It is said that when the ancients visited the earth, they brought along some secrets to share with man, but found he was not ready for them. So they decided to hide them till the time was ripe. One of them thought it would be a good idea to bury them deep into the earth’s core, but another said that man with his intelligence would soon find out. Another said hiding them in the ocean or in space would be ideal. But they realized that man would explore all these places too and soon discover them. They finally concluded that the best place to hide the secrets would be within man himself, where he was least likely to look for them! And so it was! But what were those secrets and how could they be found?

Like the musk deer carries the fragrance of musk in his own navel, but seeks it outside himself, we too try to look for peace in the world outside till such time as a guru’s grace touches us and shows us the path of infinite wisdom, teaching us to look within. At the core of our beings we all have a deep longing to remain anchored in peace, because it is our inherent state of existence. Peace is something that is indeed our default state; one that we naturally go to when our minds are not occupied with anything in particular and hence it requires no particular circumstance, because every soul values joy and peace.

We often wonder why some people seem peaceful at all times. They are not the select few whom luck has smiled upon. They are the ones who have learnt to live in the moment from within instead of from the periphery of their being, as most others do. They are the ones who have turned their focus inward, acted from self-love and brought about a positive shift in their attitude. This indeed is right living.

If you aim at remaining in a peaceful state of being it takes a certain amount of determination to start with, together with some dedicated work. It means acting from self-love and finding time to be with alone yourself, so as to turn your focus inward. Once this becomes a habit, there comes a shift in attitude towards being more positive and learning to live life to its fullest. Peace within is not something you need to fix. Nor is it something that can be bought or received through a stroke of luck, but is available to all who seek. Christ said, “ Seek and thou shall find.”

Most of the time we wish for circumstances to emerge because we believe that they will create feelings of fulfillment and inner peace, whereas the only requisite for peace is an inward focus. This can be possible with a regular meditative practice. Meditation is the ultimate art that teaches you to live from the center of your being. It takes you to that state of profound relaxation where your mind is alert and yet is also tranquil and still. And it is from this very calm core or your being that love, creativity, joy and peace spring forth. Your heart opens up like a flower ready to spread joy to the outer world and uplift others around you with the positive energy of peace. Just a simple breathing practice is sufficient to begin with. And the moment to begin is now. Here is how.

Take a few deep breaths or do about 10-20 rounds of alternative nostril breathing. Within a few moments you will find your thoughts slowing down. Then just begin to focus on your breath. If thoughts come, let them pass without clinging to them or joining them on a roller coaster ride! Start with 15 minutes a day and slowly increase by 5 minutes at a time, only taking as much as you can handle without feeling any compulsion or pressure. Once you begin with this daily practice you will eagerly want to do it every day and feel the joy that comes from going deep within. As the energy of your auric field undergoes change, you will experience greater tranquility. Others around you too will sense this calm and feel uplifted with the positive energy of your vibrations. This is what Mahatma Gandhi meant when he said, “ Be the change you want to see in the world.”

So when the ancients hid their secrets within man, his immense divine potential remained an esoteric truth patiently awaiting discovery. When man began to delve within he found peace and stumbled upon the truth; that he was created in God’s image because God wanted to experience what physical existence really felt like and that we are all indeed spiritual beings on a human path!

Let us spread peace around the world, by beginning with ourselves.

Summary:
Peace is an immanent state of our mind, one that we go to naturally. To make a habit of it, we need to learn to delve within so that we are one with ourselves. Through meditation we can all become peaceful and make this world a more peaceful and joyous place. Let us begin now.