You don’t need to look for Peace – You are Peace 

Peace is not a destination – it’s a journey. Peace is not tomorrow – it is now. Peace is not a dependency – it is a decision. Peace is what you are.

A wise sea captain caught in a tropical storm knows that if he holds his vessel on the periphery it will get hurled from one side to the other. If he can reach the eye of the storm, he will enter a place of stillness. The storm will then subside and the ship can continue its journey.  

Similarly, when everything around me is changing in a very intense way, the best place for me to seek shelter and refuge is not on the outside, but deep within the self. I get in touch with my inner being and feel a peaceful strength and stability, then come out and do whatever needs doing with calmness, clarity and energy to think and act positively.   

Within the self, the soul, behind the eyes, we have a spiritual center of pure radiant light; this is what we are. However, and daily, this light grows dim. Why? We think far too much – more than 40,000 thoughts a day, too many worries. Through the extremely fast speed of our thoughts our mental and spiritual energy is also wasted.  

Daily the spiritual battery of the soul needs to be recharged to experience the power of healing and peace within. We must remain positive in these challenging times to maintain good health, as positivity helps to improve our immune system. Meditation strengthens us. The power of positive thoughts is the best antivirus in the world; it protects our mind from viruses of grief, stress, pain, sorrow and frustration. I, the soul can access the real vitamins and minerals I crave – the vitamins of pure love and the minerals of truth and wisdom. I remain peaceful when everything around me is chaotic – positive when faced with negative situations, influencing the situation with my positivity. When we stay calm in our inner power of peace, we transmit this to others and help them to calm themselves.  

However, it is best to practice meditation with eyes open; we can meditate anytime and anywhere, when cleaning, cooking, walking, exercising or when needed most. We become used to going beyond what we see, hear, feel and smell, yet at the same time remain aware of what is going on. We stay connected to our inner peace when others around us may not be peaceful. It ensures we stay awake and alert, with no temptation to nod off. 

When meditating, if we close our eyes we send a signal to our mind, intellect and our physical body, that sleep is close. That signal induces sleep, and that is the last thing we want to happen when we meditate.

Take time to empower and strengthen yourself today. Sit quietly, eyes open, looking within. Slow down; focus your mind. Connect to the Supreme Power, the Source of Goodness invisible to our physical eyes, only one thought a second away. Stay in the eye of the storm. Recharge, renew and recover the original, positive and eternal energies of the soul.

(You can contact Sister Chirya Risely, formerly from Owego, at bkchirya@gmail.com or at chirya.riely@peacevillageretreat.org.)