Soulful Love June 2002
	by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

Finding Peace in A Turbulent World

Peace Prayers for India, Pakistan and You

Dear Romance Reverend,

Dear Liz –

I wrote an article in the 1980’s about a professor who got the first grant ever to study the effects of bad news on human beings. It turned out that bad news was a bummer, it added to depression, insomnia, phobia, fear… but it was also discovered that we humans have a "morbid curiosity" that keeps us coming back for more, that our morbid attraction to bad news propelled us to continue to watch disturbing news accounts. Viewers also blamed the messengers – the newscasters – for delivering the news. But take one look at the baby face of CNN’s Bill Hemmer and see if you can pin it all on him <smile>… We have to find the balance between getting the news we need to know… and taking time out from the intrusion of TV news reports that feed us repetitive negative messages.

Indeed, the challenges of our times have taken on a very surreal quality, but it is up to us soulful folks to remember that in many ways the events of our times are the illusion of our human reality – not the reality of our souls. There is a part of us all that dwells close to God, Goddess, All there is, untouched by the stirrings of all the insanity and uncertainty. We can only get to it from within – by improving our own lives, making ourselves stronger and reconnecting to the soulfulness that brought us to the pages of Soulful Living in the first place.

This question of feeling unsafe, unspiritual, disconnected has come up time and again in the past few months – for all of us. How could it not? For some of us, soulfulness has been lulled to sleep by the energetic force of fear and concern that has gripped our planet, and has been further effected the repetition of media reports, the fear for personal safety, and lack of well-publicized global support for the Heart and Soul. War, anger, hate, despair, disputes, intolerance, suicide bombers, death, grief, loss are all getting a lot of publicity. Thank goodness we have this web magazine to remind us that bad news is not the only news.

There is a quote from Rev. Linda Wise that I once saw in a Science of Mind magazine: "As busy as the outer world may become, remember that the secret place of the most High is always accessed from within."

Amen. Never has this been more important to remember! Now is the time to refocus your energy on creating a comfortable and personal spiritual practice that will empower you to regain your strength, balance and trust in Divine Providence. It does not have to be based on any one religion. People who feel disconnected from their religion sometimes inadvertently disconnect from God. Our spiritual practice and our experience of the sacred are as personal and unique as a fingerprint. It really is up to us, personally, to seek the right path, and to allow our search to be expansive, and inclusive of anything that we feel naturally drawn to.

There are so many ways to commune with spirit and relax, as a way of reconnecting to your soulful self. Consider an array of activities – internal and external – that bring great peace and balance. For some of us it will be mediation and prayer, for others it may be a long hot bubble bath after an intense physical workout. You may revel in massage or the all-over relaxation and rejuvenation of foot reflexology; the rest of us may opt to sit in a park or a forest and hug a tree. You can incorporate all, or some, into our personal practice, and you will likely find your needs will vary from time to time. A ritual experience such as a sacred Japanese tea ceremony may bring a profound sense of peace when you already feel calm; if upset, talking about problems and releasing their charge may be the precursor to accessing the peacefulness within.

Here are some tips that may help with both the practical and spiritual aspects of getting beyond overwhelming bad news and getting back in touch with your soulful, loving self. It is really a matter of choosing a path of self-improvement that will lead you away from feeling stuck in fear and mayhem and ultimately leads you to a greater sense of your own divine nature. Although it is important that we all be aware of any true danger and threats to our well-being and the well-being of our country and neighbors, it is also essential that we take time out so we can learn to live with "high alerts" -- and not have our lives be defined by them!

• Create a Sacred Space. Sometimes it helps to create and utilize external environments that can be our "sacred space," a personal temple in which we can establish a "direct link" to the Divine Mind.

• Take time out. It is important to carve out time to get away from the stresses of daily life and recharge your battery – even if getting away is to sit in a quite place for 10 minutes and chill out. Anytime you feel yourself going into overwhelm, you must decompress. Otherwise, your mind continues to build on the essence of pending catastrophe, instead of calm.

• Change behaviors. We can all work on altering behavior that make simple things complex – such as drama, exaggeration, acting out, and worrying. If you tend to overreact, it will exhaust you and alter your sense of reasoning and reality. Leave the personal drama to the theater! Reserve judgment and stay calm. Do things to create calm and avoid agitation – like cutting down on caffeine and getting more sleep. Life will give you a lot of opportunities to practice calm and if you take each as an opportunity to grow, you will become a more patient and accepting person, less affected by media reports.

• Be alert and aware, but do not become a media victim. Limit the amount of TV you watch. It is notorious for filling your brain with fear. The repetitive nature of TV news reports will get you if you don’t balance is with positive talk and affirmation. Listen to music that is soothing, uplifting, and joyous. Make sure that for all the bad news you balance it with exposure to good, hopeful media (such a books and pleasant TV shows) and melody.

• Laugh more than you have laughed in the past nine months. Studies show you can raise your energy, uplift your life and improve emotional and physical health with laughter. Rent funny movies, or romantic comedies, and watch a bunch of them until you feel better.

• Treat every life experience as sacred – even fear. Sri Rama once said, "Live every moment as if you are building a temple." Can you imagine how powerful you would feel if, next time you hear a news alert that you just stopped in that moment to center yourself, take a moment to relax and say a prayer? Or even to just toss the fear over to the Divine and say, "please heal this for the highest good." When we stay in touch with the sacred nature of life itself, all of life becomes your temple. You feel "connected" wherever you are.

When you re-waken to the peace within, you will be able to connect with your soulful nature and higher self in any circumstance. Not only will this change the way you experience and view life, it will alter shared moments with others. Remember that how you experience the world and all the feelings it conjures up in you is still up to you. Take charge of your life by tapping back into your soulful nature!

© Copyright 2002 Reverend Laurie Sue Brockway  All Rights Reserved. 

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