The Inner Peace Meditation

  So, have you ever had that uneasy feeling deep in your gut, below your belly button and just knew that something wasn't right? I have, many times and because I was thinking it represented something that was out of alignment with what I wanted, I always got the negative result I was expecting. 

This was a manifestation of stress. Is it the same for you? Do you automatically assume it's something negative and then start getting stressed out? If we allow ourselves to view this feeling in a negative light, that's when worry, anxiety and fear start taking over - a feeling of dread consumes us -  and that can lead to stress and the related illnesses such as stomach ulcers, migraines, back and joint pain and so on -  or it could lead to more serious conditions such as heart malfunction and even death.

After learning about the research which the Heart Math Institute carry out into the heart-brain coherence, and which they've been doing for around thirty years now, I started to take notice of when the feeling actually appeared, made itself known, and I realised something that has helped me to turn things around. 

That feeling isn't negative, nor is it positive, at least not until we add thought and emotion to it. All it represents is a change or choice we will be faced with. How we react to that or what we choose to do next will determine the outcome. Focusing on Inner Peace is a great choice when it comes to stress, but how to do that when you're almost overwhelmed with worry or anxiety? 

Based on a Heart-Math exercise, I've developed what I call the Inner Peace Meditation. It's simple, powerful, and only takes a few minutes to carry out and you'll notice the benefits straight away. 

Practicing the Inner Peace Meditation helps us to include our heart when we unconsciously go about our daily activities and make our way through all our choices, emotions, and feelings; it imprints it on our conscious memory, like a form of Mindfulness. It creates a sort of Flow by helping us to regulate the balance between our mind, emotions, and heart. 

Creating that Inner Peace within yourself is like manifesting a doorway, or portal, that silently appears just when you need it, bringing you back into your present, your Now, instead of blundering through the fog of possible futures, created by your negative narratives. It helps you view the situation in a more common-sense way, a gentle reality check if you like, encouraging you to reflect on a more positive path, that's safer to navigate. 

There are four parts to the Inner Peace Meditation and the first part is to:

Acknowledge

When you notice that fear rising up or you're getting uptight, frustrated, impatient, anxious, overwhelmed, angry, and so on; instead of rushing headlong into an unconscious reactive way and allowing your worry or fear story to take over, take a mental step back and acknowledge what it really is, that it's nothing more than a possibility and you can choose how that will turn out.

The next part is: 

 Heart Breathing 

Here you close your eyes, if safe to do so, and focus your attention on your heart, simply touching your heart or chest area lightly with your fingers will be enough for your mind to focus on that area. If you're sitting or lying down, it would be best to keep your legs or ankles uncrossed if you can as that only creates a second focal point and could be a distraction. 

Once you're focusing on your heart area, imagine you're breathing in and out through your heart and breathe a little deeper and slower than you would do normally. For example, you could breathe in and hold your breath for a count of five before gently breathing out again. Three of these deeper breaths are enough before returning to breathing normally.

Part three is: 

Add Emotion 

As you continue to imagine you're breathing in and out of your heart, imagine you're filling your heart with a feeling of Peace. If you're not sure how to do that, it may help if you can recall a time when you were feeling wonderfully calm and relaxed, feeling that all was right with the world and you felt secure and safe, and recreate that feeling. In this way you are breathing in Inner Peace, with each breath and infusing yourself with a sense of complete well-being.

Finally, part four is: 

Affirmation 

Once you notice that you're a lot calmer and more at peace within yourself, fill your heart with gratitude, mentally express your heartfelt thanks and affirm that this state of Inner Peace is now anchored within your heart and will be with you throughout your day as you carry on with whatever your routine is. 

s to your Inner Peace,

Namaste,

Jeremy