Yesterday I posted a quote by Thich Nhat Hanh. He was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, poet, scholar and human rights activist and was nominated in 1967, by Dr. Martin Luther King, for the Nobel Peace Prize. We can all become more peaceful by practicing his “Joy of Meditation as Nourishment,” using the following mantra silently or out loud whenever we feel stress and need to find relief.
Breathing in, I calm my body.
Breathing out, I smile.
Breathing in, I dwell in the present moment.
Breathing out, I know it is a wonderful moment.”
There is no doubt that some people are just naturally more happy than others. Happiness, however, is also very much a learned behavior. Actions all have consequences and the choices we make all play a part in our own peace and happiness, as well as the peace and happiness to those around us. Through meditation, or silencing the chatter in our brains, we can all tap into what makes us happy by simply asking ourselves “What makes me happy? How can I serve myself and others? What can I do to help bring harmony and well being to myself, my family and the those around me?” In the silence, answers will come without really working on them. Just ask the questions in daily silence and be aware of the sensations, images and thoughts that spontaneously arise.
I truly believe that sometimes we get so caught up in being stressed, depressed and overwhelmed, victimized, etc., that we are actually more comfortable with these emotions than making an attempt to change–but medicine and science show us that we each have the same innate desire and that is simply to be happy…it also shows us that in order to truly be in a blissful state, we need to look beyond ourselves, so give some thought to ALL the above questions, not just the first.
Meditation. Just a simple letter away from medication, but in my humble opinion, a whole lot more powerful and effective.
“Ground yourself, strip yourself down,
To blind loving silence.
Stay there until you see
You are gazing at The light.” –Rumi
And get a peaceful, easy, feeling.
Easily still one of my fav tunes. I have a Eagles greatest hits CD in my car. When I listen to it, it is a full-out sing-a-long!