Finding Peace In A Stressful City

Have you ever experienced Fairway? (Fairway is a famous supermarket in New York City that is packed with New Yorkers on the go -- very stressed, very pushy, no-nonsense -- keep out of the way).nnTalk about stressful – just walking in the door, fighting over a basket, weaving through the myriad of carts and stock personnel. We are lucky to come out alive.nnDriving and parking in this city is just as stressful. First it was finding a parking space. Then it was cab drivers and delivery bicycles. Now, it’s the pedestrians who don’t wait on the curb as they should but in the middle of the street. We watch the alternate-side-of-the-street-parking parade of cars following the sweeper to get their good spots.nnLife in this big and wonderful city is challenging – people commute, deal with office politics, clients, bosses, family, financial issues. Then they come back and have to deal with crowds while they shop, problems with neighbors, broken pipes, landlords. When we go outside, everyone vents their problems on each other. We are all in the same boat – stressed out – but we can change this! How can we all find peace in this city? It would be wonderful to walk around a city where everyone was centered, balanced, kind to each other versus rushed, stressed, pushing and shoving.nnBelieve it or not – it is possible. Here’s the secret: peace comes from within! An escape from stress can be a moment away. It’s all in your head. We can make a huge shift in this city – and even the world – if we all started to work on shifting ourselves.nnSince we live in a city, the answer lies in nature. Nature is pure and sacred. It brings us back to our roots. When you’re stuck on the subway, close your eyes and envision a meadow or nature scene in your head. Listen and you can hear the birds chirping, the water flowing. See whatever you feel drawn to see. You can still be conscious of your surroundings but relax into this peacefulness. Working hard at your computer is also stressful. Take a break the same way. It will revive you.nGo out and take a walk in the park or by the river, escape to the countryside when you can, take a bath, buy some fresh flowers, get a pet! These all bring us back to nature but there are other ways to bring nature to you.nnFeng Shui (“wind water”) is the art of how energy affects you in your home. It is based on the same elemental theory that Acupuncturists use to help you with your body. Polarity Therapy is a lesser known modality of bodywork. When I first studied Polarity, I had no idea that it was related to the four elements of the zodiac: Air; Fire; Water; and Earth.nnWe are made up of these elements but they are never completely balanced. We can change this through bodywork, nutrition, yoga, meditation, and Feng Shui. Here are some ideas for adding elements to your home to help you to find balance within:nAir: Rearrange furniture to create more space; open windows; add windchimes, music, CDs of chirping sounds or real birds; add artwork depicting the sky. Air relates to our mental state and helps us think more clearly, however, too much can make one feel spaced out and turns one into an “air-head.”nnFire: Let in sunlight; turn on lights; burn candles; use reds since red is the color of fire. Our inner flame drives us to create, gives us power and passion, but too much can either bring up anger or when we’ve exhausted ourselves, make us feel “burnt out.”nnWater: Buy a fountain; take a bath; hang paintings of water; play music with waves; use blues; get fish. Water helps us to go with the flow but too much can leave us feeling depressed or “blue” (the color of water).nnEarth – Buy plants, flowers and crystals; use earth tones, paintings of the countryside. Earth energy is grounding but too much can leave us unable to make changes in our lives and “stuck in the mud.”nnSo go ahead and bring nature to you in this stressed out city! You’ll be much happier and much calmer – even when you go to Fairway!