Episode Transcript
Peace through understanding is an inalienable right of all living beings. But it is one of the least pursued and understood pieces of this thing we call life.
If we try to oversimplify our lives, we will stay in a state of confusion, because the complexity of life is its simplicity, and its simplicity is its complexity.
Our lives are "onions," and without considering each layer and its constituent components, we can find ourselves running around like a chicken with its head chopped off.
In short, the choices we make from the options we have are infinite in nature, but also produce specific patterns of wants, needs, and experiences.
However, within this tapestry, we bring our own perceived individuality, which, while being dynamic, also contains its own consistencies.
Our choices may lead to specific consequences, while our reactions or responses can lead to unintended variations.
We hunger for a particular situation because of the lack of companionship or success. At the same time, our actions exacerbate the same circumstances.
For instance, we may feel lonely and pursue a relationship with someone we don't resonate with or with whom we have no honest communication.
Or cultivate a process or lifestyle that clearly brings us no fulfillment as the person we are, because we have never allowed ourselves to blossom as the individual nature we contain.
Experiences serve little or no use without contemplation and redirection. Suppose I stick my hand in the fire and focus only on the discomfort. I will remain unaware of the nature of the fire and of my relationship to it. And the reasoning behind my actions and interactions.
Consequently, I will not gain the wisdom that would allow me to avoid further experiences of the same magnitude.
If I insist on eating something that causes me harm by virtue of the fact that I am hungry, the harm will remain. I may even believe the consequences are unavoidable, and become bitter, resentful, and depressed.
Obviously, because of my biological makeup, I will experience the desire to eat. However, I must observe eating through the lens of nutrition and my body's compatibility. The food itself adds a layer of complexity because I don't know where it came from or who grew it. Did the people have my best interests at heart, or are they motivated by greed, or have they substituted expediency over quality?
As we traverse life, "Peace through understanding" is paramount. At any given time, we can find ourselves victims of our own misunderstandings or of our failure to notice the obvious.
The lack of recognition certainly doesn't mean there is something wrong with us. So there is no need to panic, mistrust, or beat ourselves up.
We can use the collected data to our advantage by observation, contemplation, and redirection.
Although these tools are invaluable, executing them can be easier said than done. "We cannot answer the questions and enact sound resolutions in the same mindset that we used to cause the situations."
For instance, the same type of person that I feel causes me harm is not the specific problem. Through contemplation, I may realise that it is my insistence on being around that type of individual, in conjunction with my reaction to them.
The application of redirection of my actions and reactions, in the form of relocation and response rather than reaction, becomes the answer. The only power we have over life is ourselves. Unfortunately, by ignoring this fact, we remain participants in the "Hampster wheel" syndrome.
It is no wonder we can become disenchanted with life and dissatisfied with ourselves. We can become obsessed with outside influences and entangled in misinformation when all our answers are within.
Success is getting what you want, while happiness comes from wanting what you get. How many times have we committed to a desire or want, only to find a feeling of emptiness upon completion? Or, worst still, to see the goalposts have moved.
In comparison, 90% of what we worry about never happens, and what's the point of dedicating ourselves to becoming an expert fisherman when we don't eat fish?
So the next time you feel confused, bewildered, or unhappy, don't focus on the pain or discomfort of the situation. Your peace can and will be achieved through understanding.
And through that understanding, new paths will reveal themselves, and you will have the new mindset and courage to follow them.
Observe, contemplate, and redirect for maximum growth and fulfillment.
Well, my dear friends, until next time. May you find beautiful and helpful answers to your life.
Don't do anything to anyone else you don't want done to you: peace and love.
How about that?
