How Strong Is Your Inner Peace?

I almost lost it while getting coffee.

Every morning I begin my day with a guided meditation. My favorite ones are the Deepak Chopra 15 minute meditations, which I’ve been doing for years. Perhaps you are not a fan of his, but to me, his voice is soothing and comforting. He gives a short talk, then introduces a mantra for you to focus on, such as Om Shanti.

I’ve been listening to him for so long that it feels like a familiar ritual when I hear him say: Please continue with your meditation. Whenever you feel distracted by thoughts, noises, or physical sensations, simply return your attention to silently repeating the mantra.

After my meditation, I practice and study yoga. I’m reading the Yoga Sutras, which consist of 195 sayings that help students learn how to control fluctuations of the mind, with inner peace as the ultimate goal.

After my morning routine, I feel calm, alive, focused, and loving. It’s when I have to leave the house that things easily fall apart.

Other than work and visiting my parents, I don’t go too many places. But yesterday I wanted to bring a dear friend — whom I’d not seen in over a year — some coffee on her birthday.

I love Starbucks but decided that I would support one of our local coffee places instead. At the drive-thru, I had to repeat my order three times, as she was having a hard time hearing me. No big deal.

When I got to the window, it took a while for the drinks to arrive. Again, I did not get upset. Local places often are slower than chain restaurants.

Handing over my drinks, the barista said: “Here’s your Breve and your chai latte.”

Even though it had taken quite some time, I enthusiastically replied, “Thank you so much!”

As she’s turning around to walk away, she says “yeah.”

I almost pulled into the parking lot so I could go inside and tell her off.

“Yeah?” That’s what you say to someone who just paid $10 for two coffees? Who waited 5 minutes at the drive-thru? No “have a nice day” or “thank you”? What’s the matter with you?

Luckily, I just drove away, acknowledging my ego, who is always ready to pop up and assert itself.

In A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, author and spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle recounts a story of two Zen monks. The monks, Tanzan and Ekido,

“…were walking along a country road that had become extremely muddy after heavy rains. Near a village, they came upon a young woman who was trying to cross the road, but the mud was so deep it would have ruined the silk kimono she was wearing. Tanzan at once picked her up and carried her to the other side.

The monks walked on in silence. Five hours later, as they were approaching the lodging temple, Ekido couldn't restrain himself any longer. ‘Why did you carry that girl across the road?’ he asked. ‘We monks are not supposed to do things like that.’

‘I put the girl down hours ago,’ said Tanzan. ‘Are you still carrying her?’”

A tiny thing like not being thanked almost caused me to yell at someone. If I can’t handle someone being rude, how will I handle it when a real tragedy occurs? What if I got into an accident? What if one of my parents gets sick?

It’s one thing to sit comfortably in my house and meditate. But if my composure can be shattered so easily, it’s not real peace at all.

People are angry these days. They have been shut up in their homes. Many have lost their jobs or lost loved ones. It’s not about me when they display rudeness or anger. They need compassion now more than ever.

Can we hold onto this peace, this stillness, this compassion, even when circumstances are not ideal?

Can we step away from the emotion, and just observe?

We need to have compassion for ourselves as well. We are human, and we will react to things. But our reactions don’t have to ruin our day or our peace. We can step back, observe our response, and let it go.

We don’t have to let negative events stay with us, long after they have ended.

This is something I will continue to practice.

Thank you for reading!

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