Being at peace is the wonderful state of mind and
body where all is calm, where thoughts are quiet and serene, and where
muscles are relaxed and comfortable. In this article, you'll learn how
to attain this inner peace in a matter of minutes.
Once you are adept at controlling your mind and body, you are always only one simple thought away from perfect peacefulness.
You can "will" perfect peacefulness at any time. You
will be able to move out of stressful situations immediately. All you
need to do is follow a few simple steps to train yourself. A little
practice is all that is required. But, you must take the time to direct
the mind and body in positive ways so that you can ensure the pleasures
of inner peace.
You're at the wheel. So let's drive on!
Let peace happen.
Being at peace is a choice. When we stop struggling
and fighting the world around us—and the world within us—peace can
happen. Our individual fight is with our thoughts, emotions and physical
bodies. The fighting can be directed toward ourselves or those we face
each day. Here are several approaches to quickly give up the fight and
win at the same time.
There are many ways your physical body can take on
struggles you face each day. Maybe you clench your jaw when you get mad.
Maybe you collect tension across the back of your neck and shoulders.
Maybe butterflies trouble your stomach. The first step is being aware of
what you are doing. The second step is to consciously make the choice
to release the tension.
Your mind takes on struggles in the form of mental
images. Do you tend to imagine the ideal end result or the worst
possible situation? Troubling and negative mental images translate into
unpleasant emotions and stressful physical reactions.
Choose carefully the thoughts you think
because they absolutely affect how you feel. Realize that the only
person who can change your thoughts is you. You can then take charge and
change your thoughts for the better.
Emotions are natural physiological changes that occur
when thoughts are held in your mind. You can easily direct your
emotional states by changing your posture; for example, sit straight,
tilt your head, use facial expressions, walk differently, etc. You can
also direct your emotional states by holding brighter and more pleasing
visual images in mind. You have the choice, but you must make the
choice.
Creating Peace of Mind
To create peace within yourself, simply relax your body and breathing; then, direct the mind.
A still body is the reflection of a calm mind, but
the mind cannot be still until the body is still. Begin by making your
body comfortable. Then release areas of tension. As example, gentle
movements of the neck and shoulder muscles can help stretch and release
tension in those areas.
Breathing in an even and steady way will quickly calm
both the body and mind. Make the inhale and exhale of equal length
without any pauses in between. Your breathing will become smooth and
even.
The next step is to quiet the mind. Start by bringing
your awareness into this present moment, here and now. By doing this
you can effectively eliminate distracting or troubling thoughts. Any
anxieties about the future or tensions from the past will leave your
mind and body.
Another way to direct the mind is to direct your
inner voice--especially if it is anxious or overbearing. Play with the
idea of changing the volume of your inner voice. Have it be quieter.
Modify the tone of you inner voice until it is pleasant, warm and
nurturing. You can have it say pleasant and comforting words to
you—words of encouragement and self esteem. Some people even repeat
soothing words or phrases in a rhythmic way.
The final step is to hold images that encourage a
peaceful mind. For thousands of years, prayerful and meditative people
have directed the mind by holding steady mental pictures. For example,
the image of a candle flame can be used to concentrate one's attention
and steady the mind. You can use images of a peaceful scene from nature,
a vacation setting, an imaginary room of comfort, a cathedral, rose
bushes, or anything calming, wonderful, and peaceful.
What To Do Once You've Got There.
Getting to a relaxed state of mind and body by the
above steps may take 20-30 minutes at first. With practice, however,
you'll be able to accomplish this within a few minutes.
When you try to extend this peaceful feeling for long
periods of time, you may find that your mind will race to other
thoughts. After all, your mind is trained to race, to go full throttle,
all day long. If you suddenly stop for 20 minutes, will your mind to
cooperate? No. It will do what you trained it to do for the 16
hours--race!
So, what's the solution? How do you create a
peace-filled life, and not peaceful three-minute spurts? Take it one
moment and one thought at a time. Bring peaceful, serene, and positive
images and feelings into the rest of your day. Learn to release tensions
as they occur. Learn to direct your thoughts and emotions at the time
they start getting out of hand. You'll discover that not only can you
create a peacefulness, but you are living a peace-filled life.
