As we try to find a way to deal with the tragic stories in the news about the Newtown, Connecticut shootings, let us try to find a way to take a break from the pain.
A new work week begins and Christmas is close just a week away. The juxtaposition of the Newtown stories, the social media dialogue; television and newspapers stories covering gun control, the state of mental health and parenting issues in the United States against the backdrop of Christmas decorations and music is jarring.I find myself turning off the television and only reading parts of stories because its too much to digest.
I am not ignoring the tragedy that has happened but at a certain point, my mind needs a rest. My mental break consists of finding a place where I can close my eyes, take a deep breath and mentally think of a calming image in nature such as an isolated beach, rolling green hills or a field of flowers.
Breath. Listen to your heartbeat. Breath. Think of the ocean and the calming sound of the waves as they meet the sandy shore. Take another deep breath.
What is serenity in a time of turmoil? It can be a place of inner peace and a way of finding hope and healing even while experiencing pain.
I found this short explanation about serenity on www.wisdomcommons.org and thought I would share it with you. I hope you find it helpful:
Serenity means maintaining a sense of inner peace even in difficult situations.
We gain serenity by accepting the things we cannot change and focusing our energy where we can make a difference.
Fear, anger or desire can create a sense of urgency that triggers us to react impulsively. When this happens, we risk undermining our goals, damaging relationships–even violating our deepest values. By contrast, when we cultivate serenity, we don’t fear our emotions, but we do keep them in balance. We govern ourselves rather than being ruled by external circumstances and our feelings about them.
Meditative practices, contemplation, physical exercise and self-regulation skills all can help us to maintain a serene, peaceful state of mind. This mental state in turn frees us to live thoughtfully and intentionally.
When we hold onto our own sense of serenity, we help others to keep theirs.
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