9-17-11 Celebrate the International Day of Peace on 9-21...

Wednesday, September 21st, is the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Peace!  The theme for this year's event is "Make Your Voice Heard."  It will be celebrated by millions of us around the world representing all generations, all nations, and all faiths.  It's a special day to experience the vitality and strength of the global community that is committed to peace.  This community is growing, both in numbers and in the skills that are necessary to bring about healthy change.  As we grow, we are an ever-present declaration that peace is indeed possible... 

Will you join us in helping to raise awareness of this day of global unity by sharing about it with family members, friends, and co-workers?  Here's a short video that's a helpful way to introduce the International Day of Peace.

An important peace-building tool...

Heart-centered meditation or relaxation practices give us access to the wisdom of the heart.  They remind us that expressing empathy, compassion, gratitude, and love will bring us closer to peace within ourselves, and foster peace in our relationships, near and far.

Here's a simple and very effective practice that you can use often during the day to reduce stress, cultivate peace in your heart, and support the daily actions that nurture peace.

The practice is called "Quick Coherence."  It was developed by Doc Childre at the Institute of HeartMath, and there are 3 steps:

1.  Bring your attention to your heart.  Notice what's most alive in your heart in this moment.

2.  Take a couple of deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling slowly through your heart.  This helps to balance your breathing rhythm and your heart rhythm, and reduces stress.

3.  Focus on a nourishing feeling that would be supportive for you today (appreciation, peace, gratitude, compassion, etc).  You can recall the feeling or imagine it, whatever works best for you.  Breathe that feeling throughout your mind and body, and exhale tension and fatigue...  Next, extend this feeling to those around you, especially into situations where it's most needed.

Use this practice for 1-3 minutes to maintain heart-centered awareness and well-being any time during the day.

The "Peace Wave" at noon on September 21...

You might want to use the "Quick Coherence" heart practice during the minute of silence at noon in all time zones worldwide on September 21:

12:00 pm on September 21, 2011

30th Anniversary of the International Day of Peace

A day devoted to global peace and unity...