What Gives You Peace....

[Astreja]

1. Do you require any inner peace to function in life?

Not a major fan of "inner peace," per se. I'm more interested in curiosity, lifelong learning, and pushing my limits.

2. Where do you find your peace, if you require it?

(slightly modified answer in light of my answer to question #1) I do appreciate quiet, alone downtime. When suffering from a case of Way Too Busy, I use positive self-talk to reassure myself that yes, everything that needs to be done today has been taken care of.

3. Do you feel that it is a virtue, or just a state of nature(i.e. calm weather, no war, no one bothering you...like me! lol)

20% external circumstances and environment, 20% habitual behaviours, 60% attitude.

[Abaddon_ire]

...Over the years, I've always pondered the fact that there is virtually no "peace" here, and in most other 
atheistic (w/no mention of God allowed) forums.

My [serious] questions, if you are so inclined to answer them:

OK then.

1. Do you require any inner peace to function in life?

Nope. I would prefer it but it is not a requirement and why should it be?

2. Where do you find your peace, if you require it?

Many places. But if you want to put me on the spot, I would have to place full of good food on the couch all cosied up with my kids watching whatever dumbass movie rocking out on the surround sound, gently burping.

3. Do you feel that it is a virtue, or just a state of nature(i.e. calm weather, no war, no one bothering you...like me! lol)

A virtue? Not even slightly. It is a nice place to be.

I'll make my points after I've had some feedback. This has been a longtime curiosity as to
our divide. Not only here but with; family, friends & acquaintances who are atheists.

Thanks for your input! R

My kids (hah, adults now) Think nothing of rolling up on the sofa and whatever. They know exactly that they were hockey pucked into my arms at birth, i changed the nappies and whatever, brought them to ER and whatever and so forth. This is not some creepy thing.

I would give my life for my kids.

Thus, sometimes my kids will poke me to say "Dad, stop snoring" and in turn I will poke them to say "Dude, you are dribbling on me wake up" while the slick congeals. It's just life.

[Neo-Scholastic]

To the OP: why put this thread in the Christianity section? Did you have a specific direction you had hoped the thread had gone?

[Abaddon_ire]

To the OP: why put this thread in the Christianity section? Did you have a specific direction you had hoped the thread had gone?

Closet. Narnia.

[The Valkyrie]

Strange though it may seem, I like going on long walks in blustery weather.

[Brian37]

...Over the years, I've always pondered the fact that there is virtually no "peace" here, and in most other 
atheistic (w/no mention of God allowed) forums.

My [serious] questions, if you are so inclined to answer them:

1. Do you require any inner peace to function in life?

2. Where do you find your peace, if you require it?

3. Do you feel that it is a virtue, or just a state of nature(i.e. calm weather, no war, no one bothering you...like me! lol)


I'll make my points after I've had some feedback. This has been a longtime curiosity as to
our divide. Not only here but with; family, friends & acquaintances who are atheists.

Thanks for your input! R

I have "peace" when I have nobody bothering me. I also have a piece of bread, and a shot of peanut butter whiskey.

[vulcanlogician]

To the OP: why put this thread in the Christianity section? Did you have a specific direction you had hoped the thread had gone?

I was thinking about this too. And two questions come to mind when I give it some thought:

1. Is the peace provided by religious belief a "legitimate" peace?

(and, more broadly, if this had been, say, posted in the philosophy subforum)

2. How instrumental are one's beliefs --religious or otherwise-- to a peaceful state of mind?

***

You and Nudger both talked about "flow"... as in "not approaching life's events with resistance, but (like a leaf) floating along the river... perhaps going where life takes you.

Now, I know that neither you or Nudger is a Daoist. But, as you both know, this is a principle of Daoism. (...if Daoism can be said to have principles...).

In any case, it is a belief, isn't it? Or is it?

Perhaps it is an attitude? Or modus operandi? Or maybe something that the both of you found that simply works.

[Sal]

1. Do you require any inner peace to function in life?

2. Where do you find your peace, if you require it?

3. Do you feel that it is a virtue, or just a state of nature(i.e. calm weather, no war, no one bothering you...like me! lol)

1. No. In fact, if I find myself in too much peace is when I get worried something is amiss.

2. Mindfulness practice. Been doing that daily for 13 years. It's a simple practice when you get the hang of being free of worry and experience general thoughtlessness, and simply gauge how your body and senses experience outwardly; takes a while to get a hang of.

3. "It" being peace? IDK. It's very much a state of mind that you can practice of choosing. If thoughts are distracting the present moment, then you know something is wrong, and you have failed reaching a mindful state.

Btw, I think peace of mind is overrated, do what entices you to do better.

[zwanzig]

For me, inner peace is more about self-confidence and feeling comfortable with myself. The past year I have felt more and more of this self-confidence and an ability to be with myself and enjoy my own company.

Things that bring me a feeling of outer peace are reading, walking my dog in our country paths, exercising, and painting. A lot of folks call it "flow" when you can sit in front of an easel and lose time, lose track of your physical senses and body. I often feel this way when painting, disappearing into daydreams, internal stories, and leaving my body on autopilot to do the painting business. It's the first thing I think of when people talk about peace or happiness.

As others have said, peace and chaos are a part of everyday life and they should be. When I was a deep, true believer, belief/faith did nothing to completely armor me against occasional daily chaos(in fact it is the same/similar amounts of daily stress I experience now, except now, I no longer feel unloved or deliberately punished by such circumstances). And I resent those trying to sell the falsehood that it does.

[Gwaithmir]

What gives me peace? Looking over my collection of classicist art, especially the works of John William Godward and Albert Joseph Moore.