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Connecting with the HERE and NOW October 16, 2011

Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Life Balance, Mindfulness.
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When we feel stressed (tight, tense, and stretched too thin), that’s a reminder from the right brain to let go of extraneous thoughts and tune in to this moment.

When we silence the left analytical brain, and allow ourselves to JUST BE, our bottomless well of inner peace surfaces:

To experience peace does not mean that your life is always blissful.  It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind amidst the normal chaos of a hectic life.  (My Stroke of Insight, p. 159)

The feeling of deep inner peace is neurological circuitry located in our right brain.  This circuitry is constantly running and always available for us to hook into.  The feeling of peace is something that happens in the present moment.  It’s not something that we bring with us from the past or project into the future.  Step one to experiencing inner peace is the willingness to be present in the right here, right now. (Ibid.)

There are many ways to do just that . . .

First, slow down.
Breathe.  Relax.  Repeat.

Focus on your thoughts.
Extraneous thoughts pull us AWAY from THIS moment.

Our body is here . . . our thoughts are miles away.
We need to get them back in sync.

Breathe in.  Do a full body scan.  Take a break from distracting thoughts and focus on your body.  Release any tension you feel.   Relax into the moment.

Be mindful.  Pay attention.

There are countless ways to switch from our left analytical brain to our right experiential brain:

* Peel an orange ~ feel the peel, smell the citrus, taste the burst of flavor on your tongue.

* Smell a rose ~ embrace the aroma, feel the softness of its petals, admire its delicate beauty.

Cool-dance* Move to music ~ let each note seep into your being as you watch your body dance around.

* Listen to ambient sounds ~ the hum of your hard drive, the whisper of the wind, the ticking of a clock.

* Sense your skin ~ what is it telling you about the temperature of the air, the texture of your clothing, or the feel of your glasses, watch, and hair?

When we remind ourselves to mindfully connect with the HERE and NOW  through our marvelous senses . . .  inner peace surfaces of its own accord.

So . . .

Dance in the rain.  Watch a sunset.
Paint a picture.  Sing a song.
Laugh with a child.

Be Here Now.

Aah . . . that’s better! 

How do you re-connect with your bottomless reservoir of inner peace and joy?