Spiritual Journey - discernment and peace amid turmoil

.13 DISCERNMENT: Part ThreeBy Angela Skeete Davis

Now, last week we were discussing bringing peace into our lives? How does it happen? The books I have read suggest meditation. It is supposed to ground your spirit, put you more in tune with your body and your inner you and give you peace. I am working on that. I try to meditate as often as I can. I find it does keep me more grounded and in tune with the needs of my body and spirit. I find that I am more at peace when I practice meditation. It does work. The hardest part is just finding or rather carving out time to meditate.

There are people in my life who exude peace and serenity but their lives are in turmoil. When I ask them how this could be, they say they don’t let the turmoil around them touch them. They tell me to let go of the things that make me crazy, to let go of past issues that bring me down. I tell them it is not so easy. They say that is what makes it worth it. I am trying to do those things as well. It does work. It is also not easy...

I also know people who seem wired yet there lives are, for the most part, in order. They can’t explain why they always seem in turmoil, but I often sense that they don’t appreciate the balance in their lives. Frequently these people are never satisfied or are always complaining. I find that they let even the little things get to them. Trust, I don’t want what they have. It doesn’t seem to work. I would rather be at peace amidst turmoil than be in turmoil amidst peace.

Finally, I also know of one person who says his life is in flux, who says he is seeking peace. It is sometimes hard to believe because there are times when he seems so serene it is almost palpable. But upon careful evaluation. I find he is not necessarily serene he is just tired. Now, tiredness can bring on peace. But that is not how we want to get peace in our lives. We want it to happen in a positive way and sometimes tired means depression, a state we don’t want to be in.

I think we have to realize that we are given opportunities to experience the things we most desire. We just don’t know how to go about capitalizing on those opportunities. I would suggest we look at our lives. Perhaps the things that are happening to us, that are frustrating us, are the very things that, if we let them, will help us to find what we seek. Perhaps my friend’s life, like most of our lives, is revolving in a manner that is really an opportunity for him (and us) to receive the peace he (we) seeks. I believe he (we) must pay attention to the moments and be discerning. Peace will come. That is the one thing you may not find by giving it to others.

So this week, do not let life get to you. Let go of the things that normally frustrate you. Refuse to be ruffled by things that normally make you crazy. Pay attention to the moments and opportunities for you to be at peace. Practice does make for perfect and eventually peace may be an automatic part of your life. If that is what you seek.

Next week, back to “The Invitation”

“Dedicate yourself to the good you deserve and desire for yourself. Give yourself peace of mind. You deserve to be happy. You deserve delight.” Hannah Arendt (German-born American Philosopher and Political Scientist. 1906-1975)

Spiritual Journey - more on discernment (to get what you want)

SPIRITUAL JOURNEY .12

DISCERNMENT: Part Two

By Angela Skeete Davis

To follow up where I left off last week, I also had a conversation with a friend who said he ached to have peace in his life. When he started to talk about it, it became clear how important it was to him. It also became clear he was spending so much time wanting it, that wanting it had, in a sense, become for him a way of thinking, being, living.

Our conversation really bothered me and I got to thinking about all of us, the things we crave and the things we want. How do we get the things that we say we want in our lives?

I watched a movie recently that I thought I would dislike, but I actually enjoyed it and learned from it. Following is the movie's message. Basically, it said when we ask God/The Universe/the Ultimate Energy for something, it is not just magically given to us…instantly. Although, if we are honest, that is what we usually want and expect. Instead, we are given opportunities to receive the thing or things for which we have asked. Therefore, if we want love or joy or peace in our lives, we can’t just sit back and wait for it to miraculously happen. We must first believe we will receive the things we ask for; and then, we have to see the opportunities we are being given to receive the thing or things we desire. Last we have to act on those opportunities.

I want happiness, so I wake up each morning anticipating happiness. I make it a point to both enjoy my day and look for opportunities for happiness. Then, at the end of the day, I look back and say thank you for the moments of happiness I received and enjoyed. I truly believe most of us are given the opportunities to have the things we most desire but we just don’t see those opportunities.

It’s like looking for love and not realizing the person you should be with is right in front of you, because he or she has not come gift wrapped the way you expected. I think the answer to receiving the things we ask for is discernment. I think the answer is to appreciate each moment. By doing so we give ourselves the chance to see the opportunities God/The Universe/The Ultimate Energy is giving us to receive the things we most desire.

If you try this approach and do not begin to receive what you seek, try examining yourself. Are you holding yourself back from the things you most want out of fear? Are you your own worst enemy? When you have honestly answered those questions, take a step back and make a plan of action. There is no time like now to actively seek what you want. Oh ……. And trust …… if you don’t have what you seek, plant a seed. If you don’t have love, start by giving love to others; if you don’t have joy, start by bringing joy to others; if you don’t have happiness, start by making others happy. This works.

But how does this get you peace? That is a hard question. I am still working on this and will finish next week. In the meantime, spend this week bringing joy, happiness and love to the lives of others. Trust …. It will be returned tenfold and you will be glad you did.

“Whatever we are waiting for - peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance - it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart.”

Sarah Ban Breathnach

author, columnist, lecturer

SPIRITUAL JOURNEY - Discernment

11. DISCERNMENT, Part One

By Angela Skeete Davis

I have so much in my head and heart to share I am just not sure where to begin. So bear with me if I seem to ramble. That is not my intent. Also, this will be a “two-parter“, I hope it works for you. First, a friend implied that when you are friends with a writer/blogger, you take the chance of being part of their writings. I know that to be true and this is proof.

I am reading this book and am at the part where the author seems to be saying that we, as individual and collective egos, seem to need and thrive on competition and conflict. I am not sure I agree since I long for peace in my life. But I am double-minded. You see, I also agree because it seems that the closer I get to living the life I long for, the more strife seems to come with the package. It is almost as if the “devil” is aware and doing all he can to prevent me from getting to my small haven of peace and joy and happiness. However, I do not worry any longer - I have vowed to never give up...

My point, I find that there are people in life who are also where I am, either consciously or unconsciously. Where am I? I am here; I am taking what few steps I can to change that perception of the ego, or at least I am doing my part to be the real me, the me beneath my ego, my own little bit of awareness. What am I talking about? Today I had a conversation with someone (let’s call this person B) who, for years, I hated talking to because our conversations always left me angry. B always said something to irk, annoy or irritate me. But lately I have found our conversations to be a blessing. I would like to say B has really changed and that is why our conversations are so good. But I know that is only half the story. I have also changed. Together we have changed and so now, that change, has allowed us to be able to talk and share and love together. I am so grateful and blessed.

My point, B said something I thought was monumental. Not because it was so profound but because of its simplicity. It occurs to me that we sometimes miss things in life because we are expecting things to be monumental. Instead, it is something so simple we miss it. To simplify a long conversation, B said that she and her spouse were reading a transformational book together and sharing its lessons together. I thought, WOW! That is what I want. Someone I can share a book with that is supposed to be transformative. That way we may transform and grow together. I think relationships often fail because the two do not grow together, the two make no attempts to share all aspects of their lives, where possible, together. I will never forget what B said to me. And when I finally find the person I want to share my life with, I will do the best I can to ensure that it is someone I can share growing and transforming with so that neither of us leaves the other behind.

I think this is a moment of clarity of emotion. I think this is profound for me because it is the clarity of emotion I crave. Clearly God/the universe/the ultimate energy is giving me the opportunity to receive the thing I ask for and am working towards. I am just glad that I was actually being mindful, enjoying the moment, actually in the moment. I am just glad that this time I had the discernment to realize it.

This week, seek discernment in your life. This week check your relationships. Are you letting people you care about slip away because you are allowing yourself to grow apart from them. If that is not what you want, find ways to include them in your growth. Find ways to get them on the same page as you so that the two of you will be able to share the journey of self-growth (true, inner self-growth) together. And while you are doing so, be MINDFUL. ENJOY THE MOMENT!!! And until next time…Take care of you.

The supreme end of education is expert discernment in all things--the power to tell the good from the bad, the genuine from the counterfeit, and to prefer the good and the genuine to the bad and the counterfeit.”

Author unknown