Cultivating Inner Peace In a Chaotic World
Mental health
We think of peace as the absence of conflict. I remember watching Miss America pageants as a kid and hearing at least one contestant say she wants world peace. Yet, true peace starts within.
The Hebrew word translated as peace (shalom) conveys total well-being. Even amid a conflict, we can find shalom. The Apostle Paul (St. Paul to my Catholic and Orthodox friends) talked about the “peace that passes all understanding” in Philippians 4:7. The Greek word Paul used that is translated as peace is huperecho, which means “superior, superiority:--better, excellency, higher, pass, supreme.”
It may seem crazy that we can have inner peace in tough circumstances, but it is possible. Peace is something we cultivate and maintain. Every time I practice deep breathing, meditation, or prayer, I cultivate peace. I do so because I have had enough of living with turmoil boiling inside. I have suffered enough. There is a suffering we can’t avoid, such as a car accident or illness. And there is suffering we can avoid.
4 ways To Cultivate and maintain peace
How exactly do we cultivate and maintain peace? Here are four ways:
Connecting to God. The late Catholic priest, Thomas Keating says that having interior freedom means “rediscovering our connectedness to God, which was repressed somewhere in early childhood.” I have heard it said by a local pastor that God is not mad at you. If you have the impression, that is far from the truth. Begin discovering the infinite love of God by reaching out in prayer. Simply say, “God, I want to connect with You.”
“We cannot deeply know ourselves without also knowing the One who made us, and we cannot fully accept ourselves without accepting God’s radical acceptance of every part of us.” Richard Rohr
Meditation. Jon Kabat-Zinn, the developer of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, talks about the art of conscious living in his book, Full Catastrophe Living. Mindfulness meditation teaches us how to be present. Much of the time, we are not present in our lives. We are busy thinking about the past or the future.
“Developing skills in facing and effectively handling the various “weather conditions” in your life is what we mean by the art of conscious living.” Jon Kabat-Zinn
Breathwork. Doing breathwork is one way to calm yourself in a stressful situation. Part of maintaining peace is learning to self-soothe. There are a plethora of apps that guide you in doing breathwork. You can practice deep breathing anywhere without anyone knowing. Just a minute of deep breathing will calm your mind and body.
“We have some measure of conscious control over our breathing. If we choose to, we can hold our breath for a short while or voluntarily control the rate and depth at which we breathe.” Jon Kabat-Zinn
Stay away from toxic people. I saw a video of Reese Witherspoon a few years ago on Instagram where she explained the difference between people who are radiators and those who are drainers. Radiators bring light and peace wherever they go, while drainers bring toxicity and negativity. They drain us emotionally. Staying away from toxic people/drainers is an important part of maintaining peace.
“Toxic people haven’t done the work of dealing with their internal issues and they harm the people in relationships with them.” Laura K. Connell
Peace is a gift
Peace is a gift we give ourselves. During this holiday season, when we give gifts to others, let us give ourselves the gift of peace. It will be a gift that keeps on giving and radiates to others around us.
Resources
Link for Invitation to Love by Thomas Keating
The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr
Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn
It Isn’t Your Fault by Laura K. Connell
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