Seven Ageless Thoughts for Inner Peace
By Goodpal, 29th Jan 2012 | Follow this author
| RSS Feed | Short URL http://nut.bz/kbnzbzlo/
Posted in WikinutHealthMind & SpiritMental Health
Why Inner Peace and Tranquility have become so uncommon today? This is the basic question everyone disillusioned by current lifestyle wants to ask. These 7 thoughts are pointers to the path leading to inner peace and true happiness
- Why Inner Peace is So Illusory?
- There is Still Hope
- 1. Differentiate between “Needs” and “Wants”
- 2. Set Limits
- 3. Accept People
- 4. Learn to Forgive
- 5. Don’t Take Life Too Seriously
- 6. Practice Mindfulness
- 7. Protect and Preserve the Inner Space
- Further Reading
Why Inner Peace is So Illusory?
Finding peace within is a wonderful thing but we generally look for it in the wrong places. A lot has to do with the current lifestyle that puts too much emphasis on material things and money. For people virtually cut-off from their inner core, it is more like looking for a non-existent black cat in the dark room! As a result, they work hard and keep accumulating things and money and yet remain miles away from inner peace. In fact, their endless material pursuit puts them in a situation where only things contrary to inner peace can happen and survive.
The current form of capitalism equates happiness with consumption – people are expected to earn more and consume more; and of course, be happy doing that. Money can only buy material facilities and provide various types of physical comforts. It makes people dependent on physical comforts and, more as a rule than exception, they die rich rather than live a rich fulfilling life! This is the biggest drawback of “consumerism” based industrialized societies. Global warming and climate change are just widely known side effects of this lifestyle.
There is Still Hope
“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” – Marcus Aurelius
Although the framework of money oriented modern society is not conducive to true inner peace but if you are determined and make true happiness and inner peace the goal of your life, you can surely achieve them. Then the following two wise quotes will no longer remain unsolved riddles for you:
If you are at peace with yourself, you are at peace with the world. – The Buddha
"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe." – Marcus Aurelius
If you seriously wish to lead a meaningful life full of inner peace, you may like to incorporate the following thoughts in your life:
1. Differentiate between “Needs” and “Wants”
The world today is largely run by emotions such as insecurity, greed, violence, and mistrust – all enemies of peace and harmony. Business today is far too complex and insecure that percolates into the lives of people dependent on it. The best indicator of rising insecurity is the growth in the insurance business. Greed is fueled by the 24X7 advertisements in the media without which business and industry won’t survive. People today are reduced to money making and goods consuming robots – the biggest misfortune of today’s world. We are under constant pressure of performance to keep our jobs and fueled by commercials our greed drives us to over-stretch and over-spend. As a result, we have lost the ability to distinguish between needs and wants.
So, the first step is to learn to distinguish between needs (necessities of food, cloth, travel, and shelter) and wants (latest models of cell phones, digital appliances, and cars). Needs are easy to identify and can be easily limited and quantified, of course, with some attention. For example, healthy nourishing food is a necessity but going for tasty junk food is an unwanted luxury, if a small cheap car can carry you to office and bring you back safely, why spend on a bigger or luxurious car and keep worrying about its payment schedule, any simple cell phone can serve the purpose of communication then why spend heavily on a feature packed new model (why pay for features you are unlikely to use.), and so on.
Remember, “needs” are, in reality. limited and can be quantified; “wants”, on the other hand, have no limit. Chasing “wants” can easily turn you irrational and you can’t see things in proper perspective. The best way to stay rational is to always keep the “needs” in focus.
2. Set Limits
In order to further stay within the boundary of rationality, you need to set limits on your activities so that you can focus on really important things. Therefore, limit your to-do list to just 2-3 most important items. Likewise, set limits for daily checking/writing emails to, say 15 or 30 minutes– and I do it just once a day; 15 minutes each for twitter and facebook; if you are talking too much on phone (and paying for them!) limit both the number and duration of calls. Have a look at your daily activities and you will discover many other areas where you are wasting energy and resources unnecessarily. Likewise set a limit for commitments, it will keep you less stressed and you will become far more efficient and productive.
I have pasted the words “Set Limits” in front of me at my desk. It serves a constant reminder and helps me when I am carried away into making impulsive decisions. Besides, it also helps in proper time management.
3. Accept People
"Accepting others as they are – their looks, behaviors, beliefs and attitudes – brings you peace of mind by saving you from anger and resentment." – Unknown
Unresolved issues and interpersonal conflicts sap a tremendous amount of mental energy. They are the basic cause for stress, restlessness and anxiety. While it is certainly beyond our ability to change how people act and behave, but we must protect ourselves and our peace of mind and tranquility. The way to do is to accept people as they are. Resenting people for their behavior is, in fact, a self-inflicted pain that instantly kills our inner peace.
Hating people amounts to giving them control over our behavior – a very unhealthy tendency that weakens us in the long run. The anti-dote is to accept as they are. If an idiot wants to be accepted as an idiot, oblige him – after all he has the right to be that way! Why burden yourself for what he is. Got the point? You distance yourself.
It also puts us in a better position by preserving our inner stillness and conserves energy. Now we are free to focus our energy where we want to and can take suitable action, if need be. In nutshell, we gain freedom.
A simple fact of life: People are not Difficult; they are just Different.
4. Learn to Forgive
"Inner peace can be reached only when we practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past, and is therefore the means for correcting our misperceptions." – Gerald Jampolsky
When we accept people the way they are, we take the initial step towards freedom. Real personal freedom comes when we can actually forgive, until then we are connected to the person who harmed in the past. This emotional connection is deceptively strong and inflicts a lot of suffering that disrupts our inner peace and tranquility. Forgiveness not only releases the other person, it also sets us free from mental agony.
Just as we need to accept others, we also must learn to accept ourselves the way we are. Very often we also can’t accept our own behavior that puts us down under guilt. Therefore, we also need to learn to forgive ourselves too. Though not an easy task, but with constant practice forgiveness becomes a natural part of our behavior. This further simplifies things.
Understanding the Wonderful Art of Forgiveness
5. Don’t Take Life Too Seriously
“Accept life like a pair of walking legs – the foot forward has no pride and the foot behind has no shame because both know that their situation will change.” – Anonymous
Life's not about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain. – Vivian Green
“Happy people plan actions; they don’t plan results.” – Dennis Waitley
Apart from people, life can also throw unexpected situations which also need acceptance. If we stop for a moment and ponder we will discover that our control on life is only flimsy; most things don’t go the way we wanted. Therefore, a casual, relaxed, and rational approach towards life is very helpful.
6. Practice Mindfulness
”Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone.” – Louis L'Amour
“You can’t live anywhere other than in the present moment.”
Think about these statements for a while. These profound truths provide foundation for living mindfully. In fact, mindfulness is the ultimate form of acceptance. A mind established in mindfulness is ever ensconced in the present moment with an unwavering mind. A mind that accepts nothing; rejects nothing. A mind that likes nothing; dislikes nothing.
Mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience. It isn't more complicated than that. It is opening to or receiving the present moment, pleasant or unpleasant, just as it is, without either clinging to it or rejecting it. – Sylvia Boorstein
Mindfulness is an impartial watchfulness of your thoughts, feelings and experience – without prejudice or bias. You are consciously aware of the thoughts you are thinking but don’t chase or analyze them. You are also aware of the present feelings – you just acknowledge them; don’t like or dislike them. You mentally note every experience but refrain from thinking, labeling or evaluating them. You are just a detached witness of yourself.
Mindfulness is also being ever ready to acknowledge and experience anything that comes up in the present moment. It also involves letting go, as the present moment turns past. It is accepting and letting go continuously. It is a wakeful experience of life, an alert but detached participation in the ongoing process of living.
The Technique of Mindfulness: Your Best Friend
Holistic Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation
7. Protect and Preserve the Inner Space
Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you're going. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way. – Stephen Richards
"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset." – St. Francis de Sales
Our inner mental space is inherently pure, peaceful, and tranquil. It is visited by thoughts, emotions, drives, and tendencies. In their absence, we are naturally at ease and peace; we need not do anything. It is already there; we only need to realize and discover it. Once we understand this, our actions will be geared towards protecting and preserving the inner space. Strong urges and drives of hatred, fear, or greed are like tsunamis that will simply tear away any sense of peace and tranquility. Therefore, they must be avoided at all costs.
Current lifestyle is centered only on two things: fast pace and money. People are generally so busy chasing money and dreams that they actually forget to live! Keep close watch on inner drives and impulses; they are often triggered by insecurity, greed, or social pressures. They pollute our inner atmosphere – leading to stress and discomfort.
This is the ironic truth of modern life. Realize this and slow down to lead a life enjoying peace and happiness inside. It is only possible if we are in complete control of your life.
Protect and Preserve Yourself through Meditation
Further Reading
If you liked this page, you may also be interested in
10 Quotes for a Wonderful Day
10 Quotes for a Meditative Mind
A Simple way to Upgrade Your brain and life
Comments
30th Jan 2012 (#)
An excellent share
Reply to this comment
30th Jan 2012 (#)
Thanks Melissa. It is always good to hear from you. Keep sharing.
Reply to this comment
30th Jan 2012 (#)
I need to read this article!
Reply to this comment
30th Jan 2012 (#)
Wonderful insights, thank you:0)
Reply to this comment
30th Jan 2012 (#)
'Hating people amounts to giving them control over our behavior'. Love this line! So true. A well written piece. I just love the photo of the dog. Nice one. Congrats on the star page, it is well deserved. As always, thank you for sharing.:)
Reply to this comment
30th Jan 2012 (#)
Thanks Delicia and Denise, for sharing. Good to know that you are there to read. It's a wonderful feeling.
Reply to this comment