Are You at Peace?

"Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see. Every breath we take, every step we take, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment." ~Thich Nhat Hanh

What can you do to find inner peace?

Thich Nhat Hanh would tell you that peace is not something that you can discover, it is something that you are. Your inner peace is a direct reflection of the peace that you perceive in the outside world. In other words, to find harmony on the inside, first tune-in to the harmony that’s all around you. One way to find more peace in the world is by noticing the silence between sounds. Silence is the constant background against which all noise takes place. Any sound you hear arises from, and eventually returns to, this ever-present stillness. By being aware of the eternal silence present in the background of each moment, you can find peace wherever you go.

According to Thich Nhat Hanh, every moment of your day has the potential to be filled with peace, joy and serenity. To achieve this state, all you need to do is be alive and awake right now. When you are fully grounded in the present moment, your mind becomes quiet. That’s because the mind is a problem solver and, when you focus your conscious attention on the present moment, you find there are no more problems to solve. When the mind is quiet, the heart takes over as the center of your awareness. While the mind is always busy judging and criticizing, the heart’s default mode is one of acceptance, gratitude and appreciation. So, if you want to live a more peaceful, joyous life, bring your awareness to the here and now. When you tune-in to the eternal peace of the present moment, you experience life through your heart. And, when you live your life from the heart, joy naturally follows.