" Achieving Inner Peace ". It's easy. Follow the diagram, read the instructions (not included), go to the talk, read The Book, and just accept the advice from the most reliable source (not included).
The other weekend I was at 'Quest' , a Mind Body Spirit Festival at Newton Abbot in Devon. I went to a free one hour lecture entitled "ACHIEVING INNER PEACE". "Balance, harmony and inner peace can be achieved if we observe and act on the universal principles that govern our lives. These Laws or Principles work unfailingly whether we know them or not. Harmonizing with these Laws brings inner peace." This sounds a little bit like the stuff I go on about, so I went to see what it was all about. The room was full ! A man in a smart suit gave a measured and ordered lecture on the topics of Truth, Justice, and Wisdom, but only after he told us that inner peace was out of the question unless we accepted The Creator. It occurred to me that I was in the wrong room. I was, perhaps, actually expecting inner peace right there !, but after an hour I went out the door I came in.
What is inner peace ? Where can you find inner peace ?
In the wisdom of the ancient Chinese TAO I CHING {AFFINITY HEXAGRAM} inner peace is a state of quietness, and inner strength, based on the cessation of thoughts and ideas, worries and concepts. These discursive thoughts about all sorts of things, memories, and notions, never cease of course, but 'gaps' can be found. Now you can't look for the 'gap' (well, you can, but that's meditation), and you can't apply effort, or reason. You can't try harder to be more at ease, and with no thoughts there is no reason or logic to this. So, if it's not or emotional/experiential or 'intellectual', and nothing to do with anything really, where can such a thing or state be found.
It's in your heart, Dude ! Don't look for it. You've got it with you all the time, but maybe you can't see it or feel it. Your heart is the centre of your awareness, sensitivity, and intuition, but most of the time there are more pressing activities to get on with. Inner peace is not a state exactly, more like a way, or flow of energy.The big secret is that inner peace is not static or still (although it can give that impression) but moving all the time. It is like a flow you become aware of. A flow from you, and from the world to you.The outpouring of the elements of the heart (awareness, sensitivity, intuition, and a kind of open trust), which you can do easily by simply observing what is around you, doesn't cause inner peace (it's not an exercise) - it is inner peace. Look out at the world and others quietly, without any thoughts or preferances, judgements or comparisons. Wow ! that's letting go of a lot of the stuff that maintains your identity and individuality, but you won't loose anything by just looking. If you now want to get involved, impress, or distract, you'll most likely step away from inner peace.
Use your sensitivity by 'looking with your heart, not your eyes'. The ancient Chinese would call this 'looking symbolically' (as close as I can get to a translation), and it takes in all the Elements of the world as a 'picture' of where you are. It doesn't take much to realise that the whole thing is on the move - not to anywhere, but here changing. From being relaxed and at ease with the world as it is, comes an inner quiet or peace, whatever your circumstances might be. It's a way of being in the world. That world doesn't stop moving, neither do you. Inner peace is a way through the world, and it's excellent for going through doors.
