Speaking My Peace

 As time goes on, peace has started to fill the large pockets of the anxiety, discontent, unworthiness and shame that existed inside me for as far back as I can remember. 

My very first memory, at 18 months, is a shame filled one. That feeling has been lifelong companion.

I have learned to identify shame, how it feels in my body, then fill that area with loving kindness, the kind of love that a mother gives a child, wrapped in tenderness, I give that to myself now. It is a purposeful exercise that I do with that emotion as well as anxiety, self criticism, or any other feeling that washes over and threatens to overwhelm and make me small. I am learning to observe, and in the observing, disable or diminish the power of the feeling.

I like peace. It's there when I wake in the morning, when I go for a ride in the car, when I am gardening, when I talk to my kids, when I golf (aw, that's a lie.....golfing can be difficult when it comes to peace), and when I close my eyes at night. 

What a gift I am giving on daily basis. I think I'll keep it up.


Comments

  1. ColetteAugust 26, 2020 at 9:14 AM

    What a beautiful gift.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Margaret (Peggy or Peg too)August 26, 2020 at 9:29 AM

    💓💓💓💓❤

    ReplyDelete
  3. Margaret (Peggy or Peg too)August 26, 2020 at 9:32 AM

    I am so glad you are healing.
    You are a gift!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Marie SmithAugust 26, 2020 at 10:14 AM

    The peace is wonderful! Well done, Linda.

    ReplyDelete
  5. anne marie in phillyAugust 26, 2020 at 10:27 AM

    another gift is waking up alive on THIS side of the grass each day. and you get a blank sheet of paper to write/draw/color on each day.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Peter ClothierAugust 26, 2020 at 12:38 PM

    The Buddha... always a reliable source of excellent advice, but it takes a real effort of concentration and attention to hear it. I love the phrase "resting in attention", which describes that sense of peace.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Debra She Who SeeksAugust 26, 2020 at 7:26 PM

    There was a best-selling self-help book about 30 years ago by John Bradshaw, called "Healing the Shame That Binds You." I read it and found it extremely helpful too. We live in a shame-based culture and it's hard not to absorb those destructive messages.

    ReplyDelete
  8. JeanieAugust 27, 2020 at 6:27 AM

    Peace -- it's a powerful word and a powerful feeling. And when you find it, you don't ever want to let it go.

    ReplyDelete
  9. BillAugust 28, 2020 at 2:01 PM

    Thanks for sharing with us. Always nice to hear other people's thoughts on finding peace in their lives. It's constant work at least for me it is. Have a lovely weekend!

    ReplyDelete

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