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CULTIVATING INNER PEACE ACTIVITY

I. MIND CLUTTER
If you want your mind to be peaceful and present in the moment, you need to become aware of the
chatter and learn to clear away all of the mental clutter. Like cleaning out a closet, you cannot do this in
the dark. So, to shine some light on what is going on in your mind, write down all of your thoughts,
concerns, worries, hopes, and expectations in the diagram of the head below. Fit as many as you can!
This is not about judging your thoughts as good or bad; it is just about becoming aware of them, so that
you can change them if you would like to.

Am i doing things right? Am I

trying my best in school?
I hope that my family and I
remain healthy.
I hope to get 7 hours of sleep
I hope that my tonight.
classmates and I will When should I get a job? Will I
continue and try our have time for one next year?
best so that we can
graduate together. I need to remind myself often
Am I happy and satisfied with that I am a very fortunate
my life right now? person.
I feel like I am drifting
away from my highschool
friends. But I know they
still have my back. Should I give up my hobbies to
focus on academics?
I wish my parents will lead a
long life.

Once I’m through with this semester, I’ll be very

happy. Hopefully surviving it will make me a
more resilient and wiser person.

Life has so much to offer.

I hope my sibling does well in

her first year of college.
I should keep my ego in check.
I want to drink coffee at night
but it disrupts my sleep quality.

Peaceful Mind. Peaceful Life Exercises by Barb Schmidt

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II. PUTTING WORRIES INTO PERSPECTIVE

It is normal to worry, but a lot of the time we end up worrying about things that have already
happened, will never happen, or will not be as “bad” as we think they will be. Our minds stir up
the worries, and they literally start spiraling out of control, keeping us from living our lives fully.

For this exercise, make a list of things you are worried might happen in the coming week in the
space provided below. Jot down the best and worst-case scenarios. (Use the extra journal
pages in the back if you need more room.)

A week from now, go back to this list and review it. Chances are you will discover that seldom,
if ever, do things turn out the way you expect. Doing this exercise helps us to see just how
much time and energy we waste worrying about things that never materialize. It saps our
energy and strength, leaving us tired and drained!

1. Will I do well during our recitations? I hope I don’t stutter too much. It’s best if I
don’t stutter at all.

2. I hope to score well on the quizzes next week. I hope I don’t write the wrong
answer by mistake or make a basic mistake in my solution. The teachers don’t allow
us to erase our final answers. A foolish mistake hurts more than one made due to a
lack of knowledge.

3. Worst case scenario is that I get sick on one of the school days. I am quite a sickly
person although I take care of my body well. I have many allergies and have a
sensitive digestive system. I wouldn’t want to miss out on a discussion, or worse, a
quiz.

4. I hope I still have the will to continue studying many hours a day for I know this is
the key to surviving my course. I hope the same goes for my classmates as well. I’d
like to see them succeed and reap the benefits of their hard work above all.

5. I hope I can still complete all the tasks despite the busy schedule. I wouldn’t want
to miss out on any outputs. I’d like to max out my chances of getting an A or A- in
each subject. The worst-case scenario is that I won’t be able to keep up with the pace
and get low scores on a majority of the subjects.

6. I hope I don’t lose my hopefullness and happiness. I want to remain a happy and
satisfied person. Change is part of life, but I never want to become a pessimistic
person. I hope that I still find joy even in the struggle. This week is already hard, next
week is likely harder, but I’ll take it as a challenge instead of just something to get
over with.

Peaceful Mind. Peaceful Life Exercises by Barb Schmidt

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III. STUDYING WITH THE MASTERS

Below are inspirational paragraphs from different authors, jot down your own thoughts on its
meaning. What do you think that great sage, mystic, master, or teacher is saying? Write
whatever comes to mind.

Into the Heart of Life

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
“Life is unsatisfactory because it is always changing. It does not have this solid core which we always hope to
grasp. We want security, and we believe that our happiness lies in being secure. And so, we try to make things
permanent. We get houses which seem very permanent and we furnish them. We get ourselves into
relationships which we hope will last forever. We have children and hope they may also consolidate this idea of
an identity, something which will be constant. We have children, and we love our children, so our children will
love us, and this will carry on for a long, long time all through our lives. Our children are our security.”

My Interpretation:

I really like what the author says in this paragraph. Permanence, especially for someone like me who is
constantly worrying about the future and how things will be, is a very attractive idea. The idea of staying on top of
all my objectives and being stable is something I’d like but they often aren’t realistic. But the pursuit of
permanence, for me, in itself is a source of happiness and joy. Permanence is the thing that I work towards but in
reality, it is in the challenges of change where I often find the most satisfaction. However, I find that expecting
permanence at all times is contrary to reality. So, I think its best to hope for permanence but never expect it, that
way its easier to roll with the realities of life. That ideal everlasting love of my life might not always love me for
eternity and that’s alright.

Peaceful Mind. Peaceful Life Exercises by Barb Schmidt

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Practicing the Power of Now

Eckhart Tolle

“Are you always trying to get somewhere other than where you are? Is most of your doing just a
means to an end? Is fulfillment always just around the corner or confined to short lived pleasures,
such as sex, food, drink, drugs, or thrills and excitement? Are you always focused on becoming,
achieving, and attaining, or alternatively chasing some new thrill or pleasure? Do you believe that
if you acquire more things you will become more fulfilled, good enough, or psychologically
complete? Are you waiting for a man or woman to give mean ing to your life?”

My Interpretation:

This paragraph is something that I often contemplate. I always remind myself to enjoy the process and not the
idea of getting to that end. However, at times I still find myself miserable in what I’m doing, whether it be studying
for a critical exam or washing the dishes. I often get lost in unrealistic ideas of where I’ll be once I reach my goals
that I forget to be grateful for the things which I already have. At some point, I even thought that getting a
significant other would give more meaning to my life, but I’ve come to realize that that is simply untrue (I think). I
do limit how much I enjoy short lived pleasures because I know that these don’t contribute to my greater goals
but at the same time these short-lived pleasures are still fundamental characteristics of my humanity, so I don’t
abstain too much from them.

The same applies to longer-term goals as well. Often, we work too much towards these goals and forget why we
even started our journey. We become creatures of habit and not of purpose. This paragraph reminded me to
slow down, look back, and assess where I am and where I want to be. Do I still want the things I work towards?
Am I happy with where I am? and so many other questions.

IV. WRITING YOUT OWN REFLECTION AFFIRMATION

Peaceful Mind. Peaceful Life Exercises by Barb Schmidt

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When writing your own Reflection Affirmation, the only guidelines are that it be positive
(avoid negative wording) and acknowledges your gratefulness for the day and your
readiness to let it go. Keep it short if that is your preference or write several lines. Begin by
jotting down some thoughts here without editing, allowing your affirmation to come to you
naturally.

Today, I did my best, and that is enough. I may or may not have achieved what I wished to achieve but knowing
that I gave it my all is enough to keep me happy, and knowing that I am given the opportunity to study, learn, and
spend time with friends is enough to keep me grateful.

V. SACRED MANTRA
The Sacred Mantra is a word, phrase, verse, or prayer with a long history of use that is hallowed
or considered holy by the tradition or culture from which it originated that you have personally
chosen for your use in The Practice. It is your sacred connection to God, Lord, Spirit, Source,
Beloved within.

In the most general sense, to “use it” simply means to say it to yourself in your head. It is a
powerful tool that helps you redirect your thoughts, clear your mind, and regain your focus. It can
be called upon as often as it is needed throughout the day and is a great source of strength and
spiritual support.

There are thousands of sacred words and phrases to choose from in every single tradition or
culture. You may already have a specific sacred prayer or mantra that you use. Write your
Sacred Mantra and what it means to you below.

Live with a love for life.

This is my sacred mantra. It is very simple and short, but I find it always keeps me positive and cleanses any
hate from my system. It's also closely related to my personal definition of peace. For me, it means to live each
day filled with love. It means always holding a love for others, a love for nature, a love for oneself, and a love of
life, regardless of whether it's a mundane or eventful day. It's also inspired by a quote I read by Albert Camus:
"The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy."

Peaceful Mind. Peaceful Life Exercises by Barb Schmidt