• 184th International Peace Meditation “Whom Do You Say that I Am?”

    “Whom Do You Say that I Am?”

    I am not who you say I am.
    I am who I truly am.

    …ss
    April 1, 2012 — It is difficult to be authentic in today’s complicated world. Most of us are busy creating a work image, parenting image, friend image, and significant other image. We may model ourselves after successful role models. Corporate leadership structures demand a demeanor and image different from an hourly employee in a fast-food chain. Each has a style that is considered appropriate in that environment, but inappropriate in the other. We probably learned that to be successful in our desired field, we would need to adopt an image.

    Some of us may have also have been told that if we want to climb a career ladder, we should dress not for the job we currently have, but for the next job that we want. We need others to see that we can “look and act the part.” It gives employers a reason to believe that we would fit in if we demonstrate that we understand the model for success.

    Many of us have an image of how we want to be viewed as a parent or a significant person in the life of a child. Are we too lenient? too eager to please? dictatorial? unforgiving? loving? measured and fair? Do we want to be viewed as bringing our children up properly by participating in enrichment activities to broaden his or her education? Do we want our children to appear to have at least the same standard of living as their friends? Do we create our image by being active in the school and community? For some, our parental image may seem as important as our actual relationship with our children.

    We have images as single people open to finding a mate, or committed people within a relationship. Are we viewed as caring? understanding? ambitious? honest or dishonest? trustworthy? kind? as an opportunist, taking what we need selfishly without a thought for the other?

    It would be difficult to be a truly authentic person in our complicated world. We tend to wear many hats and assume many roles. Have you ever wondered who you truly are when all of the roles, and corresponding masks we wear, are removed? Who am I when I am not trying to be anyone? when I’m not concerned with how others view me? when my emotions and beliefs lay bare before me to look at objectively? Who am I when I’m out from under the many images society requires me to wear?

    Being authentic means being who we truly are right now. It may mean looking at ourselves as spiritual beings embodied in a physical world. Who am I without my handicapping condition? my appearance? my scars and wrinkles? my body size and shape?

    Who am I when I’m not concerned with how others see me? When I am totally alone, who am I?

    Our action-oriented society requires images of ourselves a “human doings” rather than “human beings.” Who am I when I am not taking care of others? cooking? cleaning? organizing? shopping? leading? performing? or practicing? Who am I when everything is still? Can I find out?”

    As the Institute develops a New World Empowerment Center, we will be creating opportunities for experiencing stillness. Many of us are so busy that we fear stopping. We may fear the stillness, but we needn’t.

    Stillness if full. It allows creativity. It brings us answers. It connects us with the Infinite. It helps us to eliminate fear because in its sense of fullness we can begin to know who we truly are. Who we truly are does not pass away, but continues. Stillness helps eliminate fear of death when we realize we are so much more than multiple ego images negotiating the world. And when we learn more about who we are, we may also learn about what we came to do.

    The answers to the great mysteries of life–Why am I here? What did I come to do? are not found in the outside world. They may be found when, in the stillness, we allow these answers to emerge.

    Join us soon in our New World Empowerment Center (TM). The power we find will come from finding our strength within. When we know who we truly are, we will embrace, and better understand and nurture, the person behind the masks we each wear.

    Our workshops, retreats, and seminars will soon be available to assist us in learning “A New Way for a New Day” (TM) Then, our activities will flow from our authentic selves.

    This Meditation is dedicated to finding our true and authentic self so that we each may more fully do what we came to do, and thereby experience fulfillment.

    Sue Kidd Shipe, Ph.D.
    Executive Director, Author, and Spiritual Empowerment Teacher

    Products to help you navigate this New Day

    Love Rekindled– a CD of poetry and prose written and read by Sue Kidd Shipe. Coming soon!

    Invitation to Love–book by Sue Kidd Shipe–coming soon!

    Celebrate Diversity!: A Guide to Community, School & Organizational Empowerment by Sue Kidd Shipe and available at www.humanempowerment.org Discounts available for larger orders. (Here’s what Readers are saying about Celebrate Diversity!…..)

    United We Stand: Reflections on a True Democracy by Sue Kidd Shipe and available at www.humanempowerment.org Discounts available for educators and larger orders. Here’s what people are saying about United We Stand…..)

    Fibromyalgia: Awareness, Advocacy & Action available at humanempowerment.org
    This is our 16th year of continuous meditation.

    Please join us in prayer/meditation during the 24 hours of Sunday, April 1st, and again the first Sunday of every month. Forward our Meditation to all in your address book; make copies for your religious and spiritual brochures and bulletins.

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    Fibromyalgia
    Fibromyalgia Support Group

    Meets the third Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. (except June, July, August and December)
    Questions, please call Agnes Welch, Support Group Leader, at 518 482-5533

    St. Peter’s Hospital, Albany
    Staff Dining Rooms A & B off the Cafeteria
    (follow the bank of soda machines to find the room)
    Free parking with ticket validation

    PROGRAM: Tuesday March 20 — Ashley Ennis will discuss PPA (Partnership for Prescription Assistance)
    PROGRAM Tuesday April 17 — Lorraine Calleri, OTR/LMT will talk about options for treating Fibromyalgia
    PROGRAM Tuesday May 15 — Sue Shipe, Ph.D., Executive Director, International Institute For Human Empowerment, Inc., will talk about the Institute’s advocacy efforts.
    Clinical Trials for Fibromyalgia.

    Thank you to all who contributed toward the printing and re-printing of our Fibromyagia Report. Be sure to write to sueshipe@www.humanempowerment.org or call 518.393.9491 for free copies for physicians, patients, and interested others. Help us spread the word! Thank you also for donating for all our efforts toward “helping individuals and organizations recognize and harness their power.”
    September 11 — “International Unity Day”
    For more information, go to www.humanempowerment.org and click on the globe Please join us with your own local commemoration and Proclamation! Purchase a copy of Celebrate Diversity! to aid in planning your International Unity Day Event.
    Click Here for Ways that you can participate and support the International Institute For Human Empowerment

    The International Peace Meditation invites people of all faiths to participate. The International Institute For Human Empowerment, Inc., a 501C3 charity registered in New York State, is not a member of any religion in order that it may serve all.

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