5 Keys to "Being" in Harmony

“Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.” ? Mahatma Gandhi

What is harmonic living? It is living in a manner that does not harm you, others or the environment. What does it take to be a harmonic being and enjoy peace and harmony in all aspects of life, regardless of our circumstances?

How do we shift from a state of knowing to a state of being? It begins with having confidence in your awareness of what it takes to create harmony. Have confidence in your decisions about what you choose to buy and use. Have confidence in your choice to purchase what is safe and healthful, not what is convenient or “popular.” Have confidence in your decision about how you speak to others and interact with them at home and at work. Have confidence in how you choose to spend your time and money rather than live in the automatic pilot of consumerism and busyness.

Allow harmony to be the first goal in everything you do. Often when I am sitting in a café, I hear small groups of people talking about this and that with an incessant need to have the last word or make the most sensational comment, as if they are in a competition, not a conversation. Why not sit in peace and attend to what your friend is saying—with interest, with compassion? If someone has done something a little differently from you, why choose to compare and criticize their actions? Why not appreciate that they attempted to do something and completed it? When we allow our words and actions to be driven by our egos, we narrow our view of the world as we focus only on the “me,” causing us to lose sight of the bigger picture, the bigger lesson or message.

Be present with those around you. This may sound like an insurmountable goal given all the technological distractions we have in society today, but it is achievable. Being present takes discipline. By discipline I don’t mean something unpleasant or a chore that is imposed from outside. Rather, discipline is an organic process that expands naturally from within, driven by your preferences and your values. Being present means embracing a state of simplicity; put away the pacifiers (gizmos, gadgets, earplugs) and simply look, observe, and appreciate the people around you, the people you live with and work with. At home, families have to make a collaborative effort to connect. Why not try going on a techno-diet together (turn off your cell phones and stay away from Facebook for two hours when everyone is at home together)? What would that be like?

Pay attention to the good deeds that others do and praise them as they carry out these deeds. Acknowledge the goodness in others—with a kind word, a compliment, praise, thanks. When you allow yourself to see goodness in others and in the world and feel goodness, a great sense of good health and wholesomeness fills your life, and you cannot help but project that goodness and healthiness to others.

Trust in yourself and your ability to choose the highest good at all times. Know that you are equipped with the knowledge you need to create health and harmony in your home and workspace – all you need to do is apply it to daily living.

Remember, harmony is about pleasing…pleasing sounds, a pleasing combination or arrangement of different things. By choosing to please ourselves and others through choosing the highest good at all times, we create harmony in our lives.

I encourage you to continue seeking knowledge and start applying the principles of harmonic living to every moment of your day. Continue the journey by reading my new book, How to Raise the Vibration around You, Volume I.

Dawn James is an international speaker, green-living advocate, musician and author of several books on vibrational frequency including her newest book How to Raise the Vibration around You, Volume I available in New Zealand, Australia, amazon.uk and autographed copies at www.raiseyourvibration.ca