Peace

From Kindness: Making a Difference in People's Lives: Formulas, stories, and insights By Zelig Pliskin Printed with Permission of Shaar Press Every time you act kindly, the world has more kindness. Every time you are compassionate, the world has more compassion. Every time you smile to someone, the world is a more cheerful place. Every time you help transform someone¢s worry into serenity, the world is a more serene place. Every time you calm someone who is angry, the world is a more pleasant place. Every time you give money to charity, the world is a more charitable place. Every time you encourage someone to do something for others, you are creating a partner to make a better world. Some people spend way too much time complaining about the awful state the world is in. There is too much aggression and violence. There is too little kindness and compassion. There is too much anger and depression and too little serenity and joy. If someone complains and complains, the world is still full of whatever it is the person is complaining about and now more complaining has been added. Conversely, if someone spreads compassion and kindness, the world improves. The ripple effect can spread these positive qualities. A little positive action is more beneficial than a mountain full of complaints. Every time you visit someone who is ill, you are making the world a kinder place to live in. Every time you comfort a mourner, you are making the world a kinder place to live in. Every time you judge someone favorably, you are making the world a kinder place to live in. Every time you lend one of your possessions to someone, you are making the world a kinder place to live in. Every time you help a stranger find his way, you are making the world a kinder place to live in. What comes out from all of this is that there is no such thing as an insignificant kind act. Because every time you do an act of kindness you are elevating the world we live in. WE CAN'T HAVE PEACE IN THE WORLD UNTIL WE HAVE PEACE IN OUR HEARTS ~Ruth Fishel Ruth's website is: http://www.spirithaven.com/ . ~~~~~~ ~~~*~ ~~~~~ ~~* ~~~~~*~ ~~ I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new. Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~~~~*~ ~~ Dear Friends, A very Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families and friends. I am so grateful for you all, knowing that a big part of why we are all connected is to bring peace and love to ourselves, those around us and to the world. When I write these spiritlifters I feel the power and energy of our bond and I know we are making a difference in the world. I hope you feel it, too, as you read them. This can be a very stressful time for many of us, especially for those who are traveling. And everyone in all families don't always get along! Just a reminder that you have everything you need within you to keep your stress level low: your breath and your heart! Simplistic as it might sound, when things are stressful try either: 1. Breathe in and out 3 times. Feel your breath filling your body as it goes in and goes out. Feeeeeel the peace. Focusing on your breath takes you out of the thoughts that are in your mind, actually creating the stress. 2. Place your hand over your heart. Close your eyes and remember a time when you really felt good about yourself. Relive those feelings. Stay here for a minute. Your heart will remember those feelings and every time you are stressed, place your hand over your heart. These feelings will come back and your stress will be released. 3. Remember what you are grateful for. Make a list in the morning and carry it with you, knowing you have gratitude with you at all times! 4. Write the word PEACE on a piece of paper and put it in your pocket, knowing you have PEACE with you at all times. They work! With love, peace and gratitude, Ruth Fishel ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~ The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. Eric Hoffer ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~ Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. Melodie Beattie ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~ Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free;Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate. -Chuang Tsu ~~~~~~ ~~*~~ ~~~~* ~~ Let us send prayers to all world leaders so they see that war brings only suffering. PEACE is the answer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~ Understanding the ways in which our childhood events affect our current relationships helps us improve our interactions with others. When we use this awareness of our ongoing tendencies to objectively observe our emotional patterns, we come to a better understanding of the ways in which we sabotage our relationships. As we take a step outside of ourselves, we begin to unravel the mind traps we keep setting for ourselves, which can keep us mired in a cycle of immature reactions to others. Looking at your patterns from the viewpoint of an observer today will give you a fresh perspective on your interactions and the means to improve your relationships. HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY! PEACE TO YOU ............ Connie A. At the Heart of Peace Please follow this Link! Melanie Calitri Holden \| At the Heart of Peace Movie Saint Teresa's Prayer May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be . May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us. TIME FOR JOY By Ruth Fishel Sept 11, 2007 I am letting go of all that is holding me back from spiritual progress today. My path is becoming easier as I open myself up to faith and trust. Sept 12 Each step I take today makes me feel better and better. Today I know that I have all that I need to do exactly what must be done and go exactly where I need to go. With so many recent natural and man-made disasters, what can we do? What is in our ability to control? Here are a few thoughts. Let me know if you have other ideas and we will add them to the list. 1.We can donate money where appropriate. 2. We can donate supplies where appropriate 3. We can give of our time where appropriate 4. We can be extra gentle with each other. 5. We can pray for everyone suffering. 6. We can meditate. 7. We can send METTA LOVING KINDNESS (See WWW.SPIRITHAVEN. COM) 8. We can get involved. There is always something we can do for the homeless, the hungry, the sick and the elderly in our community. 9. If you are in a 12 step program, make an extra effort to take a newcomer to a meeting or go on a commitment. Remember, someone was there for you when you were new. 10. We can practice peace in each moment in each situation. (Thank you, Jeff) 11. We can read a page from TIME FOR PEACE We can't do something for all the 30,000 people or the 2000 people but we can do something for someone else. And that's important. Teresa of Avila said, "The Lord walks among the pots and pans." With Love and peace, Ruth Fishel September 21st is the INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE See how you can take part at http://internationaldayofpeace.org/ Today I am sending prayers to all world leaders so they see that war brings only suffering. PEACE is the answer. By Ruth Fishel ~ September 11, 2007 Good morning my loved ones. I have been feeling the twinges of sorrow approaching as this anniversary drew nearer. There is still so much unrest in the world it makes it hard to watch the evening news, especially the world news. We seem to have slipped back into a state of comfortable numbness for the most part (I guess I should talk about me, for I know not what measures you continue to take), not being active enough in creating peace and well-being for everyone, and suffering and misery still ride high, spurred on by the wails of the innocent. Still, there's hope. As long as it lives on in the smiles and hugs that we share, as long as its carried to others through our small acts of kindness, perhaps Hope will grow in bounds and waves until even the hardest of hearts are softened and peace will flourish as it is supposed to in our souls. I wrote this a few years ago, and figured I would share it with you this morning. My schedule is a little rushed, though I may be struggling to find hours before long, but for now I am very busy. Still, God is good (all the time) and I'm sure my needs will be met. Our house got struck by lightening in a big storm we had Saturday, and it burned out the power supply to my computer, messed up the monitor or video card in my daughter's, burned out the color tube in my tv(I have a nice blue/green/purple/orange hue across my tv), and put a thin neon green line on the edge of my daughter's screen. It also burned out the bulb in my refrigerator I thought, and when I came home yesterday from work, I found all the meat and stuff in my freezer had thawed! Luckily, it was just a breaker I think (duh, never thought to check them!), for things seem to be freezing again! So, I'm blessed to have friends that work on computers--I getting mine fixed and even upgraded for less than $100, and I'll worry about my daughter's as soon as I can--she can use it, it just messed up her colors. I'm wearing my "World Unity Day" shirt from Sept. 1, 2001, and using my headlights while I'm driving in memory of those lost on "black tuesday" 6 short years ago. I love you. We can have our hearts broken, and yet that somehow makes them love stronger. John What has changed? The buildings are still torn asunder, though the rubble’s been cleared away. The emptiness still echoes with the screams of witnesses, and those that fell on that sad day. Apprehension is still very much alive, though familiar, it’s like carrying a pocket of sand; barely noticeable, out of sight, but then some seeps out, and we’re made aware all over again. Have our hearts changed? Have our souls’ eyes been opened to the suffering everywhere? Have our habits changed? Have we finally learned to listen with our spirits and care? Do we still cherish the laughter of our little ones, hold them closer and tight to our chest? Have we learned to pray peace for everyone, ask for the ending of all unrest? Bitterness will not heal these wounds, anger only opens more sores. Healing begins when hearts are attuned, when cooperation helps ride out the storm. Feel deeply the loss, the pain of the past; let your tears join the millions of others. This planet we’re on is like a big, round bed, all in it are our sisters and brothers. We all grieve those that have gone on before us, feel the emptiness they’ve left behind. Their absence a constant reminder, of a world set on actions unkind. Let their loss be a testament to all of us left, a commitment for a brighter tomorrow. Work together so that all our children can know a world without suffering or sorrow. We have so many resources available to us, the most sacred of these are our hearts. Join together as one, share a vision of hope, and together we’ll make a new start. May the pain of our past make us that more committed to end the suffering of our children. We can change this world into a kinder place, through our words, deeds, and the never ending attempt to understand, forgive, and rise above. Let love be our mainstay, not fear. Let care be our watchword, not contempt. Let unison be our creed, not division. There are far too many losses on all sides, where there shouldn’t be sides to begin with. May tomorrow be brighter because of the actions we take today. With love, mailto:johnh94@yahoo.com 9-11-03 Listen to the heart songs all around the world. There’s a song in everything just waiting to be heard. Every leaf and flower have an amazing song of life. Stars and moons sing out their tune as they twinkle in the night. Listen to the heartbeats of all the boys and girls, wishing for a sense of peace again in this battle-ridden world. Listen to the hearts’ prayers for an all consuming joy, spreading out across the earth to every girl and boy. And as you listen to these songs listen too, to this world’s sigh, in it you will hear a breath of hope for a love that will not die. .......John Hathaway Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. - Dwight David Eisenhower Do you have questions about our site, comments about our site or just need support? We would love to hear from you! Please e-mail us at amstoneus@yahoo.com or by writing to us at: Serenity Quest - P.O. Box 2332 - West Covina, CA 91793-2332