Many years ago, I attended a yoga conference in India. This was an exotic and interesting experience. It is difficult to relate how the pure chaos and franticness of the country overwhelm you. That said, if you can find your inner calm, it is a wonderful and inviting journey. Upon arriving at the Isha ashram, (1) I was ushered into my very normal hotel room. The gathering began the next morning at 6:00 AM and lasted for a week. What I learned from the meeting was that if I spend more time focusing on the activities of life itself, I would “get on the path” of awareness, of self-knowledge.
You often hear elderly people stating that life had passed extremely quickly, and suddenly, they are old. This, of course, could not be true. Time is the same for all of us. It is only one’s perception of time that has any value to the individual. So, how do we manage our time effectively? We slow down and observe the bugs, the bees, and the ants that occupy our world. When you study these tiny creatures, you quickly realize that they do not care about you in the least. They are simply completing their purpose for their hive, ant hill, or home. This can also be said of me. I have a function, an assignment if you will, to complete in this lifetime.
What is it? That is up to me to find out. Fortunately, the mission each of us possesses is innate; it is there within me when I am born, only to be uncovered. I must simply open the door to my future. This must be done through introspection and prayer, and, of course, a notebook. By conducting these activities on a daily basis, a light for my path will emerge, much like my initial foray to India. At the beginning, I was lost, dazed, and confused. But over time, the dust settled, and I was able to see a way forward.
All of us will experience “our India” when we are young. Life seems overwhelming and confusing. We must encourage young people to realize that life is kind and good and, ultimately, understandable. But, not without putting an effort into self-development. We live in a world that gives value to external things: making money, acquiring power, forging great relationships with good-looking people, etc. But, rather tragically, those external things do not give us inner peace. This is something that I can only give myself, and it has always been the case in human history. If I do not exist in this physical plane, if I am dead, none of this will have any value. Nonetheless, I’m the only person who can regulate and enhance my reality. Friends and family will greatly assist me, but I must take ultimate responsibility for my perception, my reflections. Michel de Montaigne, (2) the great French Renaissance thinker, leaves us with a thought: The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.
A closing thought: We often hear of the journey into the self. Unfortunately, this is much like falling in love. If you have never experienced its rapture, these words are meaningless. It is only through a desire and sustained effort that an understanding comes into focus. As Lao Tzu (3) tells us — to paraphrase — “Every journey begins with a single step.”
To sum up: This week, we reflected on how to acquire inner peace.
To be noted: from Confucius — We may learn wisdom by three methods: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest.
Just for fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDqQij-sfzo&list=RDtDqQij-sfzo&start_radio=1
For reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29QRPGrlgjY
This week, on your introspective walk, please ponder your journey.
Every day, look for something magical and beautiful.
Don’t be a wage slave – critical thinking is great!
Quote: It is a long life, live it fully.
Footnotes:
1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og2yMCZqD-8