I want to talk about cultivating peace.
Many times in this busy society,
Our busy lives,
We look toward finding and cultivating peace as something externally,
As something outside of ourselves.
Taking on the disbelief that if we get that perfect job,
We'll have peace.
Or when we buy that perfect house,
Then we'll have peace.
Or when we find that perfect partner,
We'll finally have peace.
And the truth is,
Peace is always with you.
It never left.
We can find peace with each inhale breath,
As we take in air through our nose,
Allowing it to fill up our nostrils,
Filling our chest wide,
And on the exhale,
Decompression that happens in the body as the air leaves.
We can find peace sitting in silence.
We can find and hold peace with the phrase,
I am enough.
There are so many ways we can start to invite peace,
Stillness,
And joy into our lives.
And we don't need to alter or do anything to experience that.
Allow this question to be felt in your body,
Digested,
Moved around,
Experienced,
And explored.
What does peace mean to me?
What does it look like?
What does it feel like?
What does it taste like?
And then every day,
Start to incorporate something that brings you peace,
Something that brings you joy,
That gives you the sensation that you are in total control.
The power that we have when we rewrite the narratives of our lives is life-changing.
Because the truth is,
So many contracts that we live our lives by,
These guiding posts,
These expectations,
They never belong to you.
They were given to you.
And that doesn't mean that they're good or bad.
You just have to decide if that's a contract that you want to keep,
And if it's not,
Become the artist that you were born to be.
Allow yourself wherever you may be to softly close your eyes if it feels good.
And gently start to bring your awareness inward.
Gently start to bring your awareness toward your breath.
Noticing the rise and the fall of your chest with every breath.
Begin to scan your body for any tightness that may be hiding.
Notice if your shoulders are up towards your ears.
Exhale,
Release.
Begin to notice if there's any clenching in the fingertips,
In your jaw,
Any tightness in between your eyebrows.
And see with the next exhale,
Not only can you release,
But if you can send a little bit of lightness to that area,
A little bit of softness,
And a lot of compassion.
Know that you can always find peace internally,
You can always return home.
And in the moments where maybe you feel the desire to reach for anything that's outside of yourself,
Maybe you ask your body this simple question,
What is it that you need today?
How do you need me to support you?
The beautiful thing that I've come to realize is that the body speaks a language.
We just have to be attuned and aware to what our bodies are saying.
All that peace lies within you,
And you can access it at any time of the day.
The devotion that's in this.