A Different Kind of Peace

Hey, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, we're going to talk about how we can train our minds to find peace in dis-ease. On his death bed with tuberculosis, the great writer and recluse, Henry David Thoreau remarked that there can be as much peace in dis-ease as there is in health when the mind conforms to the nature of the body. As much peace in disease as there is in health when the mind conforms to the nature of the body. So just notice what that feels like to contemplate or to think about.

It's not something that I think we often see as a possibility, especially when we consider illness, pain, disease. But on the deepest and most subtle levels, it's not the nature of our experience that creates happiness and suffering. It's our relationship to the experience. When our minds resist, what is here, we create tension. When our mind softened around what is here, even pain, we allow ease.

This softening is not synonymous with passive resignation. We can still aim to improve our lives, but we might not need to wait until our condition is improved until we can experience deeper levels of peace. Accepting, embracing, and softening into this moment of your life, even when it's painful is not giving up. It's simply acknowledging and blending with the truth of this moment. And not only is there tremendous healing in this, but it may provide a greater groundedness and clarity for how to best take care of yourself moving forward.

So as you continue throughout your day, maybe you're going through something difficult, painful, disease, illness. And maybe you're just going through some tough moments. Whatever arises, see what it might be like to take the perspective of Henry David Thoreau, allowing the mind to conform and relax and settle into the nature of this moment. You might start to find more moments of peace with that. We'll explore more of this in our meditation practice shortly.

As always, thank you for your practice. I'll talk to you soon and take care.