“I could see peace instead of this.”
The idea for today begins to describe the conditions that prevail in the
other way of seeing. Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter. It must
begin with your own thoughts, and then extend outward. It is from
your peace of mind that a peaceful perception of the world arises.
Three longer practice periods are required for today’s exercises.
One in the morning and one in the evening is advised, with an
additional one to be undertaken at any time inbetween which seems
most conducive to readiness. All applications should be done with
your eyes closed. It is your inner world to which the applications of
today’s idea should be made.
Some five minutes of mind searching are required for each of
the longer practice periods. Search your mind for fear thoughts,
anxiety provoking situations, “offending” personalities or events, or
anything else about which you are harboring unloving thoughts.
Note them all casually, repeating the idea for today slowly as you
watch them arise in your mind, and let each one go, to be replaced
by the next.
If you begin to experience difficulty in thinking of specific
subjects, continue to repeat the idea to yourself in an unhurried
manner, without applying it to anything in particular. Be sure,
however, not to make any specific exclusions.
The shorter applications are to be frequent, and made whenever
you feel your peace of mind is threatened in any way.The purpose is
to protect yourself from temptation throughout the day. If a specific
form of temptation arises in your awareness, the exercise should take
this form:
“I could see peace in this situation instead of what I now see in it.”
If the inroads on your peace of mind take the form of more
generalized adverse emotions, such as depression, anxiety or worry,
use the idea in its original form. If you find you need more than one
application of today’s idea to help you change your mind in any
specific context, try to take several minutes and devote them to
repeating the idea until you feel some sense of relief. It will help you
if you tell yourself specifically:
“I can replace my feelings of depression, anxiety or worry [or my
thoughts about this situation, personality or event] with peace."
BRITNEY ADDED: Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter. It must begin with your own thoughts, and then extend outward. It is from your peace of mind that a peaceful perception of the world arises. Three practice periods of inner mind searching is asked of us today. Morning, noon and night we can close our eyes and apply todays idea to our inner world.
"I could see peace in this situation instead of what I now see in it."
"I can replace my feelings of depression, anxiety or worry [or my thoughts about this situation, personality or event] with peace."