If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbors.
If there is to be peace between neighbors,
There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.
peace
Discover the Freedom of Making Peace with One’s Self
When a man has made peace within himself, he will be able to make peace in the whole world.
Martin Buber
5 Ways to Remain Centered and Calm
Staying centered and grounded is important for maintaining inner peace and balance. Here are five ways to stay centered:
- Mindfulness Meditation: Practice regular mindfulness meditation. This involves paying attention to your breath and the present moment without judgment. It can help you stay centered and reduce anxiety.
- Yoga or Tai Chi: Engage in activities like yoga or Tai Chi that promote physical and mental balance. These practices combine movement, breath control, and mindfulness to help you stay centered and focused.
- Deep Breathing Exercises: Incorporate deep breathing exercises into your daily routine. Taking slow, deep breaths can help you stay calm and centered, even in stressful situations.
- Journaling: Keep a journal to reflect on your thoughts and emotions. Writing down your feelings and experiences can help you process them and gain clarity, which can contribute to a sense of centeredness.
- Limit Distractions: Reduce distractions in your environment, especially when you need to focus or stay centered. Turn off notifications on your devices, create a clutter-free space, and give yourself moments of solitude to recharge.
Source: ChatGPT
Thinking Out Loud – Let Go of Anger & Resentment
Today’s Thinking Out Loud reflection is on Aesop’s Fable, The Farmer and the Fox. Aesop’s Fables is available for free download here.
The Fable
“A Farmer was greatly annoyed by a Fox, which came prowling about
his yard at night and carried off his fowls. So he set a trap for
him and caught him; and in order to be revenged upon him, he tied a
bunch of tow to his tail and set fire to it and let him go. As
ill-luck would have it, however, the Fox made straight for the
fields where the corn was standing ripe and ready for cutting. It
quickly caught fire and was all burnt up, and the Farmer lost all
his harvest.”
Note: Getting even is a strategy that hurts the person seeking revenge as much as it hurts the person on the receiving end of the revenge seeker’s anger. Holding on to past hurts creates a field where resentments fester and often spill over into harmful actions. The field produces an array of harmful emotions and physical problems. Letting go of past hurts and resentments leads to a more peaceful and happy life.
“Poem of Life” A Poem by an Unknown Author
Poem of Life
Unknown Author
Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what’s to be,
A resting place along the road,
to sweet eternity.
We all have different journeys,
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
but never meant to stay…
Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know.
For some the journey’s quicker,
For some the journey’s slow.
And when the journey finally ends,
We’ll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the lord
Thinking Out Loud ~ Give Love & Forgiveness a Chance
Today’s Thinking Out Loud reflection is on Aesop’s Fable, The Lion and the Boar. Aesop’s Fables is available for free download here.
The Fable
“One hot and thirsty day in the height of summer a Lion and a
Boar came down to a little spring at the same moment to drink. In a
trice they were quarrelling as to who should drink first. The
quarrel soon became a fight and they attacked one another with the
utmost fury. Presently, stopping for a moment to take breath, they
saw some vultures seated on a rock above evidently waiting for one
of them to be killed, when they would fly down and feed upon the
carcass. The sight sobered them at once, and they made up their
quarrel, saying, “We had much better be friends than fight and be
eaten by vultures.”
Note: All I have to do is flip on my TV or turn my iPad to today’s news to see the wisdom in today’s Aesop’s fable. Countries fight inflicting immeasurable pain on each other. The suffering is immense on all sides of the conflict. Courageous people will search for ways to resolve differences before they escalate into a war. Perhaps forgiveness and love should be given a chance.
Today’s Poem ~ Make Me a Channel of Your Peace by St. Francis of Assisi
Make Me a Channel of Your Peace
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
October 4th – Feast Day of St. Francis of
