Step 1 Relax (Body and Mind): After sitting (or lying) down comfortably, relax, breathe deeply, focus on your breathing for several minutes, and when your mind wanders, return to your breath.
	Step 2 Talk to God (pray, thank and forgive): Start off by just talking to God. Chat with him about your coming day or the day that has just passed, tell him about your concerns or anything that's on your mind. Then pray for yourself (ask for values not things), for others and the entire world.  This is one way to train your mind to be in the Spirit.  Spend time in acknowledging that which God has given you - life itself and the things for which you are thankful.  These are some of the things that will divert and refocus your mind into that higher level of consciousness, where your spirit is more able to inlay what it wishes you to know as part of your spiritual education.   While you're praying forgive everyone, completely, including yourself, this is an important part of this step.
	Step 3 Just Be (listen and experience): Now just be still and try to listen to what God might whisper to you. Even if you can't make anything out, keep listening. If you feel the urge to write, use a journal and write any thoughts down. And then , invite the presence of the Father into your heart and say, "Father I am your child and I wish to feel your presence now.  I am ready.  I open the door to Your love, and ask You to flood that into my being."  And when you do this, the Father will respond. 'Be still and know I'm God'.....................

 

Let us have a talk today about peace and serenity within yourself. As you seek to be at peace, you, and so many others, have at times been mistaken in believing that your surroundings need quieting down, and that this alone will give you a chance to become quiet and for you to forget about your ‘busyness’ for a while. You are partially correct, of course, in that you need to find a quiet place in which to practice your Stillness. I do say, ‘practice’, because it is not something you achieve by snapping your fingers for it to instantly happen for you. Having found a suitable place, you must then become aware of the quietness around you, and let it fill your mind and body without your trying to force it. As you become quiet try not to let your thoughts distract you. When they do, just let them pass through your mind and allow yourself to ease back into that quietness. When you meditate and your mind is quiet, let it be. Let the Father’s love surround you and be at peace with your life. The Father has given each of His children the ability to comprehend the meaning of, and recognize the experience of, quietness. At your time of Stillness, many Celestials soon surround you, and, especially, so do your Destiny Guardians who know everything about you. They know of your hopes, of your dreams, your challenges. Spiritual growth will greatly accelerate for you, if you will allow your Destiny Guardians to function as a very real part of you. Let them work with you today and be aware of the peace and serenity they will help you attain. Follow through with this as your day progresses. Let the peace and serenity flow through you in a way that you may become quiet and you may become more aware of your Celestial Guides, who will help you in this ongoing endeavor. Experiencing this improved tranquility will be a new feeling for you, and for many. So, let the peace flow through your minds and bodies, and into the surroundings that you have placed yourselves in. Just for today, ‘let go and let it happen’, and be aware of the never-tiring Helpers who will assist in teaching you this important lesson.

- Teacher Machiventa, 8/19/2002