Find your inner peace in this blog with Bev
Updated: Nov 24, 2021
It can be more difficult now more than ever to find inner peace with so many distractions at every moment. In this article, we are going to explore different techniques that can help us find that balanced state.
If we look at our history, we have always been surrounded by hatred, violence and conflicts. When we see the world going in so many directions, it can feel deeply unsettling and it can really threaten our inner peace and happiness.
Still, there are many things that we can do to hold back negative emotions. Here are some ideas that you can start applying today. No matter how uncertain the world around us can be, here is what we can do to find inner peace.
#Being Mindful
The first suggestion is to practice mindfulness. It not only gives you the ability to transform your inner self but it also changes your perception of the world. Scientific studies show that regular mindfulness practice can shrink the amygdala (our part of the brain that is responsible to control fear.)
This means that mindfulness is going to help you regulate emotions and not just reacting to triggers. That means we have help in making more balanced judgements about what is going on around us. Being mindful can start from just paying attention to how we eat, communicate with other people and much more.
Next on our list is shadow work. This is a practice based on feelings and perceptions we have about ourselves that can dominate the way we act and feel toward others. The shadow is our dark side.
We need to explore shadow work instead of repressing it or acting like it doesn’t exist. This helps us learn more about prejudice and misconceptions. This basic outline of shadow work can look like:
Accept negative emotions that are triggered by some people or events
See your shadow and have a conversation with it. What does it want?
Your shadow holds on to negative emotions so it can protect you from harm. Can you do the same without going in a negative circle?
Let’s also not forget that peace is not a goal, it can be achieved through different mediums, but more importantly, peace is the medium itself.
This is going to help you find inner peace and peace with the outside world. Equanimity is one of the Four Sublime States that can be found in the Buddhist tradition. It derives from a Sanskrit expression that means “seeing without interference.”
By achieving it you will be able to have a balanced reaction to both positive and negative events. This means your state of mind is not going to be affected by bias and prejudice, but this is driven by compassion instead.
In order to cultivate it, we need to rewire our habits. Yoga is a great practice that helps us achieve this state. Find an equanimity mantra that you use at the start of your session and be aware when any negative reactions appear.
Finding peace in the outside world
We should always do our best not only to promote our inner peace in our minds but also what is in the outside world. In order to do this we don’t need to go for grand gestures. Here are 5 steps that can help:
Send your appreciation to a friend or relative
Appreciate a colleague that has been there for you
Donate to different charities
Volunteering is important
Encourage a homeless person
When we speak about inner peace and troubled times, it is important to resist going in full alone mode. Even if this can be a bit against our basic instincts we should still act upon them.
Conclusion
Finding inner peace is not going to happen from one day to the next. But, with a lot of practice, each of us can achieve it. In order to cope with negative times we need to be persistent and willing to challenge our inner self each day.
Question time
What can you start doing today to help bring you closer to your inner peace?
