Living the Principles of the Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr
From Should to Serenity: How to Live by the Principles of the Serenity Prayer by Sunny Massad, Ph.D.
Operating from a projected ideal about how your life, the lives of others, and even life itself “should be” is the source of stress and anxiety. From the time you began to attend school, you were taught to do your “best” without ever being given a realistic definition of what your “best” would be. Most people live as though their best means being a little (or a lot) better than they are right now. While this creates a desire to evolve, this very desire to “get somewhere” creates tension.
Even people who are at the top of their game can get up in this cycle of self-improvement, forever tweaking the parts of themselves they consider to not yet be perfect. Learning to accept that human weaknesses and foibles are a natural part of the journey of life eliminates the shame that results from not measuring up to one’s own standards.
Suffering ensues when the mind’s view of existence is polarized to such an extent you are unable to accept life as it is. The perception that there is something wrong when aging begins to deteriorate the body or mind, or when there are times of sickness or scarcity, is the very source of much psychological suffering.
Serenity, however, does not result from simply being free from the “negatives.” It is commendable to improve, change, and remove yourself from situations that are detrimental to your well-being. However, finally being free of weaknesses, mistakes, and insecurities would be akin to finally being free of the need for sleep!
A deep serenity emerges when you learn to say “yes” to what is. This includes death as an inevitable and natural culmination of life, pain as a necessary communication from the body and sadness as a normal human emotion. Although resistance, like effort, will keep you in a state of tension and anxiety, accepting “what is” does not mean that you lay down and play dead when life hands you unwanted circumstances. One of the most profoundly liberating formulas to promote drama-free living are the principles in the Serenity Prayer: To accept the things that cannot be changed, to change the things can be changed, and to know when to accept and when to take make changes.
The Serenity Prayer complete full text version by Reinhold Niebuhr is below.
Sunny Massad, Ph.D.
President and Founder
Hawaii Wellness Institute
www.HawaiiWellnessInstitute.org
and the Originator of UnTherapy
(808) 848-5544
The Serentity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr Complete Full Text Version
Meditation becomes a much easier and more customized
process with the right strategies - even for busy people.
Ultimate Stress Blog Founder Tom Von Deck offers
half of his book, Oceanic Mind - The Deeper Meditation
Training Course for free plus free learn to meditate mp3s.
********************************************************************************************
Versatile workplace stress management and meditation
seminars plus home study audio courses worldwide.
**********************************************************************************
