Mindsoulness – where mind and soul meet!

Change, turmoil, selfishness, struggles, and much more. This is, somewhat, the world we live in today. The drama of global instability that is unfolding before our own eyes, even caught me off guard and my first reaction was not at all positive. This is uncharacteristic of me. I am usually calm and composed, and I try to always see the positive in all things. But this is different, and although my initial negative feelings have subsided, I have been trying to find a way to slow down and be still. I owe it to myself and to the people I love and serve.

In my hospital duties, I am responsible to bring hope. Even when things seem hopeless. If I do not seek peace for myself, how can I bring it to others?

Spiritual Health Care is important and often complementary to Mental Health Care. It is not about religion, even though, without the selfless and untiring church and religious ministers who volunteer in various health care facilities, it would be impossible to provide such a precious service. Spiritual Care is about balance and becoming. It is the balance of the four areas of personal dimension: physical, social, mental, and spiritual. And peace is part of this balance.

Without peace, we may not be able to think clearly and make good decisions. I have seen this in the personal “demons” of those that choose numbness, in whatever form they find it, over clarity because they do not have peace in their lives for whatever reason. That same peace makes us feel grateful and allows us to see the positive and not only the negative. Negativity is part of life and we cannot appreciate positivity without it. Only when someone heals from an illness, she can appreciate health. Only when someone is starving, he can appreciate nutrition. And so on. There must be opposition in all things. That is the reality of our existence. So how do we find the balance of peace in our lives? I am going to share my personal experience, knowing that some of it will not apply to all, but also knowing that the rest can be useful.

As a Christian, my first reference for peace is Jesus Christ. He said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27 KJV) In my experience, the peace offered by Jesus Christ is deeper than worldly peace – it is lasting, personal, and spiritual. Conflict, contention, animosity, anger, racism, violence (even in the name of God or Jesus) is not Christian. The Jesus Christ I have come to know in my life is a God of love. He loves the sinner as much as every one of His sons and daughters. He loves the prodigal son and welcomes him with open arms. Even knowing that he has made mistakes along the way. He loves us whoever we are, black or white, rich or poor, sick or healthy. Keeping Christ’s pure teachings aligns us with divine principles that bring peace to our souls. He is the one who taught: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 KJV). Turning to Christ in times of trouble replaces fear with faith and brings inner peace.

Then I learned that communing with God through prayer and meditation is a key to peace, especially when we feel alone. And for those who don’t believe in God, meditation is a wonderful way to find our inner balance and our equilibrium within nature.  “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:6-7 KJV) My prayers are uttered to God, I thank Him for the many blessings I have, even those I do not see now and are disguised as trials, tribulations and challenges, then I ask Him for help with things I need to do and questions I have, and finally, I offer my prayers in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, because I know that only through Jesus I can find a deeper sense of peace. After prayer, meditation comes through pondering over the deep meaning of life, communing with nature, dreaming of a world without issues where lion lives peacefully with the lamb, and people live the harmony of the universe and the divine.

Thirdly, I learned that true peace can only come through forgiving others. “As ye judge, so shall ye be judged; as ye deal kindly, justly, and mercifully with your fellow men, even so shall it be done unto you.” (Mosiah 26:31 BOM) Holding onto grudges and resentment only brings inner turmoil, while choosing to forgive frees us from negativity and brings peace to our hearts. Christ taught the importance of forgiving others, not just for their benefit, but for our own spiritual and emotional well-being. Letting go of grudges and extending sincere forgiveness brings healing and peace to our hearts. We often think that forgiveness is for the person we forgive, but it is mostly for ourselves. Once we have honestly and fully forgiven, then we can feel peace. Furthermore, Jesus taught that forgiving and praying for others leads to love and inner peace.

Fourthly, servicing others invites peace into our lives. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35 KJV) Selfless service and kindness create an atmosphere of peace in our lives and communities. Just recently, I was in a store when the cashier recognized me as one of the chaplains providing facilitated spiritual care sessions at the hospital. He recognized me because he was in one of the sessions. He thanked and told me that I had changed his life. I felt so little but I also felt a great sense of peace. The thought that I had been a vessel of good change is not lost on me and I am so grateful for that moment. Service is a way to say “Thank you God” for all we are and all we have.

Finally, being grateful brings much peace in my heart. Being Italian, I see Latin root of words in many instances. The words “grace” and “gratefulness” derive from the same Latin word “gratia” a singular word that means free gift (the word gratis also comes to mind). The plural word “gratiae” is translated in many Romance languages as “thanks”. The connection is there. From a spiritual understanding, grace is the unearned (free) gift that comes from the divine. Being grateful is our human way to acknowledge grace, leading us to humility, joy, and a greater peace. And as part of the humble thanks, we recognize that no matter how much gratitude we show, we can never fully repay God for His grace—but expressing thanks brings us closer to the divine inner peace He offers. In other words, when we cultivate a heart full of gratitude, we open ourselves to greater grace and deeper peace.

Is there hope for peace? Yes – not as the world gives (this may never come or ever be lasting) but as we look at our divine nature and potential. People are inherently good, and this carries me through the day. And although I am not naive, I get closer to peace by giving everyone the benefit they deserve. May God bless you with true peace in these difficult times and give you the strength to be part of the solution and not of the problem we are experiencing nowadays.

With gratitude…

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