Peace Within

 The 19th century Austrian writer, Adalbert Stifter, once wrote, "Only the calm within ourselves lets us drift carefree to new shores."

And I think he's right. Because he included the word "carefree". We are able to drift to new shores under stress (although we may rather be paddling frantically than drifting) but I do agree that in order to be carefree, and to fully open ourselves to the possibility of "new shores", calm within does help. A lot.

Yet it is not so easy to cultivate as it is to write about... Because it involves living in the present, and choosing to let go of perfectionism and joyless striving, and allow ourselves to... yes, drift. Which is not something that comes naturally to many of us (me included!). And if we try to "work at" achieving calm within, guess what? We're doing it wrong... inner calm can only come when we let go of conscious effort and allow ourselves to be at rest. To sit in the silence, to rest our hearts and souls. Being content to let go, to not achieve, to trust.

All these concepts are so foreign to most of us - it seems far more natural to throw our whole selves into the effort of achieving something. Many of us find it difficult to abdicate control, to allow things to turn out as they will, without our volition. But it is surprising that, when we do manage to do this, matters turn out well, as often as not.

Which reminds me of Benjamin Hoff's wonderful book, The Tao of Pooh. In which he explains the principles of Taoism through the characters and actions (or non-actions) or Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit and the other inhabitants of A.A. Milne's The World of Pooh. When I began my spiritual journey, I was far more of a Tigger, bouncing around enthusiastically, rushing into things with little reflection, or like Rabbit, who was too clever for his own good. It has taken years and long practice to begin to learn to trust, to let go, like Pooh.

But when I manage it (which is not always) that inner calm does descend, and I am enabled to "drift carefree to new shores."