Peace Part 5
February 22, 2025
Peace Part 5
It is challenging to be peaceful with ourselves, especially in the middle of chaos and conflict. One of my most potentially chaotic situations is making it through TSA (Transportation Security Administration) checkpoints in airports. Besides standing in long lines, we passengers must keep track of our IDs and boarding passes while unloading our pockets, taking off coats, belts, shoes, and glasses, and unloading our phones, computers, wallets, passports, and watches, and placing them in bins.
While these are x-rayed, we walk through the screening machines, hoping they don’t beep, and cause us to be patted down by an officer. All this is done hurriedly because the officers keep the line moving. The collective anxiety among the passengers is palpable. At each TSA checkpoint, in different airports, the rules seem to be different, so passengers must listen to the instructions shouted out by the TSA officers above the murmuring crowds.
TSA checkpoints are very needed in this world of terrorism, and I am thankful that we have trained individuals who make our air travel safe. Yet I dread the stress and chaos that seem to be part of it. TSA check points are only one example of the chaos we can experience in life. Other examples are being in fender benders, in the Emergency Room for ourselves or someone else, being overwhelmed when too much is happening at the same time, and being lost even with GPS. So, how do we gain peacefulness when in physical and psychological chaos?
The good news for those who practice consciousness is that the “now” comes to our rescue. If our ego mind relinquishes to the breath, conscious breathing takes over right here and right now. Awareness of every breath anchors us amid the chaos. How? Because we can control our breath and focus on its rhythm and cadence. Conscious breathing is our lifeline as we turn our attention away from the ego’s frustration and switch to the soul’s fascination with the arisings in each new moment.
Fascination takes us out of the ego’s frustration. As we work through the dilemma, going from each now to the next, the interesting things our soul sees fascinate us endlessly. When I am conscious enough to be aware of my frustration and switch to soul, it focuses on other people in the situation with me. I notice how they cope and their relationships with each other. My soul notices the children among us and how they behave. Sometimes, my soul reaches out to make contact with those around me.
Yes, our soul’s eyes see things we would never have seen while trapped in the ego’s frustration. In this state, we experience two things simultaneously — our move through the chaos and our fascination with an unfolding story. The switch from ego frustration to soul fascination paves the way to peace and calm.
Paving the way to peace helps us return to our essence, who believes in and trusts divine order, even in chaos.
Spiritual practice: The next time you are in a chaotic situation, practice focusing on your breath. Then, switch from outer frustration to your soul’s interest in what the moment teaches us. As you look around, notice what your soul’s eyes are drawn to. Do you have more access to peacefulness?
Self-inquiry: Why may it be challenging to turn to your breath amid chaos?
Dear God,
When I am in chaos, I ask for your deep peace, which always sees me through. Amen
