Author: Kimberly Kingsley

What happened at Virginia Tech is tragic and heart breaking. What’s going on in Iraq is devastating. We need to act on every level and the first level is within.

Inner peace leads to world peace. What is inner peace? Simply put, it is a lack of inner conflict accompanied by feelings of well being. It is not the total absence of anger, frustration and sadness. As long as we live in bodies we will experience the rainbow spectrum of emotion, just as we see the rainbow spectrum of color in the material world.

Here are some tips for achieving true inner peace:

• Build your identity on an unchanging spiritual foundation – meditate daily.
• Commit to transcending peace robbing patterns within yourself and in your relationships.
• Open your heart and suspend judgement – it doesn’t help.

Once enough of us transform our inner conflicts, a quantum leap will occur and we will begin to see the our peace reflected in the world.

Finally, support the Department of Peace. The proposed cabinet level department would research and teach ways to cultivate peace in our schools, in society and in the world. www.thepeacealliance.org.

Clearing out the old to make room for the new is critical to change and grow. Imagining what you want is easy and fun. The next step is to get rid of the clutter.

I recommend starting with old thought patterns that don’t support the change you wish to see in your life. Replacing old thoughts with a general affirmation of abundance is a great idea, “My life is overflowing with abundance.”

The next step is to clear out your physical environment. Everything we own carries energy – and as we all know, energy attracts like energy. That is why it is so crucial to get rid of old objects, clothes and files reminiscent of the life that no longer serves you.

Once we clear out the old, we need to sit in the emptiness for a time. This may be the hardest part. We are used to a certain amount of energetic clutter – but it’s crucial to keep the space open long enough for our dreams to enter.

Last night I watched an Oprah show about finding your calling. One woman had an insight to give pajamas to homeless children. Another Microsoft executive left his job to collect books for children in third world countries.

When it was over I started praying feverishly to find my specific calling. Right away “inner peace” came into my mind. Every time I thought about my calling, inner peace and world peace bubbled up and into my awareness.

The foundation of my calling is based on me demonstrating inner peace – only then can I teach it and transfer it energetically. This morning I remembered the song that we sang every Sunday at the church I attended 16 years ago during my spiritual awakening. You’ve probably heard it, it went like this:

“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me..”

Not everyone’s calling is as specific as pajamas. I believe that some are called to perfectly demonstrate kindness, others lighten us with their humor (for them I am oh so grateful:).

What is your calling?

People close to me often say that my ex-husband and I do a great job co-parenting our daughter. We get along, communicate often, and have her best interest at heart.

I believe that when you do the right thing (make decisions as directed by life, love or God rather than social expectations) that everything works out for the highest good. My baby girl – now 8 years old – is happy and well adjusted. She gets good grades and has many friends.

I never would have thought that after being divorced for nearly five years that we would have another baby, but along comes Mucci, our 17 week old cockapoo puppy. Our daughter Anna has always wanted a dog and fell in love with this little guy. We had to do it – it was right.

The oddest thing is co-parenting again. Mucci gets dropped off here each morning as my ex goes to work. He lies next to me as I write in the morning and then hangs out until his dad picks him up again after work.

Unorthodox? Absolutely. The right thing? For us, yes.

I just received an invitation to attend an All Star retreat – a couple of dear friends got together and decided to invite some kindred spirits who have inspired them over the years to come together for a weekend of sharing and fun.

I’m beyond excited, and quite frankly honored to be on the all star team of these fabulous women!

Who are your all stars? Who has inspired you? Who do you really love? Who makes your energy dance when you think of them?

Dig deep and find a few people in your heart that have made an imprint that will last a lifetime, then I challenge you share how you feel with them. It’s risky to tell someone your heart.

From a spiritual evolution perspective, society is stuck in a power position (solar plexus). It is only when enough of us take the risk of opening our hearts, and allowing love to pour through, that the scales will tip and shift us to a place of compassion (heart center).

One last thing: The feeling you get from energy rushing through your heart is amazing (for lack of more descriptive terms…) Experience it for yourself and let me know what you think!

Last week I had my picture taken for my new book cover. The photographer is brilliant and actually took my pictures just before heading off to Thailand to do what he really loves, which is to capture the vibrant and colorful cultures around the world.

After taking the pictures he downloaded them on his computer and asked me to pick the ones I liked. It’s always sobering to see yourself as you really are.. Mirrors are deceiving because we pose for ourselves! You can never see the way your face wrinkles up as you speak and laugh – it’s just not something that can be captured – except on film or in pictures.

Anyhow, he immediately began de-wrinkling me! Puffing up the dark cirles under my eyes that I remember seeing in my grandmother. Smoothing out the smile lines that have taken 42 years to sufficiently deepen, and with the touch of a finger the lines around my eyes were gone.

It’s true, I ended up looking very similar to a younger version of me, but what surprised me was how disturbed I was with the whole process. Taking away the lines and dark circles was like taking away my character, my experience and my depth.

The picture I selected is only mildly “touched up” and I’m ok with that. But from now on I’m going to request that the dark circles remain intact – thanks grandma.

“Be what you are. Give what is yours to give. Have style. Dare.”

– Stanley Kuntitz