Peace

Peace:

Peace offers us a pervasive sense of contentment that comes from being rooted in the Holy. It is a state that endures beyond the ups and downs of life, beyond the emotions of joy and sorrow. At the deepest level one knows that all is well.

–from Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit, Thomas Keating

A Simple Breath-Prayer of Peace

Below is a breath prayer I learned a while ago and continue to find it a practice of deep nourishment. It lets us inhale the life essence of a Fruit, and then exhale it into the atmosphere around us.

• Take a few gentle breaths and relax your thoughts, your emotions, and any tension in your body.

• Breathe in peace. Allow its energy and presence to fill you. Let this spiritual nutrient into your physical being, as well as your spirit and soul.

• As you breathe in peace, feel it nourishing you and feeding you.

• Then breathe out peace, letting it fill the atmosphere around you. Feel yourself sharing that goodness with all that is around you.

• Repeat this for several breaths, letting yourself be nourished by peace while simultaneously nourishing the world. When you’re ready, rest in stillness for a few moments before returning to your day.

When we breathe in peace, we remember we’re held by Divine Peace; when we breathe it out, we become a conduit of that same grace.