Before one begins on their path to peace, one must know what peace is. What is peace to you?
How does one obtain peace?
In fact, what do people define as peace?
Some define it by symbolic means in that we should stop wars and not fight and thereby have peace. But is this the peace you seek?
The peace I describe here, is not a peace that can be rolled out like a political policy, however, it is still one all are capable of achieving.
It is an individual peace. That is, you are finding that peace within yourselves. And once you've achieved that peace, you can begin a path to greater peace and happiness :)
It sounds very hard to believe doesn't it. But please read on. I am not going to tell you how to achieve a miracle. I am am simply going to suggest a few steps that may allow you to discover your own inner peace :)
To me peace cannot be symbolised, it cannot be drawn. Peace is just peace. It can be experienced and felt, but that is enough. Why go to so much trouble creating a visual image around it when you can simply experience it for yourselves?
But then again, it depends what one defines of peace. If one defines it as curing all the worlds ills, making everyone be nice to be each other and thoroughly exhausting yourself in the process then peace is not what you're going to obtain.
For some it is about achieving World Peace. Is world peace an ideal world where people all get along? An ideal situation that many strive for. For that I have nothing against worldwide happiness. But, how can you have world peace if you yourself 'the individual' is not at peace within yourself? How can you strive for peace if you yourself are in conflict?
You may think you are not in conflict, but how does life feel to you? Does it stress you out? Does everything seem depressing and hopeless? Maybe it is not how the world is but how you are seeing it and experiencing it.
For this I will give you a beginning to what I define as 'Inner Peace'
The 'Inner' Peace
I define it as 'inner' peace for it is a peace which is personal to you. It is inside, within your mind if you like, your soul even. Peace of mind for example can be a good thing to relate to for it is the ability to not have that conflict within yourself. No worries, no stresses, taking life as it comes rather than worrying about what may or may not happen.
Throughout this blog I will be giving you a few tips and ideas of how to may achieve this. Not I say 'may' as everyone is unique and individual. Not every activity will work for everyone. But that is not what's being attempted to achieve. Making just one or two people happy is better than not at all. Plus, those who find their peace and happiness may pass it on to others in ways only 'they' are able :)
But back to peace. In the next section I will give you a selection of things to try out to allow you to look at things in a different way. I am choosing the natural world in which to do things for it is one of the few places on this world still in complete harmony with itself.
The Path To Peace - Through The Natural World
Total peace, may seem hard to imagine, but it can be achieved, even if just for a few seconds, that can be enough. For this, I will give you a beginning. Something for you to try out and work on for yourself.
Is there somewhere green or quiet you can go where you are? If there is then, go there
Sit down maybe, or walk slowly. Sometimes the latter is more helpful. Movement can help when observing :)
Now, important bit: Instead of thinking and running through your mind the clutter and stresses of the day and trying to make sense of it all
STOP
That is, don't stop moving or whatever
Stop thinking.
It may be difficult at first but will get easier. The thing is, people often get the idea of making your mind go blank as something that blocks everything out. I do not know how this is achieved as I certainly cannot do it, nor do I recommend it for this exercise as you'll only be blocking out what you are to experience.
Next, you will no longer be thinking, but experiencing.
Listen to the world around you: the birds, the trees in the wind, the leaves rustling, the ground crunching under foot (depending on what you're walking on). Really listen and feel those natural sounds flowing through you. Feel them as life running through your every inch and feel them filling you with life and energising you.
Next, start looking. Look at your surroundings. Look at the detail of the bark on the trees, look at the textures around you, look at the birds and the animals and watch what they do and smile :) In time you'll see their beauty as life itself.
Thirdly. Feel. Touch your surroundings, feel that bark on the trees, feel the breeze against your skin.
There are many more and these will come to you the more you experience. Combine all three and you will experience wonders :)
You may even find yourself applying this to your daily life :)
That is all I will give you for now, for it is all you need as a beginning.
Take care of yourselves now.
Peace & Happiness x
