Unlocking the door to peace opens the way for a more harmonious and balanced life-style. In speaking with my oldest daughter the other day about stress and ways to reduce the stress of living in an urban environment, we chatted about a couple who was highlighted on the television news show, Sunday Morning. I mentioned how I admired their desire to live an easy, simple life style. They built a large home on a river raft structure. Floating on the river, the house is fully contained with eight generators, solar panels, vegetable and fruit gardens, and a pot belly stove for heat and cooking needs. The husband fishes everyday, while his wife tends to their gardens. These two daily activities along with collecting wood for the stove are how they feed themselves; everything is fresh and natural.
The couple enjoy each other’s company. They have little need for the company of others; at least not too often. In fact, during the expose, the husband commented, “I enjoy my own company very much.” It was truly the picture of a stress free life, without the hustle and bustle of going to work in rush hour traffic. They weren’t overwhelmed with what needed to be done in order to make ends meet or deal with the skyrocketing costs of life thriving necessities. As a mature senior couple they are the picture of health due to fresh air, clean food, and exercise from the daily activity of sustaining their lives. When they need to go into “town” for supplies they walk a few short miles to get there. It was amazing to see and learn about their lifestyle decision. It’s one I hadn’t considered anyone living by choice, in the United States.
But in the midst of our conversation, my daughter reminded me of a concept taught in the Buddhist, Hindu and Baha’i faiths. She said, “Releasing desire is how people are able to become and stay stress free.” “Yes! That’s true,” I said. “Releasing desire is a way to let go of attachment which is the actual belief in receiving nirvana (enlightenment). When stress is not in play the energies of ease, peace, and being calm are present instead, then neutrality is gained and nirvana is obtained.” This belief is a well-respected philosophy in the Eastern faiths. I happen to share this belief too; that when one unlocks the doors to peace desire is released and attachment is let go.
To better understand why it’s important to release desire as a way to let go of attachment, let’s first consider what desire is. There are many different forms of desire. The desire to change clothes, clean the house or eat at certain intervals is an example of basic desirable needs to sustain life. They are instinctual desires that prevent suffering. Then there is the desire to have shelter, but not just any shelter…no! It must be a home with many rooms, containing beautiful edifications and plush grounds with lovely gardens and pools. If this type of desire is what the mind believes is required as a means to thrive because without it even the simplest lifestyle is a form of suffering, it is clear this desire is steeped in attachment; a culprit to stress.
What are the attachments to desire that would keep one from peace? In the example of the house there are many reasons why one would believe life without those many rooms and plush adornments is painful. Some of these might include: the fear of small spaces, the need to present oneself as successful, the proof that means one is civilized above the primal instincts of a lower conscious. It might be the desire to hold onto dreams from childhood, the belief that to have this type of shelter represents easiness and freedom. Or the attachment can come from the past with memories of the way family interacted together, or the poverty (suffering) of growing up in a very small place with several people to a room or bed. As I said, the reasons for this type of desire are numerous but the one thing they have in common is that they are all attachments, whether to a belief, a feeling, an emotion or memory.
This is just one example. Imagine all the desires from attachment pushing to be born, each with its own set of reasons why it must happen. Life would become one of always seeking satisfaction rather than being lived. Ultimately it is the fear of suffering, spawned from the ego which keeps one attached to desires like this. The ego mind, requiring attachment be satisfied, is constantly searching for more, for bigger, greater, mightier things. Emotionally, fear replaces love, holding the heart hostage to any resemblance of what the soul provides by living in peaceful freedom.
Regardless of the reasons, when the desire to have, to do, to want is the driving force pushing toward the Need of Having-To-Have a desire met, the energy of obsession takes hold forcing the desire into manifestation. In this case, attachment can be a trigger for becoming obsessed with your must have desire, putting it above all else. Like a thief stealing the ease of living, taking away the joy of what the universe continues to provide and snatching away gratitude of love, obsessed desire lassos easiness – squeezing it until there’s no rest for the weary.
Now, please don’t misunderstand me. To desire the experience of a particular thing or everything is fine, when it is obtained with ease and flow. That is great! To utilize the power of the soul to manifest it, outstanding! But to obsess about it, creating internal unrest and an unhealthy life balance is stressful and robs one of the true basics in life; joy, peace and love.
Unlocking the door to peace can only be done with one key – the key of release; the key of letting go of runaway desires. Say good-bye to attachments and experience inner peace. Wave so long to over obsessed desires. Allow calm neutrality to surface to become secured within consciousness. By unlocking the door to peace living a joyously fulfilled life is guaranteed!