Embracing simplicity,
Stillness and peace in an often chaotic world.
In our fast-paced consumer-driven society it's all too easy to get caught up in the relentlessness,
The pursuit of more.
We're constantly bombarded with messages telling us that we need the latest gadgets,
The most luxurious vacations and the most prestigious titles to be happy.
But what if truth and happiness and contentment can be found in something much simpler?
I'd like you to consider today and explore the power of simplicity,
Stillness and peace as we guide you through a meditation designed to help you to reconnect with these essential qualities.
The world in many ways wants you to be one of two things I believe,
A producer or a consumer.
The world doesn't want you to be still,
At peace,
Content and full of gratitude.
There are many industries around the world that live off fear,
Live off stress,
Live off consumption.
So the power of simplicity is about decluttering our external and internal worlds.
It's about letting go of the unnecessary and focusing on what truly matters.
And when we embrace simplicity we can cultivate gratitude.
This is appreciating what we're already have.
We can experience a much deeper joy and satisfaction,
Realizing that some of the greatest gifts we're given are actually free.
A walk in the park,
Sit in a forest,
A day on the beach,
A picnic in a special place.
The power of simplicity reduces stress,
Simplifying our lives can help us better manage our time and energy,
Leading to less stress and greater mental clarity.
The power of simplicity allows us to foster deeper connections.
With less focus on material possessions we can invest more time and energy in building meaningful relationships with others.
And what about the magic of stillness?
I've said before that stillness was my worst enemy and today it's my best friend.
But in a world that constantly demands our attention,
It's easy to forget the power of stillness.
But taking time to be still and to be quiet can help us.
Even if we believe that if we create a space then I'll have to deal with the things that I've never wanted to deal with.
But we can and we will.
You can tap into your inner wisdom.
Stillness allows us to connect with our intuition,
Guides us towards better decisions,
Guides us towards better decision making and better problem solving.
Just going to take a moment to think about that.
But do we?
Do we sit with it in the moment and the magic of stillness?
It can enhance our creativity.
A calm,
Quiet mind can access greater depths of creativity and inspiration.
It can foster emotional resilience by practicing stillness.
It helps us to develop an emotional balance and resilience in the face of many of our life's challenges.
But for me,
It grounds me.
It brings me back to the centre.
It makes me reset.
It allows me to feel the true me.
The book of the unsettled soul talks about who am I?
Julian Jenkins.
No,
That's a title.
I'm five foot eight,
Blonde,
Blue eyes.
No,
That's a description.
I've worked all my life and I've done this and I've done that and here I am today.
No,
That's a story.
Who am I?
The magic of stillness helps me to understand who I am.
It also brings the gift of peace.
Inner peace is the ultimate goal of simplicity and stillness.
By cultivating peace,
We can experience lasting happiness.
Inner peace provides a stable foundation for general and genuine happiness,
Regardless of external circumstances.
Sri Rao Kumar talks about the if and then mindset.
If I have this,
Then I will be happy.
If I have that,
Then I will be happy.
If I do this,
Then I will be happy.
Why do we outsource our happiness to other people,
To external events?
What about being happy with yourself?
Making changes necessary to get rid of some of that negative narrative,
The self-chatter,
And move into that space of I know who I truly am and I will do things to improve who I am,
But improve for me,
For my own self-care,
For my own mind,
Body and soul,
Regardless of external circumstances.
The gift of peace improves our relationships.
When we're at peace with ourselves,
We can better navigate conflicts and misunderstandings with others.
And positively,
It can impact the world,
Because I believe that inner peace creates a ripple effect.
It inspires those around us to seek their own paths to harmony and balance.
If we want to change the world,
Then we need to change the things that we do in our own front room.
And I'm a firm believer in that.
So,
The power of simplicity and the magic of stillness,
The gift of peace.
I hope you can take something away from any of those three points and cultivate and implement them into your life today.
But before we do,
I'm going to do a guided meditation for simplicity,
Stillness and peace.
And I want you to find a quiet space where you won't be disturbed.
You can sit or lie down,
But just be in that relaxed position.
Be ready to fall awake.
With your eyes gently closing,
Begin by taking a few deep,
Slow breaths,
Inhaling deeply through your nose,
Filling your lungs completely,
And then exhaling slowly through your mouth.
With each breath,
Just feel yourself becoming more relaxed,
More grounded,
More still,
Centered and at peace.
Breathing in through your nose,
Holding at the top,
And then letting it go.
One more time,
Breathing in through your nose,
Holding at the top,
And then letting it go.
And at this point,
I just want you just to just focus on calm in your mind,
Just allowing your breath in,
Focusing on breathing out the calm in my mind.
Just say that mantra.
Every time you do,
Every time you do,
You feel yourself becoming calmer,
More relaxed,
More at peace,
Feeling the stillness and the simplicity of this mantra.
Focusing on calm in my mind,
Focusing on calm in my mind.
Every time you breathe in,
You're focusing on.
Every time you breathe out,
You're calming your mind,
Focusing on.
And I want you just to imagine yourself here now,
Just in a beautiful natural setting.
Maybe you're in a forest.
The air is crisp,
Very fresh.
The sun,
It's shining,
It's beautiful,
Warm.
You feel it giving you this hug of light.
You can hear the sounds of nature all around you.
And as you sit in this wonderful environment,
This serene environment,
I want you just to take a moment and take a moment to appreciate the simplicity of the scene.
Notice the colours,
The textures,
The sounds,
And just let go of any thoughts or worries or distractions that might arise.
And bring your attention then to your breath and feel the gentle rise and fall of your chest as you inhale and exhale.
Just let the rhythm of your breath guide you into this state of deep stillness with everything that's around you,
Feeling safe and secure and calm.
Just take a moment just to imagine,
Just to see yourself sat in this forest and feel this golden light that's emanating from your heart chakra,
From your heart centre.
And it's radiating peace and calm through your entire being.
And allow this light to expand,
To envelope your body,
To fill the space that's all around you.
And in this peaceful state,
Sat in this woodland,
Emanating this beautiful spiritual healing light,
Just take a moment to reflect on the qualities of simplicity and stillness and peace.
Feel yourself grounded,
Taking on board the inner wisdom that you feel,
The connections,
Cultivating the levels of gratitude.
And just stay here for a moment,
Just allowing everything that you're grateful for,
Appreciating the silence,
Being in the stillness,
Feeling the wonderment of heart-centred peace.
I'll be back in a few moments.
And as we reflect on these qualities of simplicity,
Stillness and peace,
Consider the ways that you can incorporate this beautiful meditation into the days of your life.
How can you cultivate,
How can you make changes to simplify,
To bring that level of stillness and ultimately peace?
Picture some of the changes that you can make.
They may be short-term,
Long-term,
Medium-term,
But moving every day a step at a time towards creating that simple,
Beautiful,
Still,
Peaceful life.
And I'll leave you with this before you gently bring your breath back and open your eyes.
Embrace the power of simplicity,
Stillness and peace,
For within them lies the key to lasting happiness,
Deeper connections and a tranquil heart in what times is a very chaotic world.
Be love and give love and have a wonderful day.
Thank you for listening.
Goodbye.
