In today’s world with our fast paced lives amidst stress and anxiety, if there is one thing we all long for, it is peace of mind.  For most of us peace of mind has become a cherished ideal that seems far-fetched.  We dissipate a large part of our time and energy in seeking favorable circumstances that will lead to peace and tranquility of the mind.  But our own experience tells us that circumstances conducive to our mental peace rarely become a reality.  So what is the way to peace?

Firstly understand that internal peace is never a product of external circumstances.  It is a product of purified senses, mind and intellect.  For most of us, our mind is afflicted by mental diseases of desires, greed, lust, envy and ego.  As long as the mind is tormented by these diseases, we can hardly hope to achieve peace even in the best of situations.  Therefore we can begin our journey towards perfect peace by giving up 3 things:

• Give up endless desires: Remember, peace of mind comes not by enhancing our material possessions but by eliminating our desires.
• Give up sense of proprietorship: Remember everything in the world belongs to God.  We came empty handed and will go away empty handed.
• Give up ego: The biggest reason for strife between people is their egos. The way to peace is not to nurture it but to get rid of it.

Self-realized Saints experience everlasting peace and bliss because they have given up all these mental defects by purifying their minds through bhakti. In fact for anyone, everlasting peace can become a practical reality when he or she engages in devotion to God.  By attaching the mind to all –pure God, the mind gradually becomes purified and experiences its much cherished ideal of peace and bliss.