PEOPLE NEED PEACE, as much as they need food and shelter. Some have been searching desperately for peace, for a long time. It’s missing in the lives of many. Worry, depression and exhaustion are at epidemic levels in prosperous countries, even when material needs are fully met. 

I want to explain where peace comes from and how to harness and develop it. Peace is an energy created inside. Even when I speak with peace, and you listen with peace, the energy increases. 

So many types of crisis take place in our lives. There may be upheaval in the body, or in relationships, or in the atmosphere of the world. I don’t think that anywhere, there is a person who has gone through life free from crisis – young, old, uneducated, wealthy. 

But when I have the power of peace, I do not allow the stability of my mind to be disturbed. Stability of mind is essential to leading a good life. 

Just think for a few moments : when a person is worried, fearful, or experiencing sorrow, what is his state? And how does it affect others? If I allow myself to experience worry, fear or sorrow, I will make myself restless and unhappy and the atmosphere around me will be filled with similar feelings. How does that help either others or me? 

In contrast, if I free the self from these negative emotions, I will find myself having good thoughts filled with positive feelings towards others. This will help create a peaceful and loving atmosphere even when harmony has been absent. 

My experience tells me that when I am able to stay free from sorrow, fear and worry, there are values in me that come to the fore and that will be used in my life practically, giving me much strength and power.  

When there is physical illness, you may go to the doctor and be prescribed some medicine. But, when you are experiencing sorrow of the mind, what would you say or do? What would your mind be like when you think negative thoughts? Whether this negativity is directed towards self or others the mind feels unhappy. Either way such thoughts commit violence to the self.  

Together with sorrow there is also peacelessness. “I don’t know what my mind is doing, it is chaotic.” Yet it is your mind, so why are you becoming unhappy about it. When you allow yourself to become peaceless, you will interact with others in the same way and you won’t be able to speak sweetly or peacefully with them. 

If there is no rain, human beings and animals become thirsty. If there is no peace or love in my mind, it is as though mind and heart are dry. The mind becomes restless and races like that of a crazy person. Even with sleeping pills, people in this condition can’t sleep at night and then can’t wake up in the morning.  

Free yourself from the crisis that you create through your own negativity. There are so many external crises, you can’t even count them. There is nothing you can do about that. But, the crisis you create in your own mind, according to the quality of your thoughts – at least put a stop to that. 

Your body, your wealth, your relationships and the world: all four bring a variety of situations in front of you. They don’t ask your permission. They can change at any time and you can’t prevent it. One crisis has’nt  finished, and another begins. Natural calamities, earthquakes, floods, all of these come by themselves. They don’t come as a result of someone calling them , nor do they go away by your order.  

But what is the condition of my mind , before the situation comes? When the mind is strong, external difficulties stay external – they do not shake me inside and rob me of my stability. The mind stays peaceful, free from sorrow and worry. 

When I have this strength, situations filled with sorry can come but I won’t feel sorrow inside. If a stone is thrown, it won’t hit me. If someone insults me – no problem !  

My head must remain cool and not instantly react. Not even reject. Let there be an acceptance of the scene. This acceptance makes me peaceful inside. Then my peaceful feelings alone will help the situation. Also, I will know better what to do or what not to do. 

To experience sorrow is an act of senselessness. Remember this very well. When you feel sorrow about something, understand that you are lacking some understanding. For whom should I feel sorrow? Does it help either me or others? 

Internally, people do create many difficult situations for themselves. Arrogance, for example, makes you feel disrespect and causes you sorrow. Arrogance brings desire for regard and respect and when you don’t receive these, you feel it to be an insult. “Look, I do so much for them, but this is how they repay me .”  If I give from the heart, and don’t have arrogance, I won’t have such feelings.  

If I have good virtues and my actions are good, my fortune will also be very good. But, to become upset, or to be unhappy about something, even to have an off-mood, is like putting a drop of poison into a pot of nectar. It spoils everything. It doesn’t just take away peace, it brings unhappiness.  

That is not why I am here ! It is good if I can quickly make the atmosphere around me one of great happiness and joy.  

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