After knowing what happens in the other unseen world and how the two types of energies act on each other in the Universe, the next possible query in your mind now would be – okay, I know the working of the forces of God behind my physical eyes. But in spite of what is happening around me, I want to have peace of mind. And in this disorganized and unstable world! So now the question is – What should I do to have it?
At this point, I ask you- Have you ever made conscious efforts to beget peace? And did you ever experience very deep and sustained peace Mandira? Even if it was for a few minutes? Recall that.
If not, then my advice to you is that you must certainly attempt this rewarding endeavour. You will know its significance once you experience it yourself. You see, we make all sorts of efforts to achieve material goals, but we do not really know and understand how important it is to try and attempt to procure and attain peace in our lives.
When you do get a glimpse of deep peace at an an advanced meditative stage as a mature sadhak later, then hold on to it. It is evasive and slippery, it slips away. Let that deep peace linger and spread in your whole body, complete mind and in all your daily activities profusely and be cautious to retain it after that!
The next question is how?
There are some ways by which you can have lasting peace by adopting and practicing some actions and habits in your daily life. I have incorporated and followed them for quite some time now and have found impressive results. You too can adopt and follow them for a good, healthy, enriching and balanced life. In this way, you will enhance your spiritual life also.
- Firstly, disconnect and release your mind from material objects and materialistic thoughts. This tendency makes our mind impatient and restless. In this category also fall people who are not good and add nothing substantial to your well-being. Do not spend your time in discussing worthless people and their doings with others. You will gain nothing out of it. Distance yourself from their unproductive life activities. Only pick up good things from them. Please do not give unnecessary importance, time and energy to material goods and related thoughts, I repeat.
You can never be fully satisfied without Divine peace!
There is a thin line which divides need from greed!!
- Have regards for superior thoughts. Infuse your mind with thoughts which have gravity, depth and meaning. They should serve the purpose of guiding your line of thoughts and your life in the right direction. From superior thoughts of wisdom, take your mind and anchor it on thoughts on God. In this way the mind becomes pure. Mind is matter and the thoughts lingering with worldly matters has impurities. But the worldly mind becomes pure with contemplation and absorption of sublime divine thoughts. The mind should be thrown in the fire of knowledge and wisdom. After burning, the residue is the sediments of impure, fleeting thoughts of this transitory world and the gold is now clean and it shines! Like wise our mind, over a long, continuous period of isolation from worldly tendencies and inclinations becomes transformed and purified for a higher purpose. So internalize your mind by bringing it back to its source again and again till it rests in God permanently. This needs regular and uninterrupted practice.
- When you perform your daily activities, involve your mind completely in it. No job is done well unless we give our heart and soul to it. But once the job is done, disconnect your mind and take a relief. After refreshing your mind, go on to the next task. If you are stormed by bouts of uneasiness and disruption of peace, then immediately bring your mind on your breath. Focus your attention on your breath. Observe your breathe and be a witness to it. As you watch the flow of incoming and outgoing breath, the uneasiness, anxiety or anger and all other negative emotions shall subside and pass away. Calmness and peace shall return to you soon. Make it a habit of calming your mind many times a day by observing your breath and not by other de-stressing methods to improve your moods.
- Continuous practice of the mind for uninterrupted peace, discovering thoughts of God’s nature by regular practice of meditation, penance, maintaining silence, fasting on saatvik food, internalization makes the mind firm and steady.
- Do not carry the weight of the load of your past. Leave your past behind. Let your past be past.
- Discard immediately all those thoughts which arise in the mind that are impure, repetitive, fruitless and unprofitable.
- Give love to all. That is God’s love which you shall distribute to whom so ever is worthy.
- Spread kindness. Kindness in words, thoughts and deeds. Be kind to animals, animate and inanimate objects too. Speak words to people which are pleasing to their heart, mind and soul. Your words should have balming effect on them.
- Meditate on God. Meditate on Self. Do self inquiry and correct yourself again and again. Meditate deeply for long lasting peace. Deep breathing and meditation clears your mind of fogginess and also clears your future path.
As I wrap up and conclude this topic, I feel like telling you something in brief. A precept which you may need to know at a later stage of advancement and development. Have you heard the word -Soliloquy? Compare these two words ‘soliloquy and dialogue’. Dialogue is with the mind while soliloquy is with our Spirit, our soul. After soliloquy there is only peace. One is at peace with the world, with people and with own self. This is a state of Nirvana- nir (without) vana (speech), a speechless state of mind, a quiet and silent mind. Complete freedom from the noise of our own loud incessant, futile thoughts which are self created. The clouds over the sun when dispersed facilitates the sun to shine brightly. Like wise the noisy, cloudy thoughts when calmed down makes our Spirit shine. The shining Sun here is our luminous Spirit, our very own Atman.
God is the all pervading force in the Universe as well as in Nature in its pure, undiluted, sublime form. While Mind is matter and gross in nature. It completely dissolves in God, in the Spirit, in the Light, in sublime Self. The mind at last arrives at a stage where it has no conflict, no rebellion traits, no upheaval, no unrest, no agitation, and no fuss at all. Only Peace prevails. Attain that!!
Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti OM.
(Refer post no. 4 Awareness- the art of right living. Why do we need to control and discipline our breath?)