Be Still and Find Peace
I know you’ve been feeling the waves of emotions that have transpired as a result of world events over the past 4 months. You’ve been trying to stay afloat in home and business, safe in public, and sane while homeschooling during a pandemic.
I feel you.
It’s been a while since I last sat down to write a newsletter. I’ve been very introspective as well, hunkering down and doing lots of reflecting on my life, my family, what the world needs from me, and most recently, my privilege.
On top of the Covid-19 lockdown, the protests and massive social justice movements have inspired me to deconstruct my worldview, allowing for a more compassionate and less ignorant paradigm to grow in its place.
The world is weird right now. People are on edge.
The systems and structures that once governed our society are collapsing. Our jobs, schools, travel, daily routines, and how we gather have all changed dramatically.
And while the outside world is going crazy, while everything around us seems to be falling apart, we each have the power to go inward and find such rich peace, incredible calm, and renewed life purpose from this experience. As Marianne Williamson says, “When we give time to a quieting experience, we have a different life because we have a different nervous system.”
The secret to this quiet lies in the ritual of your day.
Ritual One: Conscious Breathing
The power of the breath is ancient and all-knowing. Taking time every day to breathe consciously can help to center your mind and release serotonin in the brain which promotes happiness and feelings of wellbeing.
BOX BREATHING
This practice began as a pranayama technique in yogic traditions and has been adopted by Navy Seals, First Responders, and world-class neurohackers. Here is the technique:
1. INHALE 4 SECONDS
2. HOLD AT THE TOP 4 SECONDS
3. EXHALE 4 SECONDS
4. HOLD AT THE BOTTOM 4 SECONDS
Ritual Two: What Are You Grateful For?
Taking just a few minutes every day to speak or write down 5-10 things you are grateful for, creates space in the mind for awareness around your life, and what you are endowed with. It is as simple as expressing gratitude that you have eyes and can see, to being grateful for your dog or cat, or grateful for the roof over your head, or that you get to have sushi tonight with friends. Reminding yourself of your beautiful life will quickly bring positive results in thinking and feeling.
Ritual Three: Meditation and Reflection
Meditation can seem daunting. It has a mixed reputation; it can be considered difficult yet rewarding. Believe me, I know. In July 2019, I suffered through 10 days of silent Vipassana meditation, spending 11 hours a day on the cushion, annoyed, agitated, and with sore hips and glutes. Yet I found such rich peace, incredible calm, and renewed life purpose and meaning from this experience. But the main reason why I love meditation is that it is a way to stillness.
Meditating should be an enjoyable ritual, not a forced habit.
Start with only 5 minutes in the morning and evening. With your eyes closed, focus on your breath for up to 5 minutes. If you are able to go longer, that’s fantastic! If not, the benefits of meditation will start to build for you, and eventually, you’ll look forward to longer meditation times.
Ritual Four: Affirmations Everyday
Affirmations can help you train your brain to think in a more positive way. Since new thinking involves creating new neural pathways, you have the ability to shift from well-worn negative thought patterns to new, positive ones. Your thoughts are like an invisible antenna, attracting to you the same quality of experience that you put out into your environment.
Find affirmations that resonate with you like:
“Money comes to me easily and effortlessly.”
“I radiate positive, vibrant, loving energy.”
“I focus on what I want in life. My goals and intentions lead the way to my best life.”
“I am extremely blessed/lucky/full of life.”
“All is well”
These daily rituals are a good reminder to go inwards and find stillness, even when the world outside seems to be falling apart. During these times the most powerful thing you can do is focus on your healing.
With much love & gratitude,
Dr. Marissa Castello