If you are human on earth at this time, chances are you have had moments where you feel like you’re not ok. We’ve all been experiencing profound loss in various ways. The world we knew is falling away. With that, we can experience loss of identity, our livelihood, our sense of any stability, and even our sanity at times. Peace of mind can feel hard to come by. That’s all so normal right now.
You aren’t alone. Us humans tend to think that when we are suffering, we are the only ones in pain. It can feel isolating, but the mind is great at playing tricks on us. I want to normalize what you might be going through and help you navigate it with more grace and ease.
I will not pretend like I have perfected this. In fact, another recent Dark Night of the Soul experience of mine is the catalyst for this post. During it, my mind wanted answers, and resolution. Yet, throughout it, I would find no matter the doubt or concern my mind would throw at me, I was ok in any given moment.
Perhaps you are able to sense this when you think back on a past difficult moment. Your mind might have told you that you cannot take anymore or that things should be different. Now, perhaps you can sense that in that moment, you were ok. Perhaps you can see that okayness that was there all along.
Inner Stillness
When you come back to yourself, you can touch into that part of you that is your essence. That part that is unwavering. That part that is at the core of everything and always ok. No matter the pain, the turmoil, the seemingly chaotic situation, this is available in any given moment. There is something much bigger than us as play, and it resides inside of each and everyone of us. The Divine is within.
Is it living through us or are we the ones making choices from moment to moment? I do not know. But when we rest in the stillness we can find the great conductor of it All. When it reveals itself, you are likely to feel peace and calm. You are likely to sense the okayness in whatever is in that moment. It is truly a matter of surrender. The key is quieting the mind and not letting it take you for a ride.
Peace of Mind from the Future or Past
When we experience a familiar feeling, thought or sensation, the mind immediately will attach a projection onto it. That’s really part of its job. The human mind is great at pattern recognition. Thankfully, we do not have to obey the mind. It is meant to be a tool. Some refer to our mind as a faithful servant and say that we have instead allowed it to become the master. It does seem so for most of us. Thankfully, we can help to shift this.
We can be aware of the thoughts and allow them to float away as quickly as they came in. Yes, even when we feel an immediate emotion or uncomfortable body sensation as a result of the thought. We can unhook ourselves and release the thought. The stressful thoughts need not control us. Instead, they can happen. We can see it happen and we can let it go. Simple, not always easy. But with practice, anything can become a habit.
Quiet the Mind and The Soul will Speak
There isn’t really a quick trick to quiet the mind. It can be a challenge when we are addicted to analyzing and worrying. Which, I think many of us are. Let the mind chatter fall away. That doesn’t mean it won’t try to rope you in. Even if you take the bait, you can choose to release it at any given moment.
The easiest way for me to quiet the mind is to lay down and tune into my body and what’s going on physically. I sometimes call this processing. By moving my awareness to my body, I allow energy to move and express as is needed. This also helps move the focus into the body rather than the mind which slows and quiets the mind. Sometimes I even breathe into my lower dontien. This helps gives the mind an area to focus on. Through breathing in and out of this space, you might find you can enter a sort of trance state, or altered state of consciousness.
Another technique that’s very similar to the lower dontien breathing is focusing on the feet. When we are thinking, especially overly so, the energy gets very active up top. Shifting your awareness into your feet literally draws the energy down from the head. This helps to be more present and tapped into the stillness and peace available in any moment. Literally close your eyes and feel your feet. Sense their presence and breathe into them and out of them. Imagine as if your feet are doing the breathing. You just might find that peace from this place. You also might find that loving messages flow to you.
How to Find Peace of Mind
In addition to the practices above, there are innumerable ways to help find peace of mind. Below are some suggestions. As always, I suggest you get a sense about what is going to work best for you. Start with what you feel drawn towards. Your mind has been chattering away for a long long time, so don’t get upset with yourself if your peace of mind lasts only a fleeting moment. Or, conversely, you might be surprised at how you can access this state at any given time.
Time in nature. I’m not talking about a walk in the park with your best friend. That can be great, but I’m talking about alone time truly connecting with the natural world. Finding a place to sit and close your eyes. Tuning into that essence, the core, the part of you that is unchanging.
Meditation. There are countless ways to meditate. For the purposes of finding stillness, I suggest you practice only focusing on your breath as it comes in and out of your nostrils. That’s it. As your mind wanders, come back to your breath over and over again. The chatter will lessen over time.
Move your body. Whether exercising, going for a short walk, stretching or even dancing, moving the body helps us get out of head. Being present in the body helps us to move the energy down from the head and into the rest of the body. When we are embodied, we have more of a foundation to navigate life.
Slow down. During these times, we may feel the pressure to get more done. But really, what your higher Self might be asking of you is to actually do less. When we slow down, our mind can slow down and as well making inner stillness easier to access.
Declutter your space. A cluttered space can exacerbate a cluttered mind. I’m not suggesting you turn into a near freak. But, having some amount organization with your belongings placed in their proper “homes” can greatly help you find peace of mind.
Disconnect from media. Shutoff the news, whether it be via TV, Twitter, Facebook, or wherever. If you feel the need to “stay up to date”, at least minimize the exposure. Most media perpetuates a fear mindset and does anything but promote peace of mind.
Nourish your body. When we hydrate properly, eat healing foods and are well rested, this helps make peace of mind more likely. Check this post our for some ideas on caring for your body.
The Divine is Within
You aren’t alone in your feeling of unease through this great shift. We are indeed in the midst of The Great Awakening. It can certainly feel intense and superbly unfamiliar. We can debate and analyze what’s going on and why, but oftentimes that can further the mind chatter and preventing peace of mind. Know that you have access to the most supreme source of peace at all times. For, the Divine is within.
If you find you are sensitive and going through quite a bit of spiritual shifts, please check out Signs of Spiritual Awakening and How to get Thru.
For more tips on self care and understanding the importance of it, check out this post.