Spiritual Sustainability

By Alixandra Peters

Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "Courage is grace under pressure".   Today more than ever, with all the pressures of the changing world,  we are in need of the kind of courage that will enable us to be focused, calm and decisive.  In order to accomplish this we must call forth the peaceful warrior that resides within all of us, and then, proceed with grace into the unknown.   Each day offers new opportunities and bring to the fore new challenges so that we might grow into our greatest potential as spiritual beings.  We can either chose to react to these opportunities and challenges with a stressed and upset mind or we can respond with a calm and focused mind.  Courage is an art form that takes diligent training to develop and perfect.  We have to put ourselves out into the world to hone the skills of the peaceful warrior. 

The Samurai were great and powerful warriors who offered the example of a life lived with courage and grace.  Not only were they formidable warriors , they were also gentle artists and poets.  They lived life as a ritual filled with meaning, purpose and passion.  Unafraid of death, they seized each day with an open and graceful heart.  It is so important in this day and age to find the balance between the warrior and the peace maker, for both has their place and purpose in help us through the daily ups and downs of life.  If we can learn anything from the Samurai it is that we can evolve into centered, courageous yet peaceful warriors. 

Peaceful warriors possess the ability to handle all that life throws at them and still keep a calm and focused mind. Their emotions do not override their mental balance and cause havoc or anger.   To the peaceful warrior, there is a spiritual  solution to every problem and every experience holds with in the gift of a divine lesson.   It is not that they don’t feel negative emotions; they  simply make the conscious choice not to express them.  They acknowledge the negative and convert it into the positive energy needed to create the courage to engage life with grace instead of fear.  Each and every one of us can access our warrior with daily meditation and breath work.  By emptying our minds of worry, fear and anxiety each day, for as little as five minutes, we open the doors for spirit to enter our lives.  Spirit is the sword of the peaceful warrior and without it the warrior is defenseless.  Training the mind is key to being successful and needs daily sessions to evolve and grow.   Find what works best for you: meditation, material arts, painting or writing.  Any of these activities can help bring focus and calm to the mind so that when life gives you lemons you will be able to make lemonade.  Your courage is found in the calm!

Each day remember to seek the place of calm within you. Find the courage to be graceful on all occasions. Once you do this enough it will become second nature. After a while, you won’t even need to think about it before doing it.  Again, make a practice of connecting with your peaceful warrior through your meditation, material arts or  daily journaling.  The courage needed to get through the triumphs and tragedies of life is already within us, we just have to muster the courage to find it.  It might take a few internal battles to get to it, but in the end it will be worth it all.  Always keep your sword  (Spirit) close and endeavor to fight the good fight.  Bless your journey of self-discovery in full confidence you possess all the courage you need to express grace under pressure.

 

Alixandra Peters is the second oldest daughter of the publisher’s of Kinetics Magazine. She has been formally trained as a naturalist and horticulturist. In her spare time, Alixandra enjoys being a freelance photojournalist and homebrewer. She resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her dog, Homer and her three adorable cats - Skye, Jasmine and Chamile. You can contact her at: Celticcat27@cox.net .