It’s been raining here for much of the day. Great streams of rain drops have been running down the lane and giving off that peaceful sounds only falling water can. There’s something so cleansing about a good rainy day.
Three chapters of The Tao of Inner Peace were absorbed into my mind today. Consuming and really processing the book has become easier as I advance through it. The lessons I’m learning now, while important and essential to grasp, are ones I feel I have been working on at a reasonable pace even before gaining this book.
The first chapter, on “Finding Your Center”, included stressing that we are not to be defined or too focused on our jobs, families, relationships, bodies, or causes, though they are all valid parts of our lives. The key is to balance external concerns with our personal renewal.
The next chapter was “Expanding Your Dualities: Yin and Yang”. Balancing polarities leads to a much more fulfilling life. Be it finding a center between masculine (yang) and feminine (yin) tedencies, or between listening (yin) and speaking (yang), we find a greater peace when we can achieve a balance in our lives. Transcening sex roles was one focus of this chapter, and one I believe is important. Finding that balance between cultural stereotype and blind rebellion towards it is very beneficial.
Another interesting concept was “Embracing The Shadow”, which was essentially proposing that we need to accept the unexpressed parts (perhaps undesirable) of ourselves (they become our shadow), or else we end up both fearing them, and attracting them in others.
The third chapter, “Creating Greater Joy In Life” was quite interesting. It proposed that joy can be found in having purpose, accepting natural cycles, discipline, adventure and humor. I never thought of discipline as a cause of joy, but upon reflection I can see how order is important in one’s life, and that without that inner security happiness is not easily attained.
Affirmation:
I now know my life is peaceful and harmonious.
I am centered, whole and complete.
I have a job, but I am not my job.
I have a family, but I am not my family.
I have relationships, but I am not my relationships.
I have a body, but I am not my body.
I have a cause, but I am not my cause.
I am one with Tao.
I’m aware of the patterns within and around me.
I balance the yin and yang in my life.
I feel the joy of Tao in my life.
I live with purpose and detachment, discipline and adventure, laughter and play.
I am one with all there is.
I respect myself and the process.
I harmonize with nature and all others in my world.
I accept greater peace in my life now.
And so it is.