Cultivating calm is like checking the speedometer; it’s learned with practice
By Annie Katz
How can we cultivate peace in today’s world? We can begin by checking in with this body, this mind, this living presence. Right here, right now, am I relaxed and peaceful, or am I tense and stressed? Simply getting into the habit of checking our peacefulness a dozen times or a hundred times a day, day after day, will help us cultivate a peaceful body, a peaceful mind, and a peaceful life. Our inner peace will then naturally radiate out and affect countless others in this vast, interrelated universe.
Checking on peacefulness is like checking the speedometer of a car during a long road trip. We’re driving this powerful vehicle, and we intend to drive safely all day long, never heedlessly endangering ourselves or anyone else. We want to stay within the speed limit, so we pay attention, and we check the speedometer not just once an hour but several times an hour. When we see we are over the speed limit, we ease off the gas, we check carefully to monitor traffic and make sure we are safe, and we remember our goal. When we train ourselves to be responsible drivers this way, then we are much more likely to act appropriately when difficulties arise.
And when we get into the habit of checking our peacefulness, we naturally become curious about those times when we are tense and stressed. After we settle down and realize we are out of the danger zone, we wonder. What was I thinking about when I lost my peace? Was I replaying a conversation with a co-worker? Was I worrying about a friend? Was I caught up in a disturbing news story? Was my back hurting or was my tummy upset? Was I hurrying to finish one task so I could get on to the next thing on my list? Was I lost in regretting the past or anticipating the future?
Gradually we learn how our thoughts and feelings disturb the peace in our minds and bodies. When we see clearly that reliving a painful memory over and over again is not helpful, we disentangle ourselves from that mental rut. We keep adjusting our behaviors until we spend more and more time in peaceful minds, peaceful bodies. And from that relaxed, peaceful place, all our thoughts, words and deeds are imbued with compassion, generosity and wisdom. Then we are truly practicing peace.
One spiritual practice that helps me cultivate peace is beginning each day with 30 minutes of silent meditation. Starting each day with the intention to practice peace inclines my thoughts, words and deeds toward humility, kindness, patience and serenity. Every morning, day after day, year after year, even when difficulties threaten to overwhelm me, I can take refuge in this peaceful, living, breathing presence.
Annie Katz is a retired educator who lives in a little cottage south of Ashland. She welcomes comments sent to: [email protected]. Want to contribute an Inner Peace column? Email Jim Hatton at [email protected].
