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May 13, 2013

What if We Could Control Our Windows to the World? ~ Colleen Rose

“Our senses are our windows to the world, and sometimes the wind blows through them and disturbs everything within us.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

I woke up this morning to my two daughters arguing over who was going to wear the white Old Navy T-shirt that had “Peace” embroidered on it.

As I lay in bed, one eye open, I recalled the irony of them arguing over a shirt with the word “Peace” on it.

Later that morning when taking the girls to school I saw two drivers miming an argument over whose turn it was to go at a four-way stop. Finally one took a right, rolling her eyes in complete disgust. Then, not five minutes later, I flipped on the radio and heard two men arguing over who the next draft pick should be.

So much arguing, so little peace.

It got me to thinking.

What if we could control our windows to the world? What if we controlled the sights and sounds of the world that invade us? What if we became aware of the happenings that harm our minds and hearts and those that benefit them?

What if we only watched movies that made us laugh out loud or cry with joy? What if we only listened to music that soothed our soul or made our heart sing? What if we only read books that taught us how to be more enlightened to the world around us or books that made us better, parents, friends or neighbors?

What if we awoke every morning to an alarm clock that went off to the sound of birds singing or a trickling stream?

What if every night before we fell asleep we breathed in the gratefulness of our minds, bodies, homes, family and friends? What if we hugged our friends hello every time we saw them and hugged them goodbye every time they left?

What if we looked everyone in the eye who spoke to us? What if we smiled at strangers?

What if we spoke only kind words that benefited the universe?

What if we treated ourselves the way we want the world to be treated?

What would we look like?

How would we feel?

What would we radiate?

What would our relationships with spouses, friends, children and neighbors become?

What if we all did it?

What if we all did it and we didn’t know we were all doing it?

What if life just became this way?

What if everyone who walked by us at work, at the mall, passing in the car, smiled at us and we smiled back? What if we let someone go in front of us when there is a long line at the grocery store? What if we bought the person behind us at the coffee shop their cup of coffee?

What if our only argument of the day was determining who got the last bunch of wildflowers from the florist?

“No really, please you take them I am sure your wife would love them.”

“No, I insist you take them I’ll settle on the daffodils.”

Could you imagine?

The reality is that the only true way to bring about peace in the world is through the internal transformation of our selves.

It has to start on the inside to radiate to the outside. When you find it on the inside it will radiate to your family, to your community and eventually to the world.

Everyday you have an opportunity to have peace and happiness and joy.

What if we controlled our windows to the world?

What if we changed the world?

 

Colleen Rose is the Founder and Director of Yoga 360 and Yogalife Visionary. A third generation yoga teacher, she approaches her professional endeavors with the same yogic principles she emphasizes with her students and in her own life: love, compassion and nurturance of self and others, reverence and responsibility for the planet, and an acknowledgement that we are all connected. With love and laughter, she works toward finding a comfortable balance in her classes, challenging her students to move toward positive change in all aspects of their lives. www.Yoga-360.com

 

 

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Ed: K.Macku & B. Bemel

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