The Path To Inner Peace

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Kristin Larsen

The path to inner peace has many distractions along the way.

The Distractions

The distractions are creations of hostility, distress, agitation, frustration, anxiety,
agony, despair, fear, misery.
On the path there are obstacles that will challenge the most inner way of being.
They are distractions because focus is not on the dedication to inner peace.
Stress is a major obstacle that could start off with small irritations and they
gradually increase. Many factors lead to the increase and take someone further away from
inner peace.

The question comes back to, “who is responsible for having inner peace?
It is an important question that transforms possibility and choice.

Another powerfully effective question would be, “who is responsible for being
inner peace?”

It is impossible to have inner peace without focusing on the intentions of who you
choose to be in the moment. It starts with personal awareness.

What is taking you off the path?

Where does your attention need to be to stay on the path?

How long will anger, resentment, fear, despair keep you traveling along a different
path?

Being able to process emotions helps to overcome any obstacles that might get in
the way. Presence with those emotions creates the option to release attachment to them
through required actions.
The required actions coincide with the definition of what inner peace is. That
definition includes some form of love. Love for self, love for others, and love for the life that is
given.

The ways love embodies inner peace in someone’s life

Self care. Taking care of personal needs for wellbeing, physical, mental,
spiritual.

Living in core values that bring alignment in life
Self compassion
Giving self love, respect, appreciation, forgiveness
Giving thanks to everything
Accepting of discomfort
Offerings of kindness and connection
Trust or belief in something greater than self

Inner peace is a never ending path in life.

How you choose what that path looks like is dependent upon the devotion you have to stay on the path.

The most basic concepts bring inner peace when accompanied with empowered intentions.

The concepts include having gratitude, practicing forgiveness, mindfulness and
processing emotions to surrender and let go of tightly held resistances in the mind.

They are habits that need to be continually practiced so the stressful moments can
be handled with grace and inner resourcefulness.

Remaining focused in the present moment is the pathway to inner peace which is
always possible. A daily commitment to ensure the necessary actions maintain the vision of
inner peace.

hat is a Transformational Journ

Awakening From Sleep Walking Through Life

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Kristin Larsen

Bringing back feelings from being numb in life

Everyday stress and suffering over time becomes a self defense of numbness that is carried
around each day.

It may feel like, “always going through the motions in life.”
Not wanting to feel the hurtful or painful feelings. It pushes away the other emotions that are
wanting to be experienced. The joy, the gratitude, the possibility, the wonder within each day.

It is extraordinary how a perspective shifts that numbness. Refocusing on what brings life and
energy into each moment.
It no longer feels like things are “going through the motions.”
There is a purpose and commitment to feel again. A revitalized awakening that slowly opens
vision to exciting possibilities.
The realization that intention must be focused on the thoughts which demand attention to be
experienced.

The emotions need to be processed, acknowledged and accepted. A gentle handling without
judgement. An openness to refrain from judging the judgement of the emotions. Shame and
guilt are not wrong. They are sending me a message to uncover what they are trying to tell me.

Offering the choice to let go of suffering

The one small step of being in the presence of thought and emotion begins to shift perspective.
The soul wants to wake up.

It wants to be seen, it wants to be heard.
It is waiting for permission.
Each passing day that the soul is asleep, it becomes restless.
Continually trying to attract attention.

All the soul truly wants is to be reunited with the heart. To be guided in life with connected trust and courage.

Break the continual pattern of numbing out in an attempt to feel better through extreme
satiations that fill the void.
Binge watching, screen scrolling, addiction choosing activities to quiet the mind and avoid
feeling.
Fear of the attempt to break free from the safe space that has been established.
Curiosity and self discovery await a committed focus.

Begin to explore the questions,

“What wants to be acknowledged?”

“What part of me wants to be heard?”

“What would I rather be experiencing instead?”

“What do I need, what is required of me?”

Let my soul awaken from it’s slumber.

Let it breathe the fullness of being alive again.
Let the healing begin.
Let the unravelling be revealed.
Allow the transformation to unfold within.
May I see the vibrant colors of life.
May I be grateful for this moment I chose to see.

Inviting Cognizance Into Meditation

Posted on July 3, 2023 by Kristin Larsen

Awaking to awareness within yourself

The word “meditation” is commonly used when the topic of presence is discussed.

There are some people that say, “I can’t meditate because I can’t turn my brain off.”

Some misconceptions about meditation

Mediation is not about turning the brain off.

It is about being present with your mind through a deeper state of awareness.

It is about training your mind to allow thoughts to come and go without directly attaching self to them. This helps to increase awareness of yourself and surroundings.

Furthermore, it enables someone to manage their thoughts while enhancing creativity, emotional balance and overall calmness.

Meditation doesn’t always feel relaxing. At the beginning it may be an uncomfortable process to be present with yourself. Someone might think there are so many other things to be done on the to-do list and meditation takes away from time that can be used for other tasks. The process of connecting to oneself actually improves the efficiency at which steps are taken with clarity and effectiveness.
The method of meditation does need need to be self evaluated as right or wrong. There is no wrong way to meditate. Gradually it becomes efficient in the way you become present with yourself. That is all part of the process.

If you start by meditating for 2 minutes, that is good enough. If your mind is wandering for those 2 minutes and you find it hard to sit still, that is good enough. Repetition and discipline of the routine will gradually enhance the experience over time. That is where shifts in awareness are visible.

Meditation can take various forms.

9 common types of meditation practices

Mindful meditation is a practice that helps you become aware of what your sensing and feeling in the moment without judgement.
Spiritual meditation is a practice that connects you to something greater than self, to develop a deep relationship with the human spirit without the need to hold identities and labels.
Focused meditation involves focusing attention on an object or physical sensation using any of the five senses to help increase awareness of the present moment.
Movement meditation involves being mindful of the sensations that occur during movements.
Mantra meditation is the repetition of a word or phrase that is whispered, chanted, spoken while being repeated during the meditation.
Transcendental meditation is a practice where you mentally repeat a Sanskrit word or phrase with your eyes closed until a state of inner peace is reached.
Progressive meditation is a technique that involves two steps of intentionally tensing each muscle group in the body and then focusing on relaxing them.
Loving-Kindness meditation is the practice of generating loving-kindness towards self, others, all living beings through goodwill, compassion and kindness.
Visualization meditation focuses on using guided positive imagery, ideas, symbols, thoughts, feelings or sensations.

Through the various types of meditation, the sole purpose is to center yourself. The various forms of meditation offer ways to do that.

Meditation offers the opportunity to develop emotional intelligence by connecting with emotions, the body or enhancing overall awareness.

This is accomplished through expanding states of consciousness and self realization.

You get to have present moment awareness by shifting from thinking to sensing.

Here is a simple meditation to help connect to your inner awareness;

Now is the time to be aware of the present moment. Say to yourself, “I let go of the past and future.”

Turn your attention to your senses.

Focus on the sounds right now that take minimal effort to hear. As you concentrate more, begin to notice other sounds. Just continue to be present with all the sounds that come and go.

Turn your attention to your body.

Take a moment to feel your arms wherever they might be. Your legs wherever they are. Bring awareness to any pains or tightness in your body. Any feelings that are present. Be aware of the shifts in these body sensations while being present to them as they come and go.

Turn your attention to your thoughts.

Watch your thoughts as they appear and float away. Allow them to arrive and pass without grasping them. There is no need to act on them or respond to them. You are just observing them. Each thought is just a message. There is no judgement behind the message. See the messages and let it pass by without attaching a meaning to it.

Turn your attention to your breathing.

Feel your breath as you inhale and exhale. Notice the sound, the air entering and exiting your lungs. Notice the speed of your breath. Slow the pace down as slow as you can.

Allow your breath to become deeper.

Sit and be with all the senses you were just conscious to without concept of time.
Allow yourself to exit from the meditation when you are ready.

What did you notice about the present moment?

What did you notice about your awareness for your inner self?

How has your perspective of the present moment changed?

The Prize For Unwanted Anxiety

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Kristin Larsen

The anxiety of a racing mind and worried heart is not wrong. Maybe it is something you believe is wrong?

Anxiety Situation

Imagine you have a big presentation, an event or a speech in a few hours.

Maybe there are many “what-if’s” that begin to enter your mind.

Your imagination starts to take over and your heart is beating faster, trembling of nerves tense your body. You can’t think normally with clear thoughts.

You feel like you have already lost the confidence to do your best.

Trying so desperately to win a self made validation that isn’t real.

The misleading prize is assurance that the outcome will be what you want.

What if the outcome does not happen or questions arise about the possibilities that might prevent it from happening,? Worry and concern creep into the moment.

It is something we have all experienced in our life.

Anxiety and worry is nothing to be ashamed of.

It is part of our survival makeup.

Anxiety is something that becomes a constant background noise that is learned to cope with. It is not comfortable or enjoyable. It becomes something that is hard to turn off.

How can you accept worry and concern when it disrupts clarity of how you would like to function in the moment?

There are ways to reduce the intensity, (possibly turn it off) to trust in who you are and what you are doing again.

First step is to stop, take a step back. Reassess the situation. Acknowledge the worry and question with curiosity the purpose of the worry and what can be done to alleviate the worry right now.

Breathe. Take deep, controlled breaths. Place your focus on the breath as you inhale and exhale. Pausing to hold between inhale and exhale.

Count to 10 slowly, and when you reach 10, say to yourself, “I am safe.” “I will be okay.”

Assure yourself you will get through this experience, and place gratitude that you are alive and get to have this experience.

Create a new meaning of failure. Whatever the outcome is, respect the things that make it successful regardless what the result is.

Releasing the shame surrounding anxiety is an available choice. The decision to let go of the idea, “I’m not good enough” because of experiencing anxiety or worry is powerful transformational acceptance.

Reframing the approach to a situation and acknowledging the present moment means you have already won the prize.

Coping With Depression Through Feelings Of Unhappiness

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Kristin Larsen

Unhappiness turns into depression

The moment when prolonged thoughts of unhappiness turn into coping with depression.

What do the prolonged unhappy thoughts feel like?

They feel dark. They feel painful. The feel suffocating. They drain energy from within.

Major life events can be the trigger of these thoughts. When the thoughts are created they project an emotion of helplessness, hopelessness that accompanies the thought.

This is the pivotal point when a decision is made to attach to the emotion of what is being experienced.

Over time a pattern of thought and emotional connection continue when it is triggered.

The warning signs may show being tired frequently, not having a restful sleep, sad, loss of interest in life, withdrawn and isolated.

Constantly “going through the motions” each day. Walking around numb to experiences and emotions.

Frequently feeling stuck with limited options. Everything just seems so difficult.

The belief forms, “I can’t.”

Every effort seems like a GIANT step.

Suffering in silence is then chosen as the best option. There is shame and guilt for feeling like this, being this way.

The Role Of Presence

Presence plays a major role in navigating through depression.

Taking the time to process feelings and emotions. One way to allow this process to take place is through self compassion. This will help to relieve the shame and guilt.

Daily habits contribute to the thoughts and emotions. Are the chosen daily habits serving or fueling the state of depression?

Self care is crucial to aid in producing energy, calming, and giving self comfort during the healing process.

Depression is a form of disconnection. A belief that there is minimal possibility or choice to transform what is being experienced.

The shift happens when the power to change is acknowledged within yourself.

Therefore, connection is important to begin facilitating hope, faith, trust and possibility.

Implementing ways to connect with self and others.

Are there support groups or communities that have people experiencing similar things?

Can you connect with them to share in the experience? This will help to connect back in life.

The choice is eventually made, it doesn’t have to be done alone.

Unhappy thought patterns are slowly converted into outlooks and perspectives that offer love, hope, possibility.

Clearing the way for thoughts of being in the presence of compassionate, mindful and inspired living.

A New Perspective From Letting Go

Posted on September 25, 2022 by Kristin Larsen

What makes it so hard to let go of hurt, pain, loss?

I have found it is the fear of how much of suffering will have to be endured until it goes away.

The thought of what has been impacted by the pain.

The constant attachment to the thoughts and emotions that continue to be a reminder of each experience.

When the choice is made to hold onto what is causing the fear, instantly choices become limited.

There is a meaning that has been attached to what is feared. The fear has become the focus of reality and all the decisions being made are based around the fear.

Letting go becomes a process. Going through the process of letting go requires presence.

There is a realization that there is no need to avoid what is desired to be let go of.

The internal process starts with awareness. Being aware of what is triggering the fear, and what the actual fear is.

Next is to acknowledge that the fear exists and what is being created by the fear.

Finally, it is accepting that you have a fear of what is being experienced. You are experiencing it in the moment, and that’s okay.

This gives the opportunity to shift perspective and it opens the possibility for choice.

Needing to express what needs to be expressed. The opportunity opens up for self compassion, forgiveness, gratitude.

This helps to form beliefs that attract focus for what is desired rather than what is being created by the fears.

Where would you like to be placing your focus?

Letting go becomes more about trust and belief in something greater than the fear that is being held onto. -Kristin Sven Larsen

Part 3—Embracing what life is offering through presence

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Kristin Larsen

Accept

Struggle is something that can’t be avoided at certain times in life.

There are two choices that can be made when struggle appears.

It can be accepted or avoided.

Accepting the moment of struggle means seeing it as it actually is in the moment. That could be subjective, but what it really means is to accept what is being experienced in the moment.

Once resistance is chosen as the actionable thought, the struggle continues to evolve.

Avoiding can take the form of denial, repressing or blame.

Imagine avoiding who you are being, who someonelse is being, or what the situation is in the moment?

What is being created by avoiding?

Permission for irresponsibility and disregard for choice.

Accepting of “what is” in the moment gives permission for accountability and allows for personal ownership of the experience.

Accepting the moment filters down to fear. A subconscious thought may be, “if I avoid, repress or deny what is being experienced I will stay out of feeling hopeless and helpless.”

This may work for a brief time, then the resistance and struggle compiles.

You cannot change what you do not accept.

It doesn’t mean you have to like what you are accepting. That is when the power of choice is is presented.

Acceptance can turn into action. You can lead yourself to be in charge of the choices.

It is not about giving up and quitting.

In that moment, accept the experience for what it is without the need to blame or avoid no matter what the fear may be.

Acceptance shifts the experience. It opens the door to welcome new ways of being.

New ways of being create opportunities and possibilities.

Acceptance can be thought of as a mirror reflection of what’s possible.

Frustration – Satisfied
Irritable – Patient
Anger – Calm
Mistake – Learning

A realization needs to develop through the choices of accepting what is happening. It makes it easier to accept the fears that are being avoided because accountability is formed from being present in the moment.

Ideas That Ignite Curiosity To Love With Courage!