A foreign friend asked about the religion of the Balinese, when it was answered by religion of peace, the eyes smiled with full of adoration, the soul bow with respect.
Hungry of Peace
To be honest too many seekers who are hungry of peace. Many people are such hungry of peace, some even want to leave the tradition of his/her birthplace. In fact, abandoning the birthplace tradition is similar to the trees that abandoning the roots. In time, trees will be dry.
Another characteristic of people who are hungry of peace, they are very eager to find solutions outside. Somebody tried to find it in the food, beverage, entertainment. And all who try to find peace outside, all is lost somewhere.
To be honest, hunger for peace is a soul longing for home. When the hungry stomach can be fed by food and beverage, soul who is homesick can be cured by digging within. It is like peeling young coconuts. It is hard outside. The outside skin is hard, the inner skin even harder. People need tools to be able to open it. But when the young coconut is opened, there is a soft coconut, cool and sweet water available inside.
Vitamin of Peace
Borrowing from psychologist Carl G. Jung, people will do anything to avoid an encounter with the Soul. Mainly because it is similar to peel the young coconut, at the beginning it is very painful and frightening. This explains why Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. were shot, HH Dalai Lama lost his beloved country in his teenagers age. Put it simply, the encounter with the soul is so painful.
But if one is sincere, diligent, honest in front of suffering, sorrow is similar to sandpaper that smoothening hard stone, in time the life will be smooth, soft, radiant. Borrowing St. Augustine, when Jesus approached the cross, he was like bridegroom who met bride. In order to meet the soul, no need to go far away. Person who work, learn to be sincere and diligent in the workplace. Ones who are at home, serve children, spouse sincerely and lovingly. And prepare mentally, kindness, sincerity, love will invite more violent shocks.
And on top of these shocks, the soul will encounter light. In simple language, what the ordinaries called as suffering, it is actually a vitamin of peace. It is like the story of prince Siddarta, when he was firstly went out from the palace, the first symbolical lesson was dukkha (life is suffering). One friend in the West shared an experience, at the peak of the shock she often dreamed of flying, light in the air. Looking down to the crying creatures who need help. Especially the persons who injured and harmed, they keep crying and asking for help.
Full Moon of Peace
After passing these heavy shocks, the new ears were born to hear the soft voice of soul, the new eyes appear to see the beautiful insight of soul. In short, it all turn out life into a beautiful poetry of peace. Suffering, sorrow, pain only voices that guide the soul to return back home. The people who injured, harmed, abused only ones who need help.
With excavation like this, life inside is like ocean. Waves of thoughts, emotions are still there. But we are no longer waves, we are the ocean. Life outside turned into a dark night that miss our full moon of peace. Smile, serve, help, sincerity, honesty, loyalty, that are the forms of lights that emit from within. Notice one of the beautiful poetry of Upanishad: “When I forget myself, I serve you. In serving I rediscover that I am you”.
This Upanishad poem shared, life is a poetry of peace. Initially many souls were get lost. These souls then found him/herself back in service. And in the depth of service ones able to see, feel, experience that we are one. In eastern philosophy, this attainment is called Satchittananda. When being (sat) meets consciousness (chitt), then bliss (ananda) was born. The peak of bliss – as the previous poem of Upanishad – is service. In service, then I disappear, the new door is opened: “I am you”.
