“Only when you’ve seen beyond yourself, then you
may find peace of mind is waiting there.”
This profound observation was recorded by George Harrison, a founding member and
lead guitarist of the very successful and world-renowned English rock band, “The Beatles.” His own personal search
for his Peace of Mind ended after
many years of intense and focused effort, among the mystics of India where he
also formally embraced
the beliefs and lifestyle of Hinduism.
The human mind can in many ways, be
viewed as a vast ocean of our emotions which when left undisturbed, remains
essentially calm, peaceful, and free from turmoil. But when it is stirred up by
the winds of our restless thinking, and the raging storms of our anxieties and
our fears, it becomes a boiling cauldron lashing out at all of life, causing
deep pain and suffering, and fomenting increasing feelings of anger, inadequacy
and hopelessness. This unfortunately is the price that we
will inevitably pay when
we allow our insecurities and our weaknesses
to take hold of our minds and of our
thoughts, and in so doing, make
us prisoners of ourselves.
Far too many of us are convinced that in order to survive
and be accepted in this world of strife and conflict which we all inhabit, we
must be willing to give up the peace and the calm and caring confidence that comes
with fulfillment and satisfaction. We must instead, learn to replace these with
the anger, suspicion and jealousy of greed and selfishness that are the
standards of modern societies. And in so doing, end up surrendering the serenity,
happiness and satisfaction of a secure and contented mind, and injecting it
with the poison of worry, shame, anger and distrust; all of this done in a
useless attempt to gain acceptance. This is precisely what the Dalai Lama was alluding to, when he declared
in a short but precise note:
“Anger is
the destroyer of Peace of Mind.”
When there is peace and calm in the
mind, life is a joy to behold. The past, instead of being a source of regret
and worry, now becomes a source of good memories; no longer a source of
concern. The future is
not yet here, and will therefore matter little. And each
day, the mind,
now unencumbered by any unnecessary thoughts and fears, will view
everything in its right perspective. Difficulties and problems now appear as challenges
to be solved, or at least controlled, but never to be feared and avoided. And with
the mind, now freed of the clutter caused by the many imagined obstacles, that may
or may not even be present, both understanding and insight will improve, and so
too, will logic and reason. The mind us
at peace with its world!
Although problems
and difficulties will not disappear, yet they will be more readily managed by a
mind not distorted by turmoil, and fully able to focus more clearly and
effectively, while disregarding any interference. This singular hallmark of a
mind at peace with the world was exquisitely described by Marcus Aurelius, one of ancient Rome’s greatest emperors and stoic philosophers
in these terms:
“Whoever values peace of mind and the health of the
soul, will live the best of all lives.”
True Peace of
Mind however, should not merely be seen as the absence of mental stress,
fear, or anxiety. Rather it should truly relate to a deep state of inner peace,
a state of genuine mindfulness that speaks out, without fear or anger, free of
inhibitions, and focused solely the enhancement of the spirit. This peace of
mind arises deep within the soul, where calm, comfort and composure are usually
found. But unfortunately, so often because of centuries of unhelpful life
exposures, they lay buried beneath layers and layers of conflict, pain and
disappointment that had been laid down, they lose their ability to bring joy
and happiness and instead, remain atrophied, dormant and without hope .
Unfortunately, finding inner peace is neither easy
to acquire, nor
is it readily achievable. It cannot be acquired by learning
from others, nor can it develop by dint of exposure or experience; these are all merely false facades that will never withstand the test of time. It must
always begin with a person’s basic desire to know himself, and his willingness
to recognize the truth of his inner being. Without this,it would be impossible
to recognize one’s needs or desires, and to exercise choice. But when this is
found, it will serve to liberate one’s ego, reinforce the will and permit the
person to overcome the fears and the uncertainties that threaten his spirit and
the world around him.
Perhaps this is what James E. Faust, the highly respected American politician and
clergyman was referring to, when he
declared:
“The Savior of the world taught us to seek that
inner peace, which taps the innate happiness in our souls.”
Unfortunately, only a few
of us ever choose to heed this advice. The rest are content to aimlessly float
along the seas of convenience, like so much helpless flotsam, just searching
for acceptance, and never ever knowing who we truly are.
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