Return to Peace

At a recent gathering of Front Range Unity ministers I jokingly greeted a fellow minister with, “Hey, how are you? Are you staying busy?” I know that he is typically quite active in many arenas so I thought of it has a lighthearted greeting. With loving kindness, he replied, “Staying busy is not my goal.” His reply has stuck with me. When I occasionally feel overwhelmed by activities, I remind myself, “Staying busy is not my goal.”

On Tuesday, during check-in time at our weekly staff meeting, I noticed that nearly everyone on our staff used the word ‘busy’ when sharing about what is going on in their lives. There were comments like, “It’s a busy time of year,” “I am very busy, but…,” and “We all get busy, and…” Boy, could I relate to all of that. I was right there with them. It does seem that we are “busy” with all the holiday activities happening around our spiritual center. Upon reflection, it was a good reminder for me to affirm, “Staying busy is not my goal.”

It is easy, especially at this time of year, for us to get caught up in all the activities of the season and get lost in the busyness. When we allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the busyness of the holidays, we can miss the experience of Peace, Love and Joy that the Advent and Christmas seasons offer us.

When we notice that we are feeling stressed by all the expectations and activities of the season, we can lovingly remind ourselves,

“Staying busy is not my goal. It is my goal to be present in the moment, surrender to the Peace at the center of my being, share the Love that flows naturally as me, and feel the Joy that arises from my soul.”

If you are feeling the stress of busyness at any time, but especially during the holiday season, I encourage you to stop for moment, take a deep breath, take another deep breath, and another – repeating as necessary – until your awareness can move from your head, the busyness of your mind, and land deep in the heart space at your center.

Peace is at the center of your being. It is the very nature of your being. Peace is internal, and it is eternal. My friend and Unity minister, Diadra Price, in her book Grace Awakening Essence says,

Jesus understood his inheritance of Peace to be the consciousness flowing from him…”Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27)…In the 20^th chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus lets us know this same Peace is within us. Three times he says, “Peace be with you” (John 20: 19, 21 & 26).

Think of Peace as a space of stillness within you and which you are within. You may even envision it as a pool of abiding stillness. Imagine that as you drop your awareness into this pool, the stressful thoughts of busyness are gently washed away. The energy of those thoughts is dissipated in the pool. You are left to rest, to be bathed in the stillness of Peace.

From the stillness of Peace, the energy of Love is revealed as the only true expression of the Light that you are. Open your heart and mind to allow the light of Love to shine forth in you, from you, as you. The idea of busyness no longer has any meaning. You are Love expressing from Peace with every thought, word and action. Everything you do is imbued with the energy of Love.

As Love flowing from Peace, you are Joy expressed and experienced. Joy bubbles up from your soul like an effervescent fountain. Your Joy is full. Joy flows from you and out into your every life experience. Your Joy touches the lives of all around you. Your Joy is contagious.

I invite us to allow this season of Advent to be a time when we free ourselves from the busyness of life and Return to Peace where Love abide and Joy expresses.

Join us at 10:00 for our Sunday service as we observe the second Sunday in Advent and explore Peace as an aspect of Christ consciousness.