4 Ways Meditation Will Make You a Calmer Person

Life is busy, stressful, and complex. No matter what season of life you are in. It's always something, as I used to tell my mom. Our minds are on overdrive trying to process everything that comes at us in a day. And then there is the nightly news. 

The result? Racing thoughts. Sleepless nights. Overeating, pill popping or drinking alcohol to relax. Sound familiar? This week I'm sharing a spiritual practice that can help you tame your monkey racing mind and stay more present and peaceful during your day as well as hear from God on a regular basis. 

An Ancient Practice 

Archaeologists and scholars believe meditation has been around for over 5,000 years. In this information-over-loaded culture we live in, it is critical that we make time to not only rest our bodies, but our minds as well so this week I'm sharing on the ancient practice of meditation. 

No matter what beliefs you have, you should know that meditation practices have been part of both eastern and western religious practices for ages. The earliest documentation of meditation is found in the Hindu sacred text known as the Vedas from ancient India but it has its own place in Western religions as well. St. Ignatius of Loyola is famous for his book, Spiritual Exercises. The Bible continually exhorts believers to "meditate on things above", meditate on the Word of God day and night and to "Be still and know that I am God". Also we are exhorted to "take every thought captive." That is meditation. 

Can You Please Sit Still? 

In the same way the body needs a good amount of rest to restore and renew itself, so too does the mind.  Often, even when the body is asleep, the mind continues to churn away on the problems and issues of the day. No wonder we wake up feeling unrefreshed. The mind didn't know it was bedtime.

So, how often do you sit down during the course of the day, close your eyes and just observe your thoughts? Most people are so tired that when they do sit down and close their eyes, they fall asleep. Others find it difficult or even uncomfortable to sit still and do nothing. I know, because I used to be this way. 

As a single mom of two boys working at a mentally exhausting career while balancing the demands of home, health, & child-rearing plus trying to fit in a social life, I wish someone would have suggested meditation to me years ago. Sit down and rest my weary mind. 

The rapid advancement of technology has dramatically increased the pace of life and the hurry up, get-it-done-yesterday mindset has side-lined this important discipline. As the rate of stress-related illnesses soar, many are realizing this non-stop physical and mental freneticism is not only unhealthy but unprofitable as well. So how can meditation benefit you?

Benefit #1: Meditation calms our minds and our bodies. 

In the same way the body needs a good amount of rest to restore and renew itself, so too, does the mind. Often, even when the body is asleep, the mind continues to churn away on the problems and issues of the day. No wonder we wake up feeling unrefreshed. The mind didn't know it was bedtime.

When we sit down to meditate, we allow the "mental clutter" to settle. The breath and the heart rate slow which reduces blood pressure naturally. Meditation allows confusion to dissipate and clarity and creativity to spark so we can find answers to our problems and creative solutions. 

There are different forms of meditation so whether your spiritual path is eastern, western or a combination of both, you can benefit from this ancient practice. In eastern religions, there are several different meditation styles. One of them is to focus the mind on something constant such as the breath, a candle flame, or a mantra, which is a word or a phrase such as "peace', "be still", or "I am calm".

The basic premise is that by focusing the mind, the practitioner becomes increasingly aware of the flow of thoughts as they occur and is able to disengage and enter the place of rest where the mind is calmer. I practice what is called Vipassana meditation which focuses on finding clarity and insight in addition to calm. 

Benefit #2: Helps us to connect with ourselves and with God. 
When we still our bodies, the thoughts that jump around like monkeys in our minds settle down as well. This allows us to see what is going on with our feelings and emotions and to get in touch with our inner selves. When we are moving so fast all day, we ignore that still small voice and our deep thoughts and emotions rarely get noticed or even attended to.

The practice of meditation in Christian religions is similar in that one of the goals is to focus and calm the mind. In addition, Christian practitioners also have the goal of calming the spirit and connecting more deeply with God which is done by reading or repeating phrases or words of Holy Scripture or Christian devotions. Early proponents of Christian meditation are St. Teresa of Avila, St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. John of the Cross.

Benefit #3: Brings awareness of our thoughts, feelings and actions.
Whatever your spiritual path, meditation is an important skill that helps us bring more awareness to our daily lives.  Often we go through the day on auto-pilot, barely noticing anything inside us or around us until we plop into bed at night, exhausted. And then we spend the night processing what happened during the day. 

When we deliberately calm our minds, we are more able to identify our thoughts on a moment to moment basis. I've read that the average person thinks 60,000 - 70,000 thoughts per day, and being the deep reflective thinker I am, I probably process a lot more. Yikes!

Meditation helps us become more aware of our thoughts and the type of thoughts. Is this thought positive or negative, anxious, or angry? Thoughts are energy and negative thoughts bring us down and lower our energy and steal our joy. Notice whenever you have left the present moment - today - and wandered either into the past or the future. Meditation helps us to stay in the present moment which helps alleviate anxiety. It also helps us to stay focused and pay attention to what we are doing, rather than be unaware and easily distracted. 

Unawareness of negative, anxious and angry thoughts lead to a vicious downward spiral which often leads to depression and reactivity. Becoming more aware of our thoughts and emotions is a tool to stop this cycle and keep us grounded and calm.

Benefit #4: Breaks the vicious activity cycle.
Many of us run around all day frenetically going from one thing to another. As a single parent, this pace was my norm. Since retiring, I have made a conscious effort to slow down, do less and take more breaks. I have a sticky note that says "Take the pressure off." Continuous activity is akin to an addiction, something that makes us crave more and more. Meditation helps break this cycle as well. 

When I feel like I'm moving too fast, an alarm goes off in my mind "Break time!" and I make myself sit down and meditate for 15 - 20 minutes. If I fall asleep, then that means I'm tired but I don't berate myself for falling asleep. This stopping to meditate breaks the "to do" cycle and mentality. We are human beings not human doings! As meditation becomes a daily practice, we realize stillness is a gift and we will look forward to our times of being still. 

For reflection:

Have you considered incorporating meditation into your daily routine? How might it benefit you, personally? Meditation is not difficult. All it takes is a few minutes a day, start by closing your eyes and taking 3 deep breaths a few times a day. Here are some more posts on meditation to help. 

If you enjoyed this post, join our blog community by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

If you are interested in furthering your spiritual growth, you might enjoy my newest book, "Ignite the Power Within: 10 steps to Supercharge your spiritual growth" available at your favorite booksellers here. 

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If you 

Until next time, I wish you peace and stillness and remember...

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

The Benefits of Practicing Mindfulness Meditation

Do you find yourself stressing out about the future? Ruminating on some past event? Not staying in the here and now? If any of these are true, then this post is for you. Learning to live in the present moment helps us find more joy because joy is only found in the present moment. So let's learn more about how to do that. 

Mindfulness is non-denominational 

First let's get past some common misconceptions. You don't have to be a yogi or a buddhist to practice mindfulness, and no, meditation is not anti-Christian either. Mindfulness means being "aware" of our thoughts and not letting them control us or run amok like a monkey on a tree that jump from here to there willy nilly. 

First we'll examine what it means to be mindful. Then we'll talk about the many benefits, and finally I'll share some simple steps you can take to implement mindfulness into your day. 

Mindlessness

Unless we make a conscious effort to tame and train our minds, our thoughts can steal our peace and our joy. Did you know our thoughts determine our feelings and our actions, often without us even realizing it? Did you finish off that cake or bag of chips because you were hungry -  or - because you really just weren't paying attention? 

Much of the time we operate on routines, schedules, and habits - kind of like being on auto-pilot. We are so used to moving fast in an endless race to accomplish more, more, we plan -actually overplan -our days to the max, the cellphone our constant companion, and then when our head hits the pillow at night we wonder where did the day go. Did I enjoy it? Was I really present? Did I make choices that are in line with my values? Was I kind? Patient? If the answer to these questions is no, today I am going to share a technique to help us all with this unproductive and stressful way of living.

Personal Story 

I've often been told "You think too much" or "You're a deep thinker" and maybe so, having worked in an analytical career for over 30 years. My job was all about problem solving and finding links, patterns, and root causes. Add to that the added pressure of being a single mom and having to handle everything myself, my mind was on overdrive for decades. It was only until the chronic migraines hit me full force that I realized I needed to give my brain some time off and that's when I discovered meditation.

Mindfulness meditation. 

Now for those who may be new to this technique, there are many different kinds of meditation. This post is going to focus on what is called mindfulness meditation or vipissana meditation.  In other words, we will be discussing a method on how to train our minds to be more attentive to the present moment, with acceptance and without judgment. It is a skill that will serve us well in many areas of our lives and you can learn it right in the comfort of your home. You don't need any special tools or equipment. All you need to start is 15 minutes a day by yourself. That's it. You can carve out 15 minutes a day to live a life more fully engaged, right?

Meditation has Christian Roots.
But first, let's address the common concern many people have about meditation. It seems meditation has gotten a bad rap, especially among Christians, many of whom balk at the very word.

Some disdain or dismiss it, thinking it is ungodly or against their religious beliefs. I would like to put your fears at rest. There are many verses of Scripture that encourage us to manage our thought life. One of them is 2 Cor 10:5 which exhorts us to "Take every thought captive". Colossians 3:2 says "Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things,".

The Apostle Paul knew the value of controlling our thoughts and not allowing them to control us. We are also encouraged to "Be still and know that I am God". When we sit ourselves down and settle our minds for a few minutes, we release stress and tension and we are able to sift through the cacophony of inner voices that chatter at us during the course of the day. Calming the mind is not the only benefit of meditation.

Many Physical Benefits.
Here are some additional benefits that may interest you:
- Lowers oxygen consumption.
- Decreases respiratory rate.
- Increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
- Increases exercise tolerance in heart patients.
- Promotes a deeper level of relaxation.
- Reduces blood pressure
- Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
- Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headaches.
- Enhances the immune system. Research has revealed that meditation increases activity of 'natural-killer cells', which kill bacteria and cancer cells.

There are tons of books and now websites and apps that offer to teach us how to meditate. Some of them can be unnecessarily complicated and confusing. Websites and apps usually involve a fee at some point. Today I am going to share an introduction and some simple steps to help you begin your meditation practice at home and for FREE!

Strengthen Your Spiritual Muscle
Yes, meditation is a practice. It is a spiritual discipline just like reading your favorite sacred text or praying daily. Think of it as sending your mind to the gym.

Just as we train our physical bodies to perform at their optimum level, so our minds need to be trained to perform well. We are constantly barraged by external sensory input: cell phones, noises, traffic, loud music, texting and people talking. No wonder we have trouble hearing from God with so much input coming at us all the time. Just like defragging the memory on our laptops, it is important to clear out the mental clutter and basically do a reboot on our minds.

A Simple Mindfulness Routine 

1. Get alone and quiet.
Find a time of day or night, preferably both, where you can get quiet for 10 - 20 minutes. Make sure the cell phones are off and tell the family you are taking a quiet time break. Encourage them to take one as well.

2. Get comfortable.
Make sure your clothing is loose and comfortable and the room temperature is appropriate. We want to eliminate anything that could distract us from being present.

3. Sit in a comfortable position.
Use a chair or sit on the floor, carpet, or a mat. Use a cushion, pillow, or a folded blanket if you like more support. Make sure you sit up straight with an erect spine. I like to sit in half-lotus which is cross-legged with one foot on top of the other knee.

4. Close your eyes.
Rest your hands either in your lap or on your knees palms up.

5. Begin to focus on your breathing. 
Many of us only breathe very shallowly, thru our upper chest. Start breathing through your lower belly rather than your chest. As you settle, your breathing will get slower and fuller. Place your hands on your belly to make sure it is rising and falling with each breath until you get the hang of deep abdominal breathing as opposed to shallow chest breathing. 

6. Scan your body.
Relax and release any tension or tightness in your muscles. Relax your shoulders, your face, your jaw, your hips, etc.

7. Once you have completed the body scan, continue to focus on your breath.
The breath becomes a focal point of your practice. Observe the air coming in and out through your nostrils. Observe the length of your breaths. Keep your mind focused on your breathing. You will notice many thoughts come into your mind. This is natural at first. Notice the thoughts and let them float by like clouds. As your breathing slows down, so will your thoughts. Continue to bring your attention back to your breath each time it wanders.

8. Resist the urge to keep checking the clock.
If you'd like, set an alarm. The longer you can sit the more relaxed and focused you will become. You will feel refreshed, relaxed, and energized to go about the rest of your day. Meditation is also a great practice to do at night before bedtime. It quiets the mind and prepares it for a restful night's sleep.

As you can see, beginning a meditation practice is not all that difficult. The benefits you will receive are well worth the time you put into it. Like anything else, implementing a regular meditation time means decluttering your life to make room for what is truly valuable and useful. Turn the television off sooner and use that time to meditate.

For Reflection
Are you open to trying meditation? Pause a few times during the day and examine what exactly you are thinking about. Mindfulness practice is particularly helpful especially when having a stressful day. Start by sitting quietly with your eyes closed for 5 minutes and observing your breathing. 

If you enjoyed this post, consider joining our community. Enter your email address in the box provided and receive my weekly newsletter plus a copy of my free guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".

In the meantime, check out my other books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Apple. Pop on over to Pinterest and enjoy the collection I have curated for you. If you are an Instagram person, follow me there.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned as we learn more on how to ignite the power within so you can take back your life and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

How to Spiritually Connect with Your Higher Power

We are all on a spiritual journey, whether we realize it or not. We were made to know our Higher Power, the Divine, God, or whatever name you want to use. A relationship with God is the most important relationship we could ever have. 

The Problem 
The problem is many people have been turned off by organized religion, wounded by churches, priests, fathers, and past experiences. I wonder how many people read the Bible these days. Because of this, many of us don't have a clear path on how to connect to the Divine and we lack the courage and faith we need to move forward in this challenging world we live in. So this week I am sharing some ways I have found to connect with my Higher Power and strengthen my spiritual muscle.  

The Solution

1. The Word of God 

First, let me say this. I believe the clearest and most direct way to know and connect with the Divine is through reading the Bible. Even though the Bible is 2700 years old, human nature has not changed. The need for guidance has not changed and neither has the need for comfort, assurance, and consolation changed. All of these can be found in the Bible. There are many translations out there and you can easily check which you prefer by visiting this website. 

Whenever I had a big decision to make, I go straight to the Bible. The book of Proverbs is a good place to find wisdom about all sorts of important topics. Sure you can go talk to a bunch of friends, but you have no assurance that their "wisdom" will be what you need. Other times, I think of situations in the Bible and apply what God said about it to my circumstance. It gives me peace and guides me to making wise decisions. For more on making wise decisions, enter "decisions" in the search box on my blog.

2. Prayer and Meditation 
As I've stated in my previous posts, prayer is talking to God and meditation is listening. Both of these activities are helpful in connecting with the Divine. 

Prayer is powerful and it is even more powerful when we infuse it with scripture. There is supernatural power in prayer. The Lord is required to fulfill his word so when we quote scripture back to him it does many things. Read about the importance of praying scripture here. 

Meditation is listening to God. With our hectic schedules, how often do we make time to just be still and get quiet? This is when we can hear that still small voice inside. There are many benefits to a regular meditation practice. To learn more about meditation, its benefits, and how to do it, read my posts on it here. 

3. Journaling

I have been journaling most of my life. It helps me process the events of the day, connect with my emotions, reduces stress, and much more. Did you know it has been scientifically proven that journaling can also help boost the immune system and decrease the symptoms of chronic ailments such as arthritis, asthma and other health conditions? Read this article for more. 

The key to journaling is to get your feelings out on paper. Many people, including myself, have a hard time expressing their feelings. Journaling is a good start. The next step is to communicate them to others. Journaling also helps us to identify habits and unhealthy behaviors and their triggers. I have used it to help me manage migraine and break bad habits. 

For Reflection:

Getting to know God is not as scary or as difficult as it may seem. These three activities are a great start. Which one will you pick today? Write and let us know and why you chose that. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. If so pass it on to a friend who could benefit. To join our community and receive my weekly posts simply enter your email on the pop up page or in the space provided on this site. You'll also receive a copy my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

Until next time, I wish you peace and stillness and remember...

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

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Finding Calm in a World of Chaos

Do you yearn for more peace in your life? Are the events of the world making you even more anxious? Life is full of peace-stealers and they come in a variety of forms. Today I'm sharing on this oh so important topic because peace is priceless.

How we lose our peace 

Stressful situations come at us unexpectedly. Some we bring them on ourselves and some are caused by other people. Our thoughts go off on worst case scenarios. Adrenaline shoots through our veins. Then we react or rather we over-react. Boom. We've just lost our peace. 

What is the igniting factor here? The thoughts we think in the moment, right? 

The key to staying calm is to be aware of our thoughts in the moment. I've read like 60 or 80 thousand thoughts pass through our minds during the course of a day.  It is easy to get stuck ruminating on problems and difficult situations but there are some things we can do to take back control of our minds and sleep better at night. 

1. Work on slowing down 
Now I know this is not the mantra of our society.  At least in the United States, it's more of a "Get it done yesterday" "I've got so much to do"  mentality. This may be productive in some ways but not in others. In fact, doing too much during the day can cause us to have restless nights. Even the Bible cautions us about doing too much during the day and not resting enough. Slowing down helps us to be more aware of our thoughts.

2. Practice meditation. 
Meditation in one sense means clearing the mind. Some people may poo poo this idea, but the mind, just like our computers needs to be cleaned of all its junk files, viruses, and cookies. Stuff accumulates and meditation helps us to reset, recalibrate, and refocus. If you want to learn more about it, enter the word "meditation" in the search bar. 

3. Give yourself the gift of solitude.
I don't know about you, but when I am around other people I find it harder to stay centered. I have to really watch what comes out of my mouth and how I react/respond to what other people say and do. By solitude, I mean no computers, no smart phone, no music. Just quiet. Some people have a hard time with quiet, but it is really a great way to get in touch with our thoughts and feelings. If we aren't aware of what we are thinking we are at the mercy of our monkey minds.

4. Replace negative thoughts

Scripture says to think on things that are "just, excellent, noble, pure, of good report". In other words, we are not to dwell on the bad things that happen. We are to dwell - say dwell - on positive, uplifting thoughts. Did you know the brain has a bias towards negativity? This is why we have to make an effort to think faith-filled thoughts. 

5. Get to Know the true source of Peace. 
In times of great distress, did you know you have a supernatural power to assist you? I admit, I often forget, but it works every time. It's a secret only a select few know about and I'm going to let you in on it.

The true source of Peace is only found in the person of Jesus Christ. Now, you may or may not believe in Jesus, but I can tell you there is power - supernatural power - in calling on the name of Jesus. When all else fails and I am at my wit's end, I call on the name of Jesus. It is amazing. I feel an immediate change in myself and in the stratosphere. I don't know how it works, but I do know it works. Give it a try next time you feel really stressed out. 

So there you have it - 5 practical steps to achieving more calm in a world of chaos. 

For Reflection 

Your homework is to stop and ask yourself this question several times a day for the next few days: "What am I thinking about right now?" If you find yourself obsessing over something, you're expending useless energy. Stop and replace it with a prayer. Guaranteed to work. What we can choose what we think about. 

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". If you are already a member, pass this along to a friend who might need it. 

In the meantime, stay tuned for more on igniting the power within and discovering YOUR DESTINY!

Ariel Paz

10 Practical Ways to Keep Your Peace During Stressful Times

Stock market got you rattled? Work stressing you out? Weight out of control? There are so many things that can cause us to lose our peace, aren't there? It's easy to get stressed out in today's non-stop world. Yet there are some things we can do to stay calm and enjoy our day, despite what's going on around us. Today, I'd like to offer up some tips on how to keep our peace during the rough spots along the highway of life.

1. Take a deep breath.
When we are stressed we tend to take shallow breaths. Try a few deep, long inhalations and exhalations and feel the immediate calm. Close your eyes if you can and concentrate on breathing through your abdomen instead of your chest. Oxygen helps calm the body and signals the brain to counter the fight or flight response.

2. Make time for solitude.
Being around people, computers, phones, and lights all day long can be stressful. Talking drains our energy. Instead of picking up the phone to vent your frustrations, try talking to God, journaling, and meditation. Unlike some people, God is never too busy to listen. When we take time to get alone with ourselves, we disconnect from all the distractions going on around us. Solitude is a way to recharge our batteries. Learn to appreciate quietness. It might feel awkward for a short time if you're used to constantly having music or television blaring, but soon you will begin to enjoy it and your ability to hear from God will increase. Guaranteed.

3. Slow down.
The fast pace of life today is not only unhealthy, it is actually dangerous to our hearts, brains, and bodies. In order to live in the presence of God and the present moment, we must slow way down and that means not only our lives and activities, but our thoughts as well. My mind can go a million miles a minute. Ask my mother. It takes awareness to slow our thoughts down and we can't do it if we are running around like chickens with our heads cut off. When we slow down physically, we are able to slow down mentally as well. God's pace is slow, have you noticed?

4. Go for a slow walk.
Even a short 15 minute break on a busy day can get you off the rat's wheel and into a more relaxed frame of mind. I know it seems counter-intuitive but believe me, a SLOW walk will give you time to focus on your breathing and quiet your mind. Fast walking perpetuates fast-paced activity and thinking.

4. Pray and meditate.
The time to pray and meditate is BEFORE things get chaotic. Prayer and meditation are the ways we use to connect with ourselves and with God. Prayer is speaking to God and meditation is listening. If I know I am going to have a busy day, I make even MORE time to pray in the morning. If my mind and my spirit are not properly prepared, there is NO WAY I'm going to stay peaceful. I remind myself that I am a child of God, that Jesus is always with me, and that all I need to do is trust and obey.

5. Watch the negative self-talk.
Capture the thoughts running through your mind at any given point during the day. Mindfulness helps us to be aware of what we are doing and what we are thinking. Are our thoughts positive? Or are we thinking things like "This XXX is going to be the death of me" or "These kids are driving me crazy" or "I'll never get all this done". If so, it's time to replace the old recordings with positive affirmations. You will get it all done. You will not go crazy and you can handle whatever life brings at you. Negative, fearful thoughts only contribute to the feelings of stress and anxiety. We are in control of our thoughts. Don't let them control you.

7. Make time for self-care. 
Self-care is not selfish. If  you don't take care of you, you won't be able to take care of anyone else either. Realize you are only human. We were not built to do it all. We are human "beings" not human doings. Ignore the to-do list for a day. There will always be stuff to do as long as we are breathing on this earth. Take a hot bath. Do your nails. Treat yourself to a nice cup of hot tea or your favorite java. Put your feet up and read a few pages of your favorite book or magazine or take a few minutes to meditate and clear your mind. Take the pressure off by doing little things to care for yourself and recharge. 

8. Set limits.
Learn to use that two-letter word 'NO' more often. We each have the same amount of time each day. No one sets our schedules but us. When I was raising my sons, I learned things usually take more time and energy than I realized. I learned to build margin into my life so I wouldn't be so stressed out and rushed all the time. I developed a firm "Don't rush me" ethic. I didn't give it all at the job so I could have something left when I got home. I didn't climb the corporate ladder because my family was more important than any title or promotion. What is sapping your time and energy? 

9. Repeat your mantra.
Choose a word or a phrase that reminds you that you can handle whatever is stressing you out. I like to use verses from the Bible as they are powerful and God responds when we speak His word out loud.
Some good ones are:
- "This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it."
- "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me."
- "Do not be anxious about anything, but pray about everything."
- "Lord, help me to be an instrument of thy peace."
- " I am enough". 

10. Strengthen your spiritual muscle.
Remember you have a power deep within you to help you overcome life's challenges. The power of Faith is a tremendous weapon against stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. When we practice strengthening our spiritual muscle, the circumstances of life will have less power over us.

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3)

Start implementing a few of these tips every week and you will see results. When we learn to make peace a priority in our lives, everything else falls into place. I believe that is because God honors peace. 

If you found this post helpful and would like to join our community and receive my  bi-weekly posts, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll also receive a copy of my free e-guide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

Stay tuned for more on handling the stresses of life, and having more peace and joy in our daily lives. Post a comment and share what tips you use to keep your peace and until next time,

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

7 Ways to Feel Less Lonely

Are you feeling lonely today? Many, including myself, are single, divorced, or widowed and looking for someone or something to fill that void in their spirit. Hollywood would have us to believe the romantic Tom Cruise line "You complete me."

The truth is no human being can complete us. Relationships can only do so much: a spouse, a child, a parent - these are are practice grounds where we learn to love but they are imperfect at best. People will always let us down. They were never meant to be a substitute for a relationship with God. When I was married,  I remember feeling ever so lonely  because there was no connection, no intimacy, and no relationship with God. Perhaps you feel this way today.

Only God can fill the hole in our hearts because he is the one who put it there. We were made to desire a relationship with God, but so many of us turn away seeking solace in people and things that will never satisfy. Today's post is about developing a connection to God, your higher power, or whatever name you feel comfortable with so that you will feel less lonely and more connected to the Creator of the Universe.

Do you "believe" in God, but have no idea how to connect with him?
Do you often crave the presence of another human being?
Do you feel incomplete when you're not in a relationship?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, today's post will help you feel the presence of God and fill that void inside you. God does not want you feeling lonely. That's why he promised "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

It is possible to have relationship with God, in some of the very same ways we have a relationship with another human being. The difference is God is so much more reliable, faithful, trustworthy and loves us more than any human being ever could. So today we'll talk about 7 ways to relieve the feeling of loneliness by learning to enjoy the presence of God.

1. Practice Gratitude
    Do you focus more on what's lacking in your life or what's present? Just like Eve who had everything she needed in the Garden of Eden, she focused on the one thing that she couldn't have. It's human nature. But this thinking keeps us miserable. When we pay more attention to the blessings we all have, we will feel more joyful and less depressed.

2. Practice Joy
    How does one practice joy?  I have other posts on that topic so you can do a search. Joy is an inner delight. It comes from knowing God loves and cares for you and that everything that happens to you is under his watchful eye. It is a knowing that no matter how tough things might seem, they will work out for your good. Joy is a mindset that brings us into the presence of God.

3. Journal
    Now I don't know exactly how this one works, but I do know it works. When we get quiet, and put our thoughts down on paper, God can speak to us. Journaling helps us to get clear on our thoughts and feelings. It is that still small voice that reveals truth and gives answers. We gain clarity about problems we are facing. I have been journalling for over 20 years and I have a stack of journals I'm debating what to do with.

4. Spend quiet time alone
    This is key. You know how hard it is to hear your significant other when you're in a noisy restaurant? Well, God speaks to us in an inaudible whisper. We can't hear his voice if we have the radio or television on all the time. We need to turn all the electronics off and just be. God will show up, promise.

5. Read a sacred text
   This is a discipline that pays off dearly. Just this week, I almost started my day without going to my Bible reading. Boy was I glad I did. The words jumped off the page at me. This is God's Spirit speaking to us. It's like He is saying "This is for YOU!" But we won't be able to hear from God, if we don't tune into his word.

6. Talk to God
    Think of your best friend. How often do you talk to him or her? Now how would you like to have that kind of relationship with God? You can. But unlike your friend, God is never too busy or to preoccupied to listen to us. I talk to God throughout the day most days. Just like any relationship it takes time to develop. Another way we talk to God is through prayer. The Bible says "Pray unceasingly. I think what that means is what I just shared - talk to God during your day.

7. Meditate
    Meditation is a hot topic these days. However, there is more to meditation than sitting still, closing our eyes, and watching our thoughts float  by. Christian meditation refers to meditating on the Word of God. Take a passage or a phrase of Scripture and think about it, reflect on its meaning. Ask how it applies to you. This is how we absorb the truths that will help us to overcome the negative chatter that pervades our thinking.

When you start to practice these 7 steps, I promise you, you will feel less lonely and more connected. You will start seeing amazing things and you will know God is with you and cares for you. It could be an unxpected gift in the mail. A special delivery. A license plate. You never know where God is going to show up. But He promises that when we seek him, we will find him.

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my bi-weekly posts plus a copy of my free e-guide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".

Stay tuned for more practical and spiritual wisdom to help you ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz


   

Part 2: Taking Every Thought Captive

Do your thoughts wander frequently to the past? Or do you fret about what the future may hold and lose your peace? Forget where you put things or what you were just about to do? These are not signs of Alzheimer's or senioritis, but they are signs of an untamed mind. The good news is there are some things we can do to train our minds and take control of our thoughts. This week, I'm continuing our series on the topic of mindfulness, meditation, and prayer all of which are all part and parcel of having more peace and tranquility in our daily lives, despite our circumstances. 

What is Mindfulness?

There's been quite the hubbub lately about mindfulness. You know something is catching on when there's an article about it in the Costco magazine. Mindfulness has made its way out of the yogic realm and into mainstream society. 

Our culture has us moving faster and faster with the plethora of electronic gadgets and social media. Many feel pressured to "keep up" with the pace of the world and every Facebook post, Tweet, Instagram photo and news event. Perhaps like me, you wonder if such activity is really a good thing.

In the midst of this information overload, we are losing sight of what is truly important and failing to enjoy the precious moments in our every day lives. Perhaps the slowing down of the pandemic might have had some benefits after all. This week's post is devoted to answering this question:

What is mindfulness exactly and how can it help us in our daily lives?

Not Just for Yogis
When some hear the term "mindfulness" they conjure up visions of cross-legged yogis with eyes-closed chanting. Perhaps a more realistic and comprehensible word for mindfulness is "awareness" or "being present". Being present & fully engaged is the best gift we can bestow upon our spouse, our child, our friends and ourselves. Think of how Jesus interacted with others. That is being present. He was so present he noticed when power went out of him when the woman with the issue of blood touched him, even amongst the crowd pressing in on him.

Mindfulness is a form of meditation one does to learn to settle one's mind and body and become more aware of one's thoughts as they pass by. An untrained mind is mindless and unruly. Our thoughts jump from one thing to another, like a monkey on tree. We are easily distracted, forgetful, reactive to the emotional outbursts of others, while not being fully aware of our own emotions and feelings.

One way to judge this is to notice the rate of speech we use. When we are talking a mile a minute, our minds are racing. My mother always used to tell me "You think too fast," and now I realize she was right. My mind was always going a mile a minute which resulted in talking fast as well. 

Better Communication and Connection 

Ever talk to someone and they seemingly go off on an unrelated tangent? I used to get irritated but now I realize they are simply mindless. What happens is in their mind there was some connection to another event. Their mind monkey-jumped to this other thought thread and they started following it without realizing it was not related to the discussion at hand and that the other person has no clue as to where they are going. 

Here are some of the key areas of our lives in which mindfulness can serve us.

Relationships:
Nothing is more upsetting to a wife than to come home to her hubby all excited about sharing something about her day and he tunes her out by reading the newspaper or being fixated on the boob tube, computer, or video game. I remember when I was married and I used to teach aerobics one night a week. I would come home from class all excited to share how the class went and my then husband would look at me briefly and then go right back to reading the newspaper. Is it little wonder then we ended up in divorce court? These days people substitute their cellphone, the television, the internet or a video game. It's all the same problem - lack of mindfulness. Otherwise known as not paying attention.

Your kids:
When you are with them, make the effort to be truly with them. Don't be doing dishes, talking on the phone, grading papers or whatever else needs to be done. Stay in the present moment and really be with your child. These things can be done after the kids are in bed. If you're a working mom, like I was, you only have a few hours to develop a relationship with your children. Those hours are precious. I made sure eating dinner together was a priority. I'd ask them about their day and get them to share. Some nights we'd have a bible study session where we would take turns reading the Bible. I wanted to make it a two-fer and use the connecting time as a teaching time as well. Then at bedtime, I'd often read them a bed time story. In other words, I made sure I was present in the precious hours I had with my kids.

Personal life:
How often do you forget where you put your keys, your wallet, the grocery list? You start one task and find yourself doing something else two minutes later. No, it's not ADD or ADHD. Most likely it is the normal state of mindlessness. Not being aware of what you are currently doing. I think if we taught our kids mindfulness at an early age, far fewer kids would be on prescription meds. When we learn to slow down enough to pay attention to the present moment, we actively engage in the here and now. You know how you get so involved in your gardening, or playing tennis, or dancing and then wonder where the time went? That's because you were mindfully present. You were actively aware in what you were doing. You were being mindful.

Inner world:
One of the most important benefits of mindfulness is being more connected to our thoughts and feelings. When we slow down and pay attention to our thoughts, we are more aware of what is going on in our internal world. We are able to feel our feelings before they cause us to react in an unhealthy or unproductive way or keep us up at night thinking about things. Even though we are asleep, our mind is still trying to process the events of the day. This is why we wake up in the middle of the night ruminating.

When we learn to be mindful during the day, we will process our thoughts and emotions real-time, so our minds don't have to work overtime at night to do it. Just yesterday, I caught myself having negative feelings towards an old friend. Rather than ignore them or stuff them, I allowed myself to sit with them. I realized why I was feeling upset, which led to an understanding of what I need to change about myself in this situation.

Mindfulness is a practice, like most things worthwhile in this life. When we make the time to train our minds, we will have better control over our thoughts and our actions. We'll sleep better at night. Our relationships with others will be more intimate and connected. We will be more focused and less distracted in our daily lives and accomplish more of what we want to do. There are several ways to practice mindfulness and I have attached a link here with more information.

In the coming weeks, we'll delve deeper into these important practices. I'll also be sharing tips on how to develop a mindfulness meditation practice of your own. 

If you enjoyed this post and think a friend might enjoy it as well, be sure to share the link. To join our community, simply enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts PLUS I'll send you a copy of my recently updated e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".

Stay tuned for more on how to ignite the power within and discover your destiny!

Until next time, stay present and keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

How a Spiritual Path Can Alleviate Chronic Pain

Are you in pain? Back pain? Arthritis? Migraine? Cancer? You're not alone. The statistics are staggering and it's getting worse as the population ages. One in ten people or 100 million Americans and 1.5 billion people world-wide suffer from chronic pain which is defined as pain lasting every day for  three months or more. Chronic pain affects more Americans than cancer, diabetes and heart disease combined. 

According to author and back pain sufferer, Vidyamala Burch of the United Kingdom, there are two types of pain: primary suffering and secondary suffering. Primary suffering is the actual pain itself: the cancer, the arthritis, the migraine. Secondary suffering are the negative thoughts, feelings, emotions and memories we entertain that make the pain worse. These might include anxiety, worry, stress, depression, and feelings of hopelessness and exhaustion.

Our bodies and our minds are intricately connected. If we treat the body and not the mind we will still suffer intensely as we will not have addressed the full  spectrum of the pain. As I have often said and truly believe, we are body, mind, and spirit and all three parts need to be cared for.

This is where a spiritual path can help. It is these thoughts that destroy our peace, steal our joy, and cause us to fall into the depths of despair. When we have a spiritual practice, we learn not only to take control of our thoughts using techniques such as mindfulness and meditation, we also learn to replace these negative thoughts with positive ones through the use of passage meditation and prayer. Our mind is where the battle takes place and pain is another opportunity to train or, in most cases, retrain our minds, to focus on what is positive, healthy, and uplifting. When the doctors have done all they can, we have no other recourse except to work on our minds, our thinking, and our faith, because ultimately, God is the source of all healing.

As a long-time sufferer, disciple of Christ, and student of spirituality in its many forms, I can testify that a spiritual path, in particular, Christianity, is the solution to many, if not all, of the physical, spiritual, emotional and relational problems we each face in this life. Christianity teaches us to focus on the power of Faith in Christ who brings healing, peace, joy and new life. No other religion or belief system can provide the miraculous healing power than Christ who conquered death, raised the dead, and healed the sick. Read about some of my personal healing miracles in my book, "The Power of Faith: a journey to healing, wholeness, and harmony".

Do you have a spiritual practice? If you are interested in starting one, enter your email address in the box provided and I'll send you out my free eguide, "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".  You'll also receive my bi-weekly posts to encourage, inspire, and uplift you.

I hope this post has encouraged you. Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom.

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

Feel free to use and share my content but do acknowledge me as the source. Thank you! 

The Cure for Loneliness

Many people in this world are lonely. Perhaps like me, you are divorced and an empty nester. Or maybe you are widowed or never married. Friends and family are either too busy with their lives, married and too busy, and really good friends are hard to come by. Today I'm sharing how I combat loneliness and I hope it will help and encourage you too.

I have found that developing a relationship with God is the most comforting thing in the world. God, and remember that is just a label, is that unseen energy or force that makes the world turn. The good news is God is ALWAYS INTERESTED  in us! His line is never busy and he always keeps his word.

Would you like to learn how to hear from God better? Now I don't mean in an audible way, of course. God communicates with each of us differently. He already knows your love language. First let's talk about why is it so important to hear from our spiritual Father.

A few good reasons are:
1) so we can  make better decisions
2) so we can move forward in life
3) so we can live the abundant life
4) so we can learn how to overcome the difficulties of life
5) so we can have more peace even when everything around us is in chaos
6) so we can have more joy even during the tough times

First let me ask you a question.

Do you always need someone or something to keep you company? The TV? The computer? Your cell phone? The dog or cat?

Realize you are never really alone. 

Although we may feel physically and emotionally alone, it is important to realize this fact. YOU ARE NEVER ALONE. God is always there, but let's just say he is behind the scenes, orchestrating circumstances for his purposes and for your growth. He is waiting for you to make time for him. "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8).

Calm the mind and the body. 
Most of the time we use distractions, food, alcohol, technology, to calm us down which can lead to unhealthy consequences. In this fast-paced world we live in, it takes effort and focus to relax the mind and the body. The first step in hearing from God is to relax the body. Sometimes I go for a walk, a hike, or ride my bike. No Ipod, music, or cell phone. I may do some yoga poses to move out the stress and negative energy stored in my body.

Other times I simply need to slow down and clear my mind. I usually on the floor in a cross-legged position and focus on my breathing and my belly. When we are stressed our breathing is shallow and high in the chest. As we calm ourselves, our breath gets deeper and moves into the belly. I'm trying to develop a regular meditation practice to rest my ever-running brain.

Relaxing the body helps to relax the mind. As the body relaxes, slowly the clutter in the mind dissipates. Then we are prepared to hear from God. "Your servant is listening." I say out loud to get the attention of whatever angelic forces may be hovering.

Cultivate Solitude. 
Alone time is truly a gift. When we realize we are not alone, cultivating solitude will become easier to do. We will learn to block out the negative voices that try to make us feel bad about ourselves. Instead, we will focus on relaxing our body and our mind and being open and receptive to what God might be saying to us.

If I want to hear from my significant other or my children, I need to spend time with them. If I want to know what they think, how they feel, and what's important to them I need to spend quality time alone with them. The same goes with God. He is always near. It is we who distance.

Practice passage meditation. 
God does speak to his children and he does it in a variety of creative ways. One of the best ways to hear from God is to read a sacred text. I prefer the Bible because God is required to honor his word, not the word of anybody else. It is amazing how verses will jump off the page at me or start appearing from multiple sources in a brief period of time. They can be guidance, encouragement, or answers and it is up to me to delve into them more. I just had an experience with a verse, 1 Cor. 10:13. It just started popping up everywhere so I knew it was the Holy Spirit trying to pass me a message. In fact, it was an answer to a question I had been asking God. Even though I may have read this passage many many times, I had a new revelation which was exactly the answer to the question I asked. Amazes me!

Life is all about choices. If we want to feel less lonely and more connected, especially as we get older, it is important to develop an intimate relationship with God.  Just like any other relationship, it will take some time so be patient. When you start to connect, it will enrich your life and build your  faith and trust that you are indeed - never alone!

I promise you that nothing on earth can compare to hearing directly from the Almighty Creator of the Universe. It is an awesome thrill when God speaks and you hear it!

If you enjoyed this post and would like to become part of our community, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my bi-weekly posts plus a copy of my free eguide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". Do send feedback after you've read it.

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Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Feel free to use and share my content, but please acknowledge me as the source. Thank you!

On The Practice of Radical Acceptance

What is it that just "gets your goat"? A neighbor, relative, or coworker? Traffic? Screaming kids? These all have one thing in common; they are all out of our control and fighting them steals our peace and our joy. 

Wouldn't we all be a whole lot happier and more at peace if we learned the practice of radical acceptance as described by author, psychologist and meditation teacher, Tara Brach? To accept people and circumstances as they are. To live and let live. I've been getting another lesson in this recently. We have to make a conscious decision to accept things and people as they are, not as we would have them to be. 

Personal Story

I love summer and the opportunity to go to the "private" pool here at my complex. For me, it's downtime. Time to rest, soak up the sun and read. What I don't love are lots of loud screaming grand kids, people who talk on the speaker phone like they are at home, and loud grandparents. 

Many people are simply unaware or don't care how loud they are, but I consider it a lack of respect for others. I know there is no controlling kids but there are rules that are not being obeyed and this "gets my goat". After my attempts to bring attention to these situations failed miserably, I have come to the point of "radical acceptance." Some things you just have to accept, regardless of what you may want or think. It's called letting go of control. 

Dealing with Frustrations 
Life is full of things that are out of our control such as the stock market, the weather, strange unexpected occurrences, aches and pains, and relatives, to name a few. Many of us struggle with a chronic condition such as arthritis, migraine, anxiety, or depression. We have relatives that don't want to get along with us and the weather seems to have gone haywire along with the rest of the world. As long as we fight against what is, we will not have peace in our relationships or peace within. 

A Phrase to Remember 
Years ago, I had a dear friend whose favorite expressions was "It is what it is". I thought that was so profound. She had learned, or was trying to learn was to surrender and to accept things that were out of her control. Learning to surrender is a process because it can be applied to so many aspects of our lives at different times in our lives. Life continually gives us "opportunities" to practice. 

If we want more peace on a daily basis, we must learn radical acceptance - of our conditions and of the people in our lives. But let me take this one step further - deeper. More importantly we need to learn to practice radical acceptance of ourselves. 

Accepting Ourselves
We must also learn to embrace every aspect of ourselves: flaws, imperfections, personality traits, flabby thighs, balding head, and all. Sure this blog is all about growth and spiritual development, but let's remember to love ourselves along our journey to healing and wholeness. I think sometimes I focus more on the things I want to fix and change about myself, rather than treating myself with loving kindness. What's worse, I probably do that with others as well. Smack me, would you? 

Some traditions say we are perfect just as we are and I've always disagreed with that concept but maybe - just maybe - what they really mean is "accept ourselves the way we are" and in that way we are perfect. Make sense? This is a HUGE change of perspective for me. How about you?

For Reflection

What is stealing your peace and your joy? What do you constantly complain about? What frustrates you? This week let's practice radical acceptance. Let's stop complaining about what is and start replacing these thoughts with thoughts of gratitude and loving-kindness. There is always another way to look at things. 

If this post resonated with you, do join our community by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy of my free e-guide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". Also check out my collection I've curated on Pinterest on a variety of related topics such as health and wellness, mindfulness and meditation, great recipes, and much more. Click here to explore. 

Until next time, stay tuned for more on surrender and radical acceptance and remember, 

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

6 Ways to Free Yourself from Anxiety

Are you feeling anxious? Worried? Fearful? If so, you are not alone. With all that is going on in the world today, it is hard not to feel anxious. So many things are out of our control, but there is one thing thing that is within our control and that is our mind. Many people do not realize we can control our thoughts but we absolutely can. Our thoughts are what cause us to be anxious. So today I am sharing some tips on how to reign in our anxious thoughts and live with more faith, more peace, and less anxiety. 

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is basically worrying about the future. It takes us out of the present moment and into the realm of the "what if"s. We can be anxious about the weather, the elections, our retirement, our kids lives, our health. The list of worries is endless.  

Where are you right now? 
If we pay attention, we will begin to notice we have a hard time living in the here and now. Just yesterday, I mentioned to a woman at the pool what a lovely summer day it was and she replied "Well, next week they are calling for....".
To which I replied, "I prefer to enjoy today."
"That's right. Stay in the present." she said. Apparently she got my drift.

Jesus himself said this "Do not be anxious about tomorrow for today has worries enough of its own." (Matt 6:34).

When we leave the now, we go back to either the past or the future. We lose the joy of today because we are somewhere else mentally, and that place is usually someplace negative or that makes us feel that where we are right now is not as good as "the good old days". 

Personal story 
I remember a Thanksgiving meal I attended at a friend's house. After dinner, certain members of the family insisted on recounting stressful events that had happened years ago. I thought to myself "Why on earth would they bring this up on Thanksgiving of all days?" 

Because it had become a mental pattern for them, that's why. They were used to recounting these tales from the past and Thanksgiving was no different. If you are caught in one of these situations, try to change the subject to something more positive and get the energy flowing in the right direction again. 

Bad things happen, but we don't have to give them life by bringing them up and talking about them over and over. Process the event in your mind or by journaling, take any action you need to, learn the lesson and then let it go. There is absolutely no sense recounting negative events to others. I do my best to not recount difficulties to others unless I need advice on something or I am commiserating about the state of affairs as a mutual joke. We don't need to pollute the present moment by reliving something negative from the past. 

1. Watch out for unhappy people. 
Some people are energy-stealers. These people are unhappy with their lives and they want to suck you into their unhappiness any way they can. I have several people in my life right now who are unhappy. No matter what I say to them to try get them to see things differently, they refuse to change and the patterns keep repeating. At some point, after we have said our peace, given our advice or opinion, we have to let them be. People have to come to their own realizations. In the meantime, don't let them suck your energy. 

Emotions are contagious. When we hang out with negative, unhappy, complaining people we will start to feel negative and unhappy. Negativity drags you down. Don't let negative people make you anxious. Put a positive spin on the topic and watch how much time you spend with them. 

2. Catch Your Thoughts 
Both Christianity and Buddhism encourage us to take control of our thoughts and our minds. When we are aware of our thoughts, we are at the mercy of what buddhism calls "monkey mind". Our thoughts go from here to there and before we even realize it we are dwelling on something negative. This is when we need to catch ourselves. This is where mindfulness comes in. You can search on my blog for my posts on it. We need to take control of our thoughts, not the other way around. 

3. Watch Your Breathing 

When we start to feel anxious, our breathing becomes fast and shallow. To come back to the present moment and calm ourselves, we can start by paying attention to our breathing. Take a few minutes several times a day to just close your eyes and focus on your breath. Pay attention to the rise and fall of your chest or belly. Notice where your shoulders are. Where do you feel tension or tightness? Begin to become more present in your body and your breath and more aware of where you are holding tension.

I like to do some deep breathing along with my prayers first thing in the morning before I get out of bed to ground myself for the day. I'm trying to fit in an daily meditation session later on in the afternoon but so far it's sporadic. I think I might have to add a reminder to my calendar. 

4. Notice the Gift of Today
When I taught yoga, I used to tell my students "Today is a gift. That's why they call it the present". Once today is gone, we can never get it back. Don't allow the negativity or the stress from yesterday to steal the joy of today. 

Living in the present moment is a skill we can all develop. Instead of dwelling on the past or ruminating about the future, how about marvelling at the beauty of today? The trees getting ready to change their wardrobe? The smells of coffee and homemade soup. The sunshine streaming through your windows. The beat of your heart. The deer and the birds.  Each day - no, each moment,  is a precious gift we should not take for granted. 

5. Trust in Tomorrow
This is where faith comes in. We have two choices. We can either live in fear of tomorrow or in faith for tomorrow. I choose the latter. No, it's not being a Polyanna. It's choosing to take a positive outlook on life. It's training our brain. We get what we expect. If we are always expecting something bad to happen, that's what we will get. We have to direct our thoughts and our words towards a positive outcome, regardless of what we see. This is what faith is all about - believing BEFORE we see. 

6. Be Grateful 
Each one of us has so much to be thankful for each and every day. Even through the toughest of times, we can still find something to be thankful for, to appreciate, to enjoy. I think part of suffering is caused by dwelling on the negative. I learned so much from having chronic migraine. Pain can teach us much, so don't regret it or bemoan it. Yes, it sucks, but, like everything, it is a teacher.  What's more everything is a gift both the good and the bad. It is up to us to glean the gift. 

For reflection
This week, try and catch yourself when you leave the here and now. Take time to focus and meditate on your breath. This is a good tool to bring you back to the present. And remember, to notice the beauty all around you instead of taking it for granted.

If you enjoyed this article do sign up for my weekly posts by entering your email in the box provided. Your email is never shared and you will also receive my free eguide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" you are sure to enjoy.

Stay tuned for more positive and practice wisdom on how to achieve healing, wholeness and harmony and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time,

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz