Mindful Moment by Andrea
Does inner peace lead to world peace and compassion? Or does world peace and compassion lead to inner peace?

Try this technique to find out

Focus on your breath and the feeling of relaxation in your body. Bring to mind any image, thought or feeling to the body that brings you peace. Stay with that inner thought, image or feeling in the body.

After a few minutes or up to half an hour, imagine compassion for others – an individual,  group or the whole world. Open your heart and feel that warmth and comfort in your body. Bring images of peace to a conflicting situation that you are aware of. Create a mantra – may they have peace or may there be peace – that you repeat over and over in your head.

Try each technique. You may find that one naturally leads to the other. If you are very tired, practice mostly inner peace or relaxation. When you are energized, practice outer peace or compassion. They can begin to feel like a circle that becomes one.

You can listen to a recording of the inner and outer peace technique in a 20-minute practice at:
http://www.wsdschools.org/mindfulness-in-winooski/