The Dragon Warrior Po, the Panda, in the animated movie Kung Fu Panda, had it right…. “inner peace”…beginning with the inward gazing, deep breathing and silence of the mind. But can we all achieve what the Kung Fu Panda did in the movie… every day? Yes, we can — but only if we constantly try to work the practice at a minimum of at least twice a day, at a maximum of every moment of the day.
Here are my eight golden droplets of practices to find inner peace. Why eight? Well, I am asked to give 26 items, but let’s power pack the items below to the bare one digit number. Numerology (the study of the numbers’ characters and aptitudes) is a pseudo-science that states that each numeric value provides a cosmic vibration. So let’s say 26 is paired down to 2+6=8. Eight rules the planet Saturn. Eight is about Power at its core, but power achieved through discipline. It is also the symbol of infinity. So here’s my take on the 26 or 8 ways to bring the power of inner peace!
1. Turn our gaze inward. Inward gaze, close your eyes or stare at the tip of your nose and bring awareness to the third eye (area between the eyebrows). This action will bring energy to the pea-size pineal gland located at the center of the brain. This is considered the inner eye that could see beyond space and time, and is associated with the sixth chakra or energy system that is linked to prophecy and increased psychic awareness as consciousness ascends. When we turn the gaze inward, we move away from the outer world of frenzied speedy activities, deadlines and daily tasks that seem endless. The outside world can give stress. Inward gazing also allows us to make friends with our inner world, and check our state within. And why is this? Because the world outside is but a reflection of the inner state of our minds and emotions. The speed of life has intensified. The information age is just beginning and many of us are already burning out at the amount of information we can access. Can we not choose to turn inward and reflect on the information and knowledge we learn to transmute these into wisdom? Inner gazing allows us to come to terms with our personal state vis-à-vis the speed of the world. It makes us see whether we are in control of this speed or whether we have given the control up to the outside world.
2. Breathe long and deep. Let’s also try to bring the breathing deep into the belly, allowing the belly to expand like a balloon. Then follow the breath’s flow from the base of the spine to the top of the head on the inhale, and on the exhale bring the breath downward through that same central pathway of the spine. This rhythmic flow will create a balance of the central nervous system and awaken the parasympathetic system that will relax the body. The control of the breathing is the most powerful of all techniques to bring about a sense of peace, stability and quietness. Deep breathing also allows time for the breath to be the carrier of the life force — chi to the Chinese, prana in the yogic tradition, ka in Japanese, “the breath of the holy spirit” in the Christian tradition. When we inhale long and deep, we are aware of our state of “aliveness.” Meanwhile, in the extension of our exhale is a deep surrender to the great void, the emptiness that is itself the fullness, the surrender to a force which we trust will take care of us.
3. Disengage from our little self. When we try to “die” every moment to something we are attached to, something we want badly, someone we want to control, we disengage from our petty ego that thinks too much of itself. This is the practice of non-attachment. When the grasping arises, we can step back to watch what it is that we are so attached to and why. Are we attached to our looks? Our positions, wealth, skills, our personality distinctions? All these are really passing ripples that shift and change, the illusions and dramas of life. All of life is vanity, states the Holy Book. So yes, our little self makes too much of itself actually. To begin to see our small self for what it is, is the beginning of true wisdom.
4. Live and let live. Let be. We can’t change people to be the way we want them to be. We also cannot step into their lives to live it for them. To release from this sense of control that we think we have, we can instead choose to accept that everything is perfect wherever we are in our life, however the people are affecting us, living their own lives, trying to evolve. Every human being is in his own level of awareness that is valid when we look at the bigger scheme of things.
5. Release the mind. Go beyond the mind. This is one of the most difficult for many of us because our thoughts control us. We can counter this by focusing on the breath so the mind can keep quiet. Breaking away from the logical rattling of the monkey mind brings us to the state of the “intuitive mind” where awareness and consciousness and peace find its home.
6. Embrace the truth that the only constant thing is change. Frustration can be the result when we hold on to things just the way we want them to be, staying in our comfort zones where growth is prevented. Inner peace is learned as we develop the skills of flowing with changes that happen. Every moment we move forward in time, we are never the same — not our bodies, not our thoughts, not our presence. When we truly understand this, then we will see the perfection of life’s comings and going, life cycles, hellos and good-byes, birth and death.
7. We each have the power of choice. This choice includes the power to control each moment of our life in a positive versus a negative way — to choose the higher always beyond the lower. We can build our lives with awareness, bringing to each moment choices for the positive. We are the creator of the events of our lives. So inner peace comes when we turn on this power by turning our mindset around and stop blaming others for the kind of life we each have. Instead, take proactive conscious action to powerfully charge with love the moments of our lives. We can actively choose to be peaceful.
8. Experience the power of the universe. So we still think we control our lives and destiny? … Perhaps. But we can see that when we release and surrender our small struggling self, there is the Bigger Self that takes over. This bigger self is aligned with the great harmony of the cosmos-universe, of life, of being and becoming. The power is awesome. And if we can learn to release our small petty control nature to this great flow, inner peace descends. Individual responsibility will create the atmosphere for peace outside ourselves, to radiate to the community and ultimately, the planet. Then genuine world peace can be achieved. –Jeannie E. Javelosa The Philippine Star
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