Serenity

The big book talks a lot about serenity. Serenity is that calm peacefulness that enevelopes who we become when a lot of the little details around us are taken care of. But how does that happen - how do those little details get "taken care of"?

It has been my experience both in study and practice that serenity is the byproduct of rightfully realizing the lack of control that we have over things. Now that might sound negative, but it's really the most positive revelation that you could possibly have about yourself.

What do you control -- what do you really control? Most of us think we control our schedules and activities, but then it just takes one emergency to put that into perspective. For everything you think that you control there is an opposite and often competing reality of what controls that more. For example, have you ever left for an appointment with plenty of time to spare to find yourself a victim of a traffic jam. We think to ourselves that we should have taken a different road or path, but who has the assurance that would have worked. Often our lack of control is highlighted by just a phone call or seemingly inconsequential decision that puts us in a place that alters us forever. Even the smallest experiences are life changing experiences.The reality of our lack of control in any given situation is just a phone call or lane change away.

Understanding that we are the smallest cog in the wheel of life experienced around us truly is a freeing experience, and the quickest way to shed unwanted stress.