Can You Always Be Peaceful?

Can you live a life where you are always peaceful? I mean inside of yourself, no matter what is going on around you?

First we must remember that nothing is really going on in a concrete sense. That is not what is actually happening. You are consciousness observing, or at most experiencing, everything that seems to be really happening. Without you in that position, nothing would even appear at all! Because there would be no one and nothing for anything to appear to, of course. So first, remember this. This will ease you to a certain extent.

image by Javardh

So you are not a human, and you are not embroiled in a real drama or any difficult occurences. You are watching these, like in a movie or a play. The most involvement you ever actually have is as a character in that play of the human life. But that is not your true identity. This can also relieve you somewhat.

Next let's address thoughts. Because this is where you really get stuck in suffering and incorrect understanding of things. By listening to and believing thoughts. But guess what - thoughts are no different than any other "thing" that appears to you, you as consciousness. Thoughts are sticky, as some say. We are used to leaning on them and believing that they are the closest thing to a human identity as a self. Thoughts are the most important things in the human life, I would hazard to say, in terms of how we take ourselves to be, who we think we are. What "type" of person. This is dangerous territory. Have you noticed that as a human, even if that were your true identity, you are not a stable type that does not change? Your moods, actions, beliefs, and thoughts always change. Sometimes by the second, sometimes by the year or longer.

All things that appear to you as consciousness are sometimes called "arisings". Just a way to say that everything is really one type of thing. Neutral, without real meaning in essence, without real form, without permanence, no staying power. Thoughts are included in this. They come and go and change and are not always there, and they do not represent the human you or the real you.

So if thoughts cause the most problems, because we believe them and cling to them and so many say negative things or incorrect things, this information should also bring you to another level of peace.

If you could at some point, or for many brief points repeatedly, just sit as your true self, simply conscious, and no matter what is going on in your view or sensation or even thoughts you could just be aware of all of that, knowing they are not you and have nothing to do with you, not really, they are just a show for you, in that moment you are fully at peace. And you CAN do this and have this.

Ah, but the question was, could this last forever? It can. But even if it does not, you can go back to it over and over. And you can come to know that even if you forget all of these things and lose conscious awareness that you, the real you, is at peace all the time, you know it and will return to this correct perspective of reality once again.

So it is possible, yes. Some people have reached the state of being at peace all the time through knowledge and experience. No matter what is going on. And that includes what their human character is up to or feeling. "You" as the human can feel sadness, but inside, metaphorically, you are at the same time in a peaceful state. You are not bothered by the sadness you are aware of.

If you do not reach this level, you can have inner peace much of the time anyway, in the same way as I just described. And I think people should go in that direction. Shoot for the moon, constant inner peace, and land somewhere between delusion with near-constant suffering and that goal. Know what is possible, and accept where you arrive, each moment. And this in itself will add to your peace.

~ Written in November 2023 and updated in November2024.