Be the change! Meditate for peace and harmony.
Let’s begin with a story!
Once Buddha was walking from one town to another town with a few of his followers. While they were travelling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and Buddha told one of his disciples, I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there.
The disciple walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy, very turbid. The disciple thought, how can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink! So, he came back and told Buddha, “the water in there is very muddy. I don't think it is fit to drink”.
After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had crystal-clear water in it. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had. So, he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha.
Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, “see what you did to make the water clean. You let it be ... and the mud settled down on its own and you got clear water... Your mind is also like that. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don't have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless”.
What did Buddha emphasize here?
He said, “It is effortless”. Having 'peace of mind' is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless process. When there is peace inside us, that peace permeates to the outside. It spreads around us and in the environment, such that people around start feeling that peace and grace.
Now the big question is, how to attain the peace of mind? Is there an easy way out to attain the calmness of mind? Is it something that working professionals who are busy with their work can get a taste of?
Well, the answer is it depends on how strongly is someone seeking peace. And there is an old saying that all spiritual practitioner believes in “what you seek is seeking you”! What we need to do is to prioritize our needs is life, we need to take some time out of our busy schedule to seek this peace. And as guided by the Masters through the ages, a tool that can help you gain peace of mind and lead a stress-free life is through the practice of Meditation and Stillness.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is an age-old practice of calming the mind; the best way to take deep rest and be alert at the same time. It is a skill that calms the mind and allows us to get in touch with our inner soul. It is the easiest mean to connect to God.
Exigent situations, demanding jobs, crumbling relationships and wobbly times can be a cause for anxiety and may take away our peace of mind. We are swayed by our emotions. We become indecisive, act on impulse.
Meditation gives us the strength to accept situations as they are. We respond consciously and to a situation. We do not react in ignorance and say or do something which we may later regret.
Meditation releases the stresses that are accumulated in our mind and leaves it fresh and clear. A tranquil mind is ready to act with perfection and brings the aspired result.
So, ten to fifteen minutes needs to be invested daily for a simple seated meditation. Guided meditation can entice us into a blissful state of presence. But perseverance is the key. I personally practice Master Choa Kok Sui's Meditation on Twin Hearts. But any guided meditation will bring in consciousness for the realization of our true self and attain that much coveted serene state of mind.
More ways to find the peace
- Take a meditative walk, focusing solely on the physical sensations of walking—the earth under your feet, the nature around you.
- Sit in nature—under a tree, on a mountain—and let yourself simply be.
- Write down everything that’s weighing you down mentally and then burn it as a form of letting go.
- Tell someone how their actions affected you instead of holding it in and building resentment.
- Call someone you’ve denied forgiveness and tell them you forgive them.
- Apologize for a mistake instead of rehashing it, and then choose to forgive yourself.
- Engage in a little art therapy; grab some crayons, markers, or paint and put all your feelings on the page.
- Listen to the music that feeds tour soul.
- Start reading that book you bought about dealing with the challenge you’ve been facing.
- Repeat some positive affirmations that help you feel inspired, motivated, peaceful, and empowered.
- Volunteer your time to help a charity you believe in. Put all your energy into helping someone else, and you will inadvertently help yourself.
To sum it up
We all have a limitless ocean of joy within us. Love is present at the very core of our being. It is the very nature of our Soul. We get so caught up in the complexities of our busy lives that it takes a toll on our mind. We are distanced from our nature. It is the need of the hour to relieve our mind of negativity. To shake ourselves free of stress and tension.
Peace is not just an absence of conflict. It is a positive state of mind that we all nurture within us. It is inner peace that can bring outer peace in a family, in society and ultimately in the world. To create peace between communities and nations, we need to look within. Meditation is that inward journey that takes us towards a lasting solution. Once we find peace within, we will able to share it with our family, friends, and society. And then we can move towards a better world!
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