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It is healthy to slow down, to give yourself well-deserved R & R—rest and relaxation. Author Robert Gerzon explains in his book, Finding Serenity in the Age of Anxiety, that our bodies are not intended, nor constructed, for such fast-paced living.
As a passenger on the train of life, you may often move through your days at breakneck speeds. And when you do, this speediness is felt in your mind as racing thoughts, stress and anxiety. It manifests in your body as health disorders —heart arrhythmia, headache, neck and shoulder pain, digestion woes, and more. When you slow down, you immediately feel better; your body and mind tell you so. The only thing we really need do is slow down and listen—intently, deeply—and trust our body's wisdom. We'll instinctively know what to do or not do to be well. But first we must slow down enough to listen. Are you listening today? ©2026, Janice L. Lundy It takes practice to notice the nature of our thoughts; to gently guide them in a more skillful direction. One technique that can help is to connect with a phrase that calms you.
This phrase can be an affirmation, a song lyric, a scripture, a mantra, a positive "something" that holds your attention, something that has meaning for you. Engage this process not from your head, but from your heart. Drop your awareness down into that deeper place; allow the phrase itself to "breathe" through your heart. Say it silently, repeat it again and again for as long as it takes for you to settle down. Today what would be your mind stabilizing, heart-opening phrase? ©2026, Janice L. Lundy Every day offers a new beginning. Conflicts resolved. Resentments put aside. Fears surrendered. With the dawn, comes the opportunity to begin again. Just as the sun rises each day, creating a unique and breathtaking panorama, so can you paint a fresh and brilliant day for yourself. ©2025, Janice L. Lundy Unconditional love—the glorious, "forever after" kind of love of dreams and fairy tales— can only become real when we set it free from expectations, from all those limiting "shoulds." Unconditional love is love without conditions--without rules, lists, even thinly disguised hopes. Simply put, if love is tied to any of these, it will surely disappoint. Our expectations of love limit it. The conditions we place upon it stop its flow.
A very wise teacher of love, Daphne Rose Kingma, may have said it best: "Let go of love as you want it so that, finally, you can take hold of love as it is." This, in my view, is what unconditional love really means: to release it from expectations so it can surprise and delight us again and again. Love blooms in an atmosphere of liberty not “shoulds,” and when we allow our love to be free, so are we. Then, and only then, will we experience the love we have been longing for. Today, how can you set love free in your own life? ©2025, Janice L. Lundy At any time during your busy day, stop what you're doing and take a break to center yourself, to remember who you are, a "human being," not a "human doing."
Without going anywhere, you can restore and rejuvenate yourself with a relaxing "Soul Infusion": a brief period of “dropping in,” a short respite from the pace of life, and a coming home to your sacred self. Stop, listen, re-connect. Say to yourself, ‘Breathe, I am a human BE-ing.’ ©2025, Janice L. Lundy If you desire to live in a more, peaceful and harmonious way with yourself, your neighbors and with Mother Earth, where do you begin? You begin where you are, within yourself, and cultivate the qualities you wish to see in the world today. Your inner work will change how you view others and the planet at large. The "work of self" is the work of the world.
Let us remember that as a collective of intentional beings, we are dedicating ourselves to a most noble cause—living our core values. And as we do, the world will begin to reflect the changes that are happening within each of us. ©2025, Janice L. Lundy What gift can you give yourself today? Among the best gifts you can give is to be fully aware of your thoughts and feelings. When you are awake and aware, you can choose how to respond to what is happening around you with grace, instead of reacting to others with sloppy words, impatience or temper. To react or respond: this is the key to inner freedom.
We all have the power to choose our words and actions. What an intoxicating gift! Let us stop, look, and listen before we do anything, ensuring peace of mind and harmonious relations with others. ©2025, Janice L. Lundy Vast amounts of negative media, television, video games and unsavory language weaken the mind's resilience. They tire and desensitize us.
Make a lovingly kind choice for yourself today by reducing the noise level in your life. Turn off the television and radio. Allow yourself more quiet time. Grant yourself “peaceful pauses” throughout the day: periods of stopping to access your peaceful center. There is comfort and security to be found there. Periods of stillness and solitude rebuild inner strength and can revitalize you. Our center is our Source, and our Source is peace. The next time you find yourself in a challenging situation with another person, ask yourself these questions: "Will what I am about to say (or do) help or hurt?" "Will my choice enhance the situation or hinder it?"
Then take a breath, listen deeply, and access your wise heart. Allow it to speak and take the lead over your ego's needs or agenda. Let go into kindness and see what transpires. ©2025, Janice L. Lundy You can begin to create greater harmony in your life by paying close attention to what your body is trying to tell you in any given situation, honoring that revelation, then making choices that foster your well-being.
You can do this by literally listening to your body through the vehicle of your senses. Pay mindful attention to what you are seeing and hearing. Note your body's response. Ask yourself, 'Is this experience creating feelings of peace and well-being in me, or is it causing me stress, worry, or fear?' When we listen mindfully, we can make healthy, new choices for ourselves—choices rooted in loving-kindness. ©2025, Janice L. Lundy |
Gentle and timely reminders for the spiritual journey, because sometimes we forget or need a kind nudge back to Center.
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Dr. Janice Lynne Lundy (PsyD, DMin, MPC)
is The Gerald May Professor of Spiritual Direction & Counseling at the Graduate Theological Foundation. She is an interspiritual director/mentor, educator and counselor who has been pointing people back toward the Sacred for nearly thirty years. Connect |