Todd Perelmuter's Blog, page 12

Path to Peace The Right and Wrong Way to Practice Introspection

Introspection is a natural activity that humans have been doing since we've been around. Today however, we have very little time in our waking lives to think, reflect and ponder. This has led us to forgetting how to do this very important and necessary practice.

In this podcast, I talk about why some people feel depressed after reflecting on something difficult in their lives, and I share how we can avoid that depression trap. I also talk about why we need introspection, what most people get wrong about it, and how we can make sure we're doing it right.

Please enjoy other episodes where I share meditation techniques, tips and spiritual lessons from around the world for peaceful and stress-free living. Remember to subscribe to stay up-to-date.

*****
If you ever feel like my words brought a change in your life, and want to show your SUPPORT for what I am doing, click here.

Find all of my BOOKS for wherever you are on your spiritual journey: https://www.eastwesticism.org/spiritual-meditation-books/

Want to gift a book to a prisoner? Go here.

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Your Suffering Comes From Others Suffering

Q: Dear Todd, what if your suffering comes because you see the suffering of other people and animals and the earth? I have everything I will ever need and am in a place of safety and comfort so do not suffer for my own circumstances. But it kills me to see the suffering of others and I do everything to help others and animals.

TODD ANSWERS: I would say change with mindfulness. Spirituality is not about inaction, it’s about wise and thoughtful action.

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Can Bliss and Trauma Coexist in the Same Moment?

Q: Dear Todd, not every moment is pleasurable, in my opinion. When your car slides off the edge of an icy logging road and time slows down, you’re going to feel instinctual, epigenetic fear coursing through your body. Maybe there’s a yogi who experiences bliss during traumatic events, but I would guess that at that point, you’re ready for Nirvana. And is that really Nirvana if you experience trauma, fear, and anxiety as a blissful experience?

TODD ANSWERS: You are correct that every moment will not be desirable. We will get bad news from time to time and we could even find ourselves in danger. There will be sadness and there will be pain. This we cannot control. But what we can control is how we experience those moments of pain. Do we look away, try to push it away, fight with it, resist it, panic with anxiety, or sink into a depression? Or, do we calmly and plainly accept it with peace and curiosity?

One day I was driving on the highway when one of my tires blew out. My car started spinning and everything went into slow motion. While the car slid across the medium and into oncoming traffic, I miraculously had the time and presence to turn to my family and say, “Everything is going to be alright.” The car proceeded to slide off the road and into a ditch. Luckily, we were all OK, except for the car. After that, we were all just ecstatic to be alive and unscathed.

So we don’t have to be yogis to stay present with uncomfortable experiences. We can all make efforts to embrace the whole of life — the good and the undesirable. This is the deepest essence of religion because it is to love the whole of the universe/God’s creation. This is what it means to truly worship. This way, even if something unpleasant is happening, there is still love. That is bliss.

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Nothing is Working Out in My Life

Q: Dear Todd, lately nothing has worked out for the last year and a half. People are so unreliable and narcissistic. Very disappointing. The many many esoteric videos, GIFs, and blurbs I’ve read and practiced along the way awareness, meditating, letting go, realigning, non-judgment, helping others, forgiving, asking guides/angels for help, trusting the Universe…none of that has panned out. Today I sit here disappointed, disillusioned, sad and angry because now I have no idea how to feel about anything or what to do now moving forward. I’d hoped my guides would bring someone or something into my life that would be a clue to help. So far, nothing. I’m back at square one.

TODD ANSWERS: Even if you had to get through some not-so-helpful stuff, you’re still wiser for it. Now there’s more wisdom to spot the good stuff. Wishing you a year free from the striving and allowing for more of a settling/relaxing into your natural state. Everything you need you already have. You just have to create a silent space for it to be heard. Wisdom often comes in a whisper. You got this — not at square one

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Path to Peace To Compete or Not to Compete, That Is the Question

Is life a competition or a cooperation? What is the best way to achieve in life? If some people get ahead by cheating and competing, would we be fools to “play by the rules?”

The truth is, whether we see the world as a competition or a cooperation has less to do with the world and more to do with how we see the world. If we feel separate from everyone, competition is natural. If we see the oneness, cooperation is inevitable.

In this podcast, I explore the fear that lies at the heart of competition. I talk about the mindset of lack, greed and selfishness that emerge from this fear. And I share how we can both achieve great success, while also holding on to our inner peace and lasting happiness.

Please enjoy other episodes where I share meditation techniques, tips and spiritual lessons from around the world for peaceful and stress-free living. Remember to subscribe to stay up-to-date.

*****
If you ever feel like my words brought a change in your life, and want to show your SUPPORT for what I am doing, click here.

Find all of my BOOKS for wherever you are on your spiritual journey: https://www.eastwesticism.org/spiritual-meditation-books/

Want to gift a book to a prisoner? Go here.

The post Path to Peace To Compete or Not to Compete, That Is the Question appeared first on EastWesticism.

How Can I Stop Self-Doubt from Causing Stress and Failure?

Q: Dear Todd, in my case, all my stress and chronic anxiety come from insecurities and a lack of self-worth. I’m selfish and unkind to people sometimes, but it’s not because I want to be; it’s because of how I feel about myself. Every moment of my life, I feel I’m not enough and am always afraid of failing. So I stress and stress, can’t sleep, and end up failing. I’ve identified the problem, but I don’t know how to fix it.

TODD ANSWERS: First of all, don’t be so hard on yourself. This is the human condition. We treat others how we feel. If we are angry, we show anger. If we hurt, we hurt others. What matters is what we do after learning this truth.

Second, notice how all this angst stems from your desire to be perfect and make sure others think you’re perfect too. When you become free from this desire, the pressure ceases.

To become free from perfectionism, you must stop desiring perfection. Accept flaws instead. Embrace mistakes. This is freedom. And, it’s the freedom to actually learn and improve from those mistakes. Confidence comes not from being incredible, but from accepting yourself totally. You’re never too old to change and it’s never too late to show kindness, even to someone you’ve wronged.

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This film is a roadmap back to our grateful hearts.

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Trying to Fit in With People Who are Not Spiritually Awakened Yet

Q: Dear Todd, I experience non-dual consciousness pretty regularly. What I struggle with is sometimes there is a loneliness attached to it because most people in my daily life are asleep, and I end up forgetting about the non-dual nature of reality just to “fit in” and live my life without seeming crazy. Any advice?

TODD ANSWERS: Spiritual practice is to constantly accept what is then move forward with wise mindful action. When accepting is difficult, that just goes to show us where more work still to be done.

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12 Spiritual Motivational Quotes to Change Your Life

Everyday for a few moments, put away all distractions and find peace in the present moment, in the stillness.

There is awe and wonder and beauty in everything. If you don’t see it, you have to look deeper because it’s there.

As long as you make a life worth living, as long as your job is just a job, and the more you can be happy for other people’s successes and happy with your own shortcomings, the richer your life will be.

Spirituality is all about: getting peace, giving peace.

We can embrace the great unknown, we can see the beautiful mystery of life without needing answers, and we can accept an uncertain future.

We either control our mind, or our past will control us. The choice is up to us. All it takes is being present to break free from our conditioning.

We are always fearful of losing what we have, ungrateful for what we do have, and afraid of change. That is the essence of attachment when you get right down to it — misidentifying temporary phenomena as permanent.

Humans have two modes of operation: being and doing. A flower blooms through being. When our mind is calm, we can do all sorts of things — this is doing through being.

When we can see the life and humanity in everyone, all cruelty would cease immediately. We would see that we are all one, life seeing life, instead of egos seeing egos.

We think that the world we see is being projected onto our mind. But the truth is, our mind is projected onto the world.

By lifting up others, we put them in a position where they can lift even more people up. Eventually, we can create a world where if we ever stumble and need a hand, someone will be there to lift us up too.

only by making total peace with ourselves, our thoughts, and our situations that we can become perfectly blissful and content. Path to Peace with Todd Perelmuter Newsletter Email Subscribe The Art of Gratitude | Short Film

Gratitude is the most important human emotion because it alone determines the quality of our life. This film is a roadmap back to our grateful hearts.

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How to Deal With Cruelty in the World

Q: Dear Todd, how do we deal with the cruelty going on right now, here in our country and elsewhere in the world? How does one control anger about towards those who are uncaring and greedy and mean?!

TODD ANSWERS: Anger is an emotion that always carries us away. When we develop the ability to stay present in the midst of these emotional storms, we can recognize that anger doesn’t help, that it hurts, that we can choose a more wise and thoughtful path forward

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Rediscover the Transformative and Healing Power of Gratitude

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Path to Peace Is Desire Always Bad?

We hear that desire is the root of all suffering. But sometimes desire can lead us toward finding our future spouse. It can lead to success, fun times, and good health. Desire is even often what sets us down the spiritual path.

So is desire always bad? Why do we have this insatiable desire within us? Is there more than one kind of desire? And how can we use desire without letting it make us suffer? I answer these questions and more in this podcast.

Please enjoy other episodes where I share meditation techniques, tips and spiritual lessons from around the world for peaceful and stress-free living. Remember to subscribe to stay up-to-date.

*****
If you ever feel like my words brought a change in your life, and want to show your SUPPORT for what I am doing, click here.

Find all of my BOOKS for wherever you are on your spiritual journey: https://www.eastwesticism.org/spiritual-meditation-books/

Want to gift a book to a prisoner? Go here.

The post Path to Peace Is Desire Always Bad? appeared first on EastWesticism.