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21 Ways To Stay in Peace
21 Ways To Stay in Peace
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4.
Your
Introduction
The following are simple, yet powerful practices that can give you new ways of looking at your life circumstances, and in that, create new possibilities for making choices that will bring you greater alignment with your personal integrity. These exercises are developments of The Work (TM) which Byron Katie offers in seminars to provide clarity of mind and honesty of heart that ultimately leads to peace.
Try speaking about yourself, for a period of time, in third person, rather than as I or me. Instead of saying, Im going to lunch, say Shes going to lunch, (referring to yourself), or This one is going to lunch. Do this with a friend for an hour, the afternoon, or the entire day. Eliminate the use of all personal pronouns (I, me, we). Refer to yourself and the other in third person. For example, How is that one (or this one) today? Does he want to go to the park? Experience impersonally the body, the stories and the preferences which you think you are.
1. Reversing Judgments
Practice noticing when you judge or criticize someone or something. For example, in a grocery store line, you might be impatient and think the person in front of you is disorganized and rude. Quickly turn your judgment around and ask yourself: Is it just as true about me? Am I rude? (Am I rude sometimes; to others - or to myself?) Am I being rude inside of me when I think they are rude? This exercise takes your attention off the other and places your attention on you. Forgiveness naturally results. Placing the blame or judgment on someone else leaves you powerless to change your experience; taking responsibility for your beliefs and judgments gives you the power to change them. Remember, beyond the appearance of who it is you are looking at, it is always God disguised, standing in front of you so that you can know yourself. Reversing judgments allows complete forgiveness. Forgiveness leads to
8. Reporting to Yourself
This exercise can help in healing fear and terror. Practice reporting events to yourself as if a circumstance you find yourself in is actually a news story and you are the roving reporter. Announce exactly what your surroundings are and whats happening on the scene at that very moment. Fear is always the result of projecting a re-creation of the past into the now or the future. If you find yourself fearful, find the core belief and inquire: Is this really true that I need to be fearful in this situation? What is actually happening right now, physically? Where is my body (hands, arms, feet, legs, head)? What do I see (trees, walls, windows, sky)?
Impersonalising our stories gives us an opportunity to look at circumstances more objectively, and choose our responses to what life brings. Living in our minds, believing our untrue thoughts is a good way to scare ourselves to death, and it can appear in form as old age, cancer, degeneration, high blood pressure, etc.
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Speaking Literally
Honestly
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9. Literal Hearing
Practice listening to others in the most literal sense, believing exactly what they say, and do your best to resist falling into your own interpretations about the information they share with you. For example, someone might compliment you on how beautiful you are, and you interpret that as an implication that the person has ulterior motives. Our interpretations of what we hear people say to us are often far more painful or frightening than what people actually say. We can hurt ourselves with our misconceptions and our thinking for others. Try trusting that what they say is exactly what they mean: not more, not less. Hear people out. Catch yourself when you want to finish a sentence for someone either aloud or in your mind. Listen. It can be amazing to hear what comes out when we allow others to complete their thoughts without interruption. And, when we are busy thinking we know what they are about to say, we are missing what they are actually saying. You might want to consider these questions: What can be threatened if I listen and hear literally? Do I interrupt because I dont want to really know what they have to say? Do I interrupt to convince them I know more than they do? Am I attempting to portray an image of self-confidence and control? Who would I be without the need to possess those qualities? Is there a fear of appearing unintelligent? Would people leave me if I heard them
Speak literally. Say what you mean without justification, without any desire to manipulate, and without concern about how another may interpret your words. Practice not being careful. Experience the freedom this brings.
16. Asking for What You Want Giving Yourself What You Want
Ask for what you want, even though it may feel bold or awkward. People dont know what you want until you ask them. The act of asking is a validation of the awareness that you deserve to have what you want. If others are unable or unwilling to accommodate your request, give it to yourself.
Self-help Exercises for: Chronic stress Stressful relationships Job dissatisfaction Addictions Depression Anxiety Anger Grief
This gift of peace is offered to you by: Joseph Bennette 581 Lancaster Dr SE Suite 4 Salem, OR 97317 503-375-0146