experiences……..If ya wanna different experience, ya gotta change your thoughts, your words even the small words like “in” rather than “of”……. The above exercises can bring about such a change.
Namaste, Reverend Gwen