{"id":14701,"date":"2017-09-01T01:10:20","date_gmt":"2017-09-01T06:10:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=15237"},"modified":"2017-12-18T14:56:31","modified_gmt":"2017-12-18T19:56:31","slug":"ancient-strategies-for-cultivating-inner-peace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2017\/09\/01\/ancient-strategies-for-cultivating-inner-peace\/","title":{"rendered":"Ancient Strategies for Cultivating Inner Peace"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ancient Strategies for Cultivating Inner Peace<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/b>\u201cA trigger is something that sets off a memory tape or flashback transporting the person back to the event of her\/his original trauma.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

-from psychcentral.com<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By now, most of you know about the ancient practice of meditation as a way of developing a state of inner peace. This is a useful practice of engaging “not doing” or the feminine aspect of ourselves. \u00a0The ancient ones also saw a need to activate the “doing” or masculine aspect of ourselves in some instances where we are emotionally triggered by someone or something in order to gain self-mastery. \u00a0This is best epitomized in the “Serenity Prayer” that emphasizes that we cannot control anything but our own responses in life: \u201cGrant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Conscious awareness of the pattern that is not working is the first step to any transformation. \u00a0When we interrupt harmful patterns in these active ways, their grip on us diminishes and new patterns that are more life giving will form from our inner wisdom over time. \u00a0What happens at a physiological level is that our bodies start to form new neural pathways instead of reinforcing the old ones in the brain that no longer benefit us. Since triggers are deeply personal and individual, our inner wise ones will give each of us different intuitive information for how to navigate life when we are in our triggered states.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, our ancestors also developed strategies to engage our imagination and will simultaneously to support us in balancing our inner space. I personally have done each of these myself and share them in the spirit of supporting others who tell me they are struggling with reactivity. What follows are some “active” strategies that are really effective alongside traditional meditations, which bring awareness to the triggers themselves. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n