Held in the arms of love, it is our Spirit that heals us. When we are disconnected from the core of the heart, we are disconnected from our essence. Living in the core values means living in kindness, integrity, love, virtue, truth, gratitude, forgiveness, hope, charity, empathy and non-judgment. This is where happiness is no matter what is happening in our physical world. True joy is knowing that we are loved (by ourselves and others). Ironically, we can only receive this love as we learn to express our own love toward others. Every day we model who we really are. Our children take note of this in a silent observance. They will later mirror us.   Our culture is moving at such a fast pace that we are always ready for the next best thing and never happy with the now. There are five "Principles of Centering" that can help us maintain our balance and relationship with our own Spirits. The first is Purpose. It is imperative that we seek and find our purpose in life. This may change during the course of living and may require a continual evaluation of purpose, but it is in the constant asking that we remain on the path that will bring us the most joy.   The second Principle is Pace. The "speed train" life is one of excitement but it is also one that moves into rush mode rather than reflection mode. As we learn to pace ourselves and to set a time (slow time) to meditate, reflect, do yoga, breath, etc. We realize that it is in this quiet time that we hear ourselves and clear out the cobwebs and "stuck" emotions. This is the time to get centered. This "setting of pace" can be something that runs throughout our whole day and brings us peace as we leave the speed train behind.   The third Principle is Priority. As we live our lives, we start to realize that there are some things that are more important than others. This prioritizing must come from the heart. When we discover what is most important to us  we must live true to this. Although there are times when things lower on the list demand out immediate attention, if this becomes a pattern it becomes a lifestyle. So leave the work behind and spend that extra hour with the kids, or taking a walk, or sitting with your partner and enjoying the sunset.   The fourth Principle is Practice. This is critical to maintain consistency and flow. We must practice what we love...and we must love what we practice. This relates to finding our purpose but I would like to speak about it in terms of the soul level. We must ask ourselves if we have a soul practice. I'm sure that most of you are committed to doing certain things for your physical body every day. Would you leave the house without brushing your teeth? Yet, you can not take the time to sit in silent meditation for 15 minutes? Or send out a prayer of love and forgiveness, or spend a moment in conscious breathing? How about doing some yoga or reflective journaling? In order to maintain the spiritual body, we must have a practice. This is how we connect with our hearts and others on a daily basis.   This leads to the last Principle which is a result of all others: Peace. We are free souls able to make decisions that help create our lives. In the end, WE are responsible for the reality that we have been living in. The ONLY time for change is in the NOW. The past is gone, the future is not here. Make a decision to center with the five Principles of Peace. 

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