Intro

As we continue our series following the Christian tradition of Advent, we will address PEACE through the lens of mental health.

Very simply, peace is not the absence of conflict or the absence of challenging circumstances but an inner sense of calm and confidence that “it’s okay;” that “I’m okay.”  And real peace is experienced not in time, but in each moment. 

My  Thoughts

Neurologically, Our brains are continually processing past experiences and applying them to future expectations.  Our brains are either thinking about the past or planning for the future. Regrets or pains from the past often result in sadness, anger or regret.  When we apply those to the future, it can lead to anxiety or despair, a fear that life will never get better.  It’s hard to be at peace when we are stuck in time!

There is a lot of information out there about mindfulness.  One way of understanding mindfulness practices is that they are designed to help a person be “present.”  Practices such as meditation and prayer can help us stay grounded in the Now and not get trapped in Then and There past experiences or in the anxiety of What If? future thinking. But these practices take - - - practice!  They don’t come naturally to us.  If you have tried meditation, you have discovered that at first your mind wanders into reliving past events or making a to-do list of future events. In prayer, people often pray for future outcomes rather than experiencing the presence of God in the moment.

Conclusion

It’s hard work to get our minds to stay grounded in the now!  But the benefits of mindfulness, prayer, grounding exercises and the like are being seen in research being done.  It’s worth the hard work to develop strong mindfulness practices - and they will help you experience the internal peace everyone is longing for!

Application:

Meditation is easy to understand, but hard to do.  If you want to practice, here is a simple technique.  Sit in a comfortable position. (Don’t lie down.  Sleeping is good for you, but it’s not meditation!) Breathe slowly, in through the nose, out through the mouth.  Focus on your breathing.  As you experience thoughts that are from the future or past, recognize them and let them drift away.  Don’t try to stop thinking!  Our brains don’t work that way.  Helpful ways to stay focused on the right now include:

• Focus on counting your breathing: “In - 2 - 3 - 4; Hold; Out - 2 - 3 - 4” 
• Focus on a word or phrase that keeps you grounded such as
• • “PEACE,”
  • “I am here now.”
  • “NOW”
• Meditation can involve using a favorite scripture verse or inspirational phrase or a line from poetry.
• Simply repeat in your mind as you are breathing.  When other thoughts intrude, dismiss them gently and return to repeating the word, verse, or phrase.
• For other ideas, there are many mindfulness apps that can help with learning and practicing.  Some are faith-based, some are not.  Pick one that you are comfortable with. 

If you are just starting with this practice, try to go five minutes.  You will be amazed at how long five minutes seems at first!  But as you grow more comfortable, you will develop a stronger mind with skills and practices that you will be able to apply in moments when the circumstances of the world are challenging your peace.