Do peace and freedom relate to one another? I mean, if you search through the process of human ideas evolution, you can easily find them standing next to each other. And while searching for a how to be in peace way, you stumble across the notion of freedom. After all, external freedom is a natural right of all (human) beings and you most likely benefit from it, it’s the theoretical base of the nowadays society. It allows you the right to a trial in the justice system. It allows you to choose among various things that society offers to you. But I am not going to talk about this kind of freedom, but about inner freedom.
Limited Edition Book
Thinkers and philosophers and psychologists and sociologists would most likely argue that there’s no such thing as complete, absolute inner freedom. Basically, it would not be possible since our mind, our intellect, has been too deeply intertwined with all kind of information: thoughts, images, behavior, coping mechanisms, imitations. To not forget the most basic ones: the natural instincts to reproduce, find love and to be sociable. What they say is that you are Limited – like a limited, unique edition of a book in which all the above (and more) ingredients are processed and shaped in the most unique way. It is said that you cannot escape these limitations, that your soul has limits. But, how to be in peace, how to live a peaceful life, if you are constantly bouncing from one limitation to another? Is that even an option?
Of course, you can find consolation in the new age, spiritual growth, personal development, some old or new religions which will probably asleep your conscience through notions such as positive thinking, spiritual growth, good self-image/esteem/etc, and salvation given from a divinity. And you will probably experience some amelioration of your day to day mood, attitude, inner balance, perception of others and their deeds, etc. So, you live with the Hope that something great(-er) is waiting for you on the other side – Nirvana or heaven or whatever gives you a sense of infinity.
In my view, while you hope to achieve some results by following the lines of the how to be in peace new way you just found, you simply live and experience the same things in a new light of hope – not to mention that in some cases this evolves in fanaticism either toward some philosophy or to the salvation of others. You still confuse the means with the actual result and attach to a certain mean which brings further limitation by unconsciously shutting your mind to anything that might be different.
This shutting down of the mind can bring about a certain peace – the peace specific to a closed system in which nothing comes in. After all, the ostrich gets its own peace by hiding its head in the sand when danger arises, isn’t it? The ostrich learned how to be in peace: refuse to see the danger and it certainly disappears from the eye’s range.
If you want a peaceful life, you must consider what inner freedom is. If you are scared of death or loss, you could also consider the question of freedom. I don’t think that death is an issue for a person who understands the dynamics of life on Earth, but for one who is constantly trying to deny its specific characteristic of constant change: a body is not built for forever; people change their minds/feelings/etc. just because they are not born with a supreme understanding that would allow them to make a decision once and for all; every loved one dies eventually; and you can add up here anything that scares you and threatens your inner state.
If you want a tip on how to be in peace, please question everything – your “legitimate” desires, your goals, your achievements, your fears, your hopes and your addictions. You know yourself better than everyone. If you look for a 1-10 items in a list containing advice you can use, you won’t find them here. Yet, you can ask yourself this: if someone gave you absolute freedom now or at a later point in time, would you be willing to accept it? And that someone will be you, of course. Absolute freedom is to be you, not some limited edition of a unique book…
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