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Can you be certain?

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When something happens in your life, how often have you lost your sense of peace? I see this happen to people often; usually peace is relinquished by negative emotions or thoughts. Who in their 'right mind' would relinquish peace for irritation/anger (suffering)?

It's obvious that what happens to us isn't unique. No matter what you experience you can always imagine others (or actually know someone) who experience similar things and some could be said to be 'better' or 'worse' off than you are. No one is alone and this is a clue to 'escape' from the judging mind.

To judge/label an event as 'GOOD' or 'BAD' can't be completely certain; since either choice presupposes a 'correct' way to decide. There is no way to know which one is correct, and the choice is usually biased by desire, that is, "what do I WANT".

When you choose sides you've trapped yourself in a fantasy prison (in your mind). There is no way out within that mind, but if you give yourself enough 'distance' to watch what's happening you can stop the judging and simply be aware of what's happening. Becoming aware of what's happening NOW stops the judging/labeling mind (there can be no conflict with what 'could be', since what 'could be' ISN'T what IS).

Peace and thanksgiving are commonly experienced when a person is 'set free' from the fantasy prison of the mind's 'reality':

And the peace [of God], which is deeper than all knowledge....

Philippians 4.7 (Bible in Basic English)

Peace,
Matthew

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