Serenity - Recovered 455

1. Where does serenity show up in your life?  How do you know you have it? Is it important?  Why? Peace shows up inour hearts. Tranquility is the quiet within that gives us access to our higher selves. By tapping into the quiet of our hearts, we experience space, flow and possibility - core ingredients that help us to live peacefully.

Other places that peace shows up is in our physical space, our relationships and in our spirituality. We find peace in the purpose of our lives and we experience peace in our careers. Additionally, we experience peace in our families and in our communities. We find peace in our communication and in who and how we are.

2. Is serenity the absence of conflict, or is it a state of mind (and being) unto itself? If peace and serenity is some-thing more than the absence of conflict, what is it? What are the core ingredients of peace? What qualities help to generate peace -- both internal tranquility as well as peace between adversaries?

3. Is serenity maintainable over time? If our lives are in a constant state of flux and forward momentum, how do we maintain our composure and equilibrium? How does one live from one's center when there are constant obstacles coming our way and which serve to keep us off balance, and which destabilize us? How does one live in tranquility when flux is all around?

4. Is it possible to orient one's self and life around the quality of serenity?  That is, can you situate your life to maximize your serenity?  How do you do this? If so, what commitment would you need to make in order to do so? What would this look like? How would your life look or be different?

5. What is your experience of serenity? When was the last time you paid attention to peace and tranquility, and your experience of it? What's not conscious is often elusive. Focus on the quality and the role of peace in your life in order to increase it.

6. What elements contribute to the creation of continued peace and tranquility? If we understand what contributes to the creation of peace and tranquility, we'll be better equipped to generate it in the future. We'll be able to summon the creation of peace through conscious thought and action.

7. Is peace quantifiable? We count the wars between nations, but do we count or appreciate the days of peace? We name and count our adversaries, but take for granted our friends and loved ones. How do we quantify something we all too often take for granted?

8. What does inner serenity provide us access to? If peace is the gateway to a higher state of being, such as love, compassion and gratitude, how can we harness the power of peace and utilize it for the betterment of our lives? If peace provides us access to choice, opportunities and possibility, how can we build upon the foundational elements that generate growth built upon peace? What DOES peace provide us access to?

9. Does tranquility live anywhere but the present? We might build upon the past and we might use our vision for the future as a source of inspiration, but tranquility exists only in the present moment. Understand this profound but simple concept and transformation becomes possible! Each moment becomes a new opportunity to create peace and harmony.

10. Can peace and tranquility live without compassion? Compassion is an underlying tenet of peace. "Compassion is the sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it." (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) While our motivation to seek peace might not always emerge from compassion, compassion is required for peace to hold.

Final Thoughts

http://anonpress.org/bb/

http://aa.org/twelveandtwelve/en_tableofcnt.cfm

http://www.hazelden.org/web/public/thought.view?catId=1901