Peace of Mind

by Ted Karam

Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the Peace of God. ~A Course in Miracles

In times of challenge, I find myself returning again and again to this simple truth – that nothing real can be threatened, that nothing unreal exists.

I’m reminded that I am a spiritual being having a human experience and the Spirit I AM is always whole, perfect, vital, abundant, in love, in joy, and at peace. It is only my inability to perceive the truth, the larger perspective, which causes me to think and experience otherwise.

Peace arises when I know that Good is all there is.

When you’re facing life’s challenges, it’s important to remember that anxiety, worry and stress are states of mind, independent of circumstance and conditions.

One person may be walking along a beautiful seashore, yet tormented by incessant stories of worry and fear in his mind. Another person might have just been in a car accident, yet so drawn into the moment, so present, that he experiences a sense of inner peace even amid the outer chaos.

It’s not the outer world but our inner vibration that determines how we feel. It’s the stories we create in our mind about our circumstances that lead to stress and worry, or peace and serenity.

Think of a person or situation that is troubling you. How does this person or situation make you feel inside?

It’s not the person or situation, but the story created in your mind about the person or situation that causes you to feel the way you do. Change the story, the way you think about it, and you change the way you feel.

Take a moment to identify what is causing you the most stress in your life right now?

Ask yourself…

• What can I learn from this experience?
• How can I use this experience to grow and reveal more of my true strength?
• What is the best, most empowering story that I can tell myself about this particular situation right now?
• What aspect of my infinite spirit is being called forth, seeking to emerge and be birthed through this experience?
• What inner and outer actions can I take that would allow this to happen?
• If I were to rise to my highest state and look down upon this situation, is there some way it could actually be helping me to become free?

The next time I am challenged by this person or situation, let me remember to FEEL the energy of this E-MOTION.

I will not react and thus give my power away to my own reflections of the past that I see pictured in the mirror of life before me.

I choose instead to overcome my reactive conditioning, to remain grounded in the peace of the present moment, and BE THE CHANGE (hold steady the positive vibration of Good within me) that I wish to see reflected back to me in the mirror of the world.