Inner peace refers to a deliberate state of psychological, emotional or spiritual calm, often in the face of a plethora of external stressors. In those moments where the clutter of your mind clears and quietens – and you feel calm, free and unburdened… That’s inner peace.
When we achieve moments, even periods, of inner peace – we are being given the opportunity to see the wood for the trees. To take a step back. In these moments we are more able to assess the anxiety and stress that impacts our capacity to cope and our everyday experience of life. In these moments of clarity and calm, we can find new ways to respond, problem solve, push through… and move beyond the barriers that have been holding us captive to life’s hurdles and challenges.
Finding peace after the pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on every one us. As well as the more tangible and immediate impacts of the various restrictions and the losses many suffered – we are experienced heightened levels of anxiety and added stress on the home front – with concerns ranging from the existential to the more immediate uncertainties of both present and future. While the global nature of Covid-19 provided at least a sense of shared experience and camaraderie; the repeated lockdowns brought social isolation to many – particularly those living alone, and the millions shielding due to the various increased risk factors associated with age and particular health conditions.
The economic impact of the pandemic and now the cost of living crisis have undoubtedly hit people unequally, causing immediate impacts on the mental health of millions – with the Mental Health Foundation reporting that over a third of people in employment are concerned about losing their job. The Mental Health Foundation further reports that almost half of us are worried about not having enough food to meet basic needs; and one in five of us has experienced suicidal thoughts. Alain de Botton, contemporary philosopher and Founder of The School of Life, provides some sensible guidance on how in these exceptional circumstances, we might protect and preserve our sanity.
Why is inner peace so important?
Many faiths speak of inner peace as an outcome of understanding and accepting the root causes of personal suffering; or in the case of Thich Nhat Hanh, the ability to transpose suffering into compassion. This probing of often hidden trauma (that is believed to include ancestral suffering by some) is also a key focus for modern psychotherapy practice. It’s no secret that the modern world is no picnic to navigate. Our mental health is collectively suffering, with more of us than ever before requiring support for stress-related issues, anxiety and trauma. There is an exponentially growing global suicide rate. We are juggling a growing mountain of conflicting priorities. And too many of us are time-poor, overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed.
It is within this very context that the need for inner peace, and practices that support peacefulness in all corners of our adult lives, are of such fundamental importance. Life can of course be rough for young people too; and for some, childhood is unthinkably traumatic… Yet for those young people growing up in a nurturing environment, with a true sense of core safety, there is a lived experience that is arguably more peaceful than that of their adult counterparts. They are not (like many of us) almost always in chaos, overwhelmed, under-appreciated, self-diminishing, overworked and exhausted. In order to truly flourish as a grown up, and lead a life worth living – the search for (or rediscovery for those lucky enough to have experienced it in early life) inner peace must surely be the most worthy of endeavours.
Exploring inner peace through film
In Ten things that disturb inner peace, we explore some backward thinking. This video examines what actually stands in the way of achieving it, so we can eliminate these things and reach a state of tranquility.
How to find inner peace right now (even when you feel stressed, anxious and insecure) – from Justin Brown.
In this speech, Sadhguru explains how to find your inner peace. “Peace is achieved in many ways. Generally, in the world, when people talk about peace, it is only about somehow making their ego comfortable. This is not peace.” Sadhguru