The path to peace

Surrender is a beautiful spiritual practice. It's faith in action.

The time to surrender the hardest is when you feel in control...

recognizing it as self-will/ego in action.

Letting go of control is death to ego and birth to life...

a life built on a strong, durable foundation called faith.

When you have that kind of faith, there can only be peace.

 

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"The way to resolve our resistance to life

is to meet it face to face" -Pema Choudron

 

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Creative healing

 

 

For me, creativity is great therapy, as well as, fun. 

I love experimenting with colors and techniques.

I love the challenge of learning something new.

I love the way creativity nourishes my spirit.

I love how the solitude nurtures my soul.

Everything I create pushes me deeper...

 into my imagination and determination.

Creativity teaches me to take risks...
and to let go of outcomes.

It teaches me to be okay with making mistakes.

It teaches me to accept disappointment.

I don't always end up with something I'm happy with.

When this happens, I just put my the project aside...

and often come back to it later with a new plan for it.

 
I enjoy the anticipation of what's coming next...
though I usually have no clue what it will be.
 I guess I'll have to wait and see...
 

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No more drama

This adorable cake was at a friend's baby shower.

It was made by A Slice of Heaven" bakery.

The flower cake was designed by my friend, Else.

 

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Let your goal be peace and harmony.

Most of the havoc in your life is self-created.

The drama is a clever way to distract yourself from looking deeper.

You put yourself through so much unnecessary suffering

with your fears, worries, obsessions, need for control...

 Let it all go!

Chaos is ego's way of tricking you into unhappiness!

Know that your thoughts and beliefs are the reason...

 you are drawing the experiences you're having.

Change your thoughts!

Affirm that you are worthy of a JOY-FILLED life!

 

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Being positive, but not perfect

 

 

There are no neutral thoughts according to A Course in Miracles. Our thoughts are either positive or negative. There's nothing in-between. By being positive, we feel at peace with the world. Negative thoughts are at the root of our suffering. 

 

It's a choice! 

 

Though I try to keep it positive, old habits die hard. I have to stay on my toes or ego will jump back in at every opportunity. It's really important to be positive towards yourself when you fall back into old patterns of negative thinking. It's going to happen over and over. After all, nobody is perfect! We can just give it our best!

 

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Finding some peace

 

“I used to spend so much time reacting and responding to everyone else that my life had no direction. Other people's lives, problems, and wants set the course for my life. Once I realized it was okay for me to think about and identify what I wanted, remarkable things began to take place in my life.” 

 

―    Melody Beattie

 

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“The lesson I was learning involved
the idea that I could feel compassion
for people without acting on it. ” 

― Melody Beattie

 

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Living in harmony

 

The Woman with the Flower

 

I wouldn't coax the plant if I were you.
Such watchful nurturing may do it harm.
Let the soil rest from so much digging.
And wait until it's dry before you water it.
The leaf's inclined to find its own direction;
Give it a chance to seek the sunlight for itself.
Much growth is stunted by too much prodding,
Too eager tenderness.
The things we love we have to learn to leave alone.

Naomi Long Madget

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"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe."

—Marcus Aurelius 

 

 

There is a natural order to all things. Avoid interfering otherwise you will forfeit your peace.

She learned the art of meditation

She felt overwhelmed

because her life was too busy.

She slowed down

to live more mindfully

and flourished

in the quiet.

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"Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances. ” 

― Maya Angelou

 

Avoid extreme feelings. Otherwise, you will lose your balance.

Quieting our mind

 

Isn't it crazy how our minds are always spinning stories in our head? Most of the stories aren't even true. They're imaginary scenarios that our minds spend hours entertaining. And how many of those stories are scary ones? I don't know about you, but I don't watch horror movies. So why would we want to scare ourselves by playing frightening, untrue stories in our minds?

 

My guess is this; habit and ego/fear.

We get in the habit of thinking too much...listening to the chattering stories. If you're fearful by nature, the stories won't be positive ones.

Often our thoughts are useless. Don't believe all your thoughts.

Stop the stories when you catch yourself playing them.

Thinking blocks you from using your heart and intuition.

Find nourishing things that will help quiet your busy mind.

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“Silence is the language of God,
all else is poor translation.”

―  Rumi

 

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 "I will make quiet time for myself"

 

The crooked path

 

 

 

Loving myself means...

 

I feel peaceful and accepting of my mistakes.

 

I have made many errors along the way...

 

and also been affected by the errors of others.

 

There is nothing to judge.

 

Everyone is doing their best.

 

Out of every experience...

 

 I've had the opportunity...

 

 to learn something valuable.

 

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 My little friend peeking out at me...

 

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“True forgiveness is when you can say,
"Thank you for that experience.” 

― Oprah Winfrey

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"I am grateful for all my lessons"



Flourishing in the quiet

 

She learned the art of meditation. 

She silently observed...

 

how overwhelming her life felt.

It was filled with a lot of busyness.

She slowed down her pace...

  to live more mindfully.

  She flourished in the quiet.

 

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Waking up this morning, I smile,
Twenty four brand new hours are before me.
I vow to live fully in each moment
and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion. 

Thich Nhat Hanh

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Try dying every day to your old self . . .

So that you emerge renewed and young again...

 

Kristin Zambucka

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"I will remember to savor every moment of my day"

What is my purpose?

 “Joy is the best makeup” -Anne Lammott

 

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Today life is simple, quiet,  and peaceful - lots of space to just "BE". There was a time
though, I would have felt like jumping out of my skin, having so much quiet time.
I was used to being a "DOER". But being a DOER was depleting - it had a profound
 effect on me - physically, emotionally and spiritually.

So what is my purpose? It used to be to "save the world" (ha-ha - my ego must have had
 fun with that one). Now my purpose is to take care of myself - to do things that bring me
 happiness and fulfillment ( FYI- this is not being selfish- it's called self-care) and to help
others (serve God).

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"My mission in life is not merely to survive,

but to thrive; and to do so with some passion,

some compassion, some humor, and some style"

 Maya Angelou

"I practice the art of talking pretty to myself"

Ease and grace

Blue skies...the birds are singing....a nice ride on my bike...with my camera.

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Today I'm choosing "ease" for my life. Such a powerful affirmation!

Since I'm the creator of my life, I can refuse to participate in anything that feels like a struggle. I've done my share of struggling...my unwillingness to change in the past created unnecessary problems for myself... my resistance to accepting life on life's terms held me back...all of it coming from fear.

Today I can choose to trust the process...walking through fear...taking leaps of faith...be willing to change anything that blocks my happiness...and with ease and grace, jumping the hurtles life brings.

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...Don't tell me how wonderful things will be . . . some day. Show me you can risk being completely at peace, truly OK with the way things are right now in this moment, and again in the next and the next and the next. . .
 
...Take me to the places on the earth that teach you how to dance, the places where you can risk letting the world break your heart. And I will take you to the places where the earth beneath my feet and the stars overhead make my heart whole again and again.

The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

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 "My life is peaceful"

The simple things in life

It seems the butterflies aren't plentiful at the moment, but this pretty little bush had several on it. I love watching the way butterflies seem to waltz in the air with each other, but I've yet to capture it on camera.

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When someone asks me "what have you been up to?", I always feel a bit challenged to answer the question. I think I should tell them all the exciting wonderful new things I'm doing but my life isn't like that. It's quiet, simple, relaxed... I've designed it that way...appreciating moments of doing nothing or something simple, but meaningful. Some simple things I dearly love are:

Walks on the beach...

Blueberry pancakes...

The smell of a magnolia flower...

Snuggling in bed with my cat and a good book...

Solitude...

Family get-togethers...

Girl dates...

Girl phone time...

Cooking healthy meals...

Going to the library...

Riding my bike...

Writing, blogging, painting...

A date with my partner...

Going to the movies and eating popcorn...

Photography...

Afternoon naps...

Giving to others, service work...


What do you love? What things connect with your heart? Is your life simple or complicated?

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Magic exists. Who can doubt it, when there are rainbows and wildflowers, the music of the wind and the silence of the stars?" — Nora Roberts

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"I appreciate even the smallest things"

The gift of peace

The dragonflies in the background were applied with a rubber stamp. Instead of using a stamp pad, I used acrylic paint.

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Acceptance is the key to serenity.

No matter what the circumstances are, if you practice acceptance, peace will follow.

How often we fight to change things because we're uncomfortable with the circumstances.

We put fear in charge of running our lives.

Learn to sit in the discomfort rather than forcing change. 

Maybe there's a life lesson to be learned from it.

Life lessons are gifts. They help us evolve in our spiritual life.

And remember that resistance to any circumstance will only cause you pain.

I believe with all my heart that everything that happens to us is for our Highest good.

I know that's a lot to embrace, but open your mind to the possibility. You may come to believe...

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My special little friend Alicia, and my partner Jack. Though they were smiling, earlier they had a disagreement over who was going to eat the last piece of toast (at the Cracker Barrel restaurant). Jack ate it. Alicia said he was "rude". I just chuckled...both of them LOVE to eat... don't mess with their food.

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As human beings we all want to be happy and free from misery.
                       

We have learned that the key to happiness is inner peace.
                       

The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions such

as anger and attachment, fear and suspicion,...
                      

  Dalai Lama

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"I trust that what life brings me, serves me"

peaAsAs

Staying out of the fast lane

That's me sitting on the turtle's back...slowing myself down...being more grounded.

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I'm loving my pace these days;

SLOW

MINDFUL

PEACEFUL

CONTENT

IN THE MOMENT
CONNECTED
PRESENT
HAPPY

My days of life in the fast lane are over...days of instant gratification...seeking to fill an emptiness inside me with something outside of myself (which isn't possible)...looking for others to fill the hole in my soul (that doesn't work either).

My cup is full...

Life has taken a drastic turn for the better.

 I've never felt happier than I am at this moment or more certain that the changes are right for me. I have fallen deeper in love with my surroundings...with people... with myself...with nature.

My heart is brimming with gratitude...joy....warmth...overflowing with LOVE.

I'm discovering that I've had a connection with turtles for a long time. This pic were taken more than ten years ago (before digital cameras).

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"We're on this journey called "life" to learn only one lesson; how to love"

Enjoying the solitude

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The new time change has thrown me off a bit. It seem that 4:00 a.m. is my new normal, but there's something I love about waking up to the quiet darkness. Even the birds are still sleeping. I feel a deep sense of peace. As a little girl, I often felt afraid. Abuse has a way of ripping your sense of security away from you. I was happiest though, when I was left alone. I could entertain myself all day long. I guess I still feel that way. The quiet stillness comforts me like a soft blanket.

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My childhood friend, Meg. We met at the school bus stop when I was 14. She came in my life at a time that was difficult. My parents had ripped me from my friends and the only place I had ever lived (Michigan) , to move to Florida. No one asked me how I felt about moving. I was shy and had difficulty with any kind of change. It was traumatizing for me to start over. I'm so grateful for Meg because her friendship gave me a sense of belonging that I desperately needed. We've been a part of each other's lives for over 40  years.

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"I am loved" and so are you