The Power in Peace

On the surface, it may seem that the louder, swifter, or more aggressive someone or something is, the more powerful, but that is an illusion. True power is found in peace.

Peace is paradoxical, like all spiritual attributes, because it is so much more than it appears to be. Not to be confused with submission or mere non-violence, peace is an active state that most often appears to be inactive. It requires a conscious mental stance which continually reclassifies, harmonizes, and absorbs all seemingly discordant elements into an expanding awareness of pure unity. Peace requires vision and devotion, and it only thrives in the outer worlds of those who practice it from within.

Peace begins in the mind when we decide to place value on our tranquility and emotional stability. A tranquil life demands stable, steady, and well-governed emotions, words, and thoughts. These are the engines of peace. We have to turn away from the allure of fiery emotions and dramatic upsets, and train ourselves to have a calm response to life as often as possible. Many people are so used to observing and displaying wildly fluctuating moods and feelings that they lack appreciation for the beautifully subtle variations of the calmer emotional states. A person who finds peace boring is not ready for it.

If we frequently permit ourselves to indulge in overly dramatic and exaggerated expressions of low energy emotions, we may gain attention as we entertain the immature, but we will deprive ourselves of power. Making a lot of noise, using outer coercion or pressure tactics, or trying to manipulate people with random emotional outbursts will not produce lasting and desirable results. These are the behaviors of those who do not know how to harness power from within themselves and apply it with calm, steady precision until they achieve their desires. These individuals will have better results once they learn that there is great power in peace.

All personal power requires poise, stillness, and focused intention. Stillness allows us time to consider our options, and helps us receive inspiration. Poise gives us the ability to gracefully move from one balanced mental platform or idea to another. Once we make our decision on a course of thought or action, we gain awareness of an intention that feels natural and right to us. We can then refine and focus our intention as we choose. There is nothing more powerful than calmly choosing our own feelings, thoughts, responses, words, and actions. The person who can do this has power over her life and her destiny.

As we expand our practice of inner peace using the tools of our choice, such as meditation, prayer, study, etc., we begin to see the fruits of our work across all the areas of our lives. Our relationships transform, our interactions with seeming strangers become more pleasant, our professional lives improve, and we feel more secure. When we do encounter discordant elements in our lives, we have a practiced stance to rely on, which prevents us from reacting in a haphazard fashion, but allows us to calmly choose a response that is in keeping with our personal integrity. It's not always easy, but it is possible to stay in peace and in personal power no matter what anyone else says or does. The key is to be in continual practice of peace.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this! How do you stay in peace in the face of challenges? Share your thoughts in the comments.

#spiritualawareness #selfdevelopment #peace #spiritualpower