Finding Peace From Within

We often seek peace in external sources. Peace, which is defined as stillness, quiet, calm, lack of violence, etc. is seen as a state or concept that be found somewhere far away from us. Perhaps on a mountain? By a brook, maybe? In the woods, amidst nature? In a meditation class? In a sleeping pod with noise cancellation headphones?

Philosophers, artists, warriors and leaders have often spent lifetimes in pursuit of peace. Many of them still haven’t found the answer to the question, where is peace? But the simple truth, which perhaps takes a long time to realize, is that peace is something that exists within us. Of course, an external, clam, environment may facilitate peace in our minds. But how practical is it to always depend on external factors for us to feel peaceful? Not very, in my view.

At any time, even in the noisiest and chaotic moments, we should be able to conjure up peace within us. There will always be people and situations that demand a bit too much of us, that induce us to lose our calm, that agitate us. These are the people or situations that want us to react and lose our cool. Now, how wonderful if we don’t give them that pleasure of watching us fail. How wonderful if we could stay cool, yet stand up for ourselves. Perhaps this is a state that will take a lot of practice to attain. But you know, as they say, nothing is impossible.

So, I aspire to stop looking for peace elsewhere. I can and will find it within me.