When life becomes difficult it provides the opportunity to find out more about the breadth and width of our spirit. Spirit is a state of being that can be unaffected by material troubles like divorce, lay-offs, a tough economy. These are all things that may affect who we are as material beings. Self worth through status and external approval from others, when life strips a person of these external compasses to who they think they are they are forced to look internally for these answers often finding the true definition of self and spirit.
Spirit has the ability to be anything at any time. Emotions once controlled by the mind have the ability to feel anything at anytime. When Spirit an all being essence is integrated into the emotions through mindful practice, meditation and thought choice. One gains the ability to maintain peace in any given situation or material state.
We live in a society that embraces pain and misfortune. The TV news and reality show programs highlight those who have experienced great misfortune or embrace highly dramatic lifestyles. In turn this encourages some people to embrace their pain, their negative situations, they talk about it over and over. They crave the attention that being miserable gives them. They surround themselves in a crowd of people that edify their misfortune instead of supporters to focus on positives and solutions. In order to live peacefully one must not embrace the temptation to have a sad story to tell. By focusing on the negative one will not feel the positive light of peace. Let go and allow your sprit to be at peace. This requires emotional and mindful control of one's thoughts.
Gaining emotional control is simple in steps but difficult in practice at times of high stress. Like a muscle emotional control must be exercised until strong. When stress begins to fill ones spirit because of financial difficulties take a moment to stop, take a deep breath and assess ones situation in the moment. What needs does your physical being have? Are you hungry, tired, too cold or too hot? Do you crave companionship or a diversion? Many times you will find that as you go through this checklist you are fine, your loved ones are fine, everything is as good as it can be and in that moment peace is achieved. It may be that this checklist must be run through several times in a day and eventually it is needed less often. One is able to obtain a peaceful state more automatically.
Obtaining spiritual peace takes self reflection and mindful practice. Instead of focusing attention on that which is not, focus on what is, enjoy small pleasures, the little things. Love is free. Speak with a friend, hug a loved one, spend time with a lover, or read a book to a child. These practices can revitalize the soul and are expressions of true love. Not superficial interactions based on material gains or status.
Many times beautiful opportunities for connection are lost because one worries about tomorrow and losses a precious moment. Find a quiet place even for only a few minutes and listen. Listen to your inner voice your inner spirit. Ask yourself what is the optimum way to spend this day? Listen for the answer, some people find it easier to use divination cars or spiritual texts to ground their spirit during uncertain times, each person must find what works best for them as an individual. Explore and experiment until you find the best system for you.
Create a financial plan. By giving mind and spirit an opportunity to work together gives a place for worrisome energy to go instead of disrupting a peaceful spirit. Do what can be done in a day and leave the rest alone for now. Much like the Serenity Prayer control what you can and accept what cannot be done for now.
Remember when external negative forces and situations seem to consume you write in a journal, exercise, talk to a good friend. Get that negative energy outside of you. Only allow peaceful thoughts to remain. This takes Faith and an understanding that the life experience is cyclical. There is harvest and there is sowing. There is sunshine and rain. Neither situation lasts forever, look for the lesson, the best that outcome for a given moment?
Reconnect with nature. Take time to take a walk, take a rest in a park, take a deep breath and take in the sunshine or splash in a puddle like you are a child. It is in these moments of empting one's mind and taking in nature great inspiration may come. Meditation and prayer are other methods of controling the mind and opening the heart to a peaceful state of being. Momments like these often leaving a sprit refreshed and full of contentment.
Find refuge in music. Often times music can sooth a soul. From old spirituals, jazz, rock whatever touches your spirit. Allow the music to move you to a peaceful and open hearted state. Many times music inspires and gives direction. Found as a way of coping for generations music can speak to our souls in unique ways moving our emotions and spirits to a better place.
Finally, Fear and Love cannot co-exist in a soul. In order to have a peaceful soul in negative times one must let go of Fear at all costs. Again this is where Faith comes in. Faith gives a soul the ability to be still and peaceful when all outside stimulus says otherwise. Faith let's you know it will be ok. This is one of the essential pieces to a peaceful soul in times of turmoil have Faith. Do what you can, let go of that which is not in your influence, enjoy the little things, take a deep breath and experience the moment. Take this moment of down time to prepare for the future. Peace is a choice a choice that can be made at anytime whether it is a time of prosperity or a time of financial crisis.