Daily Inspiration 12-18-19

"Peace requires us to surrender 

our illusions of control." 

-- Jack Kornfield 

New: Audio version

[Classic post from 7-29-15]

This flows with yesterday's post, and I love this quote by Jack Kornfield. Here's the whole quote: "Peace requires us to surrender our illusions of control. We can love and care for others but we cannot possess our children, lovers, family, or friends. We can assist them, pray for them, and wish them well, yet in the end, their happiness and suffering depend on their thoughts and actions, not on our wishes." 

There is so much in this one quote. First, peace and surrender. To me peace is surrender. It is letting go. It is allowing. That is a better way to see it: allowing. Allowing others to be as they will, do as they choose to do, think as they choose to think. When we are allowers, we are empowering ourselves with peace, love, and freedom. We are free from all.

Next, the illusion of control. There is a wide range of beliefs that we can control so many things including people. We think we can control how others think, what they do, how they do it. We think we can control our children, our employees, and more. We have the ultimate model of control in prisons, of which we lead the world in quantity. Once we realize that we really don't have the control we think we do, then control is meaningless. It is an illusion. Letting go of that illusion is required to have peace, don't you think?

Then, we can be of assistance. We can pray, wish others well. We can see them succeeding, being healthy, thriving. We certainly can be of assistance and that assistance can make a difference. Our attitude or rather our positive uplifting feelings for others in whatever their situation can be of definite help, and it is loving to do so. If we cannot come with this attitude, we are better and they are better that we leave it all alone.

And last, whatever we think, and whatever we may do is of little consequence in the end as to the other person's situation. Whether they continue to suffer or have happiness is not dependent on anything that we do in the end. It is 100% their choice of what they choose to think, how they choose to feel, what they choose to do or not do. If we are to be truly loving, we will absolutely respect this last bit. People will think what they choose, feel how they choose to feel, do or not do what they choose regardless of what we choose to think, choose to feel, or choose to do or not do. There is great power in this knowing.


Peace Is Allowing And Yet Surrender, As Is Unconditional Love, As Is True Freedom, As Is Pure Joy. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by becoming a better allower.