Working it Out Within...

Peace and Blessings. One of the things I noticed about my self lately is that schedule, commitments, decisions, the filtering of the everyday technological stimuli, and other "debris" has simply turned my mind and thoughts into a raceway - both in speed and noise. I also noticed that as time goes on, I am not clearing out space in my thoughts and mind, but yet just cramming more things in there to remember, recall, to do, to process, and to filter. I realized this mostly at night when I would have trouble falling to rest - sometimes not getting the point where I could sleep until well into the wee hours of the morning. The insomnia really started to take a toll on me so I realized I had to do something about this and learn to quiet my mind somehow.

Quieting the mind teaches us how to focus more on the present moment, instead of on the future or on the past. It is said that 80% of our thoughts are spent on the future and on the past. Worrying about future events creates stress, anxiety, and depression over things that have not yet happened. Thinking about past events causes us to criticize or judge ourselves for how we handled certain situations in the past, instead of letting them go and moving forward. By replaying these events again and again in our minds, we create the stress each time as well.

Learning to live in the moment and enjoy the moment for what it is can be a very empowering skill to learn. Not only does it help lessen our stress and anxiety, it also teaches us to appreciate what we do have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

A co-worker lent me a book called Cares that Infest by Cecil A Poole, a book written in 1978 that really speaks to exactly what issues I was having. In the book, he discuss these "infestations" as our everyday problems and how they keep us true happiness. Basically, it is a realization that we all have problems - but its how we solve them that affects our individual development and our relationships with others. Learning, he emphasizes, comes from both our problems and from our solutions. He shows how to recognize specific issues - worry, insomnia, fear, and how to develop a practice philosophy of life to alleviate the burnden and heaviness that is caused by these difficulties. This particular book has given me the tools to begin to learn how to quiet and refocus my mind and energies the few important things in life that bring me happiness.

The other methodology that has really begun to help also is perpetual meditation. Many of us may practice meditation but often times it is done within a particular time and space, so the quieting of the mind is on a finite level. Instead I wanted to learn how to practice this on a regular basis, so that I can create a built-in filter so to speak, which will frequent my quiet moments, rather than merely dismiss them for a short period of time. I am still working on this one.

What ways do you "Work it out from within" or quiet your mind? Do you find that you worry about things that are not in your control, that you fear, or that you are unsure about? Let's hear your build on it.

PEACE
Victorious Lanasia Earth

Seed Ciphers

Peace All -

For those of use whom are parents (single or not) I know that times are hard...financially and emotionally. Myself... as a single parent sometimes come to my wits end. For it seems odd to me that my children can remember where that Organic Fruit strip in my pocket book that we got a WEEK ago from Trader Joes is in my Purse - because they put it there of course - but can't remember that I tell them everyday not to touch each other in the car or to put their dishes in the sink... WITHOUT a full plate of food. Now... ALLEGEDLY ( a word that must be thrown in before and after all 'confessions' if you will) there can be a black-out (if you will) for repeated acts of misconduct but, I have taken some time to really look for other ways.

I know there was a time when people were using the phrase 'Time Out'... but I don't really understand that term. Reason being... if they're to sit... in a corner... to THINK about why they got in trouble... then they're probably gonna think of another way to get in trouble simultaneously. Now, I LOVES Harpo...LAWD KNOWS I DO... But I'll... oh... Pardon self...lol. Back to the remedies. In observing my children it came to me that I needed to take some time for them and ME... because all children want to be is loved and nurtured... and to ride on the occasional nerve sometimes without getting into trouble. The below tend to help me out:

* Designated Bed Times: My Children are in bed every night by 8:30... whether they are tired or now. Not only is it less of a fight to wake them up the next morning but it gives me time to make some tea, draw up a build or read a book.

*How Was Your Day: Every day after I pick the children up we all say how each others day was... I tell them everything, who got on my nerves, who I chased down in a fit of road rage... everything. Because then they know that I have nothing to hide. In turn... it lets them know that they can talk to me as well so they don't have to look for other ways to get attention (ie. Jumping off the back of the couch) because they know I'm always there to listen.

*Book Buddies: We each take an hour each weekend to just read the books that we are enjoying at the moment and then tell each other about it (ummm, no... not the romance novels)

* Your Choice: Fridays after school or Saturdays (if I am not working) I give the seeds the option to choose to do whatever they want (within budget ofcourse). This is kind of my reward for a hectic week with ME... lol... and school

*Meditation: I can put myself in a coma just by holding a cup of green tea, closing my eyes, and the Last Samurai soundtrack playing in the back ground. I do this in the office with my door closed or early in the morning.

The above 5 things work for me... what about you? What do you do to help make time for yourself ... when the nanny is on vacation, indefinitely (hmpf lol). What activities do you do with your Children with the limited time you may have? I know there are things that you all may do that we could incorporate into our days and weeks to make everything that much more Peaceful and fulfilling. I welcome and thank you... for all of your feed back.

Peace

Q. Civilized Zag