No 132 of Living Life Series 1
Whilst going about life, do so with inner peace, that is, enduring peace that comes from within your better self. It must be borne of love for life. It must be in tune with divine peace of the holy spirit of the saints. Lets dwell on the way, that is on the "how to do so".
Do avoid human fallacies or failings. Do not be reckless and care less as though tomorrow will never come. Do not fear life by staying away from life. Do not rush head long into life, multi-tasking as though there is no tomorrow and as though you are ten in one. Moderate and find balance in your life.
Frankly, you live this life of yours but once. The next life never will be the same. Do be good to yourself and loved ones by treasuring this life. Whatever good that you need to do, do enjoy and relish them now in pleasantness and in peace. Go about life placcidly and in harmony. Eschew and value the many wonders you often take for granted due to ths hustle and bustle of yin yang life. This, brethren, is the moderated or balance approach.
But the point for reaping comfort and ease otherwise termed inner peace in life needs to be identified and appreciated. It is depicted by lord saint's image with both feet balancing and moderating elements. There is need for everyone to see, perceive and realise this for himself or herself. It is not something which can be told to an individual. It is not an item that can be served to him or her on a platter. It is unique. It is not static but varies* with time, with person and from person to person. It varies in the same individual with changing circumstances. It varies with age as well. Know thus the balance point so that we move forward without stepping on mine fields of life. We will avoid and avert the undue unwarranted self- accentuated difficulties of life. Tread wisely forward in life along the axis of balance or moderation to have that peace and tranquility. Effort for this is not exacting or demanding but within comfort limits. By treading along the axis of inner peace, we are more likely to be able to have more lasting peace. Otherwise, if we do not do so, we may be made mincemeat and be torn to peices by yin yang twists. We may possibly run the risk of finishing ourselves and resting in peace (pardon the pun and poor taste). Let us wise up please. Go for bliss here now and hereafter. Moderated and balance approach is the way. Be mindful and alert to go for the axis of balance for inner peace.
Here is simple illustration of changing balance point with advancing of age. The balance point for pragmatic, comfortable, peaceful and fruitful life for early education is 10 out of 10 for spelling. For secondary and high school, this would be untenable. The effective score would be 60 to 90 out of 100 for a test paper. In tertiary level, the expectation would be lower at 50 to 80 out of 100. Here is yet another illustration. If you are in prime of life, youthful and striking out in adult life, there is need to have more job but if you are old above 60, the need for this is less. The need also must be moderated for the young who have other concerns like health, or need to spend time for infirmed old parents or spend more time with growing up children For a country with no mass, no natural resources, no hinterland and dwindling birth rate and population, moderated approach for yielding comforts, peace and ease in all areas (be it economic, social, cultural or political) must shift to more productivity in work per individual and complemented by foreign manpower. The axis of balance for peaceful progress of that country is a range and not a fixed point. There is need to adjust and make changes with corrective actions to tweek policies to ensure peaceful and comfortable progress and continued success.
Health is the highest gain and must precede all else. Exercise is all important for that useful peace in life, free from health related hiccups. What is good may not be the same for all persons, for all ages and for all circumstances. Whilst exercise is good for all, it must be calibrated and tailor fitted for the individual - the young, the handicap, those with chronic illnesses, those who are old etc.The young may be able to run marathon, 5 km without problems but the old even walking the mile is good enough to produce the same aerobic cardiovascular benefits (target heart rate at 50%to 70% of maximum heart rate). Doing more such as climbing stairs may mean the body will protest through joint pains, breathing distress etc.
This moderated balanced approach is a principle for spiritual development but it applies too to our other areas of life. There is the divine advice of the heavenly saints that spiritual principles work for our non-spiritual life as well. This did Lord Bo Tien remind us. Therefore, balance your life. Balance too your country's needs. Balance your spiritual pursuits. Do remember too that the axis of balance for inner peace in spiritual life too changes with march of time as we develop spiritually.
Cheers and be blessed. Move on in life spiritually and otherwise along the changing axis of inner peace. We must be aware that the spiritual experiences of one person are not the same as another. For the same person, they may vary with differing situations. For persons or for situations, the axis of inner peace may not be identical though similar in ways. Culture too plays a part in modifying life's axis of inner peace. Thus the axis for inner peace varies with culture and there will always be need for a range of religions, sects and religious traditions. This reflects the width and depth of wisdom as well as the magnanimity of love of God and of the heavens.
Do avoid human fallacies or failings. Do not be reckless and care less as though tomorrow will never come. Do not fear life by staying away from life. Do not rush head long into life, multi-tasking as though there is no tomorrow and as though you are ten in one. Moderate and find balance in your life.
Frankly, you live this life of yours but once. The next life never will be the same. Do be good to yourself and loved ones by treasuring this life. Whatever good that you need to do, do enjoy and relish them now in pleasantness and in peace. Go about life placcidly and in harmony. Eschew and value the many wonders you often take for granted due to ths hustle and bustle of yin yang life. This, brethren, is the moderated or balance approach.
But the point for reaping comfort and ease otherwise termed inner peace in life needs to be identified and appreciated. It is depicted by lord saint's image with both feet balancing and moderating elements. There is need for everyone to see, perceive and realise this for himself or herself. It is not something which can be told to an individual. It is not an item that can be served to him or her on a platter. It is unique. It is not static but varies* with time, with person and from person to person. It varies in the same individual with changing circumstances. It varies with age as well. Know thus the balance point so that we move forward without stepping on mine fields of life. We will avoid and avert the undue unwarranted self- accentuated difficulties of life. Tread wisely forward in life along the axis of balance or moderation to have that peace and tranquility. Effort for this is not exacting or demanding but within comfort limits. By treading along the axis of inner peace, we are more likely to be able to have more lasting peace. Otherwise, if we do not do so, we may be made mincemeat and be torn to peices by yin yang twists. We may possibly run the risk of finishing ourselves and resting in peace (pardon the pun and poor taste). Let us wise up please. Go for bliss here now and hereafter. Moderated and balance approach is the way. Be mindful and alert to go for the axis of balance for inner peace.
Here is simple illustration of changing balance point with advancing of age. The balance point for pragmatic, comfortable, peaceful and fruitful life for early education is 10 out of 10 for spelling. For secondary and high school, this would be untenable. The effective score would be 60 to 90 out of 100 for a test paper. In tertiary level, the expectation would be lower at 50 to 80 out of 100. Here is yet another illustration. If you are in prime of life, youthful and striking out in adult life, there is need to have more job but if you are old above 60, the need for this is less. The need also must be moderated for the young who have other concerns like health, or need to spend time for infirmed old parents or spend more time with growing up children For a country with no mass, no natural resources, no hinterland and dwindling birth rate and population, moderated approach for yielding comforts, peace and ease in all areas (be it economic, social, cultural or political) must shift to more productivity in work per individual and complemented by foreign manpower. The axis of balance for peaceful progress of that country is a range and not a fixed point. There is need to adjust and make changes with corrective actions to tweek policies to ensure peaceful and comfortable progress and continued success.
Health is the highest gain and must precede all else. Exercise is all important for that useful peace in life, free from health related hiccups. What is good may not be the same for all persons, for all ages and for all circumstances. Whilst exercise is good for all, it must be calibrated and tailor fitted for the individual - the young, the handicap, those with chronic illnesses, those who are old etc.The young may be able to run marathon, 5 km without problems but the old even walking the mile is good enough to produce the same aerobic cardiovascular benefits (target heart rate at 50%to 70% of maximum heart rate). Doing more such as climbing stairs may mean the body will protest through joint pains, breathing distress etc.
This moderated balanced approach is a principle for spiritual development but it applies too to our other areas of life. There is the divine advice of the heavenly saints that spiritual principles work for our non-spiritual life as well. This did Lord Bo Tien remind us. Therefore, balance your life. Balance too your country's needs. Balance your spiritual pursuits. Do remember too that the axis of balance for inner peace in spiritual life too changes with march of time as we develop spiritually.
Cheers and be blessed. Move on in life spiritually and otherwise along the changing axis of inner peace. We must be aware that the spiritual experiences of one person are not the same as another. For the same person, they may vary with differing situations. For persons or for situations, the axis of inner peace may not be identical though similar in ways. Culture too plays a part in modifying life's axis of inner peace. Thus the axis for inner peace varies with culture and there will always be need for a range of religions, sects and religious traditions. This reflects the width and depth of wisdom as well as the magnanimity of love of God and of the heavens.
