MAY WE BE OF GOOD WILL

There is a wonderful Buddhist Prayer I'd like to share with all who feel out of balance, living from a place of stress instead of being in touch with virtues and aspirations that work in our own daily living.
    May we have peace,
    May we be well.
    May we be of good will, today and always.
Maybe Spirit wants us to be more aware, more careful and present, not just more austere in hard times.
May we learn to trust in our own basic goodness, saying no to that inner critic that has a list of rules and shoulds that, if we are honest, make no sense at this time in our lives.
     How about an aspiration to be more honest with ourselves and with others?
     To listen to our body's wisdom, not pushing when we need extra rest, even in the daytime.
      To say "no thanks" to taking on too many activities, and refocusing on what matters
What if we realize a busy mind used to calling the shots needs a reality check, some reflective time-out.
      What if being gentle and kind, honoring a more patient lifestyle would be more true, and oh so much less stressful.  It isn't simple to change our unconscious patterns, but it can be done.
      Do you have some patterns you'd like to change?  Take a few baby steps, and congratulate yourself.  Gratitude for our ability to stop, look, and listen within can help us be in touch with our own basic goodness once again.