What IS peace and how do I get it in my life????

(Inner) Peace

 is much more than the absence of conflict;
it is the FULL ACCEPTANCE of "what is". 

Courtesy of soothingpictures.blogspot.com

Haven't we ALL had moments or spans of time in our lives when we looked for peace only to find "mediocre" living and due to the damage of abuse on our self-esteem, we may "feel" that we do not deserve "any better" than that? Peace becomes a "pie in the sky" concept, something unattainable because we cannot control our external environment. 


 

The good news is that Inner Peace is NOT about the external as much as it is the "internal". What is within our hearts is vital to our lives. The "peace that passes understanding", the peace that "no man can take" from us, and the peace that we all need is hidden there, in our hearts.

What IS Peace?

1: a state of tranquillity or quiet 

2: freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions 

3: harmony in personal relations 

Examples of Peace

•  After years of therapy, he has finally achieved an inner peace. 
• He is searching for inner peace. 
• The problem was settled and his mind was at peace.

Origin of Peace

Middle English pees, from Anglo-French pes, pees, 

from Latin pac-, pax; akin to Latin pacisci to agree — more at pact

First Known Use: 12th century

I have heard so many people in abusive relationships say "I wish I could just find some peace in all of this" and then they stay in the marriage/relationship as though just HOPING for peace MAY bring it about so they can CONTINUE to live in an abusive relationship. I can say this because this is exactly what I had thought. Peace became more for me, a necessity for survival within an abusive relationship than the goal and end product of having healing and wholeness.  

I remember moments that I was being yelled at, screamed at, cursed at and called names and in typical "crazy-making fashion", I was told "who and what  I am" and defined by another person's opinion without the respect of asking me what I thought or felt. This abuser, the one who was trying to control me, was the one who truly had NO peace. He was trying to find the pace where his control of MY being would bring him satisfaction. In having developed and cautiously protected my inner peace, I was able to clearly SEE and withstand the false accusations and accept that "THIS is abuse". Clarity at this moment, took me to the place where my peace dwelt; my Sacred Place in ways. 

In denial, I have said this to myself in HOPE; the miserable feeling that the abuse might stop someday, that the absence of it would bring the peace that I sought. Inner peace is NOT the absence of external conflict but the inward agreement of "what is" in our lives. Yes, living WITH abuse does not bring peace but to come to the place of realization, out of denial, that we ARE living with abuse and we can detach ourselves emotionally from the drama and turmoil to find the "quiet place" within in ourselves, we CAN have peace in the "midst of the storm".