Inner tranquility ~ freedom from anger, anxiety, and fear.

There was something weird about my short stay in Turkey.  Was it the place, or the people, or the blue, blue sky?  Was it getting enough good sleep, good food, staying sober, staying calm?  Or, was it the long, meaningful, and mindful conversations I enjoyed?  Or was it some inner spirituality that was awoken in me? I suspect all of these things and more combined to wrought a significant change in my psyche.

For me this was a jumping-off point.  I lost some things, I lost negativity, I lost the way I was used to seeing the world, I lost judgmentalism, I lost my mistrust of others, I lost my fear and anger, and I learned how to fly…..

Last night I lost the world, and gained the universe. ~  C. JoyBell C.

I had not been there long before I knew a radical freedom that allowed me to seek acceptance, humility, integrity, mindfulness, and understanding of myself, of those around me, and of those I care for.  I was encouraged to take a new control and responsibility for my own life ~ I believe that most of us, (up to and including me), are not in control of our own lives.  Rather most of us drift aimlessly through life, so that today is pretty much like yesterday, and tomorrow will be pretty much like today.

That isn’t really living, it’s just existing, and that’s no way to explore true happiness and well-being.  To know true happiness and well-being we perhaps should strive to improve and enhance our own lives, the lives of those we care for, and society as a whole.

Within the real meaning of human happiness and enhanced existence, within our aims, significance, and overall purpose, we all have the freedom to choose what to do, to be who we want to be.  Sadly so many of us never even try to grow into an enlightened being.

After a couple of days in the mindfulness of my Turkish vacation I began to seek to understand things, to understand the interconnectedness of all things, and the ways to find the significance of my own life among the chaos.

The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.  ~  Nikos Kazantzakis

I realised that each of us is what we take ourselves to be.  But to live in an authentic, caring, and mindful way, we each have to take each situation as it comes and show our true nature through what we do, and not what we say.  Talk is cheap.

I was always frightened to show my true nature.  I was a shadow man, the man in the mirror, I was always conforming to what others expected of me, putting on masks that fitted the roles I was expected to play.  I saw the world through a winter mirror, darkly.

After just one week in a small Turkish hotel, under blue, blue skies, among a group of friendly and supportive people, I was able to throw away the masks, stop playing a role, eschew the man in the mirror, and really take charge of my own life.

Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.  ~  Lao Tzu

Today, back in the garret, I am self-analytical, self-aware, self-confident, and filled with real self-control, and self-discipline.

Now I need to act in a way that reflects my new self-awareness, and the awareness of my own complete freedom.  This is what I am, this is what I choose to be, this is the real me, and I will never again dodge responsibility for being true to myself.

I do not pretend to understand how this enlightenment came about.  Probably it was a unique set of serendipitous circumstances, a synchronicity that has energised me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Some say that once in a lifetime your chance comes along, that once in a lifetime fate deals you the perfect winning hand.  And, that we each have to be courageous enough to take that chance, to throw everything we have behind our one great opportunity in Life.  All I know is that today I feel better than I have ever felt before in my entire existence.

My short stay in Turkey was the kindling of a flame.

~

jack collier

jack collier7@talktalk.net

each man is an island unto himself