Five Questions for Inner Peace

I find I am often wound up inside. Even when there is no visible external stress, there is a loop tape playing in my head. It could be about a ‘major’ life issue like finance, or a minor problem like an annoying cold; the abstract ‘I should have more time’ to the very real ‘my tummy should be flatter’. When I check within for the source of my ‘dis-ease’, I find dozens of these ‘viruses’ running subconsciously.

As I looked through my old notebooks, by chance I found a simple set of questions that GD had shared a few years ago to bring awareness to these unconscious patterns. Every question shines a light from a different angle onto these habitual loops. As I begin to answer them, I find myself getting balanced and grounded into the present moment once again:

1.     What story am I telling to make this moment incomplete or imperfect?

2.     What “shoulds” or “musts” am I trapped by in this moment?

3.     What am I compulsively trying to fix or solve in this moment?

4.     What am I running ‘towards’ or ‘away from’ in this moment?

5.     What is the fixed point-of-view from which I am operating?

Whenever you feel wound up, pause and play with these questions. They are very powerful in releasing the rubber-bands that keep you stretched into the past and future. And whatever answers come up, just take a deep breath and let go.

Carry them in your pocket through the day, like I do. And I hope they give you just as many moments of peace within your busy day!

Image © Aalif Surti 2012