Peace II . . .

Dear PeaceKeepers;

I believe many of us have been searching  for and interested in finding peace our whole lives--I know I have. 

Funny thing is, I really think I've sabotaged (although not consciously) my own search for peace with my behaviors, my relationship patterns, and by what I mistakenly thought peace would look like and feel like. One of my biggest misunderstandings is that I thought peace was somehow "out there" in my surroundings or in my relationships, instead of within me. Peace was someplace to arrive, rather than a quiet place that was already within me that I just needed to find---an inner knowing that I had to discover and deeply inhabit.

I've learned that no matter what is happening around me, regardless of my circumstances or my current story, I can still choose and inhabit this place of inner peace. This inner knowing is often referred to as The Watcher, The Witness, or The Observer. From this viewpoint, we can begin to understand that our true nature--Love--is much larger than our ego or our humanity. We can seat ourselves in this place of knowing, and be okay--no matter what is happening to us. We can detach and know that all is unfolding in a perfect way for us to learn the lessons before us.

The other day I was reading a excerpt from an Eckhart Tolle interview on Oprah.com, and he was describing some common things that get in our way of being at peace:

• We mistake peace for unconsciousness. 
• We mistake peace for happiness.
• We keep looking ahead (or looking back).
• We strain away from the present moment.
• We don't fully trust . . . yet.

Yesterday I wrote a bit about the first bullet, and today I'd like to consider the second: We mistake peace for happiness.

Much like peace, I've often thought of happiness as a landing spot that began something like this:

"When ________________ happens, then I can finally be happy."

While it's true that things may be better when _____ happens, the truth is, _____ may also never happen--but we can choose happiness nonetheless. 

The same goes with peace, except that peace is a deeper, quieter, more seated spot--where we can go even when things aren't necessarily going our way. Our minds may not comprehend this, but this peace is a heart place. As the Bible states in Philippians 4:7, the peace of God (or whatever spiritual guide resonates with us) passeth all understanding, and it is in those challenging times when this peaceful resting spot can be of utmost comfort. Go(o)d news: we carry it with us wherever we go.

During some of the most painful and challenging negotiations of my life in recent years, I have been able to reach deep into my heart and soul into this place of peace for comfort and courage. And in those moments, something revolutionary ensued: In the face of being shamed, accused, and humiliated--I was able to speak my truth for the first time, without being defensive. This truth came from a place of calm strength, and of determined, deep knowing. I had not known this was in me. And, thankfully, these challenges gave me the gift and the opportunity to rediscover this dormant knowing voice that I have always possessed.

Thanks, Universe. Peace to all.

Dana

Peace . . .

Dear PeacefulPeeps; 

                                                               

Today I was reading a excerpt on Oprah.com from an Eckhart Tolle interview, and he was discussing the true meaning of peace. He was describing these common things that get in our way of being at peace:

1. We mistake peace for unconsciousness. 
2. We mistake peace for happiness.
3. We keep looking ahead (or looking back).
4. We strain away from the present moment.
5. We don't fully trust . . . yet.

In the next few days, I'll be writing about on or two of these barriers at a time.

When I consider the first barrier to peace--We mistake peace for unconsciousness--I am reminded about the unconscious behaviors we have that prevent us from feeling peace. 

They can include texting, or engaging with social media like Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Pintrest, and YouTube. It can also mean losing ourselves in television, cable, Netflix, or Roku.

We also become less conscious and lower our energetic frequency as a result of addictive behaviors like overeating, drinking, smoking, engaging in obsessive thought patterns, or gossiping. These are what Tolle calls "desensitized states," and they offer short-term numbness and are short-lived. What we long for, on the other hand, is the heightened awareness and deep sense of knowing that only true peace can offer. Peace does not depend on substances, addictive patterns, or on outside circumstances.

I know that for me, when I experience true peace, time drops off, and I am completely engaged in the present moment of WHAT IS. The godly "I AM."

Peace just is, and it resides deep within us . . . and also within our reach. How do you tap into your inner peace?  Leave a comment and share your experience. More about peace tomorrow!

Peace out!

Dana

Give Yourself a Beautiful Life!

Dear FunFreeMePeeps!

This amazing reminder landed in my mailbox this week from one of my favorite tweeters, KAren Salmonson at notsalmon.com---check her out! She's so super groovy & inspirational!

Her post reminds me how important it is to take beautiful care of me and to keep all the promises I make to myself.

So, here are some promises I would like to keep to ME!

1. Take beautiful care of myself.
2. Be present when I am with my children.
3. Hug my kids and tell them how much I love them.
4. Get enough sleep.
5. Be a good teacher!
6. Hug my students and tell them how much I love them (WARNING!--POLITICALLY INCORRECT...oh well...)

This is kind of random, but I also promise myself that every day, I will look into the sun, count my blessings, and thank God for my beautiful (and imperfect) life!

I am learning from everything!

Love you,

Dana

Rule 9: Your Answers Lie Within You

heLLo aMaziNg fun & free following!

I've been checking out and writing about Cherie Carter-Scott's Ten Rules for being Human for the past week or so. It has been an amazing journey, and I've been reminded of so much (stuff I had forgotten . . . see rule 10!)

Sadly, we just have two left to consider and they are:

9. Your answers lie within you. The answers to life's questions lie within you. All you nee to do is look, listen, and trust.

10. you will forget all this.

The soul knows everything. 

Be who you are and your life will transform forever. 
~Deepak Chopra

Only when we choose a calmer life can we actually listen to and get to know oUr(goOD and bAd)selves. 

When I was younger, I used to keep super busy (so people would know how much I had to do 'cuz i was so important and so responsible and I could multitask) all the time and make lists of stuff I had to do, check my lists off and make new ones...I even had lists of lists! I also tried to be friends with everyone (just like the girl in my lunch club). 

And guess what? It was exhausting for me 'cuz I couldn't keep up with everyone's dRaMa! I also ended up being kind of L(one)Ly 'cuz my friendships didn't go very dEEp (sounds familiar, right?). 

Anyway, looking back, al this business was really a way for me to run away from me. Like, as in, run away from getting to know myself and loving myself. Somewhere I learned that if I kept busy, if I did all this stuff for other people all the time, and if everyone liked me, I would be oKaY---problem is, I was living OUT:SIDE IN not IN:SIDE OUT.

We have to make friends with and LoVe ourselves, before we can LoVe others. I wish I would have known that when I was younger--but now I know (and I still have to practice, btw . . .) and, I know the You-niverse gives me everything in my own perfect time! 

And, I'm super blessed 'cuz now I kind of understand some of this stuff, and it helps me write this blog so I can share the You-niversal Go(o)dness with you! No coincidence about that!

So blessed to bLoG & thankful 4 U!
huggers! 
;) dana

Rule 7: "We are Mirrors"

heLLo funfreefollowing!

My intention for the next 10 days is to dig into Cherie Carter-Scott's work, "Ten Rules for Being Human." Here's her list--I'll focus on one rule each day! Today is rule 7:

Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.

We often settle for crumbs in our friendships when we all deserve the most delicious cake! Sometimes, we keep friends around, even when we are uncomfortable for whatever reason--we give too much, we are constantly criticized or told what to do, or we just can't be ourselves. Sometimes, we hang on just because we are afraid of being alone. Someone is better than no one, right? No Way!  Yikes!  RED FLAG!!!!!!

If we are mean to ourselves, and pay close attention to and listen to our inner mean girl, why shouldn't others be mean to us, as well? We draw into our lives people who reflect or mirror how we treat ourselves. 

Why don't we have the courage to let go of those friendships?

When I was in middle school, I used to wonder why other girls were so mean to me; I believed the rotten stuff they said about me, and I never stuck up for myself or argued with them.

This kept happening over and over again. Hmmmmnnnnnn...that's interesting...

Have you ever noticed that the SAME characters keep showing up in your life (with different faces, of course) until you learn the lesson you are supposed to learn ?!!!!?
Funny how that works! 

We teach people how to treat us. It doesn't matter whether the friends are girls or boys--people treat us the way we allow ourselves to be treated (BTW--it's the same when you are grown up!...)

You know, we actually train (yep, as in training dogs! ) the people in our lives how to treat us by what we are willing to put up with, and I believe this is soOoOoo true!

What is the first word we teach a dog?
"NO."
First, we teach a dog what we are NOT willing to put up with; then, we reward the dog when it behaves in a way that is acceptable to us. 

Hmmnn... lessons from dogs!

Would you keep a dog in your house who constantly barked at you and nipped at your fingers or clamped on to the bottom of your pant legs? Absolutely not!!!! (and if you did, who would be the problem? you? or the dog?...just sayin'...) 

So, if you are noticing that you surround yourself with people who aren't very nice to you, ask yourself "Why?" 
They are a reflection of how you feel about you! Otherwise, you would not put up with them...you would walk away! 

Walking down another street can be a really hard, brave thing to do, and sometimes we don't have choices about the people who surround us--like on teams, at work, or in school. 
When that happens, we can just look to others with love and detachment, and be 
on our way . . . on our own path. 

Much love!

Dana