2015 | Self-Help Books

A man in a grassy field with the sun shining on him in a meditation pose

Most of us would admit that we long to live in a world of peace. Yet all we need to do to become aware of the hostility, violence, and turmoil within our physical world is to focus on the news and to give most of our attention to the people and situations within our lives that are causing the most disruption. The truth is that if we truly want to experience peace, we need to stop looking for it to appear in our exterior world and begin to create it within our own personal lives.

The emphasis is on the word create because peace is a sense of well being that originates from the inside, beginning with the intention of the heart. If we are “looking” for it, we will not be able to find it because peace is not a place that we can find outside of ourselves. The condition of our physical world is a giant mirror reflecting back to us the collective thoughts of every person who is part of our earth family. Since thought is creative, whatever we focus on expands. Therefore, what we are seeing in the non-peaceful aspects of our world is an indication that a large portion of our human society is predominantly focused on judgment, violence, greed, and crime.

We can point a finger of blame wherever and to whomever we want, but it does not change the truth that each one of us has played a part in creating the condition of the world in which we live. Perhaps it has been in seemingly minor, passive ways, such as getting caught up in the turmoil and conflict of the world by watching and listening to endless news reports of violence and acts of desecration. Or, it could be as intensively aggressive as being a perpetrator in a massive heinous crime. Judging who is “most wrong” renders us powerless and only creates more separation and discord between us and within our lives.

We can only change the quality of our collective personal reality by taking personal responsibility for the part we have each played in creating it. Since all change begins at the level of self, when we change our individual lives, the world around us changes as well. To create peace within your own life, try some of these basic ideas. You will be amazed at your power to create peace within your own life.

Meditate – Create a space of at least 20 minutes every day to sit in a place of peace and quiet. Your meditation can be as simple as sitting on your sofa and focusing on your breath. The importance of this cannot be overstated, for it is within the silence that you can remember your mind and body connection with Spirit.

Pray – Ask for divine guidance as to how you can best bring peace to the world; envision what a peaceful world looks like. Most importantly, imagine the feeling of peace within your own heart.

Forgive – Let go of the need to be right. All conflicts, whether it be in personal relationships or between countries, originate from the perception that one party is “right” and the other is “wrong.” Would you rather be right or do you prefer peace? (You may find it helpful to read my blog on Forgiveness, April 23, 2013.)

Live Consciously – Align your thoughts, words, and actions with the spiritual values of love, respect, peace, and cooperation. This requires diligent practice and is the most effective way to live a peaceful life. Be mindful of what you feed your mind – stop watching violent entertainment shows and videos and modify the amount of time you spend following the news. There is a difference between being informed and immersing yourself in the fear consciousness of the world. Instead, spend more time reading, watching, and listening to information that inspires you and nourishes your soul. What you put into your mind is what it feeds back to you.

Commune with Nature – Spend more time outdoors in the beauty of nature. Nature innately regenerates your body, mind, and soul and balances your energy.

Even though the status of the world may seem overwhelming and out of our personal control, we each have the power to contribute to world peace. It begins with our personal lives, starting in this present moment. Every person makes an enormous difference in creating harmony within the world. Like a drop of water, every single thought we have ripples out into the massive sea of the collective thoughts of all humanity.

By choosing thoughts of love, we automatically unite with other like-minded souls in forming a field of energy that has the infinite power to exponentially create a world of peace.

Love and Light,

Sandra

Sandra Brossman is the author of The Power of Oneness, Live the Life You Choose and the featured presenter in Live the Life You Choose DVD. To learn more about how you can align your life with spiritual truth, order the book or DVD box set at http://www.thepowerofoneness.com/products/.

This is an image of a diverse group of hands holding up colorful letters that spell HOPE.

The three most important words that most of us have heard from our early experiences in church or school were faith, hope and love. Isn’t it interesting that faith and love are in the present tense and can be felt and experienced by others, as well as yourself, in the moment.

Webster defines faith as “a strong belief or trust in someone or something;” and love as “a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.”‎

Hope, however, does not typically generate as strong an emotional response as either of these words because it does not create an emotional experience today. It is a feeling or a mindful wish for tomorrow or some point in the future. That point in the future is most likely a goal or vision we have set for an outcome that we desire.

So what is hope?

Wikipedia says that hope is: “an optimistic attitude of mind based on an expectation of positive outcomes related to events and circumstances.” Hope, therefore, is the internal wish or, as some would say, a prayer for something to occur.

We, as a country, hope for peace and the end of wars. We, as a family, hope for unconditional love and support. We, as individuals, are always hoping for a better life filled with the qualities of health, joy, and prosperity.

In a physical world that is filled with crime, poverty, war, and disease, it is easy to get caught up in the fear of what we see and to lose hope for a better world. Let us never underestimate the power of hope. Hope gives us the ability to endure hardships while working toward a positive outcome. When we have hope, we can experience all the difficulties that life has thrown in our way, and we can climb out of the depths of despair to achieve our goals and to realize our dreams.

As we look forward to a successful and pleasant 2015, it is important that we continue to remember that our hopes and dreams are the inspirational fuel that ignites our passion to create a physical world that reflects our eternal connection with Universal Love. When we have hope, we persist in focusing on the light even in the darkness, and anything is possible. In the words of Samuel Smiles, “Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us”.

May this year be your best year ever!

Love and Light,

Category Archives: 2015

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