And maybe compassion, wrapped up with a bow, a gentle enfolding so really I’d know what could and what couldn’t, what is and what ain’t. Just some understanding. (I won’t be a saint.)

It’s asking too much, now, to ask for world peace, but on my list it’s up there, that wars may soon cease. And justice, for children, that all may be fed, and wanted, and cuddled and tucked into bed.

The economy needs us, or so we’ve been told . . . spending our dollars in purchases bold . . . but still, in silence of this holy night, I know what I want most is not sold with bright lights. What I deeply need is to set aside fear, to let myself reach out in this coming year . . . to know with my heart whole world as my kin . . . that Love may be born, and Peace may begin.

© Maureen Killoran

Maureen Killoran is a Life Coach and Unitarian minister, with a passion for helping people connect their strengths with their vision. Maureen also offers individual and group coaching, tele-support communities, and publishes a free monthly e-zine, "Seeds of Change."

If you are unsure about this just take a moment and look back at your life. Can you see times when you thought you couldn’t cope and yet now appear as turning moments in your life? Basically what we are suggesting is that, ‘nothing can happen to you that isn’t for your benefit’. Even though when it is happening it doesn’t feel like it.

If you are in this place and wake up feeling angry, upset, annoyed and despondent don’t worry. All is not lost. There is still something else you can do to enable you tap into your hidden strength.

Grab five minutes or so before rest of house wakes up. Or claim bathroom for an extra five minutes and sit quietly and plant seeds of peace and love in your mind. Just sit down or stand quietly in shower and think of a peaceful place or scene and allow it to envelope you and become part of you. Or think of a loving tide washing over you. A feeling of warmth and peace. A feeling of love and acceptance. Just stay in that place for as long as you can. Enjoying moment of being loved and at peace with world. When you do this you are connecting with your natural strengths, your natural power of peace and love which naturally bring freedom and positivity to your life. The result is a feeling of harmony and contentment. Someone who is ready to face world.

If you feel sceptical about what we have said and don’t believe that you can change yourself so easily, when you have time, have a go at following exercise that we came upon several years ago.

Find a place, either a room or garden, where you can be alone for a couple of minutes. Now imagine that your nose is really close to ground. Got it. Now walk around for about three minutes imagining that your nose is really close to ground.

When you have finished note or write down your experience. If you can’t let go of feeling shake your head like an animal shakes itself when wet to return to normal.

Now start again but this time imagine that your nose is close to ceiling. Again walk around for three minutes with thought that your nose is really close to ceiling.

Write down your experience.,

Did you note any differences in your attitude in exercises? How was your breathing during these exercises? What did you feel? When did you walk slower/quicker?

Usually people say that there feelings were more open and aware when they were thinking that their noses were nearer ceiling.

The point is that nothing changed in your life. We just asked you to change your awareness. It’s same in life, if you change your awareness then you are able to change your opportunities. When your awareness is expanded you can only grow. If you are aware of yourself as a loving, peaceful, powerful, resourceful human being then chances are that is what you become and therefore you change way you wake up.

Good Luck

Graham and Julie www.desktop-meditation.com