Find Enriching Peace, Let Go Of Expectations

By Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

Peace can be had in two ways: When you have a comfortable sleep, you are peaceful, undisturbed, unaffected. Also, when you can compose your mind in meditation or contemplation, the mind becomes free of thoughts and botheration. You are led to peacefulness, even though only for a short time.

Sleep lasts for longer. The meditative composure, on the other hand, may have a shorter spell. Its effect may linger for some time after you finish the session. But soon, the mind gets caught up in worldly thoughts leading to agitation.

As a contrast, there is another way of being peaceful. In this type, you shall have peace, contentment and joy without having to withdraw yourself from activities. You can be fully involved amid intense worldly pursuits and yet be completely peaceful. This is what a good seeker should aim at, inquire and pursue.

For this, the mind must become pure. Several qualities must be imbued into it. Goodness should become the very nature of such a mind. This pursuit of purity, and virtues, which directly brings peace to the mind – no matter whether the mind is active or inactive – is the ultimate quest of all religions, philosophy, spirituality and yog.
Whenever you feel a lack of peace, understand that there is a cause behind it and look for it. Our shastras and tradition have identified causes of lack of peace or mental agitations. Most of the ancient findings are true even today because our mind has remained basically the same. Our senses are the same, mind and psychology are the same, intelligence and its propensities are no different.

One important quality that immediately bestows peace is anapeksata, non-expectation. The mind should have no expectation, no desire. The second is amanitvam, lack of ego. The ego should not block the way to any kind of learning or improvement. You may have to incorporateseveral virtues; you may have to eliminate many vices. Either while incorporating virtuous notes, or while eliminating vices, your ego should not give rise to undue resistance. Understand that virtues lead to your own excellence, expansion and peace, and vices cause only constriction and torment.

Our shastras say: Whenever truth is spoken, we must receive and thoughtfully imbibe it, and if something unreasonable is uttered even by Brahmn, it must be rejected like a blade of grass. So, ego should not stand in the way of either incorporating a virtue or eliminating a vice. This effacement of ego, which steers life towards purity and enlightenment, is important.

The desires will only disturb the mind, and ego will constantly irritate and pose problems. If these two are kept away, being constantly watchful about their emergence, you will find a better, more permanent and enriching peace than what you would have through meditation. Your peace will then coexist with your worldly activity and interactions.

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