Peace, Still a Secret

I love reading, so called “Ancient Secrets”. Mostly this means the ideas and perceptions of people, who lived many years ago, about the secrets of the universe.

Some of these concepts seem to be timeless, such as Lao Tzu’s observations on the Tao; or Chuang Tzu’s comments on the Tao. I love to reflect on these 2500 year old concepts and feel their significance in my current life.

I collect and read the writings and musings of mystics from all traditions. I enjoy the diversity of thought, and yet I notice certain underlying truths inherent in all of the works.

Man’s search for peace; indeed his/her search for a peace which surpasses understanding is at the core of every spiritual doctrine.

This one challenge is as timeless as man; at least as timeless as man’s recorded history.

Perhaps in the early days of man’s existence, simply surviving the cold and the predatory animals consumed our waking thoughts. I really do not remember, but I suspect that when all the physical needs were met; when man was huddled in a warm cave, with a full belly, the question had to arise, “Is this all there is?”

The point is, even though our outer world has changed dramatically from what it was 2500 years ago, our inner needs, our soul’s longing, is essentially the same as it was then.

The beauty is that much information has been compiled, tested, and reported upon, in the last 2 millennium, concerning this endeavor. What we know, beyond any shadow of doubt now, is that living a life dedicated to inner peace is a matter of “choice”. It is not born of circumstance. It is chosen regardless of the outer conditions.

We have proof of this truth.

We have the recorded documents of individuals who discovered their own path to peace within monastic lifestyles, and we know of those who did not. We have written evidence that peace is obtainable amidst the chaos of city life, and proof that other choices can be made, as well.

Never before in history, unless it was prior to the burning of the libraries in Alexandria, have we had access to so much proof that a “peace-filled, inner life” is possible. Yet, most of us walk around oblivious to the possibilities.

Even when we recognize that peace is possible, we spend most of our time blaming our circumstances for our inability to walk in peace. It is our spouse, our roommate, our financial condition, our neighborhood, our parents, blah., blah., blah., which we seek to blame for our lack of peace.

Peace is a choice. It is a minute to minute choice. It is a decision to return to this commitment in each conscious moment.

So what if I can only make 9 minutes of peace today. That is 9 minutes more than I would have had without the conscious effort. It is 9 minutes in which the universe is blessed by my loving presence.

Tomorrow I may make 10. Who knows, I may have a quantum leap and spend two whole hours in peace.

I renew my vow each waking, be it from a night of sleep or an hour spent in fear of the future or anger about the past.

There is nothing “Ancient” about the work at hand, but there is nothing “new” about it either. It is the same work. We have the same abilities and the same obstacles.

Knowing that one person has been able to do this teaches me that it is also within my capacity as a fellow human.