The minds natural state is sattva, harmony, peace, or balance.  Though few people experience this natural state often in their lifetime.  Within our hectic society the need for peace transcends ethnic, cultural, socio-economic boundaries and permeates the consciousness of humanity.  From a yogic standpoint it would be correct to say this is one of the primary purposes of life!

 But how is peace experienced?  Our lust for material items is a weak attempt to fill the void left from a lack of peace.  This is not to imply that having material objects is wrong, but too often the pursuit of material objects results in the object owning the person.  Our mindless pursuit of happiness traps the senses in a downward spiral toward suffering.  Often we confuse happiness with peace.  Happiness will often lead to misery as they are opposite sides of the same extreme.  Peace can only be found in the middle of these two extremes. 

 The following are some strategies for the creation, manifestation, and continuation of peace within one’s life:

 

1. If possible find a high quality teacher that you can cultivate a relationship with.  They should be trained in the Indian tradition and knowledgeable.  The teacher provides quality information and insight.  Their high vibration can aid in lifting the student at times.
2. Learn to breathe properly.  Breath control can easily lead to control of the mind.  Learning to control the mind is a powerful step toward peace. 
3. Learn higher quality meditation techniques.  Often meditation techniques engage the senses, while this is acceptable in the early stages, one should work to move past sense stimulation.
4. Practice meditation daily.  The mind requires quite time each and every day.  Time to heal from the events of the day or previous day.  It needs relief from the over stimulation and sensory input. 
5. Practice of yoga.  Yoga can release stress and tension from the body.  In addition, it can aid in purification and strengthening of the body and mind.  It will increase concentration, which is an essential component to meditation. 
6. Study and learn about detachment and discrimination.  These are important qualities for obtaining peace.  Often people view detachment as uncaring, this is not the case, it merely is a state of mind of refusing to “get into someone else’s mud puddle with them.”
7. Keep life in perspective.  The complexities of life often distort our perspective.
8. Learn to relax the mind and body.  Most people in the west meditate to relax, but one cannot truly meditate without being relaxed!
9. Study sacred texts and teachings from a system you value.
10. Perform sacred tasks such as homa and puja’s. 
11. Be patient, the cultivation of peace takes time and requires nurturing for the process to grow and develop. 
12. Forgive.  Forgive all that have hurt you in the past and present.  Mentally ask those that you have hurt to forgive you. 

 

 

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