Peace Of Mind Article originally from July 14th, 2017 FPC Newsletter
Written by Angel L. Santiago
PEACE OF MIND
“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming”
-John Wooden
A key to success is having your mind and your heart working together as one. Most would think that achieving peace of mind and finding the balance between the constant struggle on a daily basis is hard to do. Your heart says one thing, your mind says another, how could we possibly find balance and inner peace.
I once read an article that really helped me put things in perspective. The article was called “How to Make Your Heart and Your Mind Work Together” by Jonathan Mead, Zen Habits. He says that: “It’s typical in our society to feel a conflict between what we want to do (our heart) and what we feel is practical (our mind).” As I finished reading the article and reflected on it, I realized that the solution is simple – we must ask ourselves a few key questions before we make any decisions: If I go with it, does it support the person I want to become? And Who will I be if I don’t go with it? The answer to those questions cannot come from your mind; they must come from deep within you. Your mind is fickle and easily persuaded, it can steer you wrong. In order to really listen, we have to clear the mind and give it breaks so it’s not always on. When we calm our mind and our senses, we become conscious-aware of our always-present inner Self; our higher Self. This can be achieved by having a daily meditation and mindfulness practice.
Meditation has been one of the best lifestyle choices I’ve ever made. It was my first step towards achieving control over my mind in hopes to have a better sense of my inner self. “I think therefore I am not, only when the mind is silent, I am.” when the mind is not silent it is because you are not at peace; therefore you are not your true self, but when the mind is silent you are at peace with your self and in tune with your true self. A free and silent mind is always found in meditation. Meditation is the gateway through which you arrive to the world of freedom.
Here is a simple way to get started:
- Chose a time (Morning, Mid Day, or Night)
- Find a quite area & Prepare the area (play soft relaxing music, light a candle, burn incense)
- Set a timer (5-10 mins)
- Sit with your back straight or lay down on your back & Close your eyes
- Breathe (take 3 slow, deep relaxing breaths)
- Count your breaths
- Concentrate on the natural rhythm of your breathing
- Count each cycle (in and out)
- Count until the timer goes off
- If you lose count, start over from 1
- Breathe (take 1 slow, deep relaxing breaths)
- Take a moment to show gratitude for anything in your life
- Open your eyes
This is just one of many ways to go about meditation. Remember, there isn’t a right way to do it, just your way. So try this exercise for about a week and let’s have a conversation about how it went. You can always schedule a call with me to go over any questions you may have before getting started.
Enjoy!