Quiet Moments

All man's miseries derive
from not being able
to sit quietly in a room alone.
Pascal

There is an old Zen phrase: "If you understand, things are just the way they are. If you do not understand, things are just the way they are." So to be centered is to experience things the way they are and to not fear perceptions. Center builds confidence in your connection to all of life, and an acceptance of what life brings.

Living from center on a daily basis is certainly enhanced by the discipline of meditation. Becoming quiet in a busy world is something we would all love to do. One of the difficulties that many people have in considering meditation is that they think it is one more thing that they have to do in their life. Instead, look upon meditation as a time to spend each and every day in the place inside yourself in which there is deep security and peace. If you do so, this place inside yourself will be more available to you in times of stress. You will also convey this sense of deep security and peace more often in your interactions with your family and colleagues.

Remember that setting the clock a little earlier and taking time for meditation before you begin your day will send you off more rested than the extra sleep.

Question of the Day....What qualities do you wish to exude in your relationships? Name them out loud, write them down. Visualize what you look like when you show forth these qualities, what words do you say? Understand that you possess these qualities now and project them when you are centered. The next time you would like to act in a way that reflects these qualities, take a deep breath and center yourself before you speak or act.

Judy Warner

Taken from one of our original monthly Centering Hints. To subscribe to Tom Crum's Centering Hints, send an email to info@aikiworks.com with 'subscribe' in the subject line.