The Quest for True Peace
Peace is something that has always seemed unattainable, an idea, a myth, but never a reality. When life is going well, we are left with the impression that we have attained peace. It’s misleading. As soon as things go south, we realise peace is something that was never there to begin with. Peace is something that should remain constant, no matter the circumstances.
New problems arise daily, making it harder and harder to focus on what really matters - the mind. To focus on the mind means taking care of yourself, not just physically, but mentally; diminishing the constant thoughts that pollute our minds 24/7. The truth is, we are stopping ourselves from attaining peace. We are the only obstacle in the way of achieving what I thought was the unattainable goal. Seems very simple and straightforward, but is it?
Achieving peace is being able to control what you think, to control how much energy and emotion you use up, and where. Our minds are out of control. Are you able to just focus and stop thinking, or do thoughts pop up without you even trying? The fact that our minds are constantly racing is what is preventing this calm and peace which everyone desires so deeply - at least that is the case for me.
Constant thoughts, worries, and stress all of these emotions are amplified when there is no peace. Peace is one thing that allows you to face the world and any problem that may come your way. Inner peace means no matter what happens, you can get through it with a level head, rather than becoming overwhelmed, anxious, or having other negative reactions, which just makes things worse. In my opinion, being at peace is to not be affected by worldly problems; and to not let things have such a deep and negative effect on you.
I am a work in progress. Inner peace isn’t a farfetched idea as I first thought, but it is still a long and challenging road. In theory, it can be obtained by following a few simple steps, but the constant thoughts have a way of not letting me move forward. My mind always wants to choose the easier path, which is ultimately the harder one. Not doing anything makes the thoughts worse each day. Doing simran is what will help solve this problem, but my mind likes to avoid it. It’s like exercise and eating a balanced diet - we know this is good for us, but do we follow through? We often decide to start ‘tomorrow’, but that tomorrow never comes. It is this mentality that has prevented me from moving forward and progressing.
There is one place that is very peaceful for me; one place where I feel at peace even if I’m only there for a short time - the gurdwara. When I’m at the gurdwara there are no distractions or problems from the outside world. The focus there is to nurture and nourish the mind, and to learn how to stop thoughts from overtaking us every day. The gurdwara is the one place where all my problems melt away. The gurdwara is where we do Simran - chanting ‘Waheguru’ calms the mind and the body. Practising Simran out loud and focusing on the sound of my own voice reduces my thoughts and my anxiety - that feeling that I am always on edge.
Peace no longer seems to be an unattainable goal, but rather something that has a very tough path leading to it. Those who want peace must earn it and yearn for it. Peace requires effort and persistence; it’s not something that you can just have.
Evening at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, Hare, Derek 2016