Peace

You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go

Peace

Anxiety is often our first reaction to conflict, problems, or even our own fears. In those moments, detaching and getting peaceful may seem disloyal or apathetic. We think: If I really care, I'll worry; if this is really important to me, I must stay upset. We convince ourselves that outcomes will be positively affected by the amount of time we spend worrying.

Our best problem-solving resource is peace. Solutions arise easily and naturally out of a peaceful state. Often, fear and anxiety block solutions. Anxiety gives power to the problem, not the solution. It does not help to harbor turmoil. It does not help.Peace is available if we choose it. In spite of chaos and unsolved problems around us, all is well. Things will work out. We can surround ourselves with the resources of the Universe: water, earth, a sunset, a walk, a prayer, a friend. We can relax and let ourselves feel peace.

Today, I will let go of my need to stay in turmoil. I will cultivate peace and trust that timely solutions and goodness will arise naturally and harmoniously out of the wellspring of peace. I will consciously let go and let God.

This reading really struck me today. I am having a bit of anxiety about the future and trying hard to not let this anxiety, "fear," be the driving force for me right now. A friend told me today.....just relax and let it be and in time the answer will be crystal clear. Then I came home and read this reading and it all made sense. It is in the quiet and peace that God's will and direction will come. When I get caught up in my fear and worry and anxiety I am making it impossible for me to hear God's voice.

Inner Voice

Today's Thought

You are reading from the book Touchstones.

I learned to listen to my body with an inner concentration like meditation, to get guidance as to when to exercise and when to rest. I learned that healing and cure are active processes in which I myself needed to participate.--Rollo May

In our spiritual growth, one of our movements is from passive to active, from helpless to responsive. For example, we are passive if we don't take responsibility for our bodies and don't care for our wellness and conditioning. Do we passively leave our health in the doctor's hands?
Do we take responsibility for our relationships? Are we active in nurturing them? We could add our own interests and positive energy to enrich them.

Our Higher Power speaks to us in a quiet, subtle voice, which can easily be ignored until we learn to listen. It takes courage to listen to this inner voice. When we listen, we develop a relationship that is a strong force moving us into recovery. We are still powerless over many things, but we can make active choices in how we will grow and how we will respond.

I will be guided in my choices by my inner voice

This was a very important lesson I learned in the last week of chaos I put myself through. That inner voice, the quiet, subtle voice was whispering the answer, the next right choice all along. I instead chose to listen to the loud, obnoxious voice of my ego. In the aftermath of all that happened it became so clear to me that my ego's only goal is to scream loud enough to drown out that steady, quiet inner voice. I take comfort now in knowing that the inner voice is always there, it will never leave me. The secret is to pause when the chaos starts and let the voice of the ego go and wait for the inner voice. If I do that than I know I will be guided to make the next right choice. Sounds easy enough, yet I know it will be a challemge. I have awakened the ego. I gave it and inch and it now wants a mile. Patience will bring that quiet and comforting voice back. The other thing that became clear to me is that when I am listening for that inner voice there is no fear. That voice comes from a place of true, pure, love and will shelter me from all that I fear. With that inner voice, my Higher Power, I have everything I will ever need......without it I am nothing and will get nowhere.