Tuning in to Inner Peace: The Surprisingly Fun Way to Transform Your Life by Joan M Gregerson
Authors: Joan M Gregerson
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into arguments. Instead of immediately reacting to something I heard, with an onslaught of thinking, accusations, and analysis, I could stop. I would set thinking aside for a bit and start with the truth of the situation. That is, you and I are more alike than different. We are connected and I admire you. The words you are saying don’t define our relationship.
Family relationships are the hardest to evolve, because like magnets, we keep snapping back into the original pattern. And so it was with me and several family members. I could head out with the best intentions, but within a few minutes of contact, I’d be complaining, gossiping and talking about people who I had no business talking about. I’d leave and feel terrible.
Once, I was on my way out the door. I had my purse over my shoulder and keys in hand. But I’d felt scattered and uneasy and didn’t want to meet anyone in that condition.
So, I ran back in and plopped down on the floor and set down my keys. Sitting there, I did my grounding meditation. Two hands on the floor, letting the earth (or floor of my third-floor apartment) accept all the negativity. I did a kundalini raising motion. I said affirmations, moving my hand to different locations as I’d been taught. I ended with a protective shielding ritual, moving my hand like a rainbow from side, over the top, down to the other side.
I felt better. I walked out the door and had an easy meeting. Things were said, but my slow-mo response would kick in. I’d hear the words, but I wouldn’t accept them as truth. And I would watch the fury going off in my head too, but I wouldn’t accept that as truth either. Instead, I felt the simple, unarguable deeper truth of love.
I developed a new response. I would sit silently, smiling. It sounds innocent enough, but it’s actually pretty awkward. If you’ve been a partner in gossip and complaining for decades, to simply leave your cohort hanging without reinforcement is noticeable. They are definitely going to think you didn’t hear, and after they repeat it and get the same response, they are going to think you are rude and probably mentally slow.
The other person is going to feel a bit awkward, but it is indeed the best option. This magical combination of slow-mo, silence and smile let me float about the murky knee-jerk habits that had been ingrained forever.
By trial-and-error, I did the research. I learned that making sure I was totally grounded and at peace before I encountered someone was the key to a successful interaction. Then I could grab that split-second of pause, that allowed me to walk a new, wonderful path in my relationships.
Aha, is that what the smile on the seated Buddha statues is all about? Serenity.
Peaceful, Powerful
When I read a fitness book once, they said, do whatever combination you want, but if you just want immediate results, go running!
Meditation has a similarly powerful effect. You can do all kinds of things, but if you just want to cut to the chase, meditate. Or, as my Buddhist friend says they say jokingly, “Sit Down and Shut Up!”
Meditation changed my life for the better, in a profound way. Simply sitting down with the many sides of yourself and making peace, is a surprisingly powerful act.
When you do this, though, you’ll also feel like you are a bit lost and could use a mentor. That’s where audio books, online podcasts or in-person classes come in. Search and keep trying various types. Little by little, you’ll learn more and find one or more that you like.
What is so scary about sitting down doing absolutely nothing for five minutes? Nothing. Try it!
Meditation Research
Since my childhood, much of the advice about health has evolved. While there are many differences of opinion, most converge with some basic advice: Get regular exercise. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Limit processed foods.
Many now espouse that meditation, or mindfulness,
Family relationships are the hardest to evolve, because like magnets, we keep snapping back into the original pattern. And so it was with me and several family members. I could head out with the best intentions, but within a few minutes of contact, I’d be complaining, gossiping and talking about people who I had no business talking about. I’d leave and feel terrible.
Once, I was on my way out the door. I had my purse over my shoulder and keys in hand. But I’d felt scattered and uneasy and didn’t want to meet anyone in that condition.
So, I ran back in and plopped down on the floor and set down my keys. Sitting there, I did my grounding meditation. Two hands on the floor, letting the earth (or floor of my third-floor apartment) accept all the negativity. I did a kundalini raising motion. I said affirmations, moving my hand to different locations as I’d been taught. I ended with a protective shielding ritual, moving my hand like a rainbow from side, over the top, down to the other side.
I felt better. I walked out the door and had an easy meeting. Things were said, but my slow-mo response would kick in. I’d hear the words, but I wouldn’t accept them as truth. And I would watch the fury going off in my head too, but I wouldn’t accept that as truth either. Instead, I felt the simple, unarguable deeper truth of love.
I developed a new response. I would sit silently, smiling. It sounds innocent enough, but it’s actually pretty awkward. If you’ve been a partner in gossip and complaining for decades, to simply leave your cohort hanging without reinforcement is noticeable. They are definitely going to think you didn’t hear, and after they repeat it and get the same response, they are going to think you are rude and probably mentally slow.
The other person is going to feel a bit awkward, but it is indeed the best option. This magical combination of slow-mo, silence and smile let me float about the murky knee-jerk habits that had been ingrained forever.
By trial-and-error, I did the research. I learned that making sure I was totally grounded and at peace before I encountered someone was the key to a successful interaction. Then I could grab that split-second of pause, that allowed me to walk a new, wonderful path in my relationships.
Aha, is that what the smile on the seated Buddha statues is all about? Serenity.
Peaceful, Powerful
When I read a fitness book once, they said, do whatever combination you want, but if you just want immediate results, go running!
Meditation has a similarly powerful effect. You can do all kinds of things, but if you just want to cut to the chase, meditate. Or, as my Buddhist friend says they say jokingly, “Sit Down and Shut Up!”
Meditation changed my life for the better, in a profound way. Simply sitting down with the many sides of yourself and making peace, is a surprisingly powerful act.
When you do this, though, you’ll also feel like you are a bit lost and could use a mentor. That’s where audio books, online podcasts or in-person classes come in. Search and keep trying various types. Little by little, you’ll learn more and find one or more that you like.
What is so scary about sitting down doing absolutely nothing for five minutes? Nothing. Try it!
Meditation Research
Since my childhood, much of the advice about health has evolved. While there are many differences of opinion, most converge with some basic advice: Get regular exercise. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Limit processed foods.
Many now espouse that meditation, or mindfulness,
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