EP 631: Are You at Peace With Yourself? + Is it Spiritual Bypass?

“A person who is not at peace with themself will be at war with the rest of the world.” This is scribbled in my notebook in what looks to be a very rushed fashion. So much so that I failed to write down who is quoted. So if you recognize this quote, and you know its source, please let me know so I can give proper credit! In today’s first segment, I explore the concept of the above quote, which is also illustrated by this quote from an equally unknown author: “We don’t experience the world as the world is, we experience the world the way we are.” If we bring awareness to how at peace we are or are not in any given moment, we can see the root of the conflict and then walk into the world with the more comfortable and helpful posture of peace. Speaking of awareness, in today’s second segment I talk about a factor in some areas of spiritual teaching which sacrifice awareness in the interest of regulation and personal comfort. As I explain, our emotions, the physical sensations they cause, and the thoughts from which they arise are a response to our environment and circumstances. And to avoid any of our emotions is to put a blindfold on as we live our lives in the present moment. I hope you enjoy the episode! I also want to remind you that this Saturday I will be hosting Week 3 of the Winter Workshop Series. Please understand that each week is completely stand-alone, so it’s alright if you’ve missed the first two. This week we’re diving into the world of informal - AKA ‘Off The Cushion’ practices. Honestly, of all the people I’ve helped to adopt mindfulness into their lives, the ones who seem to benefit most and most deeply are the ones who embrace the practice beyond the once-a-day meditation. In fact, I can tell you that I’ve clients who never do any formal practices and yet have seen amazing changes take place in their lives from just applying the simple practices to the most mundane tasks of the day. I’m going to be covering all that and much more this Saturday at 11:30 am MST. I hope you can make it! For more info and the registration link for this free workshop, please click here: artburnscoaching.ac-page.com/art-burns-coaching-winter-workshop-series