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From Whence Comes Our Peace in This World?
By Susan Kramer
Walking beside a canal near my home I
felt a sense of peace. Perhaps the easy rhythm of my stride transferred to my scattered
thoughts and they mostly dissolved. In this instance body and mind were aligned
in harmony.
Having captured these moments of
peace I decided to continue walking a bit longer than usual. I gave myself time
to think about the inner source of my peaceful feelings.
I realized that outer events were the same during
the walk as they were when I was preparing to set out. So peace was not coming
from outside events in my life.
Peace had swelled up and overtaken my
mind when I got into the rhythm of harmony in a body–mind activity.
This peaceful harmony can arise in
other body–mind practices such as hatha yoga, swimming, jogging. Peacefulness
arises when channels are open and relaxed, such as rhythmic movement induces, and
as rhythmic breathing supports in the quiet of meditation.
Continuing to walk and going deeper in
thought I saw that events in this world continue to roll on, but my reaction to
them is my responsibility to control.
I saw that if I felt upset by what’s
out there, I could get back into body–mind harmony by beginning some rhythmic
breathing on the spot, and going for a long walk.
Others may choose another form of
rhythmic exercise that has the same result of squashing the turmoil and
restoring peaceful thoughts.
Events in the world outside our
direct control are of others’ making. Our job is to support our own method to
personal peace and help others by deed and example to find their way to peace.
We can always take a few moments to quietly pray even in the midst of busyness
around us.
From whence comes our peace in this world?
By
harmonizing our body–mind rhythms
Relaxing in thought.
More: http://www.susankramer.com
From Whence Comes Our Peace in This World? © 2019 Susan Kramer; photo in Santa Barbara from family archive |
About the Author: A meditation and yoga practitioner since 1976, Susan Kramer writes on
practical spirituality, family and social issues, and dance. Her instructional
books are listed at her web site – http://www.susankramer.com/books.html
Email: susan@susankramer.com