Happiness Comes Out of Peace Within
When we see war, chaos, and turmoil in the outside world, we feel compelled to make a difference. We want to bring peace, calm and well-being in our surroundings. That is our fundamental trait as human beings. However, we cannot bring something which we ourselves do not have. Peace and well being starts in us, in our hearts, minds, and bodies. Then only it can spread as a ripple to our surroundings, to our society, crossing borders, all over the world. It is most contagious, better than the virus which is running havoc right now.
But first things, first. How to feel this peace within ourselves? How to feel a mental well being in our minds? How to be happy, peaceful and content? Those of us who already feel peace are not so greatly different from those who are seeking it. We all have this mental chatter, troubles, stress, work pressure, and all the accompanying emotions which result because of these vibrations. These emotions are like a giant wave, like a tsunami that envelops us and disturbs our well-being. How to escape this internal tsunami? Thankfully, the internal tsunami is easier to manage than the external one.
Whenever we feel this wave of troubles haunting us, we have a choice. We can choose to get caught up in that, or we can allow ourselves to rise up to our zen moment, and stay there, and look at these troubles which run like a gentle stream on the river bed. The tsunami becomes a gentle stream. But how to rise to this zen moment? How to leave the turbulent surface, and move higher enough that this becomes a tiny stream?
In the Heartfulness meditation system, there are many techniques for this. A regular morning meditation practice, allows us to build this habit of delving deep into our hearts towards the love and light already present in our hearts, where only peace and tranquility resides. The outside chaos has no access to that deep place in our hearts and does not reach there. When we create this habit, we remember this state more often during the day. Every time, we are faced with challenges which drain us emotionally, we know that this state is present in us, and it is who we are, and defines us, and we draw deep, and drink from this state, and our problems and challenges become seemingly very small like that little stream. The tsunami eventually no longer exists.
Thus as we try to belong more and more to this deep place in our hearts, the chaotic state of being which is on the surface dries up slowly. And one day, we realize that we are not affected to the extent, and that its presence has no significance. Problems do not go away, but we know what we have to do, and how to deal with them, without emotionally getting affected.
So, if one person is like this, and has a lasting relationship with their heart, and can pass on this contagion to another, and if a group of people live in this world with this kind of clarity, what to say of the larger community, the society?
When we find that we are able to locate ourselves more and more in the deeper still waters and less on the tumultuous surface of our being, we have discovered a lasting relationship with peace that will enable us to inspire peace beyond ourselves. Until then, we help the world most by practicing the art of choosing peace within.
How to practically implement this contagion of peace? When there are wars, strife, natural disasters, prejudice, avarice, and basically a lot of negative baggage in the world, how do you be the contagion which is going to impact the whole world?
Start small, spread the inspiration, transmit the peace virus globally. Create a peace pandemic. If a tiny virus somewhere in the East could be transmitted throughout the world, why cannot positive qualities of peace, joy and happiness be transmitted?
Peace is a way of life, happiness is a path, we always have the ability to choose. Happiness and peace are fundamental to human beings. Be you; Be peaceful; Be happy. This still peace gives lasting happiness.
