In these of times of conflict and suffering experiencing inner peace is more crucial than ever. Add the stress of the holidays, and it is even more precious. It’s the subject for December. It requires embracing being despite our difficulties, perhaps even because of them. It is in our very being that we can find a place beyond good and bad, a place of generosity, spaciousness. It can be lived a breath at a time.
Phrases posted on Facebook, December 2023
For a long time I thought peace was a quality of being undisturbed and quiet. But now I believe being at peace is muscular, is a readiness to be present no matter what.
When things go to pieces and we are still able to hold each one respectfully, then one by one each piece has a chance to come to peace. It’s profound, meaningful work.
Stopping at least once a day to simply be present and quiet is a path towards peace. It doesn’t have to be a long time just a committed daily time. You may find, as I have, that my body and mind look forward to this little time of peace. Here’s a delicious quote from Anne Lamott: “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes . . . including you.”
When we loosen the grip of what we think “should be”, perhaps not right away but over time, an opening for a new more peaceful way seems to open of its own accord.
Asking for better understanding in the midst of stress and difficulty is like a bridge over troubled waters as the song lyric states. It’s not asking for the other person to have better understanding. NO. It’s asking of ourselves to gain some ground in better understanding for the other person’s sake first and then for our own.
No matter what age we live in, this piece of wisdom is never out of style.
“If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace you are living in the present.” Lou Tau
Watching waves rise and fall, white caps flashing and the water roiling, is a good image of how the world can look to us these days. But deep down, below sight is a stillness and other kinds of water, ones that move slowly and generate what is needed. Deep inside us there can be that kind of stillness. We are mostly water, aren’t we? And did you know that our tears are the same make up as the ocean? We can turn to the deeper part of us, spend a little time feeling those fathoms of grace and silence and remember this quote from The Dalai Lama: “Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.”
The sound of wrapping paper being folded, good smells from the kitchen, the long “to do” list waiting . . . it’s the days before any holiday we celebrate. It can feel stormy, but we know that in the eye of the storm there is peace. Let’s keep our eyes on that eye. There, all things become whole and complete.