Peace Within Our Reach

Peace is always within our reach, depending not on what is going on in our lives or the world but on our fundamental, prevailing attitude. Regardless of the concerns that arise in the mind and cloud our hearts with anxiety, all it takes (sometimes) is a turning within, a shift in perception, to realize that peace is intrinsic to our deepest nature. 


Buddhist meditation teacher Susan Piver shares this story about the loss of a love relationship. She is taking out the garbage barefooted on a hot Texas morning; her heart is caught in a circle of tumultuous emotion. Recurring phrases such as "he fears commitment" and "he is too selfish to care about anyone else" continually barrage her mind. Suddenly, she realizes nothing is happening except that she is standing barefoot on a Texas street on trash day, with some birds flying overhead. At that moment, she realizes that all of her emotional pain is entirely the result of her thought patterns. It had nothing to do with anything happening outside of herself. The moment she took her attention off her thoughts, she felt peace, quiet, and the absolute absence of pain, together with the clear realization that "everything is fine." The typical ego drama is dispelled when a deeper self or awareness is awakened. It is a form of spiritual awakening: a clarity that dismantles the false self.

It is also what I believe Jesus meant when he taught, "Repent; the Kingdom of God is at hand." Shuwb, the Hebrew word he used for "repent," literally means to turn around, an about-face, an inside out. Other spiritual traditions proclaim a similar message: within our grasp, nearby, readily accessible, is a liberated state of being in which there is no fear, anxiety, or depression, but it requires a shift in vision. This shift, however, is not easy, for we have learned to live with disempowering habits, habits that hurt and constantly disturb our peace, habits born of a self that is not who we are. Sadly, we associate these clouded patterns with our true nature. The shift we must make is the move to the awareness that we are, deep down, not just the bundle of fears and reactions that make up the ego. In doing so, we discover the true Self.


Cultivating Peacefulness

Spiritual awakening is facilitated by disengaging from identification with illusory thought patterns to recognize our true nature. Cultivating peacefulness is essential to this process. Although it may seem straightforward, it is not easy, and it has to be repeated until it becomes a new habit.

Spiritual awakening is a constant return to our deepest center, our authentic self. Even if our self-realization, the recognition of our authentic self, is brief and old thought patterns return, which they will, we are left with the indelible sense that no matter what happens in life, there is, just below the surface, a palpable sense of peace in the stillness that awaits our return. It is what we must all discover and practice every day. Spiritual awakening, I have found, is cumulative.


In designing "Cultivating Peacefulness," I am inviting the spiritual practitioner into the process of spiritual awakening in a manner that is something we can relate to today, not as renegades who "shun the world" but as regular folk living everyday life, pursuing relationships, a career and through interacting every day with other humans in a world that is becoming increasingly more complex.

To present a fresh take on what might be called "the way of enlightenment" or "spiritual awakening" is not easy. Like many, I am tired of much of the language and terminology. However, like many, I desire a better me and a better world. And the way towards a better world is through spiritual awakening, which is not reserved for just spiritual people. Enlightenment is the willingness to step into the truth of the situation and find the best outcomes through the highest, wisest cognition of the authentic self.


Our most significant stumbling block is justification. We can always find conditions that justify our being disturbed. Today, more than ever, we are acutely aware of so much that threatens our peace. The war in Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East and South Pacific, aggressive military and economic development, state-sponsored terrorism, precarious nuclear capability, and homegrown extremism are all credible threats and fears. 


And then there is the economic situation. No matter how the stock market swings, up or down, or how good the job numbers are, people can still be stressed about other things. Finances are only one aspect of life, albeit crucial. However, we've got to know our intrinsic peace and fulfillment, which is inherent in the most profound nature of the authentic self. Our connection to peacefulness and the manner in which we find our way to it serve our spiritual awakening daily.

It is important to work diligently and not give up. Some time ago, Asha and I watched V Unbeatable, a group of 29 children and teens from a Mumbai slum who worked hard to get on the show. They took such risks with their acrobatic dance routine that one of them, Vikas, died in a fall. However, they never dialed down on the stakes for the other option, which is far worse. No one wants to live in poverty, without running water or electricity, living in a crowded space, like these kids and those like them. Yet, they made it to the top through dedication, earning standing ovations from judges.

However hard we work towards our goals, we still need to manage our internal dialog, which can create stress and conflict. Take stock of how you are processing thoughts, emotions, and the images that fill your mind. Can you wake up spiritually in the midst of it all? What resources can you bring to your process?

Staying Spiritually Fit