The Journey Inside – Sushila Mertens

Welcome to Activating Peace Inside Out: The Journey Inside. My intention for this session is to tune into being peace in the world. Our thoughts and emotions including unconscious beliefs and buried feelings affect our words, facial expressions, body language and actions. If we harbor any unconscious or conscious judgments, resentment, anger, or fear, it colors our energy field. People and animals will perceive something other than peace. As people turn on their extrasensory parasympathetic brain, they will perceive if your words are incongruent.

The match between the inner and outer selves is one description of being authentic. Becoming congruent inside and out will be one step to being authentic and communicating peace. This means if you say you want peace in the world, you must be responsible for your inner world.

Our culture or collective does not support or encourage personal responsibility. Media coverage focuses on differences, putting people in boxes, blaming others and outside events, and making someone else responsible for the difficulties in our lives. This trend increases separation, fear, resentment, and hatred, not inner peace and love.

Most sessions in this series will include a personal assessment to give the mind awareness of your inner world and external actions. The statements are designed to bring awareness to beliefs and what you are energetically communicating. You can take the assessments and record your findings and insights in a peace journal. You can retake the assessments at any time and reflect on how your inner peace is blossoming. Notice that this assessment is positive oriented

Assessment 1. Using a 1 – 10 rating, 1 = Never, 10 = Always, where are you now in each of these statements.

I feel and acknowledge the emotions that arise within me and release the power they hold over me.
I forgive myself and others for any perceived wrongs against me or others.
I thank all people and creation for being a mirror of every aspect that I hold within me.
I walk my talk and feel authentic.
I feel peaceful inside and experience a peaceful life.
I choose to communicate in peace throughout my day and in all circumstances.
I am aware of my survival patterns of fight flight or freeze and have tools to activate my parasympathetic nervous system.

If you have a life serving in trauma circumstances like emergency room care, domestic violence or homeless shelters, armed services, or other emergency care giving, does your inner peace sustain you through the experiences you face daily? Your nervous system may be on high alert for longer than other employment circumstances. You may notice how necessary your inner peace is for maximum performance to support your outer experiences. Inner conflicts and hyped up reaction could add to poor judgement and regrets over actions taken.

I personally apply tools from my Activating Peace Inside Out Tool Kit to life. I notice I am reacting less and responding more from peace. The circumstances, such as political opposition, may be the same; however, removing labels and listening to the feelings and needs of a person, knowing how to calm down my nervous system that activates when someone is aggressive, staying in the heart, and responding from peace makes a big difference in the outcome of the encounter. Even if the other never changes their tone or viewpoint, I can more often than not, keep my inner peace activated.

We are not talking perfection, only progress. Celebrating each step you take towards building capacity for peace will keep your attention on progress. You are not alone. We are walking into a new way of being and living together. What questions arise for you about communicating peace in your life? I welcome your questions and insights on our Activating Peace Inside Out Community faceBook page.

Namaste, The best in me sees and appreciates the best in you.
Sushila Mertens