From the book,
"Healing Your Grieving Soul,
100 Spiritual Practices For Mourners"
by Alan D. Wolfelt, PH.D.

27.
CENTER YOURSELF

*Centering yourself is about letting go of resistance and going with the movement below your feet. When you are centered you don't let things that really don't matter in the big picture of life bother you. Therefore, it doesn't really matter what the weather is like outside, what table you get at a restaurant, if the stock market goes up or down, if the traffic is slow, etc. When you are centered, you are not affected by externals.

*If you are externally focused, you let little things "get to you" in ways they shouldn't. You get out of balance and are not centered internally ----body, mind and spirit. Out of balance, you will likely feel empty and lost.. always looking for something "outside of yourself" to fill you up. Yet, nothing out there can.

*When you are centered, you are more aware of the environment in and around you. You have more clarity and focus, and your intuition is refined. Your fear diminishes markedly and you now you can make it through the wilderness of your grief.

CARPE DIEM:
Nurture friendships with hope-filled, centered people rather than "negative" or "cynical" people. People who are complainers are not centered, and are letting the world around them affect their capacity for joy...and your if you allow it. When you use discernment to spend time with "centered" friends, you are creating a more stable environment for yourself.