internal confusion

To a disciple who always complained about others, the Master said: “If what you want is peace, seek to change yourself, not other people. It is easier to protect your feet with slippers than to carpet the whole earth.”

Anthony de Mello’s short story reminds us that peace begins within. It is useless to demand peace when we make fun of others and lead an unhealthy life.

Confusion exists when we believe that our thoughts are true. In fractured areas of the world, problems arise because people put their thoughts into practice.

To achieve peace, we don’t need to participate in peace rallies or demonstrations, because it is much simpler than that.

It starts with our thoughts and has a ripple effect in our lives and the lives of others.

“When we hold on to our opinions with aggression, no matter how valid our cause, we are simply adding more aggression to the planet, and the violence and pain increase. Cultivating non-aggression is cultivating peace. The way to stop war is to stop hating. the enemy,” says Pema Chodron in, When things fall apart: advice from the heart for difficult times.

Consider an inappropriate thought towards another person. If insisted upon, it ignites other thoughts and leads to negative action.

The title of the article is adapted from a quote by American brain neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor, who suffered a stroke at the age of thirty-seven.

In his book titled, My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey she states, “It’s so easy for me to be nice to others when I remember that none of us came into this world with a manual on how to do it right. Ultimately, we are a product of our biology and environment. Therefore I choose to be compassionate to others when I consider how much painful emotional baggage we are biologically programmed to carry.”

choose thoughts wisely

If you are seeking peace, be aware of the thoughts you choose.

Many people are driven by unconscious desires and fall victim to their impulses because they are not aware of them.

We can accept the pain of the world or choose to feed thoughts of love and compassion in our daily lives.

Your greatest company is learning to live with your thoughts without believing them.

I challenge anyone, regardless of status, wealth, or circumstances, to sit alone with their thoughts. Only then will you know your true self.

On the one hand, we claim to have free will, but we cannot activate this power due to our unconscious desires.

Do not get carried away by your fears and insecurities as they will take you to dark places.

Let yourself be guided by creative thinking, the seat of the intuitive mind.

“Paying attention to automatic thoughts is simply a habit that we can change. When you switch to awareness-based awareness, automatic thinking fades into the background and you experience true peace of mind,” confesses author and psychotherapist Loch Kelly in Shift to Freedom: The Science and Practice of Open-Hearted Awareness

If we are invested in our thoughts, we cannot distance ourselves from them because we buy into the idea. I think, therefore I am. It was the French philosopher René Descartes who first coined this phrase, proposing that thoughts are evidence that you exist.

You are more than your thoughts. They are not the cause of suffering or unhappiness, it is when we identify with and become attached to them that we suffer.

The impermanence of thoughts

The problems arise when we define ourselves by our thoughts, instead of seeing them as a stream of consciousness that flows through the mind.

Thoughts are impermanent unless you associate with them.

You don’t need to get rid of unpleasant thoughts for peace to exist. Instead, avoid paying attention to them by moving your awareness toward nurturing thoughts.

I enjoy this passage from author Mary O’Malley from her book What’s in the way is the way: a practical guide to awakening to life, “Life created the mind as a tool to maneuver through Life, not to be in charge of it. The mind is a wonderful servant, but a horrible master. Giving it the task of being in charge of Life has created the world of struggle that most people live in all day long, keeping them apart from peace and joy.”

As we turn our attention away from destructive thoughts, they recede to make way for a higher thought. If we do this often enough, we embody peace on a cellular level.

Peace is a choice, not something that requires dedicated study, under the guise of a spiritual guru. While it certainly helps, peaceful thoughts arise from your moment-to-moment experience.

To find out if your thoughts are positive or negative, watch your body when you think those thoughts.

For example, have the thought “I hate myself, I’m a bad person.” Notice the physical response in your body compared to “I love myself deeply and completely.”

Note that the latter is uplifting and effortless. Believe it or not, a part of you identifies with him because of your spiritual essence.

Create peaceful conditions through: the music you listen to, the words you speak, your actions, and the people you surround yourself with. These have an energizing effect and can lead to wonderful experiences.

“Mindfulness offers a safe and trustworthy path home; the mindful skills of mindfulness, kindness, and acceptance can help you transform unhealthy habits into a way of being that embodies freedom and inner peace.” , states author Hugh G Byrne in The Here-Now Habit: How Mindfulness Can Help You Break Unhealthy Habits Once and For All.

As you tune into your body, you’ll appreciate how your thoughts and the emotions that accompany them influence your physiology. By doing so, your body will transmit messages about the accuracy of your thinking.

People assume that they need to sit in a meditative posture for hours to achieve the positive effects of this practice.

However, if you embark on a health regimen and stop eating sugar, the benefits are noticeable in a matter of hours. Even five minutes a day of quiet reflection with your thoughts can have a dramatic effect on your mind and body.

“The more open your heart is, the more access you’ll have to your natural state of peace, well-being, and tranquility, no matter what’s going on,” says author Mary O’Malley.

If what you long for is peace, look no further than yourself. This is the starting point of the conflict and can be healed with the right intention and an open heart.

As Master reminds us, it is easier to attend to your thoughts than to change the whole world.