Inner
Peace
“We can
never make peace in the outer world until we make peace with
ourselves.”
Dalai Lama
XIV
Have you noticed how much
free-floating anger is in the air right now? You'd have to be living
in a cave on the side of a glacier not to. We live in a
hypersensitive world, and we're mad as hell about it! Negativity
hangs in the air like early morning fog. We breathe it in and become
infected. There has to be a way out of this pandemic of rage—and
there is, of course. But, like everything else, it comes down to the
individual human being. Roy T. Bennett, in The Light in the Heart,
says, “Leaning to distance yourself from all negativity is one
of the greatest lessons to achieve inner peace.”
Since we can't hold our
breath until the illness passes, we can at least become aware of our
personal triggers. If inner peace is a goal for you, try cutting back
on the amount of time you give to news networks, Facebook and
Twitter. We all want to be informed, but not at the expense of our
mental health. Another is to monitor your own responses to others.
Martial Arts Master, Dr. Bohdi Sanders, advises, “Never respond
to an angry person with a fiery comeback, even if he [or she]
deserves it...Don't allow his anger to become your anger.” (Warrior
Wisdom: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior)
Unchecked anger harms the
human who carries it. And since we are responsible for what we carry
within, we are in a position to choose, yea-or-nay. Ralph Waldo
Emerson, and countless others, have said, “Nothing external to
you has any power over you.” And I would add, “unless you
give it that power.” Other people do not control the barometer
of my wrath, or yours. What I have found to be true is that anger is
heady stuff. We feel powerful and invulnerable when we're mad as the
dickens, and weak when we turn the other cheek. That feeling of power
is the mistake. It takes great strength to remain calm in
the face of another person's anger. And, none at all to respond in
kind.
If we want a peaceful
world, it arises from peace within each of us. Since a lot of our
anger stems from financial inequality, here is a thought for the day
from Roy T. Bennett (The Light in the Heart). “Top 15 things
money can't buy: Time. Happiness. Inner peace. Integrity. Love.
Character. Manners. Health. Respect. Morals. Trust. Patience. Class.
Common sense. Dignity.” I hope your day is filled with peaceful thoughts and peaceful people.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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