In the midst of chaos keep stillness inside of you.
Deepak Chopra
As we glide into autumn, with winter’s imminent hibernation cycle approaching, we anticipate festivals, celebrations, and holidays. Life gets noisier, perhaps more chaotic than cozy or peaceful.
I seek peacefulness every day just because I love knowing I can turn up the calm. Accessing a relaxation response from a meditation minute as needed throughout the day is a bonus. I am extremely sensitive to current societal noise so I quite intentionally cultivate my peace of mind often in a day.
Here’s what I tell my students: When agitated or challenged simply stop. Stand still. Take a few breaths. Smile and think of something to be grateful for. The art of being still when you think you can’t is the practice. The art of recognizing your chaos is a learned skill. The art of mindfulness can be learned. If you want to.
Through mindfulness we can learn to live happily in the present moment-the only way to truly develop peace both in one’s self and in the world.
Thich Nhat Hanh