What Can We Do In Order To Make Inner Life Peaceful?

[sparklekaz]

The passage below is taken from The young Venerable Khai Thien Buddhism 101 – Questions and Answers (A Handbook for Buddhists)

What can we do in order to make our Inner Life, peaceful?

The reality of life is that it always includes difficulties—whether revealed or hidden—that make us dissatisfied, sorrowful, and anxious. Thus, daily practice in maintaining a balance in life is really necessary for the inner mind. Just ask yourself a simple question: You take a shower every day, but how many times have you taken your mental shower this week, month, or year? In fact, we do not often control our minds; rather, the individual mind controls each of us and constantly pulls us in every direction—even when we eat and sleep. Indeed, we are not the rulers, but the slaves to our own minds.

For example, we never use the mind as an electrical switch that we can turn on or off whenever we want; instead, only our minds can turn us on and off, in a free and disorderly manner. In addition, it is the mind full of worry, sorrow, hope, and fear that consecutively circulates and whirls through all the peace. For this reason, we need to practice living in mindfulness and awareness in every breath and every footstep so that we may control the mind and protect our own inner peace.

Through mindfulness, we can rule and take control of the mind as well as cleanse all the wildness from our mental states, such as illusions and imaginations. You may begin to practice mindfulness in the easiest, most simple way: follow your breathing in and out, or bring awareness to every single breath. Try to maintain the awareness of breathing in and out as long as possible. In addition, you need to spend at least fifteen minutes to half an hour or up to one hour each day taking care of your mind by contemplating how your mind has been and how it is in the present moment.

During those times of such mindfulness, you should decide to renounce all thoughts of greed, hatred, and ill will and their manifestations through the body, mouth, and mind; at the same time, you should try to develop compassion, loving kindness, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. You may make full use of your rest time, or the time before going to bed to practice mindfulness.

What, if anything do you do to cultivate an inner peace? Please feel free to share your thoughts here.

[alcinious]

This is something I've been working on for the past few weeks. During meditations I try to let thoughts flow without attaching or identify with them. It has really helped me in controlling my mind instead of my mind controlling me. I'll continue to work on this and be more mindful in the future because just in the few weeks I've seen great quality of life changes.

[baangus]

Well the first thing I do is reject the Buddhist truth that "All life is suffering"! Life is as miserable or as joyful as one chooses to make it.

Past that, for me it's all about healthy, holistic and conscious living. I discarded my television two decades ago. I haven't listened to the radio in an even longer period of time. I don't read the news or magazines, and I deleted all my internet news links years ago. As for my diet, I slowly made the switch to a whole food diet (vegetables and fruit only) over the course of the past twelve years. I've quit alcohol, drugs, prescription drugs, tobacco, coffee and black tea over the past three decades as well. I go to bed early and get a good night's sleep, and I rise at 4-5 AM each morning as I have all my life.

It is my opinion that spiritual well-being doesn't require anything more than maintaining a healthy lifestyle and daily rhythm. I would though like to get back into starting the day off with 10-15 minutes of Qi Gong, to help get the Chi flowing and the body moving. I did feel better when I was doing that on a regular basis.

[sparklekaz]

Hi Baangus,

I agree with you that "maintaining a healthy lifestyle and daily rhythm." is the basis, the foundation of healthy living. It has been proven that eating and sleeping well - avoiding anything that will create more stress in our lives, helps enormously in reducing incidences of mental and physical illness. All these things Buddhists advocate. They do not see that all growth comes from suffering, though I can understand why it sometimes appears that way, as many of the most popular quotes from the Buddhist tradition allude to this; but as I understand it, this is because they want to raise awareness of and acknowledge the major part it plays.

Whether you believe as the Buddhists do that all real suffering arises out of attachment or not. It is clear that many people do suffer. And this post was meant for those individuals who feel fear, anxiety and depression. As a result of negative thinking - over analyzing their life situations and constantly fearing the worst - worrying about the future, heads filled with 'what if' scenarios. Mindfulness is a technique that has helped many, 'stay present' and focused 'on the now' to stay grounded, and keep their thoughts realistic and in perspective. Indeed so successful has it been that it is now widely used by the psychiatric community to help individuals combat some of their most distressing mental health issues.

I certainly believe that we grow spiritually equally as much through experiencing Joy, happiness and appreciation. But often these states are heightened and appreciated more when someone has experienced the opposite. Buddhists advocate love, joy and peace all the time. As I see it, they talk about suffering only in as much as they want to help alleviate the suffering in others, by sharing their spiritual insight. They want to be of service to others. I don't think because we feel something is over-stated, that we disregard everything they have to say on the matter. Because clearly it does help many people. Just for you I will share the following from the Dhammapada Words of the Buddha.

Live in Joy, In love,
Even among those who hate.

Live in joy, In health,
Even among the afflicted.

Live in joy, In peace,
Even among the troubled.

Look within. Be still.
Free from fear and attachment,
Know the sweet joy of living in the way.

~

There is no fire like greed,
No crime like hatred,
No sorrow like separation,
No sickness like hunger of heart,
And no joy like the joy of freedom.

Health, contentment and trust
Are your greatest possessions,
And freedom your greatest joy.

Look within. Be still.
Free from fear and attachment,
Know the sweet joy of living in the way.

Love and light
Kaz

[aceofcups]

Beautifully written post Kaz.. thank you for sharing it.... sure it resonates with many who truly understand the fullness of life.

peace

[sparklekaz]

Thank you Ace. I just try to explain it from my own perspective. I'm really glad it resonated with you. I, like you, also hope it helps others. I have often found peace from inner turmoil through using the Buddhist insight and precepts, regarding suffering and attachment. As well as gratitude and appreciation for life through their other teachings. As you say, it's about understanding the fullness of life, with all it's many facets.

Love and light
Kaz

[samy03]

Inner Life comprises of so many stuff that if somebody will even try to put it in the form of words, the answer to that will all come along in the form of the articulated design of the materialistic world that we all are part off.

So, even a X individual can say that "being more disciplined, controlling towards the eating habits, social circle, anxiety of never been alone, love and hate conflict, zeal of getting more and more in this materialistic world of pleasure, being adamant for something, confusion between the love and lust, Uncontrollable addiction etc. etc. etc. and the story goes on an on

Like there is a saying "It's simple to be happy, however too difficult as being simple"

Inner self is so crystal clear that it never get impacted from anything.

But still, this conscious brain asks a question "How can I clear my Inner Self"??

Something that is already unknown due to the illogical covering of xyz reasons already existed in this nature. Every individual is curious to get the inner self cleared without even leaving the outer portion being touched at all.

We want to sail in two different boats at a same point of time.

Being modest and vibrant to the society, as per our own belief system created as What is right and What is Wrong according to us....


Now, the first and foremost thing that originate all this mixture of negativity.. is nothing but a simple logic of our intellectual mind...That always puts a finger on the other side of being responsible for our anger/depression/emotions/negativity around the environment.

To clear the self, its important to clear the doubt of being questioning the other side of being the core point of our own downfall..whether materialistically or spiritually....They both a two different faces of a same coin...which we call as Inner Self.


Never Assume, Never Demand, Never Ask...Just Let it e.....If its Meant to be.....it will Happen!!


God Bless Everyone.