If there’s anything the last years have enlightened us with, it’s that we are
entirely borderless and that if we pool our resources into one common goal
we lessen the gap between us/them, here/way over there. No, we cannot
say that all our struggles have ended with this realization– our real work is just
beginning, but that enlightenment is the impetus we need to further think of
our brethren as our own.
In this essay, I hope to offer my views on how to help each other along to live
lives free from pressures that afflict us all. Now, I will not
claim to have a degree that qualifies me to talk to you this way, no. My
qualification amounts only to being one energy-inducing entity that directly and
indirectly affects how you live.
The same can be said of you– you affect my world: in the way you live, the thoughts
you harbor, and the amount of energy you exude. And while I don’t have all the answers– and let me remind you, neither do you or any dogmas– we are each equipped
with experiences that are unique to us.
We surround ourselves with good literature from others’ experiences and teachings
and these plant seeds that we use in our own environments. As expected, we don’t all arrive at the same results and the reason for that is that our soils and inner workings
of our souls are conditioned differently. But for sure, these seeds open up and help to direct us: this is the paramount beauty of sharing.
No two lives follow the same trajectory, but all our lives lead us on the same journey: Life. I’m open to hearing about yours, but I’ll go first by listing small steps that have
helped me and which I know can help you too.
***
To be free from stress and emotional pressures, these baby steps helped me cope
and start to feel the vital pulse of life:
- Slow down.
Slow way down, conscientiously. And in your slow-down time, consciously invite the divine into your moment. Divine? This does not mean religion, dear friends. Put simply, the divine: those ephemeral things in your life that give you moments of awe.
- Relax.
Bring yourself to a point where you become serene. Pay particular attention to your breathing. Relax your mind from anxiety and actively seek out your surroundings with your senses. Make it your purpose: feel the breeze, listen to the rustling of the leaves, think about the big ripe moon that graces our skies every month. Notice the stars, observe the clouds and the rainstorms and nature, become a people watcher and an animal admirer. Feel the energy radiating from these. Stay relaxed and contemplative.
- But do not stop there. Recycle the energy by extending it to people around you.
Share your observations with your family, involve them. Please make time to interact with your children at home, listen to their ideas, and read them stories often enough. Take a walk with your most cherished loved ones and remind yourself how much you treasure them in your life. Tell them so. Hear yourself speaking your truth.
- Extend this slowed-down, relaxed perspective outward at work, in your community, and even to strangers. You’ll need to decide how, but you might start by noticing and acknowledging people. A nod or a smile are good ways and if you feel so inclined, make a deliberate effort to share a kind word with them.
- Become conscious of your efforts to become the tranquility you desire. Do it anywhere. While driving, slow your thoughts down and decide to bring your car to a stop at a yellow caution light– decide that. And when you start again, consciously drive at a relaxed pace rather than in a frenzy.
- And later, after you find yourself in a good place, and find that you’re at ease becoming and being peaceful, practice giving that feeling away.
Become more conscious of your thoughts. Restore a sense of balance between your desire for tranquility and your desire to meet the requirements of your life; practice becoming and being the vibration that you desire.
Your Internal Peace Is important. It all starts there, and when that’s accomplished,
stress and other pressures melt away in ways you never imagined.
My friends, I’m no better than you, and I’m not claiming that my emotional house never sees the dark side of life. I do, but since I’ve been following the path I described above I feel that I bounce back faster than I ever did before.
In the spirit of kindness, I wanted to share something that I know and so now you know. And one more thing, when I feel at peace I then know that the world is closer to achieving peace as well. Do you feel it too?
Photo: Photo by Shane Rounce on Unsplash
Thanks for reading, and I wish you miracles.
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Well articulated post Selma. I agree with you. In this fast paced life, we have adapted to live life on a frenzied level, many a time just like zombies.
We have forgotten to pause, connect with nature and ourselves. We need to consciously bring those small changes back into our lives.
Loved the points you put down. They are very easy to integrate into everyday life and I’m sure, will make a sea of change in the quality of life we lead. Have a lovely weekend ❤️
Frenzied indeed. It would really benefit us to slow things down. There’s sanity in silence.
Glad you found the pointers doable.
Your words are beautiful: make a sea of change in the quality of life.
So glad you appreciated these words, sweet one.
Have a splendid weekend. xoxo
i do feel you; thank you and blessings Selma. I am smiling in your strong soul-hold, and extending ithis outwards as I take my morning walk along beach, across turf, and up the glacial esker. Blessings ,Selma { hug of kindfulness } x Kathy Oak Catkin
Kathy, I bless you. Thanks for reading this longer piece. So glad to know you “feel me” I hug you back, sweet one. Have a splendid day of rest. I wish you miracles xoxo
Selma, so wonderful of you to share this with us. We all need to slow down, pause, reflect and move on. Your presence and words are such a blessing. ❤️
Oh, my sweet. You “feel me too” — how sweet, your words. Glad to have shared this one with you. You bless me with your acknowledgment. Be well, sweet one. I appreciate you. xoxo
So beautiful wrods written in we all need slow, down and move such a lovely words discrub.we all need to be ease and at peace. I like beautiful you living life.,✍️🙏 Wonderful recommend the picture. !
Oh, Raj. What a delight. Thanks for reading. I bless you. xoxo
Some great advice here, Selma! I still have to consciously make myself slow down, every single day, otherwise I burn out! 😅❤️
Some things take determination and lots of practice. Baby steps, sweet child. Baby steps.
Mmmm, theeee wine! 😉 (It says “divine”). And freeze the breeze! (It says “feel the breeze”.) One of my two most cherished loved one (the other is a dog) doesn’t wish to stroll with me. What to do? No kids to read stories to either. No wonder I blog so much.
I sound frivolous but that’s my coping mechanism. You have lots of wisdom gathered here.
I just replied BUT it didn’t go to you. Please come to read. xoxo
Forget what I just said. I can’t ask you to come. So here’s the response: Couplehood is not easy. Never easy. It doesn’t need to be a walk as long as you’re sharing a moment together. Which I already know you do. Read to the wind. The words carry. You don’t need me to tell you what to do. I know you already have and live a life of abundance. Mindfully well centered, you. I know. Blessings. Glad you read. Blessings again. Loved what you shared about the continuum in your post on Thích Nhất Hạnh. A real gem. A real dandelion. We’re so lucky he was one of us. xoxo. You rock. xoxo
Thank you truly. <3 We are so lucky.
Feels like this was written for me, even my friends have been telling me to relax sit down and breath. We all need to be at ease and at peace, thank you Selma. 💖
It was written for you. Take from it what serves and recycle the rest, my sweet. Make time to replenish your well. Here’s looking at you 💕
Thank you so much Selma! Hope you have a blessed week ahead. 💖
beautifully written Selma which is so vital to our souls longings!💖💖
So pleased you read, mi’Lady. Bless your heart. xoxo
Couplehood is not easy. Never easy.
It doesn’t need to be a walk as long as you’re sharing a moment together. Which I already know you do.
Read to the wind. The words carry.
You don’t need me to tell you what to do. I know you already have and live a life of abundance. Mindfully well centered, you. I know. Blessings. Glad you read. Blessings again.
Loved what you shared about the continuum in your post on Thích Nhất Hạnh. A real gem. A real dandelion. We’re so lucky he was one of us. xoxo. You rock.
There are many stages of life. Being on the older, retired side some of us can practice being calm and slowing more. Our children are on a different wave length – one we were familar with. Daily professional work, volunteer work, our younger childrens school and extra activities. I’m not sure they know the meaning of the word slow. I think they would like to be slower, but they worry about paying bills, making sure that harth and home are taken care of. Afraid that if something is withdrawn from their schedual they will miss something.
I cannot even imagine how the grade school children think – though I remember as a child wanting to grow up to have time to do things I wanted and not homework or instrumental practice. Today’s children have different opportunities. Unfortunately less outside time and perhaps less active? Just as I think a second language should start even in kindergarten, calming techniques, kindness and caring need to be lessons taught by whoever educates them. School, parents and other adults. There needs to be less time divoted to screen time and more time encouraging engaement in reading, learning, caring and creating. Then perhaps the radiation of goodness and calm can penitrate throughout the world.
Thanks Jules.
Jules, correct! we sapiens exist in parallel timezones and stages in the universe —an incredible complex system we are. Each filling a niche, fulfilling our stories in the stages we exist. In that moment.
Would my points work for the young generation? Probably yes. Probably no.
But there’s likely to be one person out there who could benefit. Ready to embrace these points. I wish to reach that person.
Thanks for the comment. I agree we owe it to our children to “show” them how to live balanced lives.
Sharing: “Mommy— Just Sit. Just Breathe. Just Be,” instructed my seven-year-old, “breathe, like this… now, begin imagining your body as a clear ball of white light.”
Wow, right! I know. I was mesmerized by the words that poured out of my child’s mouth.
It was he who first introduced me to the notion of meditation. He’d learned about it in school. Yup! And he taught ME how to do it. Imagine!
My point: Everything is learnable/teachable. All one needs is to have a willing subject/sapien.
That was one of the blogposts I lost way back when. I’ll need to find a way of sharing it. Though my essays don’t land very well with my audience anywhere. Even WordPress. Perhaps I’m not compelling enough. We’ll see.
I enjoy hearing your thoughts. You rock, kind Jules. TYSVM.
TYSVM?
Children can be wonderful teachers. Little sponges they are. If we could fill them with commpassion and caring then when ‘we’ squeeze them they could overflow with and ooze lovingkindness 🙂
Thanks You So Very Much 💗
💖
Selma, a beautiful post and I’m definitely feeling your calm and serenity! I have noticed a lot more acknowledgements between people as they are out on walks, taking the time for a brief chat … one positive side-effect of covid times! Maybe we are all learning the importance of togetherness, the power of interaction.
I sure think we’re learning. And it’s about time, right?
I’m so pleased to know you enjoyed this. And extremely glad calm and serenity came through to you. Lovely. I wish you more. And miracles. xoxo
This post reads like a meditation as I slow my breathing and enjoy the message. Many thanks!
Like a meditation: what a great compliment. Glad that came through for you. It works for me 99% of the time. Honest. And the 1% it doesn’t is when my well dries up– well, I’m not a god or anything; this human’s well sometimes dries up too. I’m on the mend, looking to replenish. Thanks for reading, sweet JoAnna. I appreciate you tons. Stay sweet. xoxo
May you mend well, Selma with abundance of peace and blessings to your beautiful soul. xoxo
Aww thanks. You too. xo
A beautifully written essay, Selma, with some wonderful reminders we all need to hear! I love this:
“Relax your mind from anxiety and actively seek out your surroundings with your senses. Make it your purpose: feel the breeze, listen to the rustling of the leaves, think about the big ripe moon that graces our skies every month. ”
And this:
“Become conscious of your efforts to become the tranquility you desire.”
You’re so good for my soul, Selma <3 xx
Aww, Sunra. What lovely things you say. You are so good for my soul too. Honest, you are. Love you to pieces. Stay as you are. thanks for reading. I wish you miracles. xoxo
Thank you, Selma. It’s my pleasure <3
Your thoughts are very good and true. We should increase positivity. Nice essay dear Selma 🤗
Thanks , Jane. Glad you liked. xoxo
Welcome dear Selma 💕