On Peace and Protection

Peace is the stillness that accompanies all of the mind-stories, even the negative ones. Peace is, more often than not, a tacit but omnipresent and silent-sentience inseparable from all appearances including thoughts--negative or positive--but distinguishable and available for all if we simply stay aware and view alluring and disturbing narratives for what they are in the present, just narratives. 

Awareness of this type weakens the grip of the deepest propaganda—ontological, epistemological, medical, economic, political--and opens the door to greater possibilities for all of us. Peace of mind is our most important asset and should be encouraged and protected. This is the role of virtue and other forms of ethical practice and perspectives. 

Acting from peace is synonymous with acting from an open and more informed intelligence, one that may be open to the possible and not bound by the dogmatic. Through peace of mind, dogmatism and sedimented views may be undermined and we may become available to the potential of innovation. It is in our best interest to guard the mind against habitually and culturally indoctrinated adherence to many habitually held narratives, that cause great pain and addiction to pleasures that, in the long-term, do us harm.

The depths of peace reveal formerly held depths to be superficial surfaces. Realities may turn into beliefs and, in turn, beliefs are seen as ideas and they turn into mere passing thoughts. 

Realities vanish and the Who becomes known as that which is aware and that which is aware is the light of lights that grants sentience. 

It is there, hidden in the depths of our subjectivity, a subject who will forever remain unidentifiable, unknowable, and free from limitation. Like form and color, the awareness that is peace and the evanescent dynamics of phenomena are inseparable but must be distinguishable for peace to become known and assimilated into personal, intersubjective, societal, and cultural norms. No need for effort, just take some time and gather the intent to watch steadily and over time without preference for a preferred appearance. Meditation may reveal what has always already been the case, the One that hides in the shadows cast by craving—the clinging to phenomena in the hope of finding stability, peace, and all that we, as human beings, wish for.

Authentic peace of mind will grant us all kindness, compassion, joy, and friendliness; these are the path from and to peace. However, it must be both encouraged and protected with virtue.