In the world ‘as it really is, there is neither self nor other than self.
To come directly into harmony with this reality, just simply say, when doubts arise, “Not two”.
When you enter into this non-separation, all things manifest the One, nothing is separated and nothing is excluded.
Seng-Ts’an, Faith in Mind
In the Middle Ages, anyone could gain protection from other people – even the legal authorities – by simply running into a sacred building and saying the word “Sanctuary!” This ritual triggered a system of safety respected by everyone in the society.
Simple rituals like saying “Sanctuary!” signal to our bodies and minds that we’ve entered a sacred recovery space. By creating your own small rituals, you can teach your mind and body to drop into this healing state.
Once you have a place, a time, and a ritual, you can touch in with the peaceful energy of sanctuary any time you feel especially vulnerable. We can all recover a bit of peace, confidence, and hope whenever we need it. The door inside us – the state of mind that leads to peace – is real. It opens to an infinite sacred space in our own hearts, minds, and souls. And that is real as well. If we go there and ask for sanctuary, we can always find it. Little by little, breath by breath, our spirits can recover from anything.
Martha Beck Blog, How to seek sanctuary in a Time of Chaos
Can you feel that starting where you are,
and relating from where you are,
is much more empowering than starting
with the demand that it be otherwise?
Phillip Moffitt
You will never be able to escape from your heart.
So it is better to listen to what it has to say
Paolo Coehlo, The Alchemist
One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself
“What if I had never seen this before?”
What if I knew I would never see it again?
Rachel Carson, 1907 – 1964, American marine biologist, writer, and conservationist
The peace that we are looking for is not peace that crumbles as soon as there is difficulty or chaos. Whether we’re seeking inner peace or global peace or a combination of the two, the way to experience it is to build on the foundation of unconditional openness to all that arises.
Peace isn’t an experience free of challenges, free of rough and smooth, it’s an experience that’s expansive enough to include all that arises without feeling threatened.
Pema Chodron, Taking the Leap, Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears
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