Tao of Peace

“You cannot find peace by avoiding life” – Virginia Woolf

As challenging as it might seem there is nowhere to go or escape from what is happening right now. I may not like, approve, want, or desire what is happening. I don’t have to like it.
But, living inside my head in fantasies of what could be happening or criticizing what’s happening doesn’t work in my experience. That’s from observing my personal experience with life’s events.

What is effective is facing events directly and asking the question, “What do I need to do right now?” How can I add to the resolution that offers change? If I can’t take action within the sphere of my influence then I wait until I can. Right now is precious, so I find other things I can process.

One way to align myself directly with life is to be in presence and accept that there is not another place to be with any other solutions. There is no way things should be, only what is in front of me. I know that much of my past suffering was due to not directly facing the experience I was having. The illusion of escape is so popular, media distractions, drugs and alcohol, attending to what the other person thinks or does, avoiding by continuous problem identification, always delaying action until tomorrow, and getting lost in emotional content instead of experiencing the emotions and letting them flow past.

How do you see yourself avoiding direct engagement in your life? What are some of the ways you engage directly or motivate yourself to engage? How do you say Yes to your life?

Be well,
Bryan