Portal #4
Be At Peace
by Being Centered

When the two World Trade Center Towers came down in New York City, news reporters described a sense of peace in the aftermath of the horror and devastation of September 11, 2001. Amidst all the fear, grief, rage, and constant news updates of that day, many thousands of people found a place of solace within themselves. A place where, united in spirit, they could express love and compassion—a place where forgiveness and peace prevailed. This place is within every one of us.

Why, then, is it so difficult to find this place of peace when we are going about living our daily lives—when the baby is crying, the deadline is due, the bills are piling up, or the week’s agenda is jam packed with responsibilities, appointments and activities? What is it about normal daily life that leaves us feeling anxious, overwhelmed, fearful, confused, depressed, and depleted?

We have discussed the drama of life and how easy it is to become immersed in the drama. You were shown how to go beyond the drama by becoming the observer. But sometimes the responsibilities of life can get us down. It is tempting to want to control every aspect of our lives—to make them “perfect”—and then to become discouraged when we find that we cannot control. It is easy to allow anxiety, guilt, and depression to swallow us up when we fall short of our ideas of perfection. But that is not the way life is meant to be. This chapter will show you a different way—the way of peace. It will show you how to find the place of peace within yourself amidst the drama, chaos, responsibilities, and ordinary circumstances of your life.