Renunciation and Acceptance - the true path to Peace of Mind
Peace of Mind - Renunciation and Acceptance
Both these words have very strong connotations to spirituality and in fact you would be mistakenly assuming this is a possible religious / spiritual blog. Well that is not the intention but you may find some spiritual significance. What you will find is by knowing these two concepts and practicing them in a deep way ( which is what most spiritual practices are about) you will free you mind of a lot of stress and problems that have been plaguing you. In the process you have some level of Peace of Mind which in turn will improve your health. When you have Peace of Mind (POM) your body automatically goes into healing mode. The disease, decaying and ageing mode will stop and now recovery, healing and regeneration mode of the body is initiated. That is a positive impact on your health and physical appearance.
People who have Peace of Mind (POM) tend to look younger, have healthier skin and overall have a better aura around them. They seem to be more loving, lovable and overall attractive in their own way.. You will notice eventually when you engage with them they tend to be more spiritual (not necessarily religious) and philosophical even. So the question is would you like to be like that. Perhaps this could help you overcome your loneliness problem? Maybe you suffer from some chronic health condition and want to reverse or reduce it? Hypertension, Migraine headaches, anxieties attacks will quickly be reduced or even disappear when you start on this journey. Perhaps you just do not like the way the body is aging with the wrinkles and weight increase! Even in these areas you will notice improvement. One only has to see how Monks who practice these two concepts in their mindset appear much younger than their actual age.
Whatever your motive it will work wonders for you and does not cost anywhere close to the cost of cosmetic surgery or expensive medications or supplements. As a Life Coach Online with clients from all parts of the world I have seen it again and again how these two seemingly spiritual concepts have worked wonders for the physical body and yes, the mind and soul as well.
However now that I got you interested in exploring these two concepts I must forewarn you that I am only going to give you a brief overview of what Renunciation and Acceptance means or the practices relevant to it. These topics take a lifetime of learning, awareness and practice and I will do injustive by trying to cover the topic in a blog such as this. But my objective is for you to be motivated to seriously consider these concepts and start the journey. Here is a brief about it but you take it from here and continue to learn about the concepts from your choice of literature.
Renunciation
In this context, renunciation is the thought and act of giving up something. In most cases it is something in the material world that is work related, financial goals or even some aspects of your ideals for your family. All too often we have been brought up with the false notion that our lives must be on a trajectory of a perfect path that is determined or chosen by us. Often this path is influenced by the lifestyle of rich celebrities or fancy ‘neighbors’ or even sibling rivalry. Renunciation could begin with giving up high and lofty goals for you and the your loved ones. Perhaps even retain the ideal as a concept but not rush it within a short period. Deferring it too maybe some mild form of renunciation. Goals espcially materialistic goals and the achievement of them could perhaps be the most significant cause of stress in our lives. We like to think that once we achieve a particular big or significant goal our lives will be less stressed and we will be happy and have peace of mind. We will for sure be happy for a while but now that we achieved our goal, our restless mind would be seeking; ‘What Next?’. Or now that we acquires that expensive much sought after material goal, we need to protect or secure it. Perhaps even worry about maintenance and upkeep that very thing. Challenges of maintenance or enhancing security of an expensive dream car or home comes to mind when we realize how much a burden these Goals and items can be.
Let us be clear, as we are not talking about giving up the luxuries of life or your money away. That is not necessary as renunciation is about giving up on the goals at your own time. If these things stress you and rob you of your Peace of Mind, than you ought to consider giving them up because it is no longer worth the effort. How you go about it is strictly your own choice. What you want to start giving up is also strictly your choice.
A suggestion that works well is to start giving up on big goals that are stressing you. The trick here is to ‘Be who you are’! Do not try to be somebody you are not. By purchasing the ‘Ferrari’ which is beyond your means is a good example. On the other hand, no one should tell you what you can or cannot achieve. The real important part is “No one should influence you on what your goals should be”.That is a mantra I preach to my Life Coaching clients. As often, they have lofty ideals in terms or materialistic goals or even relationship goals that were impressed upon them by their parents, families or even social media which puts peer pressure on them. If you are a victim of your parents expectations you will understand what i am talking about. You are not meant to be the perfect Super Mom your mother expects you to be. Her expectations should not be your Goal in life. The point of contention here is “Be who you are”.
Acceptance as a Spiritual Practice
Acceptance can be a spiritual practice because it involves letting go of judgment, resistance, and attachment, and instead, embracing and accepting things as they are. This can be a transformative and freeing experience that allows us to connect more deeply with ourselves and the present moment.
In many spiritual traditions, acceptance is seen as a key component of the path to inner peace and understanding. For example, in Buddhism, the practice of "non-attachment" involves letting go of attachment to desires, outcomes, and our ego, and instead, accepting the present moment as it is. Similarly, in Christianity, the concept of "surrender" involves letting go of our own will and accepting God's plan for our lives. Even Islam has a strong tenet based on Acceptance and is key for Muslims to practice to achieve their Spiritual Goals.
There are many ways to enhance acceptance as a spiritual practice, including mindfulness meditation, prayer, and self-inquiry. Some people find it helpful to set an intention to be more accepting and to cultivate a sense of calmness and openness towards the present moment. Others find it helpful to work with a spiritual teacher or mentor who can offer guidance and support on the path towards acceptance.
Ultimately, the goal of acceptance as a spiritual practice is to cultivate a sense of inner peace, clarity, and understanding and to live in a more compassionate and understanding way towards ourselves and others.
Being who you are and not trying to be what this world or your social environment impressed you to be is probably a good place to start reflecting, if you want to practice Acceptance. But this concept goes beyond just about that. Acceptance is actually you giving up on trying to change something that is just not you. The real You!
