![]() A commitment to mindfulness allows a person to react calmly to potential challenges and eases accepting hardships in life.Īs per Alcoholics Anonymous, or “The Big Book,” acceptance is a vital part of the journey to recovery from alcoholism. ![]() However, a person’s reaction to adverse events can have a substantial effect on their mental well-being. 6 The Power of AcceptanceĬhallenges and adverse events are a natural part of life. Sitting in such serenity allows them to respond to challenges without panic. 7 As a result, they develop a calmer mind and an increased ability to concentrate. 6 Through practice, they learn to let go of unwelcome thoughts and focus on the thoughts that matter. Mindfulness exercises seek to help students learn to nonjudgmentally observe thoughts as they come into being, demand attention, and fade away. 5 As practitioners observe their minds during a meditation session, they notice the many thoughts that arise. Mindfulness is a state of awareness in which a practitioner focuses on one’s thoughts or emotions in the present moment, as they come and go. Serenity connotes a sense of peace, and mindfulness is a great way to achieve a calm, peaceful mindset. This first component in the Serenity Prayer, a desire for serenity and acceptance, mirrors goals within the modern mindfulness movement. Part 1: The Serenity to Accept the Things I Cannot Changeįor many people, serenity invokes notions of peace and contentment and conjures images of calm lakes at sunset or pastoral scenes. At the same time, it expresses an individual’s desire to seek change for the better when possible. At these times, acceptance, surrender, and letting go may be appropriate. It acknowledges that life is not perfect and that some adverse events are beyond an individual’s control. 4 The Serenity Prayer follows this theological framework. However, faithful people are called to take responsibility for improving society as their circumstances and abilities allow. Christian realism suggests that human beings can never reach perfection in this lifetime. 3Īs a member of the theological movement known as Christian realism, Niebuhr believed that people of faith had a limited ability to improve the world, even with the best intentions. By 1944, it was a well-known refrain and even printed and distributed to troops in World War II. 2 The prayer was first written by a pupil of Niebuhr, Winifred Craig Wygal, who attributed it to her mentor in a diary entry dating back to 1932. ![]() Niebuhr wrote his version at some point during the first half of the 20th century. For example, in the 1st century, the Stoic Greek philosopher Epictetus wrote, “There are things within our power, and there are things which are beyond our power.” 1 However, most people credit the 20th-century Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr with the prayer’s authorship. Its core ideas can be found in ancient writings. There is some debate about the origins of the prayer text. History of the Serenity Prayer: Reinhold Niebuhr and Realism
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