Pupil: Can an average person, like me, who is constantly harassed by all kinds of problems and worries, attain peace of mind?
Teacher: Of course! Peace of mind is not the privilege of special people. On the contrary, any person who is earnest about attaining inner peace, and is willing to devote the necessary time and energy, can learn to reduce the restlessness of his mind and attain at least some measure of inner peace. Every earnest step taken in this direction, even the smallest one, will take you closer to inner peace.
Everyone desires freedom from worries, unpleasant thoughts, anxiety and the hustle and bustle of daily life, but too often, the solutions are sought through various externals activities that might bring some temporary peace. Few know that true peace of mind comes from within, and is not dependent on outer conditions and situations.
We all seek peace of mind in one way or another, in one form or another. All of us desire some degree of alleviation, rest or time out from daily chores and tasks, from stress, problems, the news, people and the rush of daily life. There are many ways to find peace, but most of them are temporary means, bringing temporary inner peace. Going to a movie, spending time doing something we love to do, listening to relaxing music and even sleeping are various ways to experience it.
It is also possible to gain a stable state of inner peace, which is independent of external circumstances, but this requires some inner work and techniques.
Here is an excerpt from my book Peace of Mind in Daily life, in which a teacher asks his pupil, why he is seeking peace of mind:
“Teacher: Tell me, why are you seeking peace of mind?
Pupil: I have got several good reasons for desiring it:
I often find my mind jumping from one subject to another or thinking on irrelevant matters, not letting me concentrate or think clearly.
Worries and anxieties keep coming into my mind, by day and by night.
Too often I find myself thinking over and over again on a past unpleasant event, reliving it in my mind, and experiencing all the unpleasantness that was associated with it.
Unpleasant emotions and feelings often rise up, due to external situations or causes, arousing unrest and inner emotional storms.
Worries, fears and negative thoughts often fill my mind, not giving me a moment of rest.
Sometimes my thoughts and worries do not let me fall asleep, and when I do sleep, I do not sleep soundly enough because of them.
There is an inner conversation and inner chatter inside my head that never seems to stop.
All this is tiring, straining and weakening, bringing unhappiness and lack of peace. I believe that peace of mind will free me from all these disturbing and exhausting experiences.”
Are you aware that your mind is always occupied with thoughts? Are you aware that thoughts constantly demand your attention, dictate your behavior and reactions?
Do you sometimes feel that your mind is going to explode from nonstop thinking? Can you focus your attention on what you are doing at any moment, or are you constantly distracted by all kinds of thoughts, negative thinking or negative expectations? You need to learn to overcome your nonstop thinking in order to gain control over your attention.
Do you sometimes wish your mind could just stop thinking for a little while, and let you enjoy some rest and peace? Like an engine, it has to rest to avoid wear and tear. It needs some rest from time to time, in order to recharge itself and your body.
The mind often looks like a cluttered room, with no free space and no place to move. When you empty your room it will look bigger and tidier, and it will be more pleasant to be there. So it is with your mind. Remove the clutter – the unnecessary thoughts, the worries and the fears, and your life would look happier and brighter.
I am happy to announce that I have uploaded today a new video to YouTube.com, called ‘Inner Peace Meditation’. It was created by Dorina, my wife, and is about 3 minutes long. It is a really beautiful and relaxing video, and I am sure you will like watching it.
‘Inner Peace Meditation’ includes beautiful nature scenes, soothing music and affirmations for peace of mind. If you like the video, I suggest that you bookmark this page or the video page at my website, and watch the video whenever you need some calmness and peace or to ease up stress and strain.
If you like this video, please visit the video page at YouTube.com to rate it or post a comment.
If you have a website, you may post the ‘Inner Peace Meditation’ video on your website. Here is the code:
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