Inner peace, a calm quieting of the mind, a settling of thoughts and feelings, the space created in the mind which allows us to still the chatter of the monkey mind and listen for the call, the answer, or to know the real question.
For those who seek peace of mind, peace in the soul, or just peace in the world; you have set your course and are well on your way. If it doesn’t seem like it or if you would like to deepen your practice, I am here to serve. I offer personal and group meditation training, individual and couples counseling, and personalized guided meditations.
For a moment, imagine that you are holding a small mirror in your hand. Now, adjust the mirror until you can see the sun shining through the clouds. Can you see the sun? Ask yourself if you are holding the sun in your hands? No, but you can see it, or at least the aspect of it that reflects in the mirror and only to the size and clarity permitted by the filter of the clouds and the perspective of distance. Right?
Our True Selves are like the sun, our paradigm – the mirror, and our perceptions of the world around us – the filter. It is not possible to observe ourselves truly; our Self is the observer, and thus cannot be observed. We can, however, observe the reflection of our True Selves in the internal and external world around us. It is akin to seeing a reflection in still water, while the surface of the water is perfectly calm, the image is quite clear and accurate. When the wind blows or a leaf falls on the surface of the water, the surface ripples and the reflection is no longer clear. Thoughts are like the leaves, pushing the water with the force of its attachment; the wind is like emotion, from a warm breeze to a raging tempest. Observing your reflection in a stormy sea and acting according to your observations is like dressing for the ball in a funhouse mirror. Ask yourself, in either case – mirror or water – does the reflection change the truth of the subject reflected? No, only our ability to perceive it accurately.
Meditation and the practice of mindfulness are effective tools which empower each of us to calm the winds, still the ripples and acknowledge the truth of the reflection. Enlightenment is the purpose, but peace is a happy and near-immediate side effect of the practice. If this resonates with you, please reach out, I will answer.