Wednesday, 13 August 2014

Nothing matters unless we have spiritual peace

Yesterday some friends and I were discussing the untimely and tragic death of one of the funniest men that lived, Robin Williams. We discussed how no matter how much wealth we accumulate, how much fame we may gain, unless and until we are peace with who we are and why we are here, none of those things matter. None of the trappings of the physical world can ever bring us peace as can coming face to face with who we are, what we are and why we are here.
We then discussed how most of us are striving. Here trying to find our way. Trying to accumulate. Trying to do better than where we are. I was thinking about that more and I consider us to be the average people. We are the ones who have enough to sustain us but are still trying to find that little more. Allowing us to wake up with purpose every day even though we may not think we do. We do because we are striving to make our lives better than what they already are. Therefore providing us with a reason to have to get out of bed every single day. We have to go to work. We have to show up. We have hope that one day our lives will become easier.
But what happens when we attain what we have been striving for? What happens when our dream does become a reality? What happens then? What purpose do we have then? And I believe that is why we are seeing so many famous people, so many stars committing suicide because they are chasing the high they felt when they attained the success. That moment when their dreams became their reality. When they believed they had reached the mountaintop and they felt invincible. Until they woke up the next day, and still found they were the same person who went to bed the day before their dreams became reality.
I remember one actor saying becoming famous is like being in prison. A great analogy because I believe our minds become the prison when we reach the pinnacle we had envisioned for ourselves. And the reason our minds do is because then when we wake up in the morning, we are not waking up to do our everyday. We have achieved the everyday prize. So instead we are waking up to ourselves each and every day and each and every day we are forced to confront who we are and why we are. We no longer have anyone else to blame for who we are.  All obstacles have been removed. In some ways we have become the destination. The end game. We have everything and there is nothing stopping us from finding happiness because we have it all so we thought. But yet we still are not content.
Ironically I was watching Netflix Original series called Orange is the New Black, when the main character, Piper, told a young person who thought she was tough, thought she was invincible, that coming to prison strips people of all their bravado. It forces them to have to come face to face with who they are. It brings to the surface all the fears they have tried to suppress about themselves because prison forces them to have to deal with who they are in order to survive the confinement. Very much like what the famous actor was saying about fame.
Leading me to the conclusion that having everything is the equivalent of having nothing. Both become prisons until we find spiritual peace. The peace within. The peace that can’t be taken away by anyone except ourselves.  Spiritual peace comes from being at peace with who we are. It comes when the soul is at peace. It comes when the heart is at peace. It does not come from wealth. It does not come from success. It comes from being able to look in the mirror and feeling at peace with who we are and where we are and why we came here.
Lately there have been several deaths of some very high profile and “successful” people and I believe it is with intention. The intention of waking us up to the fact that life is much more than striving. Much more than chasing and obtaining dreams. Much more than becoming successful in the material sense. Life is about mastering spiritual peace. About finding contentment with who we are. Accepting that life is a journey not a destination. That even when our dreams do come true, unless we are at peace, our dream will become a nightmare for us.
And when we do find spiritual peace, it is up to us to use our spiritual peace to bring peace to those around us. Because as William Shakespeare said, “A light heart lives long.” I believe this to be true because when our hearts and souls are light, we are at peace. We become the love and light we asked to come here to be. We embody the spirit that is us.
To Robin Williams, Philip Seymor Hoffman, and all those who could not find peace with themselves, thank you for being the angels that you are because I believe you came here to show us the truth and light. To show us that material possessions matter not if we do not find peace. If we do not accept we are peace. To show us that life is not a destination, it is a journey. That when we reach the mountaintop, all we have done is surpassed one level but there will be many more to come.
May you now rest in peace. For your example I am truly grateful. For I am learning nothing matters until we have found spiritual peace. The peace within.

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