Peace from the Inside Out

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Mankind’s search for World peace has been evident throughout all of time. Many conflicts manifest through a striving to attain peace. Yet, the absence of peace has seemingly become the focus, instead of peace itself.

The awareness of peace

I used to believe that in order to find peace meant that I had to create a peaceful environment. I thought that peace was only in the world around me. So, I attempted to manipulate my surroundings. This worked, to a degree, until an inevitable distraction came along.

It occurred to me at times, that when I was in a quiet environment, the noisiest thing around was in fact my own thinking mind.  What I didn’t realise however, was that the ceaseless mental chatter was leaving no ‘space’ for Peace to be apparent.

Beyond all of the thousands of interwoven programs, perceptions, conditions, opinions, judgements, emotions, facts, and ideas, is Peace. Peace is closer than our breath. We don’t have to believe in peace for it to exist. You could say that Peace is the continuous ‘humm’ of existence itself.  Losing peace, or losing the awareness of peace, is simply choosing not to give it any attention.

Do we ‘find’ peace?

Perhaps, finding peace involves a choice.  What if we are choosing for, or against, peace all the time?  Ultimately, peace is an inward experience, but more than that…so much more.  It’s not a commodity or a ‘thing’.  We cannot see it in the world, but we can experience its effects.  Do we ‘find’ peace then? or just our own awareness of it?

To re-establish the inward experience of peace is to find a practice that helps point the awareness inward. A tool of sorts, is required because we have become so distracted by all the moving phenomena in the world and in the thinking mind. These distractions move us away from fully and consciously being present to the experience of inner peace.

Any meditation practice that can help direct your awareness to a space devoid of movement, without strain or force, will help to become aware of peace.  Saying or thinking the word peace can have a ripple effect in your nervous system.  Be curious to the experience of inner peace, give yourself permission to rest there, befriend peace.