Few things are
more important, particularly as we age, than loosening knots of mental and emotional
entanglement—the cumulative effect of our lived history and experience of life
that often create so much tension and unease in the present.
The entanglements
I speak of are things such as: the tension created by any unfinished business we
may have with others (perhaps needing to forgive others or be forgiven by
others), getting in closer touch with what befogs our inner life (our deeper
feelings, perceptions and desires), or any muddled thinking regarding who we
are and what we stand for (our purpose, location of our bliss and values).
In my own life
the method by which I prefer to process such entanglements is meditation. I
value this simple and elegant practice for both its thrift and effectiveness—it
requires me only to sit and be present to the workings of my inner life. It
truly is a transformative practice, an invitation to grace and composure.
Grace is
difficult to define, but as I think of it, it is evidenced in those moments in
which I sense a deep and unexpected sense of clarity and peace—it’s a gift. It
seems to me to materialize more often as my engagement with life deepens, is
less mediated and more direct. She also seems to show up more as I slow down
and allow for moments of repose.
Composure is
evidenced in the act of being in possession of one’s self—calm, peaceful, centered,
sovereign. It isn’t a gift per se, but the by-product of awareness and the
wisdom derived from direct experience of life. Often it is simply a choice.
I can think of
no better investiture of our time than the work of untangling our hearts and
locating the sense of composure that invites grace into our lives. And yet, for
many it would seem there is no time.
Perhaps this is
why Krishnamurti cautioned that it is no sign of health to be well-adjusted to
a profoundly sick society, and why Gandhi encouraged us to be that change we
wish to see in the world—two ideas worth taking to heart on the way to a life
of home grown happiness and greater ease.
