Issue 11: Where Can We Find Peace?

With all the unrest in our country at this time, where can we find peace? Peace does not mean that we are avoiding or denying the very important issues facing our country. Peace is a place where we can find stillness, inner strength and allow for healing, rejuvenation and resilience.

Peace is found in the presence of this moment. It is the awareness that comes with being present to the here and now. It is deceptively simple and, for many, hard to experience. It is not the thinking or the thoughts that stir in your mind. Peace is found in the awareness of the morning sun, the momentary taste of an orange, a sip of tea or the gentle breeze of cool air on your body as you walk outside. Peace is the awareness of your child’s smile, the joy you sense in your heart and the compassion you feel for others. It means to be with things as they are, not trying to make them any different than they are in this moment. Peace is only found in this moment, not tomorrow, not ten minutes from now or in your thoughts of cherished memories.

All of nature has cycles. The sea, the revolving of the sun, your heart beat, the cycling of day and night, the body’s need for food, and infinite other aspects of nature, cycle. When we meditate we are in the rhythm (cycling) of the body. We gently rest our awareness on the ebb and flow of the in-breath and the out-breath. We let the thoughts, body sensations and sounds around us come and go, without attaching to them. This is where we can find peace. We can do the same with eating. To eat in a state of presence. To notice the evolving taste of a bite of food. It has a beginning, a middle and an end; a cycle. To not get lost in thoughts and worries and just gently notice as the experience of taste changes. These are some of the many opportunities we have to find peace in your day, if you are present. To be in the rhythm of the moment allows for peace and healing.

There are infinite opportunities to be present and rest in the awareness of this moment. Peace is not something you search for. It is not a goal. It is what is available only in this moment.

To learn more about how to be at peace and find greater presence, consider reading a wonderful book by

Jon Kabat-Zinn called: Wherever You Go There You Are.

Eat Mindfully, Breathe Mindfully & Enjoy Life!