I first heard that beautiful prayer when I was in the Findhorn spiritual community, in Scotland and it feels very appropriate for the last part of this Capricorn series about creating heaven on earth in very practical ways. There’s nothing  more practical and efficient than nature. Everything in nature is done without waste, very quietly, in deep peace. Even when there is a raging river there is still the ‘deep peace of the running wave’. In our everyday busy lives we often can’t relate peace with action, yet we are not separate from nature. So where do we find the deep peace that is ever-present no matter how busy we are?

 

In Quantum Alchemy Radio show number 5 (The Multidimensional You) there was a dialogue about how yogis and mystics describe three levels of consciousness: gross, subtle and extremely subtle. Gross consciousness is the tangible consciousness of our senses, we can experience a rock for example by seeing and feeling it. Subtle consciousness isn’t tangible. It is the consciousness of thoughts and thinking. We can clearly think and calculate but our thoughts cannot be seen, heard or felt.

Extremely subtle consciousness is beyond our normal experience. It is an experience of reality beyond thoughts, and it’s nature is said to be clear light. It is by nature peaceful and once we know how, it is said to be possible to remain connected to this deeper peace, even when our lives are busy. It is the 'deep peace of the infinite peace' that permeates all of nature and the whole universe.

 

This peaceful place within is not very far away. This could be what Jesus meant when he said the ‘kingdom of heaven is close at hand’.  It already exists inside each of us, and we can access it any time, we just need to remember how. This is where the ‘discipline’ or learning of Capricorn Season is important. Whenever you have experienced peaceful, still, moments in your life you were already ‘there’. So what keeps us from it? We become very distracted by our everyday lives which keeps our attention focused in the gross and subtle levels of consciousness to the degree that we forget how to access our inner peace.

 

If you listened to the episode of Quantum Alchemy Radio that I recommended last week ( “How To Negotiate Difficult Relationships” click to register for details), you’ll notice how much emphasis the host, Anya, placed on the breath. Probably the most fundamental and effective method to access inner peace is simply to place your attention on your breath.

Placing your attention there doesn’t mean thinking about it, analysing it, or changing it. Just simply rest, and allow your awareness to follow your breath, wherever it is going and whatever it is doing – naturally! Is it shallow? Let it be! Is it deep? Let it be! Is it fast? Let it be! Whatsoever it is doing let it be! Gradually you will notice yourself thinking less, and becoming more peaceful.