Precerpt from Pathways to Inner Peace (Dreher) - The Path of Mindful Presence

Precerpt (excerpt prior to publication) from Pathways to Inner Peace by Diane Dreher, currently available on pre-order.

The Path of Mindful Presence

PREPARATION

WEEK 1, DAY 1

One reason we can feel so disconnected and distressed is that we’re often not present with what we’re doing. Research (Killingsworth & Gilbert, 2010) has found that nearly 50% of the time most of us are doing one thing while thinking about something else. Does this sound familiar?

Let’s imagine that it’s Monday morning. Your alarm goes off, and you wake up thinking about everything you have to do today. You’re caught up in planning, worrying about the report you’re giving at work and everything that could go wrong. You get up, head for the bathroom, brush your teeth, and splash cold water on your face. Then, you go to the kitchen to make coffee. Sitting by the window with your phone, you scroll through your email, barely tasting your coffee as you deal with announcements, ads, and questions. Suddenly, you realize you’re running late. With no time for breakfast, you rush to get dressed and head out the door. Halfway to work, you realize you’ve left your report on the kitchen table.

Obsessive planning, worrying, multitasking, and rushing can keep us from being present. Let’s begin the day once more with a sense of presence.

It’s Monday morning. When your alarm goes off, you pause to take a deep breath, feeling the comforting warmth of your blankets. Then, you get up, noticing the sunlight shining through your bedroom window. Opening the shades, you look out at the trees and the bright blue sky. With a sense of gratitude, you wash, dress, and head for the kitchen where you put on the coffee and cook a bowl of oatmeal in the microwave. Sitting by the kitchen window, you savor your coffee and breakfast, smiling when you see the sparrow at the bird feeder outside. Clearing up the breakfast dishes, you pick up your report and head out the door on your way to work.

What makes the difference between these two mornings? Attention. We live life on two levels: our separate self and our connected self. On one level, we are all individuals, with our own names, strengths, and personal histories. Yet if we live only as our separate selves, we can become disconnected. We can see life as a struggle, spending most of our time planning, worrying, and craving external approval. When we expand our attention beyond our separate selves, we can recognize our oneness with all creation, opening our hearts to a more inspired and holistic view of life.

Psychologist Peter Levine, Ph.D,, (2008) has found that trauma involves a loss of connection—with our bodies, ourselves, other people, and our world. But even if we don’t suffer from trauma, neuroscience research has found that we can spend much of our time living in the default mode network, the chain of thoughts and inner chatter that reinforces our separate self. At best, this network enables us to function as individuals, planning, and achieving our goals. But when we become too focused on ourselves, this network can disconnect us from others and lead to obsessive worry, anxiety, and depression (Hamilton, Farmer, Fogelman & Gotlib, 2015).

The Buddhists teach that attachment causes suffering—attachment to ourselves that disconnects us from the present moment and the world around us. And today’s many distractions focus our attention on our separate selves—information overload from the news, email, social media, and advertising; external demands; and deadlines. Ours is a culture of distraction. I heard a recent ad on the radio saying that the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park is the first baseball park in the country with wifi so fans can “stay connected” while watching the game—connected to their phones, checking messages, email, and social media, while disconnected from the game itself. In our distracted lives, many of us do too many things at once and rush from one commitment to the next, ruminating about the past or worrying about the future.

Confirming age-old Buddhist teachings, today’s research has found the solution. We can become more mindful, awakening to the present moment, to the wonder and possibilities of our lives. Psychologist Lisa Miller, PhD, (2021) has found that with a mindful, “awakened brain,” we feel more at peace and at home in the world. By becoming more mindful, we can move from disconnection to connection, from frustration to compassion, opening our hearts to trust in life’s unfolding journey.

Declaring his independence from mindless distractions as he began his own journey of awakening, Henry David Thoreau moved into his cabin at Walden Pond on Independence Day, July 4, 1845. In his journal, he asked himself, “What kind of gift is life unless we have spirits to enjoy it and taste its true flavor?” (Stapleton, 1960, p. 165). In his classic, Walden, he wrote, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately” (Thoreau, 1960, p. 72). For us today, to “live deliberately” means paying attention to the present moment, living more mindfully, and becoming more aware of the precious gift of life.

There are thousands of studies on the healing effects of mindfulness. Research has shown that mindfulness-based interventions can relieve stress, anxiety, and depression along with a range of physical diseases (Shapiro & Carlson, 2009). Mindfulness can also help alleviate loneliness and strengthen our sense of connection with others and our world (Teoh et al., 2021).

Book Description

Pathways to Inner Peace offers a guiding light of hope in a world too often filled with stress, disconnection, and uncertainty. Blending scientific insight, spiritual wisdom, personal stories, and practical exercises, this book helps readers cultivate peace of mind and deepen their connection—to themselves, to others, and to the natural world. Inspiring and accessible, it’s a companion for anyone seeking greater clarity, calm, and meaning in daily life.

Keywords

inner peace; mindfulness; emotional well-being; stress relief; spiritual growth; personal transformation; self-awareness; holistic healing; mind-body connection' guided exercises; peace of mind; connection to nature; self-discovery; practical spirituality; daily calm; clarity and purpose; mental health; resilience; inspirational stories; meditation and reflection

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