At Peace Wherever I Am

A few weeks ago I asked myself, "What is my heart's desire right now?" Without thinking, the words flew out of my mouth....To be at peace wherever I am. In that instant I recognized a couple of things.

1. If this is my heart's desire then I am not living it. If I was living my heart's desire, my answer would have been something else.

2. Being at peace wherever I am has to do with every aspect of my life...emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, my relationships...all of it! I saw how I was not at peace in several areas.

Next was the inquiry. What does it mean to be at peace wherever I am? What would it take for me to be at peace? It begins with putting an end to resistance & fighting with what is. Acceptance with no judgement. It doesn't mean being complacent but rather having trust & faith in life.

If I am trying to sell my house (which I am!) and it isn't happening, I have a choice. I can get frustrated, angry and impatient...the result of which will be unhappiness or I could have so much gratitude for my home, enjoy whatever time I have left there and be happy and at peace.

For the greater part of my life I wanted my body to be different... slimmer, stronger, taller, etc. Through dance, yoga and other disciplines I endeavored to reach the goals I set for my body. Some were easier than others. I haven't figured out how to make myself grow! I have felt frustrated, indifference, hopeless, resentful and unhappy each time I chose not to accept me as I am. The only way to make a shift is from a place of peace. Not war. It is through love & compassion that the greatest and most lasting changes happen both personally & globally.

One other example is the desire for others who are close to me to change. As a Mother, Healer, & Teacher, I have repeatedly witnessed children and clients come against the psycho-spiritual crossroads of not accepting things as they are vs. one's earnest desire for personal transformation. There is a fine line. On the one hand in order to make healthy shifts in one’s life, you need to change certain behaviors, beliefs & habits. On the other hand, if you judge yourself & others by making them wrong & failing to accept things as they are, an inner battle & downward spiral into old negative self-talk & expectations ensues. What's to do?

Step 1 - Acknowledge what is true. I am not at peace. And I want to be.
Step 2 - Take inventory of myself by pulling my energy back inside & reviewing how I truly feel. I looked at my close relationships and knew I needed to step away from others so I could go inside and see where I am. It’s much more challenging to "see" myself when I am with others. Space gives me room to 'see'. I do regular check-ins asking, "What is my heart's desire right now? What would make me happy and at peace right now? How do I feel? "
Step 3 - Give myself what I want. It may be as simple as more rest, a bike ride, movie or a glass of water!
As I am discovering how to continually give to myself whatever my heart desires, I feel at peace. I breathe deeply and sigh, "Ahhhhhhh!”

Join me on a Holistic journey to the sacred pyramids in Teotihuacan, Mexico Embody Your True Heart March 25-30, 2010

with Lynne(Little Feather) Patrice & Peter Sklivas of Yoga Passion