[img]1043|left|||no_popup[/img]Given all that is currently going on in the world around us, in this Christmas missive I would like to share with you a few things I have found most helpful to keep me centered, at peace and in joy:
1. Daily indulge in quiet time. It can be walking in quietude, taking in the wonder of being alive, or even lying down, resting and breathing quietly for five to 20 minutes. Neuroscience is validating its beneficial effects.
2. Bask in the goodness of all that has already been given you. Stay connected with that truth, rather than get caught in rampant fears and “what ifs.” This will help you actualize the good your heart’s desires.
3. Keep your focus on the Greater Good. Whether you believe in God or simply in the highest aspirations of being human, empathy is key to our survival. To sustain our own personal good, we need to be sure it does no harm and benefits others. As I look at these truths from the Christian perspective in which I was born, I believe the Christmas message is that of Jesus coming into this world to exemplify and remind us, in the words of the Prophet Micah (6:8): “This is what Yahweh asks of you: Only this, Act justly, Love tenderly and Walk humbly with your God/Good.”
The heart of it all is empathy.
A profound book on how empathy will shape our journey and determine our fate as a species is Jeremy Rifkin’s, “The Empathic Civilization.” This 600-plus-page tome has 25 pages of notes and 13 pages of bibliography covering communication theory, psychology, political science, sociology, history, anthropology, philosophy, theology, literature and the arts.
I recommend viewing Rifkin’s user-friendly 11 minutes long video on “The Empathic Civilization,” or his 52- minute lecture. Both are on YouTube.
Please Come
I invite you and your loved ones to my annual mini-retreat if you would like to reconnect with your own empathic inner wisdom.
This year we will focus on “Mindfulness and Manifesting.” It will pivot around the three principles that I have found sustain and enrich my well being:
1. Be still to know your Ultimate Good.
2. Enjoy Life! And
3. Be kind to All Beings.
Even if you cannot come to the retreat, I encourage you to try living this way for a few weeks. Then let me know if you, too, are finding yourself more peaceful, centered and in joy —even in the midst of these challenging times. Be well, and be in joy,
Here is my invitation:
Mindfulness and Manifesting
Come experience quietude, and in that stillness,
Learn the art of cooperating in co-creating
The gifts you are called to manifest.
Join me at a Culver City location on Sunday, Jan. 16, from 3 to 5 p.m.
RSVP for location and to reserve your place: mindfulness@drsuzannejoy.comme
