A Simple Reminder

By Jenny Rowe

We’ve all seen it: someone rushing around in an irritable state trying to get too many things done—ending up hurting themselves, starting an argument, breaking or spilling something, all of which ends up creating more work. Can’t we also see that if they would just stop, even for a couple of moments, to regain their peace, they would be able to work more smoothly and efficiently, actually getting more done, and most importantly even enjoy what they are doing! They would also be in a better state to reevaluate their priorities if that’s what was needed. So how to help them? By starting with ourselves! Make keeping our inner peace a priority by developing the good habit of regaining our peace whenever we find we’ve lost it; for as we do, others will find it easier to do the same.

As the holidays approach, times that lend themselves to focusing on our peaceful~spiritual selves in Thanksgiving and celebrating the Christ~Light within and enjoying time with family and friends, why is it that we tend to lose our balance and peace to busyness and materialism? One reason may be that as a society we give very little time and attention to our spiritual nature throughout the year. For example: many of our stores are open seven days a week, if not 24 hours a day, so it’s very easy for us to let the material~mortal things take over all seven days. If our stores were closed or we chose not to shop one day a week, we’d be encouraged to attend to the material~mortal in the other six, leaving us one to give back to ourselves, to develop the good habit of feeding our spiritual selves, realizing the benefits of doing this on a regular basis.

So from that lack of value given to taking time for our spiritual selves, it’s all too easy to say we don’t have time, there’s too much to do when the holidays come around. Or perhaps we are working to build the good habit of keeping our inner peace and feeding ourselves spiritually, but are new at it so our old habits can feel like a strong pull.

Now, how to go forward and where can you get help? Resolve within yourself to make peace a priority. Write yourself reminder notes. Talk with your family and friends about it, resolve to do it together by helping each other. Find a teacher to help you to learn ways to master yourself, so that when you find you are rushing, out of peace, you can get out your tools to clear away negative states and bring back in the peace—our Meditative Peace class teaches just that. Set aside time to feed yourself spiritually regularly, preferably daily with some extra time weekly. Join with others; for example we offer Meditation evenings, times for all to come imbibe in the peace. Most importantly, rather than be critical, be loving with yourself if you stumble: pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start off again, just as you would with a child learning to walk, for we become more spiritual by loving ourselves.

Jenny Rowe is a Healer/Progressive Counsellor at the Self Realization Meditation Healing Centre, a non-profit, near Lansing, MI. The Centre offers many ways to help including instruction in Pure Meditation, Meditative Peace classes, Retreats, and Meditation Evenings. Call 517-641-6201, email SRMHCMichigan@cs.com, or visit www.selfrealizationcentres.org.