What to eat?
I sat and looked at the fruits of the spirit all listed out.. wondering which one to start with in this journey of self development… wondering where to focus.. so, I leaned in, listened, and started reading down the list..
Love [passed this up quick] - The time will come but it is not now.
Joy [already working on this on the music front] - will circle back soon though.
Peace [ding! ding! ding!] - this is the one for now.
Peace.
Having recently published some work with the theme of letting go.. I’m primed for this one. I’m also in an environment that somehow simultaneously fosters peace and threatens it.
I can’t say I’ve ever experienced the unique type of chaos that you confront when strolling a street market in Bangkok.
Conversely, walking into Wat Pho (a Buddhist Temple) and looking up at the 50ft tall gold statue of the Buddha inspired a feeling of awe and calmness that was also new to me.
What is peace?
In an attempt to start from first principles, I asked ChatGPT.. “what is peace?”.
The part of the definition that stood out to me was “a calmness that comes from surrendering or trusting in a higher power”.
Now, through this lens I understand the giant statue of the Buddha.. I understand why you don’t wear your shoes in the temple where he lays. I understand why the eaves and spires of the temple buildings are so ornate and intricate. I understand the artisan that is painstakingly restoring the murals and patterns on the walls brushstroke by brushstroke.
If a core component of peace is letting go and surrendering.. you need something worth surrendering to… Makes sense.
No wonder the Sistine Chapel takes your breath away… it has to.
To care or not to care..
I know that for me, the idea of letting go and just trusting The Universe, Buddha, God, Destiny, or whatever.. sounds good. It sounds like something I want. However, I find myself running into a complication..
Inevitably in life, there is struggle. If a roadblock is placed in your way, is this the universe telling you to go another way? Or is the universe giving you an opportunity to develop the skills or wherewithal you will need to surmount the next obstacle on your way to fulfilling your purpose?
Is God telling you no? Or is God making you into a warrior? Maybe you get to choose..
Either way.. my gut tells me that each situation you may find yourself in has a unique answer. THE KEY to knowing the answer is the quality of your mind. Or maybe I should say the calmness or stillness of your mind.
To further illustrate this, let me paint you a picture (a twist on a concept from Deepak Chopra’s book ‘The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success’).
Imagine a body of water in front of you. The water represents your mind and you get to ask it a question…
“Is this obstacle in my life a ‘no’ or an ‘opportunity’ to overcome?”
You ask your question by throwing it into the water… the answer will be subtly written on the ripples that return to you from the splash.
Now, for this to work.. you need still water… a calm mind. How could you read the ripples if the water is raging and turbulent? You can’t.
Note: I find it interesting that peace comes from surrendering (usually to God or some higher power) and a part of most religions is some form of prayer or meditation or… LISTENING.. Interesting theme there..
Finding peace? Or growing it?
So, it seems to follow that if I want to cultivate peace in my life, I need to let go and surrender. If I want to surrender, I need to know what I am to accept as “the way it is” and what I need to accept as a challenge and a necessary step to becoming who I’m meant to be.. and to do THAT.. I need to cultivate a calm mind.
Ok bet.
You can find me under the banyan tree (metaphorically). Offline. Hearing sounds and smelling smells, tasting food and dancing from one thought to the next.. slowly and intentionally (or at least attempting to).
See you next week.
I’ve been practicing mindfulness daily again (finally). I use The Walking Up App. Here is a free 30-day trial if you would like to test the water! If you love it and can’t afford a subscription you can just email their support and tell them and they will give it to you for free.
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New From Me
New Video about my social media retirement (if you missed it) So far so good!
What I’m Reading
Getting back into “little big’ by John Crowley and it’s just so wild ahahaha 1/1
What I’m Watching
Rings of power still half good half bad
What I’m Listening to
Willldlddd throwback (surprisingly cringe tbh)
Photo Dump
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If you find more than enough value in my work to justify paying for it, consider upgrading to a paid subscription 🦋