In Pursuit of Serenity

-

 Topic: In Pursuit of Serenity

This sermon is about some of the different spiritual practices and traditions intended to lead to Serenity and how they relate to the Path.

The state of Serenity or inner peace is much like Rome: There are many roads that lead to it. However, various mystic practices and non-Christian traditions offer a path to Serenity that originates within the Self rather than some invisible Other. These practices and traditions always require Self-Control, Mindfulness, and Patience, and include Buddhism and Taoism, among others.

When we speak of Serenity, or inner peace, we are not talking about the Zen state of meditation, but rather a personal demeanor of Serenity. Calm acceptance of whatever the Universe throws at you, coupled with the ability to see a way forward even if those around you cannot, is the foundation of Serenity. According to Path doctrine, this journey toward Serenity begins with Self-Control, and that same core concept can be found in other spiritual practices and traditions. Buddhist monks attain Serenity by letting go of attachments in order to live free and unfettered by the complications of material things. Followers of the Sikh faith, easily one of the most peaceful and benevolent religions, believe that all humans are equal in the eyes of their god. Taoism is probably the closest established religion to the Path and its doctrine; they teach the virtues of Compassion and Patience, along with their own lessons. All of these philosophies and practices can help one find Serenity, and none are superior to any others in practice.

The hardest part about living with Serenity is mantaining it in difficult situations. I often have to talk to furious people who believe I can give them what they want. When I explain that I cannot, they will often make nasty personal remarks and then hang up. According to Path teachings, I should see such conversations as an opportunity to exercise Self-Control, to avoid the temptation to retaliate, Patience, to recognize that some people just do not know how to behave, and of course Serenity, to keep my own mind calm. It is a challenge, but that is how we practice those Virtues and flex those mental muscles. I have had several escalated customers eventually thank me and wish me a good day after I remained Serene and explained the realities of the situation in a calm, non-confrontational manner. Even when we disagree with somebody, it is important to stay Controlled; losing your temper will not help anyone.

Because the Path is more of a philosophy than a religion and offers no specific definition of “god” beyond a collective cosmic consciousness, we are free to choose our own religious practice, or none at all. Whatever aids us in our journey toward Enlightenment. Do you follow a specific religious tradition? How have you used Path doctrine and teachings to augment that religion?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

On Sacrifice and the Path

-
  On Sacrifice and the Path   Sacrifice is a prevailing theme of many world religions, whether you are giving up life, time, or money. The idea is that you have to pay for salvation somehow; nothing is free, after all. Some religions have an entire laundry list of things you cannot do, things you must give up entirely in order to practice their faith. Some ask for money, either through tithes or “charitable donations.” The entire Christian faith is based on what is an objectively barbaric form of human sacrifice. The message is clear: to be saved, you must offer up something in return, or forgo something you once indulged in. A sacrifice must be made. Pagan spiritual traditions incorporate energetic reciprocity: to invoke the favors of the gods, certain offerings are made. These offerings can be physical or energetic in nature, either cream and honey to please the Fae folk, or personal psychic energy expended during a healing rite. These sacrifices are more personal (as ...
Read more

Beware the False Dichotomy

-
  The appeal of the dichotomy is understandable. It’s psychologically soothing to have two clear options, so we can act accordingly. Unfortunately, life is messy and complicated, and many of the dichotomies we embrace as a society are not only false, they are actively damaging. Consider the false dichotomy of “fight or flight,” of which I’ve written before. If you believe you only have two possible responses to perceived threat of trauma, you won’t realize that freeze, flop, and friend may be more appropriate to the situation. You could end up punching your boss, because running away is for cowards. Even worse, however, are the dichotomies we apply to sex, sexuality, and gender: you’re either gay or straight, male or female. What we are finally beginning to acknowledge is that these things exist on a spectrum, and the old labels just don’t work anymore. But there are still those who cling to these false dichotomies and refuse to recognize anyone’s identity if it doesn’t fit in ...
Read more

Path Doctrine on the Seven Deadly Sins

-
  Topic: Path Doctrine on the Seven Deadly Sins Today’s sermon is about the Christian list of seven “deadly sins” and how they relate to Path teachings. Some of these so-called sins are of the body, some are of the mind. But they must be subject to rational dissection so we can extract whatever value they may have. Lust is a body sin, and an easy one. The sex lives of others are none of our business, as long as everyone involved is a consenting adult and no harm is being done. If you are not hurting anyone or treating other people as things, feel free to lust after and even have sex with as many people as you want. Greed is one of the sins that you only commit in your head; the only problem with greed is that it can turn you into a power-hungry asshole. But there are wealthy people who still try to make the world a better place, so there is nothing wrong with greed itself. Gluttony is a body sin, and is contrary to the Virtue of Balance. If you find yourself overindulging, ...
Read more