A few days ago, my oldest son asked me what I wanted for Christmas. Without thinking I said, “Inner peace and joy.” He laughed and replied, “Well, what can I give you?”
Two realizations occurred to me from that conversation: 1. I do want inner peace and joy more than anything else. 2. No one can give it to me — I must find it within myself.
So, how do we go about giving ourselves the ultimate gift of freedom from irritation, worry, fear, and so on? Wanting inner peace and joy is a start, but for most of us, it’s not an instant fix. Spiritual teacher, Eckhart Tolle, says for most people it’s a process and a practice.
Changing thought patterns is a Practice
We have become so conditioned to the incessant mental noise playing in the background of our minds that it seems normal. It’s the speculating, judging, commenting, complaining voice that has been with us for as long as we can remember.
Often, it’s our own worst enemy. But, the good news is you can free yourself from this enemy right now.
Step 1: Become aware of your thoughts
Eckhart says becoming aware of your thoughts is the beginning of the end of incessant thinking. But like any habit, in order to break it, you must put your attention on what you want to change.
So, when you bring your attention to what you’re thinking, you are aware not only of the thought but also of yourself as the witness of the thought. A higher dimension has come in —your deeper Self — as the watcher of your thoughts.
You can read more about watching your thoughts in this post.
As your deeper Self begins to watch your thoughts, a gap in the mind stream will begin to occur. This gap of “no-mind” will only be a few seconds at first but will gradually become longer.
When these gaps occur, you feel a certain stillness and peace inside you. With practice, the sense of stillness and peace will deepen.
The Power of Now- Eckhart Tolle
Step 2: Live in the Now
What does it mean to live in the Now? The Now is what’s happening in the present moment. It is the only true reality. Our thoughts tend to shift from past memories to future imaginings with rarely ever stopping to notice the Now.
Eckhart teaches that focusing your attention on the Now also creates a gap in the mind stream. When you stop thinking about the past and future and focus on the present moment, you become highly alert and aware without thinking. This is meditation.
You can do this throughout your day:
- When you wash your hands, pay attention to the sound and feel of the water and the smell of the soap.
- Listen to the flow of your breath when you get into your car and become aware of a silent but powerful presence.
- Walk to your mailbox and pay close attention to every step, every movement.
Do these exercises without thinking. Only focus on the activity as it happens in the Now. You can measure your success in this practice by the degree of peace that you feel within.
Step 3: Surrender to what Is
Make the Now the primary focus of your life…have your dwelling place in the Now and pay brief visits to past and future when required to deal with the practical aspects of your life…
The Power of Now- Eckhart Tolle
Surrender and acceptance were fighting words in my mind. For a long time, I’d rather die than surrender to anyone for just about anything. So, accepting what is continues to be a powerful lesson for me.
Eckhart points out what could be more insane, more ridiculous than fighting what already is? That doesn’t mean you have to enjoy something that is unpleasant or awful. It simply means that you acknowledge it for what it is without resentment or judgment.
Accept — then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your whole life.
Eckhart Tolle
Of all the gifts that will be given and received this Christmas, what could be more prized than inner peace and joy? If we want to change the pain and suffering happening in our own families and the world, it begins with changing it within ourselves.
May 2021 be filled with peace and joy.
