Why can’t I find Peace?

“When you are totally, continually immersed in a mental state of thinking, you create a conceptual reality that separates you from the inherent aliveness that is all around you. The source of separation is the involuntary continuous labelling of everything.” - Eckhart Tolle

Imagine being immersed in this idyllic little slice of wilderness.  As you walk by the pond, what are you thinking? Are you silently naming what you see? 

“…lovely pond… *checks for fish*…lily pads…nice reflection on the water… lots of clouds…look at all the different trees…is that a willow?.. so many shades of green…” 

Whether conscious, or unconscious, your constant stream of thinking creates separation between you and the earth upon which you walk.  

Instead, can you simply be there? 

Breathe the air.

Feel the wind on your face.

Sense the ground beneath your feet. 

When you stop automatically labelling and judging, you naturally ease into a state of being. Separateness falls away as you return to a state of non-judgement, where you - and your inner child - feel safe. And what does a child do when they feel safe?  They play.  They take off their shoes to dip their toes in the water. They lie on their tummies to search for frogs. They pluck a pine needle to enjoy its scent, delight in the birds chattering overhead in the branches, or cartwheel across a grassy field on the other side of the pond. They immerse themselves in their senses, enraptured by wonder and awe - no longer separate observers, but aligned with the natural world through a near-palpable energy of wholeness. 

Eckhart calls this energy “aliveness,” while poets refer to it as “the magic of childhood.” 

As adults, we forget how to be and lose this sense of aliveness. Childhood magic seems all but gone - a bit of fairy dust, blown away by decades of struggle, scattered over barren stretches of responsibility, and buried under layers of loss.

In spite of everything, somehow, that energy remains. Cartwheels may truly be a thing of the past, but childlike wonder can still be glimpsed through the senses: the tightness in your chest at the sight of a rainbow; an explosion of flavour when biting into a crisp autumn apple; the bliss of being safely at home during a rainstorm, wrapped in a cozy blanket, while a purring cat makes biscuits in your lap.

The senses are the link to the energy of aliveness - the pathway to your inner child - and a gateway to feelings of reverence, gratitude, belonging, and joy. But, no matter how hard you try to build a bridge of invitation, your inner child will not come forward until it is safe.

Have you ever noticed how you speak to yourself? I cringe as I remember the brutality of my own self-judgement and labelling: “You’re not good enough. You’re just a foolish old woman. You don’t matter. No one would even notice if you died.” My inner critic created a state of mind that threatened my life and forced my inner child into hiding. Building a bridge means shutting down negative self-talk, dropping the habits of judgement and blame, and choosing, instead, to identify with the heart space.

The shift from negative to positive triggers an energetic reunion of all aspects of Self, including the inner child.‍ ‍ With a sigh of relief, you melt into safety and belonging, enveloped by joy, reverence, gratitude, and peace. As you reconnect with the energy of childhood magic and aliveness, you may even be able to see the grand paradox of it all and finally understand why people like Eckhart Tolle and the Dalai Lama find everything so funny.

That said, there is no denying that living in this human world can be unspeakably difficult, brutal…heartbreaking…which takes us back to judgement and labelling again. The belief that something or someone can be judged as better or worse has caused unfathomable human suffering for centuries. It continues to fuel conflict among people of all races, religions, and cultures - and between people of different ages, body types, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. In an ego-driven society, we automatically label people as others instead of celebrating our differences and recognizing each other as souls emanating from the same source.

For too long, we have been conditioned to believe that the mind is powerful and the heart is sentimental or weak.

The ultimate irony is that the heart is, and always has been, home to the most powerful energy that exists. It stores untapped depths of ancient wisdom. And - the heart is the home of the inner child.

“There is a wisdom in children, a kind of knowing...that we, as adults, do not have.”

Do not underestimate the importance of reconnecting with your inner child, for that is where Love is. That is where we find peace.

When Divine Love works in tandem with an awakened mind, there is no limit to what we can achieve.

Imagine a world in which we all operate from connection and aliveness - aligned with the universe, with each other, and within ourselves. A world rooted in wisdom, inspiration, reverence, gratitude, wonder, and awe… and perhaps even a little childhood magic.

“The meek shall inherit the earth.”

Indeed.

D 🩵