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Most people think that their own spirituality is one of
many aspects of life to manage. It could be
considered as one "slice of the pie" with other things
like family, work life, health and social activities being
other pieces of the pie; with spiritual growth often
suffering if there is not enough time for
everything.
I propose a shift in thinking - that spirituality
is the WHOLE pie and all other things are a slice of
IT.
Therefore, we
begin from a spiritual foundation as we manage all
aspects of our lives and in fact, how we face the
world in general.
That well known quote states this concept very well:
'We are not humans beings having a spiritual
experience. We are spiritual beings having a human
experience.
What do you think?
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Pamper Your Inner Self Day; Celebrate and Nourish the Spiritual in You!
January 27, 2007 10:00-16:30
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Everyday Spirituality Study Group
January 31, 2007, 20:00-21:30
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Other Uplifiting Spiritual Sites |
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Everyday Spirituality E-Newsletter
Celebrate the Spiritual in You
December 2006, Volume 1, Issue 2
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Greetings!
Welcome to the 2nd issue of the Everyday
Spirituality E-Newsletter! This monthly message is
designed to offer inspirational ideas, tools and
resources to help you stay in touch with the spiritual
in you, while navigating your way in this often
chaotic world.
As we come to the holiday season, what really
matters to you? How can you keep your inner peace
in the stressful times that the holidays create?
See our feature article below for some techniques
that can help you cope with and truly enjoy this time
of year. Do not let all the materialism that seems to
overshadow the meaning of Christmas sweep you
away.
Try to remember what really
matters: connection to self, loving connection to
others in work and personal life, and a Divine
connection to something bigger than
ourselves.
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Feature Article: Holiday Stress and How to Cope
Here are five simple spiritual things you can do to
find balance during the holidays and throughout the
year. Remember that You control how you
react to stressful times.
1. Realize that you have a center of peace within
you. It has many names - true self, inner self or
Chi -
but it is basically the inner source of that strength
you need to face difficult situations. When you
cannot go another step, but then you do, this
comes from your inner center.You can learn
to tap into this reserve of strength in trying times.
2. Realize that you have little or no control over
some situations and be OK with that. You
cannot control the number of people that are
shopping at the same time you are or the fact that
you are stuck
in a traffic jam. You DO have control over how you
deal with the situation. Take a deep breath and say
to yourself, “It is what it is and I can deal with it. I
return to my center of peace and strength.” If you
can do this for even 10 seconds at a time, it can
help you find balance again.
3. Release the feelings of panic and worry.
Holding on
to these negative emotions will not make the check-
out line move any faster or dissolve the line of cars
in front of you. Take a deep breath (deep breathing
helps reduce stress in many situations), close your
eyes and think to yourself, “I let this go and think of
the peace within me. Everything will work out fine.”
4. Have compassion for others who may also be
feeling the holiday stress. If someone cuts in
front of
you, let them go and give them an understanding
smile. Don’t honk your horn or give them some other
gestures of displeasure. Perhaps they are also having
a hard day.
If someone at the office is unkind to you, let it pass
and realize that they might have problems with the
boss or at home. The holidays are a time of joy and
celebration, but they can also be a time of stress
and sadness.
5. Live in the moment in the happy times. Do
not
think about being somewhere else or about other
things you need to do. Really appreciate the time
you have with family and friends during the holidays
(and all year long). We never know how long we
have on earth, or when things we take for granted
might change. Cherish the moment, and be
really “present” in how you face the world. The
material things and the To Do lists will not matter
much if you are not here tomorrow, will they?
An interesting thing happens when you are able to
return to center and surrender the situation on a
regular basis. The Universe starts to conspire to
assist you in little ways: perhaps another check-out
line opens up and you are the first one there, or the
traffic suddenly begins to move and you get on your
way.
Returning to Center is a useful technique that can
help you to cope not only with the stress of the
holidays, but also with difficult situations throughout
the year.
© 2006 Authentic Matters
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Five Minute Meditation
This month's 5 minute meditation is about
finding balance and serenity whenever life becomes
too hectic for you.
You can listen to it at your computer or print out the
text and read it to yourself and ponder the words in
a quiet place. In the chaotic time around the
holidays, it is easy to become overwhelmed with
stress, anxiety and
disappointed expectations. You can, however, find a
quiet place within you to return to and to center
yourself to face another day. Listen to the
meditation
through the link below.
If you cannot listen, here is the text:
Welcome to this five minute meditation called,
Return to Center.
Sit deep in your
chair with your back straight and your feet flat on
the floor. Hands gently resting on your lap and relax.
Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Take a
deep breath in for a count of 5, hold for 2 seconds
and release for count of 5. Again. Breathe in for
count of 5, hold for 2 seconds and release for a
count of 5. Continue to do that as best you can as
you listen further to this meditation exercise.
Concentrate on your breathing. It is very important
to be aware of your breathing during meditation as it
helps you relax and form a rhythm. When those little
nagging thoughts creep into your mind to distract
you, gently brush them away and concentrate on
your breathing. All your other worries and
concerns will be taken care of at a later time.
Deep within you, in the lower area of your chest, is
a place of inner strength and power. Keep
your eyes closed and connect deep inside to this
inner center point where your inner self resides. This
is the place where you find strength in difficult or
stressful times. Concentrate on this place and feel
what it feels like. You may not have had much
conscious contact with this place before. Realize
that you have this center point within you, that can
help in difficult times, and that you can return to it
through your mind whenever it is needed.
If your life is stressful and at times find
it difficult to cope, you can return to this center
point to regroup and find your balance again. Notice
your breathing, and breathe in for a count of 5, hold
for 2 seconds and release for a count of 5.
Let
us try another exercise now. When you breathe in,
think of
taking in PLUS signs or positive energy into yourself.
On the exhale, think of blowing out MINUS signs or
pushing out all the negative energy that is in you
through your mouth. Take in the positive signs
through your nose, and blow out the negatives that
you are carrying. Breathe in the plus
signs for a count of 5, hold for 2, and breathe out
the minus signs for a count of 5. Practice this and
visualize this building up of the positive and getting
rid of the
negative. You can do this anytime in your day, no
matter where you are, and it only takes a few
seconds.
When you are ready,
slowly open your eyes and stretch out your arms and
shoulders and move your legs. Reflect on these two
concepts of RETURNING TO CENTER and INHALING
POSITIVES as you face challenges and worries in
your life, now and throughout the year.
Please give us your feedback if you like this audio
feature, if it works properly and how we could make
it better for you.
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Closing Thought
Your mind is like soil in a garden. It is fertile and rich
ground that is ready to plant your intentions and
create your heart's desire. This soil can be fertile and
fruitful through your positive thoughts, or it can be
full of weeds and unhealthy roots that are your
negative or self defeating thoughts.
Your mind is your garden and you are your own
gardener. Be watchful what you put into the soil, for
what you sow, so shall you reap.
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For more information or to give feedback, contact:
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Barbara Rogoski | |
31 626 898 717 | |
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