Swami Vishnudevananda, who started the ashram where I did my yoga teacher training, had a famous saying, "Health is Wealth, Peace of Mind is Happiness". When I first heard those words, I knew I had found myself in the right place. I have always been on the trail for how to feel the best in my body and in my life. I could remember being very young and having so much energy that people would have to literally hold me down. And then I got mono at age 13. I haven't physically been the same since really. So it's been a quest for that true wealth I remembered feeling as a vibrant and clear human. Now I can reflect and say that being hit with an immune-crushing case of mono was something, but it was also that age: 13. I was just getting into the tough social stuff at school. My energy was not only crushed by a virus, but by what I was learning about the world around me. It was hard for me to digest. And still is...
And so good digestion, high energy, clarity of mind and spirit- have been my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I chase them, and their attainment is the wealth I hope to accumulate. I get distracted of course. I have been quite distracted here on my Peace Corps adventure to be honest. The desire to be comfortable with the new places and faces around me, led me straight into some bad habits. And my body has rebelled. I am lucky that I am as sensitive as I am; that I have probably caught whatever damage is happening to my digestive tract early-on. But as someone who has studied nutrition and holistic living, it was startling to myself how far off track I could go! (Long story-short: cookies, chocolate, coffee and wine became a norm rather than a treat) Thank God for second chances! I woke up today realizing it is February 1st. This post, Technique #8, was supposed to be January's. And the one I posted in January was supposed to be December's...there is a pattern here! And this pattern is really messing with my peace of mind. But today is a whole new month, a whole new beginning. Every day we wake up, we have the choice to have a new beginning!
Peace. According to Merriam-Webster, peace is the freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility. We can apply this meaning to any number of areas: peace on earth, peace in the Middle East, peace within a family, peace between enemies. But the peace the I found myself so very interested in, was the peace the Swami Vishnu spoke of, peace of mind. Ah, that sounds PERFECT. That sounds like exactly what I want more than anything on earth. Lovers, cars, money, jobs, fashion, status? UMMMM....NO. I want PEACE OF MIND. Oh but wait, I want those other things a bit too...hmmm....(and here we go, watch how this works, dialog with self):
Oh my gosh, all I want is to feel at peace with all, especially with myself!
Really, I can just imagine, no disturbing thoughts, no negativity towards anyone....
Oh wait, didn't I just read that so-and-so is now designing clothes?
Hmmm...if I had just followed my dreams to work in fashion I would be using this pent-up creativity...I would be surrounded by beauty and color and making money and ......
Wait...Ah, that thought is hurting me! I feel it in my stomach like a weird nervous pain.
OK-wait, peace, I want peace.
But wait, if I had a dream job and money and a husband and 2.5 kids, a house on the beach, oh and one in the mountains...wouldn't I have lack for want and wouldn't I THEN be peaceful?
(Some deep-seated, soft, knowing voice): Nooooooooo
Oh right, I can choose to be peaceful now, can't I? Dope!
Does this sound familiar to anyone? What is crazy is that that exact conversation can occur in one's thoughts over the course of maybe 30 seconds. Can you imagine just how many thoughts are running through our minds daily? Disturbing us?
The Eighth Technique establishes Peace with all of relative creation, thereby further stabilizing harmlessness. It also has the effect of confirming the most important relationship of the individual with the Source of All that Is: the limited self surrenders to the Infinite.
Two main ideas jump out to me as I read this description from the document:
1. further stabilizing- a stable sense of Self, a stable state of mind. A lack of fluctuations of thoughts from one extreme to another, will indeed bring about peace. The less excited and reactive our thoughts, the more HAPPY we will feel.
2. the limited self surrenders- Surrender is a tricky thing. As opposed to simply "giving up", we accept that there are things in this world we cannot understand. We accept our placement, our position, our circumstances that cannot be changed and we live in grace.
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The truth is, we are living in a time when finding true peace of mind is very difficult. In the ancient yoga traditions, this is the time of the Kali Yuga, a time of darkness. And while we have so much intellect being sparked here on earth, as seen through the inventions and accelerated evolution of technology, the darkness refers to our ability to see into our selves, to understand our true nature (aka spirituality). We are exposed to an increasing amount of information each day, and we have to first develop our discernment in order to know what to allow in, and what to block out. But that takes time, patience and a person who wants to cut through the clutter more than they want to win, to own, or to prove. I don't find it impossible for there to be peace on earth one day. But I do find that this will first require each and every individual on earth to first find peace within themselves. And this...this will take time. Just remember...every day is a second chance, every day we can choose to move towards PEACE.
Om shanti. Om tat sat.
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