Chaos surrounds us daily in some form or another so rather than battle it how do we befriend it, be at peace with it?
By deciding to focus on what we want rather than what we don’t want, to give up the notion that it is a battle, or that we are fighting chaos but rather to shift our thinking to a pardigm that we are creating, promoting and embodying peace.
Inner peace is within our reach, it may not always feel easy to attain but it is always a possibility.
When it feels like you are surrounded by chaos, then more than ever, you can feel the value of taking a moment to drop your shoulders, slacken your jaw, and breathe. Allow peace to wash over you and chaos melt away. Whatever is going on around you inner peace is always a choice.
Can you breathe deep in any moment? of course you can. It takes only awareness. As does dropping your shoulders or unclenching your jaw. These are just a few ways that your body might hold onto stress. Next time you are feeling over whelmed take anextra minute or two do do a full “body scan” (I start at my toes and just mentally check on every body part until I reach the top of my head) and notice any tightness. Don’t get caught up in trying to change any of that as youdo the scan, the whole point is to check on all muscle groups and just notice – bring your awareness to what is chlenched, what is tight, what feels frozen, what is churning, pounding, burning hurting.
Only through awareness can you make changes to your stress response.
Once you have an awareness of where your body holds in stress you have an opportunity to actively take steps to release that tension. The next step which may seem obvious but is not necessarily easy is to learn how to manage those areas. Some find that setting a time is a good reminder to scan and release others find that attaching this activity to something that is already part of their daily routine makes it easier. Something as simple as correcting your posture regularty, doing a shoulder shrug and drop a couple of times per hour. getting out of your chair stretching, taking your eyes away from your computer.
Inner peace is much more than the abscence of tension or stress and there are probably as many paths to inner peace as there are ways to manifest stress and chaos, however, the moments that we spend in inner awareness, mindful reflection and loving self care allow us to be open to the experience of a Peaceful Spirit.
