News from Peace Begins With Me

I didn't always have a peaceful mind. For much of my adult life my mind was in a constant state of activity. Those voices in my head chattered away non-stop. Even sleep seemed to have little impact in slowing the mind's activity. All of this activity kept me occupied and exhausted.

Two powerful ideas encouraged me to develop a quiet mind. The first idea is that the physical body doesn't distinguish between a 'real' event and an 'imagined' event. Therefore, events that only exist in my imagination can have the same physical and emotional consequences as real events. The second idea was the discovery that most people think more negative thoughts than positive thoughts - about nine times as many negative thoughts as positive thoughts.

When I began to monitor my own thoughts I discovered I had an even higher percentage of negative thoughts to positive thoughts. This intense negative thinking created all of my suffering. I finally decided that I had suffered enough. I committed myself to quieting my mind and becoming a peaceful person. The challenge was - how? How does one quiet a mind that has run incessantly for years, or even decades?

Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now and recent Oprah fame offers valuable insight into the taming of the human mind. He invites us to notice where we are living. Are we living in the past, the present, or the future?

I discovered I spent very little time in the present. Most of my life was about remembering the past or imagining the future. Life, according to Tolle, only exists in the present. The rest is illusion. Most of us live in the illusion. We live with the idea that the next moment will be better ow worse than this moment. Unfortunately, living in the illusion causes us to miss out on this moment, and consequently to miss out on life.

Tolle also invites us to witness ourselves. He encourages us to stand back mentally and notice our self as we engage in life. He then asks a simple question. Who is the real you? Is it the one involved in the drama, or the one noticing the drama?

I've learned to notice myself as I interact with others. Much of what I notice is pretty entertaining! It's like having a front row seat at a play. I've learned to laugh at myself. I've also learned not to take myself and life so seriously.

I've learned that regardless of the circumstances I'm in, it will pass. Life is in constant change. Now, whenever I'm involved in some drama, I simply remind myself, "This too shall pass". I've also learned that no matter how challenging life is I can always manage this moment. I can manage whatever is occurring now. What I can't manage is my imagining of what might happen. The reason I can't manage my imagining is because it doesn't really exist. My imaginings are simply made up stories which only exist in my head.

The secret to a peaceful mind is rather simple - live in the present. Allow myself to be in this moment. Be in one place at a time - this place. Finally, I've learned that 'being' is more important than 'doing'. We are human beings, not human doings. My way of being in this moment is more important than what I do in this moment. And so I choose to be peaceful, joyful, grateful, and accepting regardless of whatever is occurring in this moment.

Wishing you and your family an abundance of peace and joy this holiday season and every season.

In peace!

Ted