You want abiding peace? You’ll find it 6 feet under.

I have a few clients who are on a fierce search for an unwavering state of awakening (what which is often referenced to in various teahchers’ satsangs) and the consequent self judgement on themselves and their experience when they experience anything that is not “abiding peace or joy”. Scott Kiloby has written quite a lot about the idea of doneness, as have I, and many other facilitators. I think this myth is very prevalent and believed by those who have been lifelong seekers, so I am sharing some things here that I shared with her:   Our human journey has lots of landscapes and variants. When everything is allowed, as it is, peace comes- **as a byproduct**. If it is believed to be a solid fixed state to be achieved, there will be suffering. A frustrating paradox to be sure. Freedom is never not here, except through the believability of thoughts. That is what inquiry is all about. We have brains that produce thoughts that are quite believable. We can explore all that through inquiry! I support taking a break from satsangs, because words teachers say can be turned into beliefs that we then judge ourselves according to. As we know, believing in our beliefs can yield suffering. Scott developed the inquiries because he saw how doing satsangs were not bringing experienced peace to people. He found that really diving into life, and exploring through inquiries, dissolved our barriers to peace. Not because a teacher spoke of it, but through direct experience of living life, in the world so to speak. After posting the above on Facebook, a friend joked with me: “The graveyards around here are filled with ex-people resting in an abiding state of peace.”  Maybe my first book will be titled “You want abiding peace? You’ll find it 6 feet under.” 🙂   Rest. Inquire. Enjoy life.