Peace is only found in yes!

This morning's rain scattered diamonds in the bare trees. Water drops suspend on tiny branches, thousands glittering in the day's new light! The rain, the trees, the light all say "yes" to life, to me, to you.

"Peace is only found in yes". A. de Mello SJ

Love,

Darlene

Peace Connections

Did you know............that for every 6 neurons in your brain there are 32,768 connection configurations possible? It boggles the mind. This variability in the way the brain can form connections is what makes it the most powerful computer ever.

Now then, for every group of 6 people on the planet there are 32,768 connection configurations. It seems to me that these many and varied ways to connect are the basis for something amazing and powerful. So, the next time you hear yourself or someone else say that Peace is not possible, remember this number. Humans and the GINORMOUS number of ways we can connect makes anything possible. Especially Peace!

Love,

Darlene

Perceptual Completion for Peace

Read the book "This is Your Brain on Music"! It explains why humans love music and what we love about it.

It also sheds light on the amazing ability of our brain to do something powerful called "perceptual completion" where we fill in information missing from what we see or hear. Perception is a process more of inference than seeing precisely what is happening. Which is why no two people perceive exactly the same thing. Each of us is making up some of what we see!

So, the question becomes, how are you filling in the blanks? Do you choose to fill them with love and Peace or with fear, guilt, blame, sadness and anger? You get to choose you know. Please choose to fill the space with Peace today.

Love,

Darlene

Just enough light

Do you know why you have "just enough light to see the next step"? According to Henri Nouwen it is because that is all you need! You don't have to see far or have it all figured out to create Peace in your life. Simply look in the light for the next step.

When you choose the next step and trust yourself, trust others and trust the sacred mystery, you can move Peacefully forward, confident that you will arrive. Cool runnings! Peace be the journey.

Love,

Darlene

Peace Filled Holidays

Are you settling this holiday season for traditions that don't honor what you desire and are committed to? This year I chose to disregard and discard the parts that don't support love and being or Peace. As options presented themselves, parties, gift ideas, time use, I simply asked myself, "Self! Does this support love and being and Peace?"

If it didn't I said, "No, thank you very much!" And let it go.

The Peace practice this Tuesday is: let go of whatever does not support your commitment to Peace and love and being. For some of you it may mean letting go of a lot. For those of you who have already lightened your load, how's the weather up there?

Love,

Darlene

Inspirational leaders risk making bold requests of others: to be in integrity in the face of their fear, to be generous in the face of scarcity, to let go of the "sure thing" in service of creating the new or the impossible. Making a bold and principled request is simply another way of declaring what we stand for in the world. We stand solidly in it enough to be a demand that others stand in it too!

My bold request this holiday season is that YOU be an inspirational leader!

One way you can do this is to give to causes that make a difference in the world. I honor the people I love this holiday by giving money in their names to Kiva, Oxfam and other organizations that create new possibility (loans, learning, mentoring) for others. This is both meaningful for me and those I honor as well as transformative for those who receive the gift. And that's a "three-fer" which of course is waaaaaay more valuable than a "two-fer" or a "one-fer".

Love,

Darlene

Give Peace!

The best gift you can give someone this holiday coincidentally also happens to be the best gift you can give yourself: Peace! That's a two-fer.

And you will know that you have created it when you are no longer compulsively filling the empty spaces in your life buying gifts people do not need and attending gatherings that don't delight you. Imagine the space you create as filled with Peace. And if you must buy something, donate to a nonprofit in someone's name. Give to people who truly need your gift.

Peace is the reason for this season. Be Peace and give it away with love.


Love,

Darlene

Doing the Truth in Love!

Happiness can be fleeting, hinged to the temporal, to circumstances, to getting. It is often conflated with joy. Michael Hines says that joy is something quite different. It is "doing the truth in love....a profound conviction that (this) is a good way to live life and spend one's energies and talents." This may be why joy is found in giving, particularly in giving the gift of our authentic self.

I say joy is access to sustained Peace.

How might you "do the truth in love" today, and for a stretch do it all day?

Peace.

Love,

Darlene