Taking Time To Find Peace Within

We are overwhelmed with information from so many sources and devices that finding peace can be hard. Take a moment with me and lets explore the path that leads to true peace within yourself. One breath at a time. Music by Chris Collins. #18

Transcript

Welcome,

And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.

Thank you for taking the time to join me in this guided meditation.

Today I want to talk just a little bit about finding peace,

Peace that can reside within you.

My recent lessons have dealt with letting go and loving yourself,

And this meditation is in the same vein.

I've said before that all of these things are simply points along the same path,

And in searching for one you can find the others.

It's really all just a matter of practice and repetition.

That's why it's a practice.

We do it over and over again,

And gradually we get better at it.

If we're looking for peace within ourselves,

I think it helps to look at the reasons we're not peaceful.

What is causing our inner turmoil?

I think that part of the problem is that all of us are overwhelmed by the world we live in.

Overwhelmed by our jobs,

Overwhelmed by our schedules,

And overwhelmed by this pandemic.

All of these things cause us to feel anxious and insecure.

Another factor is that all of us are overwhelmed by information.

It's everywhere.

On our phones,

On our televisions,

On our laptops and tablets.

And when something happens,

We just don't hear about it later.

We often hear about it in real time,

As it happens.

And then we hear about it over and over and over again,

And from multiple sources.

I know that for myself,

I had to finally limit the amount of news and information I accessed.

I found that I was getting irritable and tense,

And I wasn't feeling peaceful at all.

We are over informed and we're over connected.

Social media makes us overly conscious of the lives of our friends and acquaintances.

They all seem to have perfect lives,

And we naturally compare ourselves to others.

All of these things together cause us to feel anxiety and tension.

It causes turmoil,

And it's hard to find peace.

Close your eyes now,

And let's begin to find our peace,

That peace that lies deep within.

It doesn't matter if you're sitting,

Lying down,

Or standing.

But what you should do is make sure that you've silenced your phone,

That you're someplace you won't be disturbed or distracted.

And make sure that you're comfortable and adjust your position until you are,

So that there's nothing to call your attention away from yourself.

This right now is your time.

You can go back to the rest of the world in a little bit.

Allow your breath to flow naturally,

Breathing in and breathing out.

And as you breathe,

Just observe each breath.

See how your body just naturally breathes in and breathes out.

Observe your breath.

There's no need to control it or regulate it.

Just let your body do what it does while you watch.

Let's try to relax.

Relax your face.

Unclench your jaw.

Unfurrow your brow and relax your neck.

Maybe you'd like to shake out your arms and hands and just let them rest comfortably.

Let your shoulders drop.

Just let yourself sag.

Realize any tension you might have in your chest or belly.

And as you begin to really relax,

Let's really focus on our breath.

As we continue to breathe,

Feel the relaxation flow through your body.

Breathing in and breathing out,

One breath at a time.

Do whatever you need to do to settle in to this moment,

Because this is the only moment that exists.

If you notice thoughts entering your mind,

Don't worry about it and don't make any judgments.

Simply observe your thoughts as well.

Let each thought pass across your mind and then let it go.

Your thoughts are just like clouds in the sky or waves on a lake.

You don't need to do anything but observe with no judgment.

Our breath is our anchor and it provides us with life and energy.

And it's sometimes healthy to visualize this energy flowing into you as you breathe in.

And as you breathe out,

Let any negative thoughts or feelings pass out of you too.

With each and every breath,

This is a time to let go of anything that doesn't serve you.

We're looking for peace.

True inner peace.

And it's there.

We just have to clear away the obstacles.

We're on the path we need to be on.

Remember,

All the things we're looking for are on this path that begins with our breath.

And we proceed down the path one breath at a time.

Just listen to the sound of my voice.

Observe each breath and thought and just continue to relax.

Breathe.

Just breathe.

We're trying to find peace.

And first we have to let go.

Following our breath is key to doing that.

We have to be okay with our lives just as they are.

You are enough and you always have been,

Breathing in and breathing out,

One breath at a time.

Next,

You have to love yourself.

You have to know in your heart that your life is what it should be.

You're working on improving it with meditation,

One breath at a time.

Continue your breath as it flows in and as it flows out.

Finding peace,

We next have to take time to take care of ourselves,

To give your body the nourishment and care it needs so you can be your best.

And maybe most important of all is to accept yourself for who and what you are.

Don't dwell on any failures from the past.

The past is just that,

Past.

We have to look at ourselves honestly and with kindness.

And in this moment,

Not based on the past.

Feel the surface you're on,

Whatever position you're in and continue to follow your breath.

And as you breathe,

Try to look at yourself honestly and without judgment.

Try to stay in this moment and if you have negative thoughts,

Just acknowledge them and let them go.

All of your feelings are valid and you have to look at them without judgment.

You are what you are and you are enough.

And this is what I mean when I say that all of these things we strive for are just points along the same path.

In order to find inner peace,

You have to let go.

You have to love yourself and you have to accept yourself exactly for who and what you are.

Just continue to follow your breath,

One breath at a time,

Breathing in and breathing out.

Each person who chooses to walk along the path of mindfulness must find what works for them.

This is why I don't care what position you're in because you have to be comfortable.

That means laying down,

Then that's fine.

And if it means sitting or standing,

That's fine too.

If it helps you to use a mantra,

Then do that.

And if not,

Then don't.

Whatever works for you is the best advice that I can give.

In 52 years of meditation,

I've tried just about everything and that's what I've come up with,

Is that you have to do what works for you.

Ultimately,

The only critical thing is the breath,

Breathing in and breathing out,

One breath at a time.

Now as we come to a close,

Open your eyes and come back into the room.

Wiggle your fingers and toes and stretch and feel how good it is to be alive.

Take in a deep breath and let it out through your mouth,

Letting out a sigh.

You're ready to move back into your day,

A little calmer and more joyful than before.

I haven't heard any other teacher do this,

But I'm not your typical teacher anyway.

So if there is anything you would like me to talk about in a lesson,

Just tell me in the comments or review area.

I'm thinking of doing a live session where I talk but also demonstrate alternate nostril breathing,

Which is very beneficial for getting in touch with your breath.

And I've tried so many things that I'm open to suggestions.

I truly hope that this has been a beneficial and calming session.

And if my lessons have helped you,

Tell your friends.

Until next time.

Reviews

Michael, what an amazing recording! I so agree re the news and social media. And indeed, you are so open to suggestions, abd sharing from your deepest experience.
I need first to finish listening to all your tracks. Thank you, Namaste ✨️🙏🏽☀️💚

Thank you

Such a beautiful meditation I loved it and I like all of your meditation, thank you 🙏

The whole of that meditation resonates with how I feel about life. I absolutely loved it. Easy to follow and self affirming.
Thankyou Michael,I loved every minute 👍❤
Namaste 🙏