Let’s be Guardians of Our Earth

Happy Earth Day 2024!

Can you see yourself as a Guardian of our Earth who assists in its healing and its peacemaking?  You do not have to wait till Earth Day to connect to Mother Earth and make your commitment to assist our planet and humanity today.  Let us make our world a greener and more balanced, peaceful place to live.  I can make a difference each day and so can you.

You may wonder what you can do to assist our planet and humanity.  Here are some powerful steps to get you started:

1. Visualize each day how you would like your world to be.

2. Put all your energy into positive good thoughts and let negative thoughts fall away.  Positive thoughts attract positive happenings and positive energies.  Your thoughts and actions are important to all of us.

3. Feel your peace within and know that this is the truth.

4. Extend that peace to all you meet by viewing each person, plant and animal as a Beloved one who deeply connects with you.

5. Send thoughts, prayers of love and peace to all by expanding your prayers to include everything on our planet.

6. Feel the love in your heart touching the hearts of everyone, every thing on the planet.

Remember your feelings create your manifestations.  As you integrate into your life the actions that will assist all humanity, you will begin to feel a beautiful connection to all, a natural connection that blossoms and expands through love. Your daily life will transform immediately if you take these six steps. Begin within yourself to feel the connection with the earth and spread that love to others. 

On this day, think about conscious actions you can take in your life to become a Guardian of our Earth

– take the bus to work

– compost your garbage

– use less water or grow a vegetable garden or begin a community garden

-pick up trash in your neighborhood

– turn off your lights that you are not using

There are many ways to improve the quality of our Earth. Make a list with your children and family. Share it with you friends. What are you going to do to show how much you care?

Thank you for being a Guardian of our Earth. Let us be so thankful for our beautiful planet!

“Look deep into nature, then you will understand everything better.” Albert Einstein

Peacefully Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

Read Full Post »

Create a new shelter for yourself

OLD AGE: A NEW SHELTER FOR YOURSELF

“The amazing thing about the human soul and the human spirit is it is never in a state of non-experience.  There is something going on all the time.  Even when you are sleeping. There are rivers of dream-thought flowing through the earth of your body, bringing up all types of mythic, archetypal stuff, some of which belongs to you, a lot of which belongs to the clay and a lot of which belongs to the race… So in old age, time slows a bit, the outer draw to activity recedes, and you have time for the more contemplative side of things…. You have a chance then to decipher what has happened to you, to see the hidden depths of experiences that have occurred in your life.  You really have a chance to weave a new shelter for yourself.”

-John O’Donohue, Walking in Wonder

Aging continues to fascinate me! It really can be a time to ‘weave a new shelter for yourself”. ..a place of comfort and peace…a place that always contains something new and magical with unknown wonders.

In my aging shelter, I am not as busy as I used to be, but days seem to go quickly…maybe too quickly. I try to accomplish a few ‘tasks’ each day. But I spend a lot of time reading, writing, meditating, preparing for my fall women’s gathering and being outside for walks. Now warmer days are here, I am in my garden that is like a shelter me or a secret garden. It is a place I can go to be alone, listen to the birds, watch the robins and sometimes a Flicker visits…a nice place to meditate!

John O’Donohue reminds us to create a shelter to create a new way of living as we age. I love his use of the word ‘weave’ because as we age we can ‘weave’ in new ways of living and still bring with us the thoughts full of our memories or hobbies that bring us joy…a weaving of old and new. We can bring our heart love into our shelter and gratitude for having these elder years. Yes,the physical challenges are present, but we can keep in good health by exercising and having a good diet. We can accept what we can and cannot do. We can always do the most important thing in life…we can live with an open and accessible heart…we can share our love…

For those of you who are younger, you can create a shelter where you can consciously create the life you want and share your talents and gifts. It is up to you what and whom you want in your shelter so you can have more love and joy. I think we have many shelters, big and small, as we age. It may be a physical shelter like a garden or room, or a mindful creative shelter or a heart shelter filled within filled with what you value and love. We need them to nourish ourselves so we stay healthy and well.

Enjoy weaving your shelter with things you love!

Peacefully,

Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Read Full Post »

Staying in Peace during Challenging Times

In 2004, I was ordained as a Minister of Spiritual Peacemaking in the Beloved Community, by founder James Twyman. I spent two years studying about how to create peace through religions, indigenous cultures, philosophers and spiritual new age authors, holistic energy work and so on. At that time, I was going through personal challenges in my relationships at work and at home. The biggest thing I learned was that if I wanted peace, I had to create peace. I had to be peace. Gandhi said, ‘if you want change, be the change’ and his words now had deeper meaning to me.

I began to feel more peaceful through my mindfulness and heart love meditations, through forgiveness of myself and others, and saying ‘Yes’ to peace and really meaning it! I began to see people and situations in a new light. This wasn’t an instant cure for all my problems, but it did help me when my business partner left, my boyfriend left and in 2007, I had breast cancer. But during this time, I was feeling more and more peaceful and while I healed from cancer, this inner peace, a place of love within, sustained me. I healed from cancer and have been well. There was more happiness…my boyfriend became my loving husband and my business partner is still a dear friend! I wrote my book “In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation” and created Peaceful Way Women’s gatherings and met wonderful women who are still in my life today. Love and peace made this happen!

Choosing peace in your life may seem like an impossible task. It comes when you make an intention to be peaceful and calm when situations are difficult. It comes from knowing that ‘love is the answer’ to all problems. It comes from ‘seeing the beauty and blessings’ that nature provides for us each day. And feeling ‘a spiritual connection’, the great unknown mystery, an unexplainable loving feeling, that guides us to move more deeply into love and is always present.

Let us know peace.

For as long as the moon shall rise,

For as long as the rivers shall flow,

For as long as the sun shall shine,

For as long as the grass shall grow,

Let us know peace.

— Cheyenne Prayer

It is no longer good enough to cry peace, we must act peace, live peace and live in peace.

~Shenandoah Wisdom

May each of us, in our own way, create more peace in our lives each day.

See the beauty and stay in love,

Have a beautiful, peaceful day!

Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

Read Full Post »

The sweetness of surrender…letting go

In these challenging days, we can spend a lot of time trying to understand what is happening within our families, communities and the world. Our fears and anxieties can build. Meditation can bring relief from our daily stresses, but sometimes it can be difficult to meditate and to find a place of stillness within. But I have found with the practice of focusing on my breathing…in and out…and gradually relaxing my mind and body, I begin to allow myself to move my thoughts into my heart. I like to put my hands over my heart. Our heart is a sacred space that invites us into its gentleness and love. Then I am ready to move more deeply into a place of ‘surrender’.

As you begin to relax with your eyes closed, you can visualize a place that you love…like a beach, park, garden, your room. Now gently begin to shift your thoughts away from your outer problems and allow a cozy, warm place to unfold within your heart’s consciousness. As your mind becomes quiet and your body relaxes, it will reflect this inner sanctuary.

This warm, loving feeling will comfort you as you allow yourself to be held and embraced within. Let go of trying to make things work. See yourself stretching out your hands and letting go of your worries…see them dissolving.

Now you can make room for what you truly wants to be created from within you…

Making space…releasing, surrendering our fears, opening our hearts…we begin to lift and see a new space…hope, love, new creations…

Remember we do not have to figure everything out or try to make others change. There is always the unknown in our lives….simply embrace the beauty of your true self…and miracles will begin to unfold…the universe responds, loves you, guides and embraces you!

So how do we surrender while we are meditating?

I like to begin with some mantras…words that I repeat several times.

As you begin to meditate say…

”I am revealed in surrender.” 

Surrender, I awaken to your calling in this moment

I surrender…

I release my old limitations and fears,

I feel them all, see them all, touch them all

I allow them all to be released through my heart

I awaken to the calling of my heart

I surrender,

I surrender to love within my sacred heart

And in the very core of my being

I am ready to act with love and compassion

I trust in the unfolding Universe

I am filled with gratitude,

love and trust…

I listen for guidance within my heart.

Take time in silence and listen within…

Bring those beautiful thoughts back into your daily life…

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

Read Full Post »

A winter walk with Hafiz

As I walked through the nearby woods on this snowy morning, I reflected on Hafiz’s words, written in the 14^th century about aging.

The impermanence of the body should give us great clarity,
deepening the wonder in our senses and eyes
of this mysterious existence we share
and are surely just traveling through.
~ Hafiz, Persian Poet , translator unknown

Hafiz’s words made me think of where I am on my ‘traveling through”. Soon I will be 77 years old. Yet, the wonder and mystery of life, a presence, still deepens within me. It still calls me to see the beauty of life, to be touched by the natural way, and to live with compassion for all beings. This presence wandered with me through the woods, as it does each day, as I reflected about the wonders of aging and the gifts that this time of life has to offer.

I realized that my “beliefs’ are melting away and like Hafiz, I feel like I am passing through…a story, my story, my creation…and what a journey it has been! Ups and downs…and in between! And I know I can keep creating, sharing and “being” my story in this present moment! I know I am captain of my journey but I am not alone…I am connected to all beings, to everything in the universe. Even as I age, my every thought and action affect everything else. So my life, as long as I am here, is important. And what I leave as a legacy is important too. What an empowering thought. Thank you Hafiz.

A Haiku from my morning walk inspired by Hafiz,

winter stillness

infinite spirit calls

deep within

By Jane Rosalea Brown

May we all move more deeply into our senses with clarity and wonder!

Peacefully,

Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

Read Full Post »

10 Tips for Creating an Harmonious Relationship

Most of us want to have good relationships with others. We want to find a life partner, our soulmate; we want good working relationships; we want a happy family. However, creating harmonious relationships can be difficult at times. Whether we are in a working, volunteer or personal relationship, the challenge of ‘getting along’ with others is always present. Happiness may be our goal, but unfortunately it may seem like conflicts get more of our attention. Our relationships affect our everyday!

Through all my different relationships I experienced the power of love…the hurtful feelings of not being loved and the warm and compassionate feelings of being loved. The most important thing that I learned from difficult relationships was that I needed to get in touch with myself…to figure out who I was. Meditation was my “way” to knowing myself…to loving myself.

Taking time to meditate each day gave me an inner place to let go, to release my anxieties and feel the love within my heart. I just had to be still and feel it. Loving myself was not about being conceited and only thinking about what I wanted and not caring about others. I learned it was about being humble, to take time to delve into my true feelings and to have courage to open my heart to welcome loving relationships.

How are you really feeling…about yourself, your relationships…about your view of life? All our relationships help us to grow and to know ourselves and others better. What can you do today to create a more peaceful relationship with someone you love? How can you assist another to make their day brighter? How are you going to nurture yourself today?

Here are 10 few tips to assist you to create the relationships you desire:

v Focus on what you want in your relationship, rather than on what you do not want.

v Only say good things about your partner or friend.

v You cannot change another person, but you can transform yourself.

v When your heart truly opens to love, your ‘poor me’ feelings leave.

v Respect your partner’s right to choose what he/she wants to do.

v Enjoy time on your own to explore your creative side.

v Love yourself everyday and shine as brightly as you can.

v Embrace your personal power – you are in charge of how you feel and what you do in every moment.

v Forgive yourself and your partner … each day is a new beginning.

v Create a loving relationship where there are ‘spaces’ for each one to create, to love and to flow…

Love is the key in everything we experience…the more love…the more peace and happiness…the better friend you are to yourself and others…the better your relationships!

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Peaceful Way MeditationAuthor, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

Read Full Post »

A Break Away, a relaxation Meditation

If you begin to feel stressed during your day, take a break away from what you are doing to relax and relieve your stress. A few minutes of meditation and creative visualization will bring you back into balance and leave you feeling refreshed! Take time to nurture yourself! Enjoy this short meditation.

A Break Away Meditation

“Take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. Allow your body to just let go. Become aware of any tension in your body and just breathe into that area for a moment….

Now as you take in each breath say to yourself “I am..” and as you breathe out say to yourself “relaxed”, in “I am”….out “relaxed”, “I am….relaxed”

Just allow your mind and body to be peaceful, if thoughts come just let them pass and go back to focusing on your breath, as it now gently flows in through your nose notice the coolness of the air just as it enters your nostrils………….

“I am relaxed”…….

Now picture yourself in a beautiful meadow, a summer field, surrounded by wildflowers, you can hear birds a little way off and you know that you are completely safe. You can feel the warmth of the sun on your face and body. Feel it flowing through your whole body from head to toe.

As you gently lie down on the soft grass and feel supported by Mother earth and warmed by the sun, you know that you have everything you need.

Just lie here for a few moments and enjoy this wonderful place of peace and calm…

When you are ready just breathe a little more deeply, feel the vital flow of energy through your body as you gently come back to the room and continue on with your day refreshed and re-energized, knowing that you can return to your special place of calm anytime you want just by recalling it.”

Daily meditation, even for a short time, calms our mind, eases our nerves and takes us into our heart so we can feel some peace. You will find that your meditation time will increase naturally as you practice and each time you will receive new benefits…better sleep, better health, clearer mind…and deeper spiritual connection.

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Peaceful Way MeditationAuthor, In Silence, Discovering Self through MeditationAuthor Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

Read Full Post »

After Christmas and a little ‘blue’

The week between Christmas and the New Year is a time that I sometimes feel a little down. Most years it’s because of all the rush of Christmas preparations is over and I am tired. This year, we experienced three days of a blizzard that blocked both our front and back doors of our home, some family members were ill and we couldn’t visit family or friends. I am also missing loved ones who have passed in the last year and beyond. I have developed an inner ear problem that is adding to my moodiness. So I am resting and doing ear exercises to correct my balance…they are working! So as I improve, I have time to reflect as the New Year approaches, so I searched my Peaceful Way files for some inspiration.

I found a poem that lifted my spirit…lifted me back into a space where I felt better about myself, back into being grateful for all my blessing! With all the hardships going on in the world, I feel ashamed of my petty complaints. But we each have our own experiences, often big trials and tragedies, and small trials that can sink into our daily lives and sometimes feel bigger than they are. This poem by Nikita Gill put my small trials in their correct place. It reminded me of how I have grown over the years, just like we all do. It made me feel better, took me into my heart and opened it to reveal happy memories. My blues began to fade away.

So if you are I like I was this morning, a little blue, I hope this poem will awaken you to remember how many ‘seeds’ you have planted and how much you have blossomed over the years. Really realize how awesome you are. And remember we always can plant new seeds, have new thoughts, new loves and passions, and most of all accept that life is ever changing. Sometimes, like for me today, we don’t have to do anything special except to shift our thoughts and have a new perspective to feel better.

It is up to me to stay in the rhythm and flow of nature, and create ‘balance’ in my life as changes occur and allow my tree of life to evolve in the forest..that I share with each of you…

“One day when you wake up

you will find that you’ve become a forest.

You’ve grown roots and found strength in them

that no one thought you had.

You have become stronger and more beautiful,

full of life giving qualities.

You have learned to take all the negativity around you,

and turn it into oxygen for easy breathing.

A host of wild creatures live inside you,

and you call them stories.

A variety of beautiful birds nest inside your mind,

and you call them memories.

You have become an incredible self sustaining thing of epic proportions.

And you should be so proud of yourself,

of how far you have come from the seeds of who you used to be.”

~ Nikita Gill ~ author of “Wild Embers” amazon.ca

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Peaceful Way MeditationAuthor, In Silence, Discovering Self through MeditationAuthor Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

Read Full Post »

How to feel better! “Letting go” is a Process

Are you feeling a little stuck, sad or stifled at this time of the year? It may be a good time to let go of what is bothering you. The concept of ‘letting go is a powerful and transformative one to relieve stress.. So how do we cope with all this letting go and how does it benefit us?

Acceptance is the the key! Accept what you can and cannot do. Accept that you may have fears such as aging but you don’t let those fears engulf you. Accept other’s right of choices and beliefs…and your right to your values and desires. This will help you cope with relationships at work, friends or family. If you are sad or grieving, nurture yourself, and allow time to accept and adjust to the ways your life has changed.

Stay in the present moment. It’s okay to have our mind wander to the past…dream old memories. Sometimes I dream of what would have happened if I had made different decisions. But then I awake and realize that all those tough decisions…letting go of relationships and work…led me to where I am now. And I feel blessed. I sometimes wish some things were different or I fret about small things. But when I am in the ‘present moment’, it is the moment where I can change my thoughts if I am in a grumpy mood, worried or sad. I change and calm my thoughts. I know that negative thoughts are not good for my health. My body, mind and spirit stay well when I stay balanced and peaceful.

Put your energies into what you can do! I make muffins for my husband! It’s a small thing but I am creating something new. Or I write a poem or write for this blog. Put your energies into volunteering. This always lifts your spirit when others receive you caring. The past two years of Covid took away our normal communications and contact with others. This week the snow has stopped us from seeing our family. I had to ‘let go’ of my deep disappointment from not seeing my grandkids. So I talked to my grandchildren and my 2 year old granddaughter said “I love You” and suddenly the world seemed like a better place.

We can always think about doing things a new way. This is called re-framing our thoughts. The ‘letting go’ process is an on-going one. Everyday we can release, cleanse, create new thoughts to lift our spirits. It may take time, even practice to heighten our awareness of what we are afraid of or what is weighing us down. We can learn to re-frame our thoughts to create a more positive way to be. Take time in meditation to receive new inspirations.

Daily affirmations are a wonderful practice. Many have health concerns and then our illness takes our focus. I know when I had breast cancer, I repeatedly told myself that I was well. I said affirmations “I am well. I am healthy”. These little words transformed me and allow me to heal. That was 15 years ago. I still say affirmations…”I am calm. I am peace. I am love”. I chant these words before I go to sleep every night. Any worries I have seem to fade away as I say these words and I fall asleep in peace.

Gratitude shifts us as we move into our heart. There is an energy in the universe that responds to our letting go especially if we are also grateful for our blessings. That may be hard for many in the world right now with so much destruction and war. But people are resilient, loving and compassionate…they will and do rise above the darkness. Each of our loving thoughts helps to circulate this energy that spreads and ripples out….we are all connected. Your every thought matters…you are a powerful being!

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Peaceful Way MeditationAuthor, In Silence, Discovering Self through MeditationAuthor Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

Read Full Post »

The Magical Feeling of the Winter Solstice

“A magical winter’s night

Beauty of an enchanted glen

Rhapsody of awakening notes

Stars dance to heart’s delight

Radiant light of the guiding star

Remembrance of one and all”

Jane Rosalea Booth

Can you feel the excitement of the Winter Solstice as December 21^st nears? The time of the Winter Solstice has been a most sacred time throughout history as the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere arrived. It is a joyous time to celebrate the return of the sun with its gift of days with longer sunlight. Here in the north, we may have mixed feelings as this day also signals the beginning of our Canadian winter that brings cold, frosty days and lots of snow. But fortunately, most Canadians love winter!

For centuries people have gathered in sacred circles to celebrate this time by rituals, prayers, meditation and reflection, chants, drumming and songs to express gratitude for the return of the sun. On this winter solstice, we can celebrate becoming part of the wondrous energy and alignment that is flowing through the cosmos into our hearts as the light returns!

For me, the Winter Solstice always feels mystical as I move into the rhythms of winter. Life seems quieter, perhaps a little slower in the winter with moments for reflection or dreaming of new things to come. The season of winter brings its blessings too with its stillness and silence. It calls me to move inside, keep warm and to do quieter things. My intuition seems brighter at this time of the year and in spite of all the chaos in our world, I feel a sense of hope and the spirit of love around as people gather with families, share gifts and food as religious days are observed. The winter solstice’s renewal of light has always been a symbol of hope, new birth and transformation.

The winter solstice shows us the ‘return of the sun’ with the ever revolving movement of the earth around the sun…and I too am in that ever revolving cycle. The symbol of the spiral shows us our evolving spirit, our evolving growth, our moving on into the unknown. The mystery of life and death is always just that…a mystery. So as the winter days unfold enjoy the freshness of the new snow or if you are in the southern hemisphere, enjoy your warming days!

May the light of Winter Solstice fill us with peace.

May the Spirit of Christmas love fill your hearts.

May we live in one heart with compassion and love.

Peacefully, Jane

Peaceful Way Meditation

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

Read Full Post »