what is peace of mind essay

Peace of Mind

Peace of mind is a state of mental and emotional calmness, characterized by a lack of anxiety, stress, or worry. It is a sense of serenity and well-being that comes from feeling safe and secure, both physically and emotionally. When we have peace of mind, we are able to think clearly and make rational decisions, rather than being overcome by negative emotions or feelings of fear or uncertainty.

Peace of mind is often associated with feelings of contentment and happiness, as well as a sense of purpose and fulfillment in life. It can be influenced by various factors, including our personal relationships, career, health, and overall sense of well-being.

There are many different ways to achieve peace of mind. Some people find it through meditation, yoga, or other mindfulness practices. Others find it through physical activity or spending time in nature. Some people find peace of mind through religion or spirituality, while others find it through personal growth or self-improvement.

One of the key ways to achieve peace of mind is to learn to manage and control our thoughts and emotions. This can involve setting healthy boundaries, learning to say no, and finding healthy ways to cope with stress and negative emotions. It can also involve setting goals and priorities, and focusing on what is truly important to us.

Another important aspect of achieving peace of mind is finding a sense of balance in our lives. This can mean finding time for work, family, leisure, and self-care, and making sure that these different areas of our lives are all in harmony.

Ultimately, peace of mind is a highly personal and subjective experience, and what works for one person may not work for another. The important thing is to find what works for you, and to make a conscious effort to cultivate a sense of peace and well-being in your life.

Peace of mind in western thought

In Western thought, "peace of mind" refers to a state of inner tranquility, contentment, and mental well-being. It encompasses a sense of calmness, freedom from anxiety or distress, and a general feeling of harmony within oneself.

Throughout history, various philosophical and psychological traditions in the Western world have explored the concept of peace of mind and proposed different approaches to achieving it. Here are a few notable perspectives:

The Stoics, ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, emphasized the importance of cultivating an inner state of tranquility by accepting the things that are beyond our control and focusing on developing virtue and wisdom. They believed that peace of mind could be attained through the practice of reason, self-discipline, and detachment from external outcomes.

Epicureanism , another ancient Greek philosophy, viewed peace of mind as the ultimate goal of life. According to Epicurus, peace of mind could be achieved by minimizing pain, cultivating friendships, seeking modest pleasures, and living a life of moderation and simplicity.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, existentialist philosophers like Søren Kierkegaard and Jean-Paul Sartre explored the quest for meaning and peace of mind in a seemingly absurd and uncertain world. They emphasized the importance of personal responsibility, authenticity, and the freedom to choose one's own values and purpose in life as a path to inner peace.

In the field of psychology , peace of mind is often associated with psychological well-being. It encompasses factors such as positive emotions, life satisfaction, a sense of purpose, resilience in the face of challenges, and healthy coping mechanisms. Psychologists and therapists employ various approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based practices, and positive psychology interventions to help individuals achieve and maintain peace of mind.

These are just a few examples of how peace of mind has been approached and understood in Western thought. The concept is multifaceted and can be explored from various philosophical, psychological, and spiritual perspectives, all aiming to foster a sense of inner harmony and well-being.

Peace of mind in Buddhism

In Buddhism, "peace of mind" is a central goal and is often referred to as "inner peace" or "mental tranquility." It is a state of profound calmness, clarity, and freedom from suffering. Buddhism teaches that peace of mind is attainable through the eradication of ignorance, attachment, and the cultivation of wisdom and compassion.

Here are some key concepts and practices in Buddhism that relate to peace of mind:

Mindfulness is a fundamental practice in Buddhism. It involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. By cultivating mindfulness, individuals develop a heightened awareness of their thoughts, emotions, and sensations. This practice helps to reduce mental agitation and creates a space for inner peace to arise.

Meditation is a central practice in Buddhism for cultivating peace of mind. Techniques such as mindfulness meditation, loving-kindness meditation, and insight meditation (vipassana) are employed to calm the mind, develop concentration, and gain insight into the nature of reality. Through regular meditation practice, individuals can experience deep states of tranquility and inner peace.

The Four Noble Truths are fundamental teachings in Buddhism. The first truth recognizes that suffering (dukkha) is an inherent part of existence. The second truth identifies craving and attachment as the cause of suffering. The third truth reveals that there is a way to end suffering. The fourth truth presents the Noble Eightfold Path as the path to liberation from suffering, which includes ethical conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom. By following this path, one can attain peace of mind and liberation from suffering.

Buddhism emphasizes the practice of non-attachment , understanding that clinging and attachment to desires, opinions, and identities can lead to suffering. By cultivating non-attachment, individuals develop a sense of inner freedom, letting go of grasping and aversion. This leads to a more peaceful and equanimous state of mind.

Buddhism encourages the cultivation of compassion and loving-kindness towards oneself and others. By developing empathy, kindness, and a genuine concern for the well-being of all beings, individuals can experience a deep sense of peace and interconnectedness.

In Buddhism, peace of mind is not viewed as a static state but as an ongoing practice and realization. It involves a deep understanding of the nature of reality, the mind, and the cultivation of wholesome qualities. By following the teachings and engaging in the practices of Buddhism, practitioners strive to attain and sustain peace of mind as a stepping stone towards enlightenment and liberation from suffering.

Peace of mind in Taosism

In Taoism, the concept of "peace of mind" is closely related to the idea of living in harmony with the Tao (the Way) and attaining a state of inner tranquility. Taoism emphasizes the cultivation of balance, simplicity, and non-attachment as pathways to finding peace of mind.

Here are some key aspects of peace of mind in Taoism:

Similar to what was mentioned earlier, Wu Wei , or "non-action," is a central principle in Taoism. It involves aligning oneself with the natural flow of the universe, letting go of unnecessary effort, and allowing things to unfold naturally. By practicing Wu Wei, individuals can find peace of mind by embracing the inherent harmony and rhythm of the Tao.

Taoism encourages simplicity and detachment from worldly desires and attachments. By simplifying one's life and reducing the craving for material possessions and status, individuals can free themselves from unnecessary burdens and find peace of mind. Detachment from outcomes and a willingness to let go of control also contribute to inner tranquility.

Taoism emphasizes the importance of living in harmony with nature . By observing the cycles and patterns of the natural world, individuals can learn valuable lessons about balance, change, and flow. Spending time in nature, appreciating its beauty, and recognizing one's interconnectedness with the environment can bring about a sense of peace and grounding.

Taoist practices often include techniques such as meditation and inner stillness to cultivate peace of mind. By quieting the mind, individuals can cultivate a deeper awareness of the present moment, transcend the incessant chatter of thoughts, and connect with the underlying stillness and tranquility within.

Taoism recognizes the duality of existence represented by the concepts of Yin and Yang . Peace of mind is sought by finding a balance between these opposing forces. It involves embracing both the active and passive aspects of life, the light and the dark, and finding a harmonious integration of these complementary energies within oneself.

In Taoism, peace of mind is not seen as an external attainment or goal but rather as an inner state of being that arises from living in accordance with the Tao. By cultivating simplicity, balance, non-attachment, and aligning oneself with the natural flow of the universe, individuals can experience a deep sense of peace, contentment, and harmony in their lives.

Peace of Mind Texts, Tubes & Books

Gábor Maté: Childhood Trauma, Wounds & Healing

The video explores the root causes of trauma and its impact on individuals.

• Read more about Gábor Maté: Childhood Trauma, Wounds & Healing
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The Myth of Normal

Maté traces the roots of our current health crisis to the trauma and stress that are endemic in our society. He argues that these factors contribute to a range of chronic illnesses, including addiction, depression, and heart disease. Maté offers a path to healing that emphasizes self-compassion, understanding, and taking responsibility for one's own health. He argues that we need to create a society that is more supportive and less stressful in order to promote genuine health and well-being.

• Read more about The Myth of Normal

Jianzhi Sengcan: Verses on the Faith in Mind

The tao is perfect like vast space where nothing is lacking and nothing is in excess. Indeed, it is due to our choosing to accept or reject that we do not see the true nature of things.

• Read more about Jianzhi Sengcan: Verses on the Faith in Mind

Meister Eckhart and Master Hui-Neng: Paths to Peace of Mind

The highest goal is for Eckhart and Hui-Neng a state of highest bliss. In both cases, this is a breakthrough in which consciousness is fundamentally changed. If one considers these elementary parallels, one can only come to one conclusion: Eckhart and Hui-Neng have independently arrived at an extremely similar solution to the human problem: seclusion and non-attachment as the path to peace of mind.

• Read more about Meister Eckhart and Master Hui-Neng: Paths to Peace of Mind

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Peace of Mind: How to Find and Keep It

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• 7 Signs of Peace of Mind
• When You Don't Have Peace
• Why Can't I Find Peace of Mind?

Ways to Obtain a Peace of Mind

Do you often feel stressed, worried, insecure , uneasy, or simply too busy to be at peace? In a chaotic world, finding peace of mind can sometimes be hard.

Also described as inner calm, tranquility, or a feeling of contentment, peace of mind can help you feel at ease and centered amidst the chaos.

This article explores what peace of mind looks like and how you can find it and keep it.

What Peace of Mind Looks Like in Daily Life

These are some of the signs and characteristics of peace of mind:

• Feeling comfortable in your skin and at ease with yourself
• Being able to take minor day-to-day stressors in your stride
• Being content with your life and accepting circumstances the way they are
• Feeling confident that you can manage anything that comes your way
• Being empathetic toward others and being able to build healthy relationships
• Not being dependent on others’ approval for your happiness
• Having a calm and positive outlook toward life

What Happens When You Don't Have Peace of Mind?

If you do not have peace of mind, you may experience:

• Stress : You may constantly be stressed and feel incapable of coping with everything on your plate. You may often feel physically and emotionally drained. Minor setbacks can feel overwhelming .
• Insecurity : You may not feel confident and constantly doubt yourself and your abilities. You may look to others for approval and let your happiness be dictated by them.
• Anxiety : You may constantly feel worried or anxious about something, which can make you feel restless or tense. You may also experience physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, hyperventilation, nausea, tremors, and sweating.
• Depression : You may feel unhappy about your life and experience feelings of guilt, shame, helplessness, or hopelessness. You may find yourself withdrawing from others and not wanting to do things you once enjoyed. You may also feel fatigued, have difficulty sleeping, and experience weight changes.
• Conflict : You may find yourself experiencing tension and conflict in your relationships at home, work, school, or among your social circle.

Why Can't I Find Peace of Mind?

These are some reasons why it can be hard to find inner peace:

• Mental health conditions : You may find it harder to feel calm if you have a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety.
• Difficult circumstances: It can be hard to feel peaceful if you're experiencing difficult circumstances, such as the loss of a job or the loss of your home in the wake of a natural disaster.
• Stress or anxiety: You may also have trouble finding inner peace if something is stressing you out or upsetting you. It can be helpful to identify it, take steps to resolve it, or accept that you can’t change it. Processing your emotions about it will help you feel more peaceful.

If you feel you cannot cope independently, visiting a mental healthcare provider for support can be helpful.

These are some steps that can help you find peace of mind.

Reframe Your Negative Thoughts

Often, our biggest critic is the nagging voice in our head that’s telling us negative things . Negative thoughts can steal your peace of mind and make it hard for you to feel relaxed and content.

How to Reframe Negative Thoughts

It can be helpful to challenge negative thoughts and practice reframing them. For example, you could tell yourself:

• “This is a difficult situation, but things won’t always be like this. I can get through this.”
• “This is a challenging task, but I know I can do it if I put in the hard work.”
• “I’m not perfect, but I’m proud of the progress I’ve made.”
• "Mistakes happen, and I'm learning from them to improve in the future."

Accept Things You Can’t Change

Life can be unpredictable, and sometimes we are faced with difficult situations we can’t change, no matter how much we may want to. For instance, a loved one may be diagnosed with a serious health condition, a close friend may move away, a relationship may not work out, or a beloved pet may pass away.

It can be difficult to face things that make us feel upset, stressed, or uncomfortable, but it’s essential to do so to gain peace of mind. Facing them head-on can help you grieve for your loss and eventually learn to accept the circumstances.

Avoiding the situation , pretending things are different, or harboring anger and bitterness will not help you gain peace of mind.

Don’t Link Your Happiness to External Circumstances

We sometimes seek inner peace from external sources. For instance, you may think: “I’ll be happy when I get a promotion,” or “I’ll be able to relax once tax season is over.”

However, it’s important to understand that you can’t link your happiness to external factors beyond your control. You have to find it within yourself and apply a happy, relaxed, and positive attitude to everything you do.

Rather than waiting for things to change in order to improve your mindset , changing your mindset can help improve things for you.

Practice Self-Care

Self-care can take many forms, depending on your needs:

• Physical: Physical self-care involves taking care of your body by ensuring adequate rest, nutrition, and exercise.
• Emotional: Emotionally speaking, self-care could look like setting boundaries with people in your life to protect yourself. It can also mean shutting down negative self-talk .
• Social: Spending time with loved ones is an important part of self-care. Social self-care can also involve cutting out people or social activities that don't fulfill you.
• Intellectual: Intellectual self-care can involve reading more books you enjoy, doing the crossword every day, or making time for a new hobby.
• Spiritual: Spiritual self-care can involve meditation, being mindful of the present moment , listening to music, or practicing the religion you believe in.
• Personal: This form of self-care involves doing things you enjoy, such as walking in nature, drawing yourself a relaxing bath, or cooking a meal you like.

If peace of mind constantly eludes you and you often feel stressed, anxious, or worried, it may be helpful to visit a mental healthcare provider for support.

Frequently Asked Questions

"Peace of mind" and "piece of mind" are two phrases that sound similar but have different meanings. While “peace of mind” is a feeling of inner peace, giving someone a “piece of your mind” means rebuking someone you are angry with and setting them straight.

Yes, “inner peace” is the same as “peace of mind.”

Ge J, Yang J, Song J, Jiang G, Zheng Y. Dispositional mindfulness and past-negative time perspective: the differential mediation effects of resilience and inner peace in meditators and non-meditators . Psychol Res Behav Manag . 2020;13:397-405. doi:10.2147/PRBM.S229705

Chandra PS, Parameshwaran S, Satyanarayana VA, et al. I have no peace of mind: psychosocial distress expressed by rural women living with HIV in India as part of a mobile health intervention-a qualitative study . Arch Womens Ment Health . 2018;21(5):525-531. doi:10.1007/s00737-018-0827-0

By Sanjana Gupta Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

How to Find Inner Peace and Happiness (Incl. Mantras)

“The pursuit of inner peace is more important than the search for happiness or success .”

If you want to find inner peace and happiness, you have come to the right place. In this article, we explain the concept of peace (as well as inner peace), its relationship to happiness, and strategies to engage in which may result in an increase of one’s inner peace and happiness. Additionally, some practical mantras and useful quotes are noted as well.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Happiness & Subjective Wellbeing Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients identify sources of authentic happiness and strategies to boost wellbeing.

This Article Contains:

What is peace and happiness in life, peace vs. happiness: is one more important, how to find inner peace and happiness, 3 mantras to cultivate inner peace and happiness, guided meditations to help foster inner peace and happiness, 10 quotes on inner peace and happiness, a take-home message.

Peace is a word, which has multiple meanings. It is a word with several dimensions used in varying contexts. For instance, Anderson (2014) posited that peace can be used in macro as well as micro contexts.

Global peace (e.g., peace treaties between countries; the harmonious relationship between societies) is an example of macro context usage.

On the other hand, personal peace (e.g., interpersonal peace and inner peace) is an example of micro-context usages. In this article, we focus on the micro  context of peace. More specifically, inner peace in particular.

The dominant meaning of “peace” in Western civilization is the absence of violence (Anderson, 2004). However, the concept of associating inner peace within an individual is rooted in non-Western languages, cultures, and religions (Anderson, 2004). Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, and Sanskrit have several words for peace.

In Sanskrit, words for peace also include Shanti and Chaina , which refers to an individual’s spiritual or inner peace and mental calmness (Anderson, 2004). Apart from a linguistic inquiry into peace, in some religions (e.g., Buddhism, Jainism, etc.), peace is used to underscore inner dimension (i.e., the person) more than the outer dimension (i.e., the environment) (Barua, 2014).

In general, peace of mind or inner peace refers to a deliberate state of either psychological or spiritual calmness despite the potential presence of stressors. It is a homeostatic psychological state, which results in the optimal functioning of the mind.

It has to be noted that given the complexity of the word – peace or inner peace, there is no general consensus with regards to its precise definition. Therefore, for the sake of clarity with regards to this article, we prescribe to the inner peace definition proposed by Ward (2010), Barua (2014) and Gogava, Poghosyan, and Aslanov (2018), which has also been employed in several works (e.g., Day, Casey, Ward, Howells, & Vess, 2013).

“Inner peace refers to a state of being mentally and spiritually at peace, with enough knowledge and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of stress”

(Barua, 2014, p. 24).

Inner peace refers to

“a state of calm, serenity and tranquility of mind that arise due to having no sufferings or mental disturbances such as worry, anxiety, greed, desire, hatred, ill-will, delusion and/or other defilements”

(Gogava et al., 2018, p. 4).

“Inner peace refers to emotional self-regulation and the ability to achieve a state of dynamic emotional equilibrium and competence”

(Ward, 2010, p. 48).

Like peace, the word happiness is complex and subjective (for various definitions on happiness, see Kim-Prieto, Diener, Tamir, Scollon, & Diener, 2005 and Delle Fave et al., 2016). In fact, some scholars have even questioned the usefulness of happiness definition, equating it as a qualia concept (Wierzbicka, 2009).

For the sake of this article, we prescribe to the most popular definition that has been used by researchers from various fields (e.g., psychology and economists) (Delle Fave et al., 2016).

Happiness is typically associated with the concepts of life satisfaction and subjective wellbeing , which are a total score of cognitive and affective components of one’s mental state. Therefore, the following definition – happiness – refers to “to people’s evaluations of their lives – evaluations that are both affective and cognitive” (Diener, 2000, p. 34).

Peace and happiness are associated concepts (Cohrs, Christie, White, & Das, 2013). For instance, at the macro level, peaceful countries report a higher level of happiness in general. Likewise, a perusal of the definitions related to peace and happiness above makes their association quite clear. Some commonalities between these concepts include (Cohrs et al., 2013):

• Peace and happiness concepts are related to positive psychology, which includes peace psychology as well.
• Peace and happiness have been described as a positive human experience.
• Peace is associated with terms such as serenity, harmony, happiness, and well-being.

That is, does peace lead to happiness? Or, conversely, does happiness lead to peace?

In other words, the causality is not clear. Perhaps, the best way to describe their relationship for the time being, lest empirical studies prove it otherwise is – there is a symbiotic relationship between these two concepts. To elucidate, both inner peace and happiness are associated with positive emotions (e.g., Lyubomirsky, King, & Diener 2005).

Therefore, experiencing positive emotions can lead to increment in one’s inner peace as well as happiness levels.

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There are several ways of enhancing one’s inner peace and happiness. Below, we list three simple ways to achieve inner peace and happiness goals. Please be advised that the following ways are by no means an exhaustive list.

Several experts and philosophical treatise have alluded to human’s interaction with nature in increasing one’s inner peace. For instance, Robert Puff, a contributor to Psychology Today noted two types of human-nature interactions that can lead to increment in one’s inner peace and happiness levels.

• Nature in the short-term: Taking short walks outside on an everyday basis while abstaining from using one’s electronic devices.
• Nature in the long-term: Taking nature retreats for a few days. These retreats give us an opportunity to avoid day-to-day stress (e.g., work commute, workplace pressure, etc.) and focus on our bodies and minds. Retreats come in several forms and shapes such as visiting national parks, religious and non-religious retreat centers, among others.

The above proposition has been corroborated by several research studies (for an overview, see Capaldi, Dopko, & Zelenski, 2014). For instance, in their meta-analytic study, Capaldi et al. found that the human-nature relationship is connected such that being connected to nature can potentially lead to happiness.

2. Meditation

The health benefits of meditation have been well documented (e.g., Holzel et al., 2011). Examples of benefits include decrement in anxiety (Hofman, Sawyer, Witt, & Oh, 2010), reduction in cortisol levels (Carlson et al., 2007) and depression (Hofmann et al., 2010), among others.

In particular mindfulness meditation has been proposed to be a great way to enhance one’s wellbeing. Mindfulness refers to “ nonjudgmental attention to experiences in the present moment” (Holzel et al., 2011, p. 538), which can be cultivated by meditation practices such as sitting meditation, walking meditation, or mindful movements.

Meditation enhances an individual’s attention regulation (i.e., decrease in being distracted), emotion regulation (e.g., accepting one’s emotional state), and change in one’s self-perception (i.e., detachment from identification with a static sense of self) (Holzel et al., 2011) that leads to experiencing more positive emotions associated with happiness and inner peace.

In short, dedicating some time every day to practice mindfulness meditation is a definite route to increased inner peace and happiness. Here is further information related to meditation and practice .

3. Gratefulness

Being grateful for all that you have in life is one way to achieve inner peace and happiness.

Some scholars have even noted that happiness and gratefulness are one and the same. For example, the schematic hypothesis maintains that grateful individuals are more likely to notice positivity in life, and this influences their perception towards life events (Wood, Froh, & Geraghty, 2010).

It has been found that grateful people are well aware of life-challenges but choose not to focus on it. Instead, they underscore on the interconnectedness of life and are less propelled to materialistic goals than the general population (Easterbrook, 2003).

How to practice gratitude or being grateful? One approach to boost an individual’s gratefulness is the deliberate practice of counting one’s blessings and another means is to keep gratitude journals (Lai & O’Carroll, 2012).

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In Sanskrit, the word “mantra” translates to mind tools or instruments. Considered to be sacred and to have a powerful impact on reprogramming our subconscious mind. When repeated frequently, it purifies one’s mind and soul.

Typically, mantras are in Sanskrit, an ancient language, considered by several linguistic scholars as a language that reverberates with a microcosm of our bodies and the macrocosm of the universe based on the science of sound.

Below we list 3 powerful mantras, which can be practiced every day that will enhance one’s inner peace and happiness.

Mantra 1: Om Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu (i.e., universal peace prayer)

Meaning: May there be happiness in all, May there be peace in all, May there be completeness in all, May there be a success in all.

Mantra 2: Om Namah Shivaya (i.e., I bow to Shiva), which when practiced in the form of meditation results in calmness and self-confidence.

Mantra 3: Om or Aum (i.e., the sound of the universe and the sound of creation), which when chanted during meditation leads individuals to self-realization, freedom, and enlightenment.

Happiness is all in your mind – Gen Kelsang Nyema

There are several guided meditations to help an individual foster inner peace and happiness. Below we list four such guided meditations, which are either via audio CD, MP3 music, and Amazon videos.

Mindfulness Meditations: Finding Peace & Perspective in the Present Moment

This guided mindful meditation is by Traci Stein, a Columbia trained psychologist and hypnotherapist. This guided meditation is psychologically informed, which has documented evidence to show that it improved sleep, greater self-acceptance, and achieving a healthier weight.

This guided meditation is an amalgam of the best of classic contemplative meditation practice, state-of-the-art guided imagery and potent hypnotic suggestion. Formats: CD and MP3.

Guided Meditation for Deep Relaxation

This guided meditation is by Claudia Prana, a certified professional coach and hypnosis practitioner. This guided meditation is good for anyone, be it a beginner or an advanced meditation practitioner.

Guided Meditation is touted to help an individual to successfully achieve deep states of relaxation, stress relief and to help to fall asleep. Format: Video (available for free for Amazon Prime members).

Finding Tranquility – Guided Mindfulness Meditations for Stressful Times

This guided meditation titled “ Finding Tranquility ” encompasses several tracks, which include mindful meditation introduction, integrating mindfulness in everyday life, and four guided meditations for different purposes.

Available as MP3, audio CD, and live streaming via Amazon Music.

Guided Meditations: Fill What is Empty; Empty What is Full

This guided meditation encompasses several tracks. Several different types of meditations such as peace meditation, emotional healing meditation, and gratitude meditation.

17 Exercises To Increase Happiness and Wellbeing

Add these 17 Happiness & Subjective Well-Being Exercises [PDF] to your toolkit and help others experience greater purpose, meaning, and positive emotions.

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If you aim for inner peace and happiness, you might find the following useful. Also, quotes are easy to share one’s knowledge with others, with regards to complex topics and ideas.

I hope that you have a better grasp of inner peace and happiness. The route to inner peace and happiness is not difficult. Instead, it comes from simple lifestyle changes and persistence. From meditating a few minutes a day to taking a walk in nature, to maintaining a gratitude journal .

What are your thoughts on inner peace and happiness? Do you have any recommendations to find inner peace and happiness? Please let us know in the comments section below.

Thanks for taking the time to read our post!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Happiness Exercises for free .

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• Ward, T. (2010). The good lives model of offender rehabilitation: Basic assumptions, etiological commitments, and practice implications. Offender supervision: New directions in theory, research and practice , 41-64.
• Wierzbicka, A. (2004). ‘Happiness’ in cross-linguistic & cross-cultural perspective. Daedalus , 133(2), 34-43.
• Wood, A. M., Froh, J. J., & Geraghty, A. W. (2010). Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration. Clinical Psychology Review, 30 (7), 890-905.

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Really enlightening & useful article!

Hightest people + precious thoughts! I found this site really wonderful. I ‘m totally inspired & impressed by your great work. Have good luck forever.

If you can’t find peace within, you will never find it. True that.

I agree with you to a large extent that we mostly do not pay attention to all these things and basically this is also the reason for our sorrow. Thank you…

When you mentioned mantras you could have given credits to the source.

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The Stoic Letters

The Stoic philosophy of Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius.

Review: Of Peace of Mind

The essay  “ Of Peace of Mind “  was written as a means of guidance for all those who wish to dedicate themselves to moral improvement. Seneca presents the stoic doctrine’s response to help us overcome the torments caused by human fears and desires and achieve tranquility, the ideal state of serenity experienced fully and permanently by the ideal stoic sage.

Seneca’s philosophical lecture is used not as a strictly intellectual activity, but as a means to stimulate in the readers an inner disposition that can result in the practice of positive conducts in line with the stoic doctrine, of which Seneca was an important proponent.

Of Peace of Mind  begins with a letter from Annaeus Serenus to his friend Seneca, asking for advice and saying that he feels he has a good command over some of his vices but not over others, and as a result his soul has no tranquility. He says “ I am neither ill nor well “  and realizes that his judgment on his own affairs is distorted by personal prejudices. “ I am well aware that these oscillations of mind are not perilous and that they threaten me with no serious disorder: to express what I complain of by an exact simile, I am not suffering from a storm, but from sea-sickness. Take from me, then, this evil, whatever it may be, and help one who is in distress within sight of land “  (I, 17).

Serenus lists his problems: doubt in the face of the desire for goods and physical pleasures (§5-9); alternation between the desire for social action and recollection into studies (§10-12) and an ethical and aesthetic dilemma concerning the search for fame (§13-14). After presenting the symptoms, making use of the patient’s image before the doctor, Serenus asks for the diagnosis and remedy: “ I beg you, therefore, if you have any remedy by which you could stop this vacillation of mine, to deem me worthy to owe my peace of mind to you “.

Seneca’s response takes the remaining chapters and begins with a full description of the characteristics of the disease. He informs Serenus that he seeks the most important thing in life, a state that he calls Peace of Mind ( tranquillitas ) and that the Greeks called  euthymia  (II,3). He then explains that there are several kinds of men who do not achieve peace of mind, for different reasons. Some suffer from inconstancy, continually changing their goals and yet always lamenting of what they have just given up. Others are not erratic, but are in an unhappy position because of their torpidity. They “ go on living not in the way they wish, but in the way they have begun to live “ , that is, by inertia (II,6). Still others believe that the way to overcome their inconstancy is to journey far away, but of course they carry only their own problems with them: “ Thus every mortal from himself doth flee “  (II,14). Seneca concludes his preamble by suggesting that our problems do not reside in the place where we live, but in ourselves, and rhetorically asks: “ How long are we to go on doing the same thing? “  (II, 15)

From Chapter III, Seneca presents a series of specific advice for Serenus on how to achieve peace of mind. The first comes from Athenodorus: “ i s to occupy oneself with business, with the management of affairs of state and the duties of a citizen “ . This is because to be at the service of others and one’s own country is, at the same time, to exercise oneself in an activity and to do good. But one can also do good and keep oneself occupied by engaging in philosophy. This kind of occupation will provide satisfaction and therefore peace of mind and will make our lives different from those of others who will have nothing to show for their own at the end of their lives: “ Often a man who is very old in years has nothing beyond his age by which he can prove that he has lived a long time “ . It then follows with precepts about activities and idleness ( negotia × otium ).

In chapters VI and VII Seneca elucidates how to evaluate oneself and thus to choose a path where success is possible. It begins by warning his friend that it is common for people to think they can achieve more than they really can. The wise person, instead, is aware of his or her limitations. We must also remember that some pursuits are simply not worth the effort and we must move away from them because our time in life is short and precious. And so, says Seneca, “ apply yourself to something which you can finish, or at any rate can hope to finish”  (VI, 4). We must also be careful in choosing our associates, dedicating portions of our lives to people worth the effort. In addition, our quests should be of the kind we really like, if possible: “ for no good is done by forcing one’s mind to engage in uncongenial work: it is vain to struggle against Nature. “  (VII,2)

Chapters VIII and IX deal with precepts about wealth, “ the most fertile source of human sorrow “  (VIII, 1). Seneca warns Annaeus Serenus that, in his experience, the rich cannot bear losses better than the poor, for “ that it hurts bald men as much as hairy men to have their hairs pulled out “  (VIII, 3). That is why Diogenes was not the owner of anything, to make it impossible for any one to take from him: “ Fortune, mind your own business: Diogenes has nothing left that belongs to you “  (VIII:7). Of course, Seneca himself was no Diogenes, and in fact he was a very rich man. He was often accusated and charged with being hypocritical because of this, but his point is that one should not be attached to material goods. It is possible to have possessions, as long as you are not possessed by your wealth. Yet in the same section he advises to reduce the quantity of our possessions in order to reduce the probability of clinging to them in an exaggerated manner: “ We never can so thoroughly defeat the vast diversity and malignity of misfortune with which we are threatened as not to feel the weight of many gusts if we offer a large spread of canvas to the wind “  (IX,3).

In the sequence, chapters X and XI, the vicissitudes of fortune are addressed, beginning with the good and traditional stoic suggestion on how to adjust to new situations. If you have lost something, even something precious, because of the changes of the winds of Fortune, just remember that “ In every station of life you will find amusements, relaxations, and enjoyments; that is, provided you be willing to make light of evils rather than to hate them. “  (X,1). To this, classical quotes follow that are jewels of wisdom that require no addition: “ When [the wise man] is bidden to give [property] up, he will not complain of Fortune, but will say, ‘I thank you for what I have had possession of: I have managed your property so as largely to increase it, but since you order me, I give it back to you and return it willingly and thankfully.’ “  (XI, 2). “ What hardship can there be in returning to the place from whence one came? A man cannot live well if he knows not how to die well. “  (XI, 4). And: “ Disease, captivity, disaster, conflagration, are none of them unexpected: I always knew with what disorderly company Nature had associated me.”  (XI,7).

In chapters XII and XIII the sources of restlessness arising from personal circumstances are addressed, bearing in mind the hardships of Fortune: false desires concerning goods and honors, public and private activities. Seneca warns his friend of the danger of occupying himself just to do something, instead of making good choices about how to use his time. He envisions a brief dialogue with those who do not know what they are doing or why: “ By Hercules, I do not know: but I shall see some people and do something. “  We probably know people like that: things haven’t changed that much in two thousand years. It follows that we accept fate for what it is, and we actually try to do the best with the new circumstances. Seneca recalls the example of Zeno – the founder of the Stoic School – who lost everything in a shipwreck and began to study philosophy – saying: “ Fortune bids me follow philosophy in lighter marching order “  (XIV, 3).

But of course Seneca understands that sometimes life is a tragedy, as when good people (he mentions Socrates, Rutilius, Pompey, Cicero and Cato) are treated with injustice. Even so, valuable lessons can be learned: “ See how each of them endured his fate, and if they endured it bravely, long in your heart for courage as great as theirs … All these men discovered how at the cost of a small portion of time they might obtain immortality, and by their deaths gained eternal life. “  (XVI, 2-4).

In the the epilogue, Seneca affirms that the soul of men must have a rest, we must mix loneliness with social contact, work with leisure and enjoy games, amusements and drinks, but all with moderation: “ We must not force crops from rich fields, for an unbroken course of heavy crops will soon exhaust their fertility, and so also the liveliness of our minds will be destroyed by unceasing labour, but they will recover their strength after a short period of rest and relief: for continuous toil produces a sort of numbness and sluggishness. “

This last section overturns the unjustified accusation that the stoics would be spoil-joys, by recommending that we play with children like Socrates, dance like Scipio, walk outdoors and drink like Cato and Solon. “ sometimes we gain strength by driving in a carriage, by travel, by change of air, or by social meals and a more generous allowance of wine: at times we ought to drink even to intoxication, not so as to drown, but merely to dip ourselves in wine: for wine washes away troubles and dislodges them from the depths of the mind, and acts as a remedy to sorrow as it does to some diseases. “  (XVII, 8).

It is not known when the dialogue  Of Peace of Mind  was written. It may have been composed and published in the period from the early 1950s until around 62 or 63.

Annaeus Serenus is the recipient not only of the book  Of Peace of Mind , but also of  On the Firmness of the Wise Person  and of  On the Leisure . He was a great friend of Seneca, a member of the equestrian order, formed by the wealthiest citizens. Serenus was also in charge of public administration, having obtained, under the influence of Seneca, the function of praefectus, responsible for fighting fires, an important activity in the city of Rome. He was quite young and died prematurely, according to Seneca in one of his letters to Lucillius. ( Letters from a Stoic )

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Peace: Definition and Philosophic Meaning Essay

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Peace is the absence of agitation or any form of disturbances leading to a state of serenity within an environment or in a person. The calmness and serenity that lead to an individual sense of peace are known as inner peace. To a nation, it is the normal state of harmony without incidence of hostility, violent crimes, or conflicts.

Inner peace is achieved when there is no conflict within the three most important aspects of a person, that is the body, mind, and soul. The feeling of inner peace does not depend on any external forces, the place we are in, the time, the current situation, the environment surrounding us, or the attitude of the people we are associating with at a particular moment. One can experience inner peace amid a hostile environment brought about by the negative attitude of people, war, and/or sickness. A person who has inner peace experiences justice, inner life balance, restfulness, resolution, freedom, harmony, and contentment. This inner peace should be strong enough to overcome anything that opposes it.

Peace is the cornerstone element that makes all other elements exist. Without peace in an area, a Nation, or the world, no development can take place. Political, economical, and cultural developments only take place when there is peace. On the other hand, development brings about peace. A good example is a scenario in poor countries in the world. Without economical, cultural, and political development, these nations are characterized by war and unending conflict. Modernization, economic funding, and political support from developed nations bring about peace in these nations. When there is proper health care, good governance, improved infrastructure, and the rule of law, the peace of a nation is realized. In turn, this national peace promotes inner personal peace.

The concept of peace

Peace is not an end to itself, but a way to peace. This concept has been used by many political activists in their quest to demand justice from the governing authority. There can never be peace in a person or Nation, without justice. Just as Martin Luther observed when he led the civil rights movement back in the 1960s, “true peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice” To promote world peace, various organizations across the globe have been established. The United Nations Peace Keeping Mission is mandated in peace promotion in nations where there is internal conflict. The Nobel Peace Prize was established to award individuals who promote and help achieve peace through ethical leadership.

Peace is the absence of conflict or violence, within a person or environment. Peace contributes to the development and is also achieved by development. Peace is not an end to itself but a way to achieving it. When justice is done, peace is achieved, in essence, peace exists everywhere, it is only because of limitations put by human beings that peace is not felt and realized. Inner and outer peace can be realized and expanded in everything that we do, as we learn to change our way of thinking.

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Essay on Peace

500 words essay peace.

Peace is the path we take for bringing growth and prosperity to society. If we do not have peace and harmony, achieving political strength, economic stability and cultural growth will be impossible. Moreover, before we transmit the notion of peace to others, it is vital for us to possess peace within. It is not a certain individual’s responsibility to maintain peace but everyone’s duty. Thus, an essay on peace will throw some light on the same topic.

Importance of Peace

History has been proof of the thousands of war which have taken place in all periods at different levels between nations. Thus, we learned that peace played an important role in ending these wars or even preventing some of them.

In fact, if you take a look at all religious scriptures and ceremonies, you will realize that all of them teach peace. They mostly advocate eliminating war and maintaining harmony. In other words, all of them hold out a sacred commitment to peace.

It is after the thousands of destructive wars that humans realized the importance of peace. Earth needs peace in order to survive. This applies to every angle including wars, pollution , natural disasters and more.

When peace and harmony are maintained, things will continue to run smoothly without any delay. Moreover, it can be a saviour for many who do not wish to engage in any disrupting activities or more.

In other words, while war destroys and disrupts, peace builds and strengthens as well as restores. Moreover, peace is personal which helps us achieve security and tranquillity and avoid anxiety and chaos to make our lives better.

How to Maintain Peace

There are many ways in which we can maintain peace at different levels. To begin with humankind, it is essential to maintain equality, security and justice to maintain the political order of any nation.

Further, we must promote the advancement of technology and science which will ultimately benefit all of humankind and maintain the welfare of people. In addition, introducing a global economic system will help eliminate divergence, mistrust and regional imbalance.

It is also essential to encourage ethics that promote ecological prosperity and incorporate solutions to resolve the environmental crisis. This will in turn share success and fulfil the responsibility of individuals to end historical prejudices.

Similarly, we must also adopt a mental and spiritual ideology that embodies a helpful attitude to spread harmony. We must also recognize diversity and integration for expressing emotion to enhance our friendship with everyone from different cultures.

Finally, it must be everyone’s noble mission to promote peace by expressing its contribution to the long-lasting well-being factor of everyone’s lives. Thus, we must all try our level best to maintain peace and harmony.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Peace

To sum it up, peace is essential to control the evils which damage our society. It is obvious that we will keep facing crises on many levels but we can manage them better with the help of peace. Moreover, peace is vital for humankind to survive and strive for a better future.

FAQ of Essay on Peace

Question 1: What is the importance of peace?

Answer 1: Peace is the way that helps us prevent inequity and violence. It is no less than a golden ticket to enter a new and bright future for mankind. Moreover, everyone plays an essential role in this so that everybody can get a more equal and peaceful world.

Question 2: What exactly is peace?

Answer 2: Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in which there is no hostility and violence. In social terms, we use it commonly to refer to a lack of conflict, such as war. Thus, it is freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups.

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The Role of ‘Peace of Mind’ and ‘Meaningfulness’ as Psychological Concepts in Explaining Subjective Well-being

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• Vandepitte Sophie PhD   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6965-6775 1 ,
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Although extensive research has been conducted to explain what contributes to subjective wellbeing, still a substantial part of its variance remains unexplained. This study investigated whether psychological concepts ‘peace of mind’ and ‘meaningfulness’ contribute to SWB beyond the basic and psychological needs while using several needs theories as a theoretical basis and thereby hypothesizing that both concepts are actionable and help enhance SWB.

The cross-sectional data (N = 3770) of the Belgian National happiness study (2018) were used. Three components of SWB (life satisfaction, positive and negative affect) were identified as predicted variables and used in threefold stepwise forward regression analyses.

As expected both basic and psychological needs explained a considerable part of the three SWB components. However, including meaningfulness and peace of mind in the last step of the models resulted in a substantially higher total variance that was explained in these components (i.e. 56.7% for life satisfaction, 37.2% for positive affect, and 56.1% for negative affect). More specific, in the final models: basic needs, feelings of autonomy and relatedness, peace of mind and meaningfulness were significantly associated with the life satisfaction component. For the positive affect component: psychological needs, peace of mind, and meaningfulness were the significantly associated factors. Finally, the negative affect component was most significantly associated with basic needs, psychological needs, and peace of mind, while meaningfulness did not play a significant role in explaining negative affect.

This study reconfirms the value of several needs theories in explaining the components of SWB and the role of universal needs. The final steps of the models also indicate that different needs contribute independently to the different SWB components. This is the first study demonstrating that ‘meaningfulness’ and ‘peace of mind’ contribute substantially to SWB beyond the typical basic and psychological needs.

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1 Background

Over the last 50 years there has been a growing interest in the subjective well-being of individuals and nations in several research fields ranging from scientific and public policy environments to popular writing (Ngamaba, 2017 ; Diener et al., 2018 ). As such, subjective well-being (considered as the scientific counterpart of happiness) has increasingly being used alongside objective economic data to investigate social progress and prosperity, to evaluate public policy, and to predict outcomes in individuals and societies (Diener et al., 2006 ; Ngamaba, 2017 ; Vik & Carlquist, 2018 ). Indeed it is known that ‘happy people’ live longer and healthier lives, have more rewarding and stable relationships, are more productive, are more resilient against negative life events, donate more for charity, and are more likely to help others (Lyubomirsky et al., 2005 ; Diener & Chan, 2011 ; Diener et al., 2018 ).

According to Ed Diener’s definition (1984) subjective well-being (SWB) contains both life satisfaction and an affective dimension. As such, high subjective well-being can be defined as a reflection of positive emotions and thoughts about life in terms of frequent positive affect and infrequent negative affect and a sense of high satisfaction with life as a whole (Diener, 1984 ; Diener & Chan, 2011 ).

Early research into explaining what contributes to subjective well-being mainly aimed to answer research questions, such as what universal physiological/basic needs (such as: living conditions, health, income) are correlated with subjective well-being (Diener et al., 1999 ). These basic needs strongly correspond to the lowest levels of Maslow’s needs hierarchy which depicts a five stage motivational theory whereby lower hierarchical needs must be satisfied before satisfaction of higher hierarchical needs can be accomplished (Maslow, 1943 ). As such, based on this approach, Wilson already concluded in 1967 that happy people were well-paid, young, educated, religious and married (Wilson, 1967 ). Later, because only a relatively small part of variance in SWB could be explained, the focus shifted towards a more psychological approach for explaining SWB (Diener et al., 1999 ) which again can be related to Maslow’s universal needs theory, but also to the self-determination theory of Ryan & Deci ( 2000 ) and the six-factor model of psychological well-being (Ryff & Keyes, 1995 )This approach thus focused on internal psychological structures and social processes that also contribute to an enhanced SWB, such as: the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, relatedness, and competence according to the self-determination theory) (Ryan & Deci, 2000 ), personality traits, aspirations, comparisons, and processes of adaptation to certain life events. Consequently, these studies mainly concluded that ‘happy’ people have a positive temperament, are extroverted, tend to see things from the bright side, have better social relations, can better deal with bad events, and have the necessary resources for personal progress and to accomplish their goals (Diener et al., 1999 ; Diener, 2012 ).

In the recent years, the idea of universal needs revived after it faded for years because researchers were more convinced that socialization and adaptation shapes what contributes to well-being (Tay and Diener 2011 ). In 2011, Tay and Diener conducted a cross-sectional study into the association between the fulfillment of basic (food and shelter, safety and security) and psychological needs (social support, love, respect, pride, mastery, and autonomy) and SWB (Tay and Diener 2011 ). They also used the discussed needs theories as a guide to investigate whether these universal needs explain SWB. Based on their conducted analyses they concluded that fulfillment of different needs is largely independent of whether other needs are fulfilled. They also concluded that correlates differ among different types of well-being (life satisfaction and affective components). As such, basic needs correlate most strongly with life satisfaction and negative feelings whereas social and respect needs more strongly correlate with positive feelings and autonomy and respect with negative feelings. They also compared people with high fulfillment of needs with people who had low need fulfillment and concluded that fulfillment of needs is a prerequisite for SWB, but not enough to ascertain high subjective well-being. As such, the authors argued that other additional factors are relevant beyond the investigated basic and psychological needs.

This conclusion forms the starting point of the current study. In other words, this study picks up where the authors left off by investigating if psychological concepts further contribute to SWB after controlling for the lower basic and psychological needs (focus on: autonomy, competence, and relatedness as defined by the self-determination theory). In this light, two psychological concepts derived from the Ancient Greek philosophy were considered: ‘meaningfulness’ (as part of ‘eudaimonic well-being’) and ‘peace of mind’ (linked to a key characteristic of ‘ataraxia’: equanimity).

First of all, ‘peace of mind’ (PoM) can be defined as an internal state of peacefulness and harmony (Lee et al., 2013 ). The choice for this psychological concept as potential contributing factor of SWB is linked to several philosophical movements. First, it is linked to the Pyrrhonist practice where ataraxia was considered as a necessary prerequisite of happiness (Warren, 2002 ). Next, in the tradition of Epicurus, equanimity - as a key feature of ataraxia - can be defined as an even-minded state (being calm and stable) towards several experiences despite their emotional valence (unpleasant, neutral, pleasant) and therefore manifests as a balanced reaction to both misery and joy and protects against negative emotions or events (Desbordes, Gard et al. 2015 ). As such, unpleasant emotions can be experienced without denying, aversion or judging, while pleasant emotions can be experienced without overexcitement and the tendency to get addicted to those moments (Grabovac et al., 2011 ). Although peace of mind does not fully capture this philosophical construct, it serves as a valuable approach for its empirical measurement as it is closely linked to equanimity which, as discussed, describes the capacity to find inner peace or an even-mind. Further, PoM has always played a central role in the science of happiness of Eastern cultures, such as Buddhism (Lee et al., 2013 ). Nevertheless, it has been understudied in SWB research of modern Western cultures (Lee et al., 2013 ) although recent evidence indicates that peace of mind also contributes to SWB in Western cultures. For example, a recently conducted study by Sikka and colleagues ( 2018 ) has shown that PoM generates enhanced affect regulation, which can be considered a prerequisite of better SWB (Sikka et al., 2018 ). The study of Lee et al., ( 2013 ) that developed a Peace of Mind Scale concluded that PoM is highly correlated with mental health and recommended to further elaborate on the role of PoM on SWB (Lee et al., 2013 ). Based on the available evidence, we argue that PoM should be studied as a potential contributing factor of SWB.

Next, ‘meaningfulness’ was identified as the second psychological concept. This concept is linked to the Aristotelian philosophy of eudaimonia. Although traditionally most SWB research focused on the hedonic perspective (affective or ‘feeling good’ dimension) of well-being, there has been a growing interest in the eudaimonic perspective of well-being (the ‘living well’ dimension) (Schotanus-Dijkstra et al., 2016 ). Eudaimonia, as Aristotle understood it, is living a complete human life by realizing one’s full human potential through virtuous activity (arête) (Fowers, 2012 ). Despite Aristotle’s objectivist approach to assess the good life, modern psychological sciences rely on subjectivist measures of the good life, such as meaningfulness. According to the philosopher Susan Wolf ( 2012 ), a good life is a meaningful life. Such a sense of meaningfulness emerges from the fulfillment of meanings or values – the things people find important in life (Baumeister, 1991 ; Bauer et al., 2015 ). The concept of meaningfulness can thus be interpreted as a subjective sense of living a good life, as a subjective impression of eudaimonia, and in that way, meaningfulness represents a sense of eudaimonic well-being. Eudaimonia - including ‘meaningfulness’ - has theoretically most often being approached as a SWB outcome (Diener et al., 2018 ). In contrast to this approach, we agree with the growing evidence suggesting that eudaimonic well-being is actionable (Ryan & Martela, 2016 ; Ryff, 2017 ; Diener et al., 2018 ) because it should not be considered as a kind of happiness, but as a good way of life that provides ingredients - such as ‘meaningfulness’ - that contribute to an enhanced SWB (Ryan & Martela, 2016 ; Diener et al., 2018 ). Moreover, when absent there is a substantial risk for mental illness (Ryff, 2017 ). As a result, awareness is also growing that promoting positive mental health is important in treating mental health problems (Ryff, 2017 ). An example of this is the use of ‘well-being therapy’ where the eudaimonic well-being approach is actively used by promoting positive psychological experiences to prevent mental illness or relapse (Ryff, 2017 ). More information on well-being therapy interventions can be consulted in (Ryff, 2014 ). Hence, this rationale indicates that eudaimonic well-being -including meaningfulness- can contribute to a higher subjective well-being.

In summary, this study further builds on the research of Tay and Diener ( 2011 ) and aims to investigate the potential additional roles of two psychological phenomena in further explaining the different types of SWB (life evaluation, positive and negative affect) in individuals. In other words, this study investigates to what extent ‘meaningfulness’ and ‘peace of mind’ contribute to explain life satisfaction and positive and negative affect beyond the well-known basic needs and the psychological needs. ‘Meaningfulness’ thus represents a (cognitive) evaluation that a particular value or meaning has been fulfilled (Bauer, 2016 ), whereas ‘peace of mind’ is closely related to ‘equanimity’ which can be seen as an adaptive form of affect regulation (Desbordes et al., 2015 ). As both psychological constructs (potentially) tap into different routes to enhanced SWB – a cognitive and an affective route – we deem them relevant candidates to further the research of Tay and Diener ( 2011 ).

2.1 Data source

The present study uses the cross-sectional data based on a sample (N = 3770) of the Belgian National NN-UGent happiness study that was held between December 6th, 2017 and January 3rd, 2018 (Annemans, 2018 ). After the researchers obtained approval from the Ethical Committee of the Ghent University Hospital the data-collection phase started during which people completed an online anonymous questionnaire. Inclusion criteria to participate were living in Belgium and sufficient understanding of Dutch or French. More detailed information on the Belgian National NN-UGent happiness study and the published reports can be consulted elsewhere (Annemans, 2018 , Annemans L 2020 , Annemans & Vandepitte, 2020 ). The participants’ characteristics are outlined in Table  1 .

2.2 Measures

2.2.1 components of subjective well-being.

Life satisfaction (the evaluative component of SWB) was identified as the predicted variable and was measured with the widely known Cantril Ladder (Cantril 2001, Bjornskov 2010 , Veenhoven, 2012 ) which asks the following question: “Please imagine a ladder with steps numbered from zero at the bottom to ten at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder do you feel you personally stand at the present time?”( OECD 2013 ). This one-item question has proven reliability. As such, a correlation of 0.75 between the Cantril Ladder from the Gallup World Poll and life satisfaction as measured in the World Values Survey was found (Bjornskov, 2010 ).

Positive and Negative affect (the affective component of SWB) were questioned using an abbreviated version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedules (PANAS) (Watson et al., 1988 ). Positive affect was the sum of positive emotions items divided by the number of items, while negative affect was the sum of negative emotions divided by the number of items. As a result their respective scales ranged between: 0–4 (never to always). The Cronbach’s alpha of both affect scales was 0,798 in the negative affect scale and 0,661 in the positive affect scale.

2.2.2 Sociodemographics

The following sociodemographic variables are controlled for in the model: age, gender, educational level, region, occupational status, and equivalised income. Educational level was divided in three groups according to the International Standard Classification of Education: low educated (from early childhood education to lower secondary education), medium educated (upper secondary education to post-secondary non-tertiary education), and high educated (short-cycle tertiary education to doctoral degree or equivalent). Gender was divided in three categories: woman, man, trans person. The variable region distinguished between Flanders, Brussels, and Wallonia. Occupational status contained the following categories: professionally active, unemployed, unable to work, retired (or early retirement), student, housewife/husband, informal caregiver, career break, or other situation. Household income was calculated based on the OECD-modified equivalence scale (EUROSTAT 2018 ) that assigns one adult household member a value of 1, while each other adult member receives a value of 0.5, and each child member a value of 0.3.

2.2.3 Basic needs

Satisfaction with one’s safety (circumstance), living conditions, financial situation, daily main activity (job, voluntary work, studies, chores), sleep and subjective health were questioned. To obtain information on the first four variables, a question was asked about how satisfied one was with a certain life domain nowadays on a 11 point Likert scale ranging from 0 (totally unsatisfied) to 10 (totally satisfied). Subjective health was also evaluated with an eleven point Likert scale whereby ‘0’ represented the worst imaginable health and ‘10’ the best imaginable health. Finally, sleep deprivation was evaluated with a five point Likert scale ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (always).

2.2.4 Psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness

According to the Self-Determination Theory (concerned with human motivation and personality) three basic intrinsic psychological needs were identified that determine the well-being and growth, the intrinsic motivation and the self-regulation of individuals: autonomy (a sense of psychological freedom), competence (sense of effectiveness and mastery) and relatedness (sense of connection with important others) (Ryan & Deci, 2000 ). When these three innate psychological needs are fulfilled, this stimulates intrinsic motivation and leads to enhanced internally regulated motivation, well-being, creativity and performance, while a lack of fulfillment of these needs causes diminished motivation (more externally regulated) and well-being. In this study, the basic psychological needs were measured with a shortened version of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (6 items) (Chen et al., 2015 ). This scale combines a balanced combination of satisfaction (positively formulated) and frustration (negatively formulated) items of which the latter are especially predictive of ill-being (problematic behavior and psychopathology) (Vansteenkiste & Ryan, 2013 ). Each psychological need was evaluated by combining a positive and a negative item on a 5-point Likert scale ranging between 0 (never) and 4 (always). Scores for each psychological need were then calculated by subtracting the positive item from the negative item of each particular need. This resulted in a score between − 4 (high frustration) and 4 (high satisfaction). The correlations were respectively: 0.57 for the autonomy items, 0.61 for the competence items and 0.58 for the relatedness items.

2.2.5 Peace of mind

To collect data on the peace of mind an abbreviated version of the recently developed “Peace of Mind Scale“ was used (Lee et al., 2013 ). As such, the following two statements were questioned in Dutch (based on forward-back translation) using a 5 point Likert scale from 0 (not at all) to 5 (all of the time): ‘my mind is free and at ease’ and ‘I have peace and harmony in my mind’. The scores in this scale, by combining the two questions, ranged between 0 (very low peace of mind) and 10 (very high piece of mind). A correlation of 0,868 indicated good reliability.

2.2.6 Meaningfulness

Meaningfulness data were based on Diener’s Flourishing scale whereby only the item referring to having a purposeful life was selected and divided in two items because in the Dutch language (forward-back translation) ‘purpose’ and ‘meaningfulness’ are not the same concepts (Diener et al., 2010 ). As such, two questions were asked: ‘my life has a purpose’ and ‘what I do in life is meaningful’. To answer these questions a 5-point Likert scale was used ranging from completely disagree to completely agree. The total score on this scale, by combining the two questions, varied between 0 (no meaningful living) and 10 (very meaningful living). A correlation of 0.79 indicated good reliability.

2.3 Statistical analysis

The eligible variables for the model were included in the multiple regression model using a three step forward selection process starting with the basic needs and sociodemographic variables, second, including the psychological needs and finally, adding the ‘meaningfulness’ and ‘peace of mind’ variables. Additionally, for each step, the Adjusted R squared was reported in order to evaluate if the model improved when adding new variables while correcting for the higher number of parameters relative to the sample size.

Alongside building the model, collinearity diagnostics (Variance Inflation Factor, Tolerance) were performed and correlations (see correlation matrices in Appendix 1) were analyzed to test for potential multicollinearity (Posada & Buckley, 2004 ). Based on these analyses, none of the variables had to be removed. Also, the assumptions underlying the use of multiple regression analysis were checked via graphical plotting of the residuals. All analyses were conducted in IBM SPSS statistical software (version 24.0).

3.1 The role of basic needs in explaining subjective well-being

As discussed above threefold stepwise forward regression analyses were conducted after inspecting the univariate associations (consultation based on request). Based on these analyses, equivalised income was removed due to multicollinearity (equivalised income and financial satisfaction).

Next, in the first step of the models basic needs were entered whilst controlling for several demographics (age, gender, educational level, region, and occupational status). The results of this first step are displayed in Table  2 . The adjusted R squared (explained variance) was 45.4% in the predicted variable life satisfaction, 16.3% in the dependent variable positive affect, and 33.8% in the predicted variable negative affect. For all the three SWB components (life satisfaction, positive and negative affect) all the included basic needs (subjective health, sleep deprivation, satisfaction with financial situation, satisfaction with living conditions, satisfaction with safety) were significantly associated with the dependent variable. For life satisfaction: subjective health (p ≤ 0.001), satisfaction with the financial situation (p ≤ 0.001) and with the living conditions (p ≤ 0.001) were identified as factors with high relative importance in relation to life satisfaction as the standardized beta coefficients of these factors were nominally the highest (Siegel, 2016 ). For positive affect: subjective health (p ≤ 0.001) and satisfaction with living conditions (p ≤ 0.001) were identified as strong positively associated factors. Finally, for the predicted variable negative affect, sleep deprivation was identified as a strong positively associated factor (p ≤ 0.001) with the nominally highest standardized beta coefficient.

3.2 The role of psychological needs in explaining subjective well-being

In the next step of the models the adjusted R squared increased towards 50.6% for life satisfaction, towards 27.9% for positive affect and towards 48.9% for negative affect. The strongest increases in the explained variance were thus detected in the dependent variables positive (+ 11.6%) and negative affect (+ 15.1%). Further, all the basic needs that were already included in the first step of the models remained significant despite two exceptions: satisfaction with the financial situation was no longer significantly associated with the positive and negative affect components and sleep deprivation was no longer significantly associated with positive affect while it remained a significantly associated factor of negative affect (p ≤ 0.001).

The newly added psychological needs (autonomy, relatedness, competence) were significantly associated with all three SWB components. However, the strongest associations were found between competence and the predicted variables positive affect (p ≤ 0.001) and negative affect (p ≤ 0.001). For both predicted variables, competence was the predictor with the nominally highest standardized beta coefficient.

3.3 The additional role of ‘peace of mind’ and ‘meaningfulness’ in explaining subjective well-being

In the final models the adjusted R squared increased towards 56.7% for life satisfaction (+ 6.1%), 37.2% for positive affect (+ 9.3%), and 56.1% for negative affect (+ 7.2%) with the strongest increase detected in positive affect.

In this final step of the model, peace of mind became one of the strongest associated factors in all three SWB components compared with the other basic needs and psychological needs, more specific: life satisfaction (p ≤ 0.001), positive affect (p ≤ 0.001), and negative affect (p ≤ 0.001). For all three SWB components, the standardized beta of peace of mind was nominally stronger compared to those of the other basic and psychological needs.

Next, meaningfulness also played a crucial role in the life satisfaction (p ≤ 0.001) and in the positive affect (p ≤ 0.001) components of SWB. Nevertheless, in the negative affect component, meaningfulness was not an associated factor.

Regarding the earlier included basic needs, the results of the final step of the models indicated that basic needs became less important in explaining positive and negative affect compared to life satisfaction. For both positive and negative affect, the standardized beta coefficients of the basic needs were nominally among the weakest in the model. This corresponds to the findings in the two earlier steps of the models where basic needs already played a more important role in life satisfaction than in positive and negative affect. However, while subjective health, satisfaction with the financial situation and satisfaction with the living conditions remained important in explaining life satisfaction, sleep deprivation and satisfaction with safety were no longer significantly associated. The latter two factors did however remain significantly associated with negative affect (both p ≤ 0.001). Regarding the psychological needs, especially competence remained important in explaining positive (p ≤ 0.001) and negative affect (p ≤ 0.001), while this factor was no longer significantly associated with life satisfaction. Autonomy and relatedness remained significantly associated with all dependent variables.

4 Discussion

This study investigated whether the psychological concepts ‘meaningfulness’ and ‘peace of mind’ contribute to SWB (in terms of life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) beyond basic and psychological needs of which it is accepted that they play an important role. Next, this study provides detailed evidence about the importance of the different needs in relation to the different SWB components. As a starting point the evidence and conclusions discussed in the research of Tay and Diener ( 2011 ) were used where six basic and psychological needs and their relation with the different components of SWB were investigated. However, the current study goes one step further by investigating whether two psychological concepts further contribute to SWB.

In order to answer this research question three 3-step multiple regression models were built, inspired by several needs theories (Maslow, 1943 ; Ryff & Singer, 1998 ; Ryan & Deci, 2000 ). As such, in a first step factors corresponding to lower basic needs were entered in the models, followed by including factors related to the typical psychological needs (derived from the self-determination theory), and finally including meaningfulness and peace of mind in the latest step. The latter was done under the assumption that both meaningfulness and peace of mind additionally contribute to achieve SWB.

Based on the results of this study several conclusions can be drawn that form a first theoretical basis for future policy recommendations. First, in congruence with the study of Tay & Diener ( 2011 ), this research reconfirms that using needs theories as a starting point was appropriate and has led to an increase in the variance that was explained in SWB by this stepwise procedure (Tay and Diener 2011 ). Next, as Ryan & Deci ( 2000 ), and Maslow ( 1943 ) argue, these findings also indicate that universal needs exist and that fulfilling them is related to enhanced SWB (Maslow, 1943 ; Ryan & Deci, 2000 ). Further, our evidence is also in congruence with Tay & Diener ( 2011 ) who concluded that fulfilment of the classical basic and psychological needs is a prerequisite, but is not enough to achieve a high level of SWB (Tay and Diener 2011 ). As the authors argued that other factors are relevant in explaining SWB as well without simply attributing those to genetic components, this study indeed confirmed this hypothesis by showing that peace of mind and meaningfulness also substantially contribute to SWB.

The first step of the models indicated that basic needs play an important role in the different components of SWB and especially in life satisfaction where already 47% of its variance was explained by these needs. This finding is again in line with Tay & Diener ( 2011 ) who also concluded that basic needs are most important in explaining life satisfaction. A novel and remarkable finding is that sleep deprivation is highly related to negative affect, while its role is rather limited in the other SWB components.

Next, including psychological needs caused an additional increase in the total variance explained in the three components, with the highest increase in positive and negative affect. First, the results in this step underpin the extensive evidence into the importance of fulfilling psychological needs besides fulfilling basic needs as claimed by the self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000 ; Vansteenkiste & Ryan, 2013 ). Further, this evidence also corresponds to the earlier research of Tay & Diener ( 2011 ) who also pointed out that psychological needs where more strongly associated with positive and negative affect (Tay and Diener 2011 ) than with life satisfaction and with Steverink et al., ( 2020 ) who also concluded that different social needs (here focus on: affection, behavioral confirmation, and status) contribute to different types of well-functioning (defined as: psychological strength, life satisfaction, positive affect, and the absence of loneliness and negative affect) (Steverink et al., 2020 ). Based on both studies and our new evidence it becomes clear that it is not only important to look at both basic and psychological needs, but also to focus on different social needs independently as they contribute differently to our overall well-being. Finally, while not measured in the study of Tay & Diener ( 2011 ), the current study also pointed out that competence is most strongly related to positive and negative affect, more than to life satisfaction.

The most novel finding of this study was that including meaningfulness and peace of mind resulted in a substantial increase in the total variance that was explained in the different components of SWB. More specific, the explained variance in life satisfaction increased towards 56.7%, in positive affect towards 37.2%, and in negative affect towards 56.1%. The latter thus confirms our hypothesis that additional factors related to psychological concepts do play a role in explaining SWB beyond the typical basic and psychological needs. Remarkably here is that while both concepts were associated with life satisfaction and positive affect, in the negative affect component only peace of mind was strongly associated and meaningfulness was not associated with negative affect. A possible explanation could be that meaningfulness, or the cognitive evaluation that a particular value or meaning has been fulfilled (Bauer, 2016 ), predominately provokes positive evaluations about one’s life (i.e. life satisfaction) and positive feelings. With regard to negative emotions, however, emotion regulation or PoM might be a more effective strategy than meaningfulness to diminish these emotions. Indeed, as the meta-analysis of Berking and Wuperman ( 2012 ) suggests, maladaptive emotion regulation is related to various forms of psychopathology. Moreover, several other conclusions can be drawn based on the final models without claiming the direction of causal relationship between the predicted SWB components and the needs. First, it should be noted that several basic needs (satisfaction with living conditions, satisfaction with the financial situation, and perceived health) remained important in the latest step of the life satisfaction model which was not the case in the affective components. This shows that the life satisfaction component of SWB highly depends on basic needs even when psychological needs may be fulfilled. Moreover, this finding contains a clear policy message to keep investing in health for all and ‘good societal livability’. Further, the results in the final positive affect model suggest that especially feelings of competence, peace of mind and meaningfulness had the highest relative importance in relation to positive affect. This is an important finding as it shows that people must experience feelings of competence, have inner peace and experience meaningfulness in what they undertake in order to report high levels of positive affect even when other basic and psychological needs are fulfilled. Finally, the final negative affect model indicated the apparent importance of good sleep, feelings of competence and high peace of mind for experiencing low negative affect independently of whether other basic and psychological needs have been met. This finding again contains an important message. If we want to avoid or prevent negative feelings/emotions which lead to lower levels of SWB it is important to have enough sleep, experience inner peace and feel competent.

Some strengths and weaknesses should be mentioned allowing to better understand the context of these findings. A first strength is that this study had a notable large sample size based on a sample of Belgian citizens. Although we also constructed a representative sub-sample of this sample (N = 1700), we decided to use the full sample for two reasons: the main purpose in the research was to investigate associations between variables and the models were controlled for demographic characteristics. A second strength is that many variables and concepts potentially related to SWB were questioned, as such allowing to build these three step models and to consider a wide range of factors. Third, the results of this study have contributed to new evidence into this research field by introducing meaningfulness and peace of mind variables as potential and actionable contributing factors of SWB. Fourth, we were able to draw some clear conclusions based on the results of our models that can be further investigated and translated into valuable policy recommendations.

Our study also had some weaknesses. First, although it was certainly a major strength that many concepts were questioned, this approach resulted in the necessity to shorten or slightly adapt several measurements in order to limit the time to fill out the questionnaire to avoid response bias. As a result, several measurements were no longer strictly validated measures and the reported Cronbach’s alpha’s were lower (but still sufficient) because only a restricted number of items were selected to measure several constructs. Also, when Dutch versions were not available in the literature, we had to translate them using a forward back translation method. Second, due to the cross-sectional nature of our data no causal relationship or bidirectional causality between variables could be investigated. Therefore, in future studies, experimental interventions targeted to fulfill certain needs is highly desirable. Third, we did not include interaction terms in our model as a previous similar high-quality study concluded that there was a large independence of needs in affecting SWB (Tay and Diener 2011 ). Fourth, we only used self-report questionnaires which can induce bias from a person’s mood or social desirability bias. However, social desirability bias should have remained limited because the questionnaire was strictly anonymous. Nevertheless, future research could benefit from using additional measurement methods to obtain information about needs and SWB. Finally, because an online questionnaire was used, only people who have access and who are familiar with internet participated. Also, as people were recruited via social media and a research and consulting company, we have no data on the non-response.

Next, important to mention as well, is that income was excluded from our model due to its high conceptual overlap with ‘satisfaction with the financial situation’. The latter was chosen over income because it is a wider concept also taking into account the impact of loans and debts and because it has been argued that once needs are taken into account the role of income disappears in explaining SWB (Tay and Diener 2011 ).

Finally, although a large percentage of the total variance was explained by our model, there is still room for improvement in explaining SWB. As such, additional factors that we have not captured in our model could also contribute to subjective well-being. One hypothesis is that a person’s tendency to experience ‘joy in life’ (not measured in this study) could be added. The latter could be conducted under the assumption that this concept covers a certain personal emotion or state that also contributes to SWB, but that was not yet captured by other variables. Finally, it would have been interesting to add a person’s intrinsic aspirations (such as: meaningful relationships, personal growth, and community contributions) and extrinsic aspirations (wealth, fame, and image) to our model because previous research has already revealed that having strong extrinsic aspirations is negatively associated with well-being, while having strong intrinsic aspirations is positively associated with well-being (Ryan et al., 1999 ). Therefore, future research investigating the potential added value of these concepts to SWB could complete our model.

In conclusion, this study contributed to today’s knowledge about SWB by explaining a large amount of its variance based on three models that integrated elements of several needs theories. Next, the results confirmed that meaningfulness and especially peace of mind contribute substantially to SWB beyond the typical basic and psychological needs. Further, this study strengthens the existing rationale for approaching peace of mind and meaningfulness as actionable factors that are related to high SWB, instead of rather approaching them as SWB outcomes. Finally, this study showed that different types of needs play an independent role in the different components of SWB. As such, life satisfaction is seemingly the most correlated with basic needs, peace of mind and meaningfulness; positive affect is seemingly most strongly related to high feelings of competence, peace of mind and meaningfulness; and negative affect is seemingly most strongly associated with sleep deprivation, low competence and low peace of mind. These insights can serve as a starting point to develop adequate interventions and policy measures in order to enhance SWB.

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Sophie, V., Sara, C., Jellen, T. et al. The Role of ‘Peace of Mind’ and ‘Meaningfulness’ as Psychological Concepts in Explaining Subjective Well-being. J Happiness Stud 23 , 3331–3346 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00544-z

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Revised : 30 March 2022

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Published : 23 June 2022

Issue Date : October 2022

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00544-z

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A short essay on peace

Peace is one of the important human values. It refers to silence or reconcilement. It means to live together in harmony. Without it, society can't progress. It is very necessary for the growth of society as well as a nation. Peace is similar to nonviolence. This article describes how it is important for the nation as well as society.

Introduction Peace is a human need. Maintaining peace of mind helps us to achieve goals in our life. Peace is the way for bringing growth and prosperity in life. If there is peace in every human's mind then this world will go on peacefully. Without peace, any kind of development is impossible. Peace is vital for the survival of human beings. According to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's words " peace is a precious commodity, necessary for any progress". Right from the beginning, we Indians are fond of peace. Whenever war happened in any country, we tried to solve problems through peace. Nowadays, It is not an easy task to maintain peace as new generation people believe in violence. As you know in our country multilingual and multi-religion people reside still we live together happily. But in another country, the condition is not favourable. In a European country, there is much bias between black men and white men. They are never treated equally. But in India, we provide equality to every people irrespective of caste, creed and religion. In our country, Mahatma Gandhi was against violence and believed in peace only. He wanted to get independence with peace. He used to preach to the people if someone slaps you on one cheek then you should forward the other cheek to take another slap which means he was a very peace-loving human being. Besides, The Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, and Saint Francis de Sales are known as peace idols. They tried to make this world understand that peace is the strength of mind. We can conquer this world through peace only. War always brings destruction in life. Nobody can be happy by violence. Oftentimes you would be felt that we could not do work due to a lack of peace. Peace is necessary not only for progress in life but for good health also. A peaceful mind can do good work. If you create a peaceful environment then only work will happen properly. Peace helps us in preventing violence. Why peace is Important for society? Peace is important because it brings unity, optimism, and collaboration among society. Peace increases our concentration of mind. when our mind is in peace position then we are not affected by other people what they think about us. A peaceful mind helps us in learning and understanding things faster. Peace keeps us mentally and physically fit. Peace provides strength to society. Peace brings brotherhood, happiness, and integrity to society. Peace develops job opportunities in society. No society can exist without peace. Conclusion Peace is the accurate way to maintain love in society. Peace is essential for protecting our society from being damaged. Peace can make our nation healthy, wealthy, and strong. Without peace, It is impossible to imagine a prosperous and developed nation. Peace can be achieved only by mutual understanding. And It is the responsibility of every person to maintain peace in society.

True. peace is a very important virtue one should have. When there is peace in and around. our mind will be pleasant and we work very efficiently. Without peace, progress is very difficult. The main reason for our country not developing fully is due to the lack of peace in the country. Our country is having some neighbouring countries who always try to create unrest and disturb the situation in the country. Because of these acts we have to be alert always which is taking away peace from us. If we have friendly neighbours we need not spend such a huge amount on defence and that money might have been used on the development of the country. Even in such adverse conditions also, we tried to maintain peace and tried to make agreements with the neighbouring countries. In such attempts, we have lost great leaders like Lal Bahadur Shastri. When there is peace around we will be happy and the whole environment around us will be pleasant. But many politicians try to disturb peace in the society by creating a difference between the people so that they will get importance.

Peace is an elusive entity. Since time immortal from the dawn of civilization our leaders, scholars, and saints had always preached about peace and tried to achieve it in this world but it always seemed to be difficult to achieve peace in totality among the various tribes and societies existing in the world. There could be many reasons for not having peace in this world but some of the main reasons are attributable to the difference in cultures, difference in religions, difference in ideology, and difference in the way the different societies live and aspire to expand their own kingdoms or country boundaries. Ambitions and aspirations for winning on other countries and ruling over them is the root cause of creating disturbance and unrest in this world. Though number of such invaders might be less in the world in comparison to the peaceful people but small number of bad people is enough to spoil the atmosphere throughout the globe. So this is a very difficult situation where most of the people in the world are peace loving but at the same time there are few pockets where some terrorists or ill minded people live and are creating all source of problems for the people all around the world. These ill minded people are stubborn in their thinking and approach to the other societies and are beyond repair in the sense that even after teaching and explaining them the modern way and modern life of living they do not agree to that proposition and remain in their mindset of fighting and attacking others.

In this run-of-the-mill world, every country has become so engrossed in proving itself as the top that it does not even realize that humanity and peaceful life are being lost in the meaningless disputes between countries over borders and land, etc. . The person who wants to live in peace is also sacrificing his life in these disputes and the peace is lost. Thinking about one's own progress is a natural common behavior, but it is wrong to prove oneself high by destroying the interests of others or their religions and the same is happening in some parts of the world. India is really a great example, where people of different religions and cultures live together in brotherhood, give respect to each other. When a person thinks about the interests of others along with himself and is also happy with the happiness of others, then his life automatically becomes peaceful and people who live such a peaceful life become a symbol of peace in the society as well.

Yes, very nicely define the theme of peace by the Author. All our sages have preached the message of peace. Because they realized how important the need for peace is for a nation. We have at least learned something from them, so at least as Indians we are proud of it. In this context, the words of the seven sages are not to be forgotten. The modern famous personnel in India also teaches us the words of peace. The names of Gandhiji, Mother Teresa, Vivekananda, etc. are significant. Some of their quotes are very much relevant at the present situation like- “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind" by Gandhiji, “Peace and war begin at home. If we truly want peace in the world, let us begin by loving one another in our own families. If we want to spread joy, we need for every family to have joy" by Mother Tressa, and “It is a privilege to serve mankind, for this is the worship of God. God is here, in all these human souls" by Swami Vivekanand. So peace makes everyone happy both physically and spiritually. In the modern world, the word peace is so important in recent times, it is my personal opinion that there has been a communal intolerance all over the world, the consequences of which could be horrific. Moreover, with the recent withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban have taken over Kabul and we are witnessing various acts of violence, which are never desirable. So above all this is the place of peace, so it is possible to solve all this only through the proper application of the message of peace. When can we all forget the violence and go to peace?

Nice try from the author and the subject matter is very strong. The essence of everyone's life is to live in peace and no one wants to get disturbed or distracted from the peace of life. Whoever has attained wisdom in life have always advocated for peace and those who are saints and scholars always referred to the holy books citing peace as the main plank of living in harmony. Lord Krishna has played a major role in trying to avert the possible Kurukshetra war and just asked for five villages in the name of Pandavas but that could not be digested by Duryodhana and thus the great war was announced. Even our country is for wholesome peace in the region and does not tolerate the overtures of China and Pakistan. As long as human beings stay, peace is going to stay as what they want the most.

Peace within can create peace outside the world. The other way around is not possible. However, the irony is that despite knowing that we have to create it to experience it, we keep looking for it outside. It is just that we have forgotten how to be peaceful. When we realize that we are peaceful, we will experience stillness within us. We will come at peace with ourselves and at ease with ourselves. When we discover it, we will not be able to again get distracted no matter how many efforts others make to bring disturbance into our lives. As we have forgotten that we can create it and experience it, we feel that it is others who will bring it for us. We have made it dependent on others. When someone speaks loudly and creates chaos, we blame him for disturbing our peace. We don't want to do the inner work because it is difficult. Also, it requires us to take personal responsibility. When we are disturbed, it denotes that we failed to remain at peace. We don't want to admit it, and therefore, we lay the responsibility on another person.

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Crafting piles of Peace Of Mind papers is an implicit part of contemporary studying, be it in high-school, college, or university. If you can do that single-handedly, that's just awesome; yet, other students might not be that savvy, as Peace Of Mind writing can be quite troublesome. The directory of free sample Peace Of Mind papers presented below was set up in order to help embattled learners rise up to the challenge.

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Of Peace of Mind

pp. 250-287 of Bohn's Classical Library Edition (London: George Bell and Sons) from Google's digitization of a copy at the University of Virginia. A translation of Seneca's De Tranquillitate Animi ("On the Calming of the Spirit").

THE NINTH BOOK OF THE DIALOGUES OF L. ANNAEUS SENECA,

ADDRESSED TO SERENUS.

OF PEACE OF MIND.

I. [ Serenus ]

Ii. [ seneca ].

I have long been silently asking myself, my friend Serenus, to what I should liken such a condition of mind, and I find that nothing more closely resembles it than the conduct of those who, after having recovered from a long and serious illness, occasionally experience slight touches and twinges, and, although they have passed through the final stages of the disease, yet have suspicions that it has not left them, and though in perfect health yet hold out their pulse to be felt by the physician, and whenever they feel warm suspect that the fever is returning. Such men, Serenus, are not unhealthy, but they are not accustomed to being healthy; just as even a quiet sea or lake nevertheless displays a certain amount of ripple when its waters are subsiding after a storm. What you need, therefore, is, not any of those harsher remedies to which allusion has been made, not that you should in some cases check yourself, in others be angry with yourself, in others sternly reproach yourself, but that you should adopt that which comes last in the list, have confidence in yourself, and believe that you are proceeding on the right path, without being led aside by the numerous divergent tracks of wanderers which cross it in every direction, some of them circling about the right path itself. What you desire, to be undisturbed, is a great thing, nay, the greatest thing of all, and one which raises a man almost to the level of a god. The Greeks call this calm steadiness of mind euthymia , and Democritus's treatise upon it is excellently written: I call it peace of mind: for there is no necessity for translating so exactly as to copy the words of the Greek idiom: the essential point is to mark the matter under discussion by a name which ought to have the same meaning as its Greek name, though perhaps not the same form. What we are seeking, then, is how the mind may always pursue a steady, unruffled course, may be pleased with itself, and look with pleasure upon its surroundings, and experience no interruption of this joy, but abide in a peaceful condition without being ever either elated or depressed: this will be "peace of mind." Let us now consider in a general way how it may be attained: then you may apply as much as you choose of the universal remedy to your own case. Meanwhile we must drag to light the entire disease, and then each one will recognize his own part of it: at the same time you will understand how much less you suffer by your self-depreciation than those who are bound by some showy declaration which they have made, and are oppressed by some grand title of honour, so that shame rather than their own free will forces them to keep up the pretence. The same thing applies both to those who suffer from fickleness and continual changes of purpose, who always are fondest of what they have given up, and those who merely yawn and dawdle: add to these those who, like bad sleepers, turn from side to side, and settle themselves first in one manner and then in another, until at last they find rest through sheer weariness: in forming the habits of their lives they often end by adopting some to which they are not kept by any dislike of change, but in the practice of which old age, which is slow to alter, has caught them living: add also those who are by no means fickle, yet who must thank their dullness, not their consistency for being so, and who go on living not in the way they wish, but in the way they have begun to live. There are other special forms of this disease without number, but it has but one effect, that of making people dissatisfied with themselves. This arises from a distemperature of mind and from desires which one is afraid to express or unable to fulfill, when men either dare not attempt as much as they wish to do, or fail in their efforts and depend entirely upon hope: such people are always fickle and changeable, which is a necessary consequence of living in a state of suspense: they take any way to arrive at their ends, and teach and force themselves to use both dishonourable and difficult means to do so, so that when their toil has been in vain they are made wretched by the disgrace of failure, and do not regret having longed for what was wrong, but having longed for it in vain. They then begin to feel sorry for what they have done, and afraid to begin again, and their mind falls by degrees into a state of endless vacillation, because they can neither command nor obey their passions, of hesitation, because their life cannot properly develop itself, and of decay, as the mind becomes stupefied by disappointments. All these symptoms become aggravated when their dislike of a laborious misery has driven them to idleness and to secret studies, which are unendurable to a mind eager to take part in public affairs, desirous of action and naturally restless, because, of course, it finds too few resources within itself: when therefore it loses the amusement which business itself affords to busy men, it cannot endure home, loneliness, or the walls of a room, and regards itself with dislike when left to itself. Hence arises that weariness and dissatisfaction with oneself, that tossing to and fro of a mind which can nowhere find rest, that unhappy and unwilling endurance of enforced leisure. In all cases where one feels ashamed to confess the real cause of one's suffering, and where modesty leads one to drive one's sufferings inward, the desires pent up in a little space without any vent choke one another. Hence comes melancholy and drooping of spirit, and a thousand waverings of the unsteadfast mind, which is held in suspense by unfulfilled hopes, and saddened by disappointed ones: hence comes the state of mind of those who loathe their idleness, complain that they have nothing to do, and view the progress of others with the bitterest jealousy: for an unhappy sloth favours the growth of envy, and men who cannot succeed themselves wish everyone else to be ruined. This dislike of other men's progress and despair of one's own produces a mind angered against fortune, addicted to complaining of the age in which it lives, to retiring into corners and brooding over its misery, until it becomes sick and weary of itself: for the human mind is naturally nimble and apt at movement: it delights in every opportunity of excitement and forgetfulness of itself, and the worse a man's disposition the more he delights in this, because he likes to wear himself out with busy action, just as some sores long for the hands that injure them and delight in being touched, and the foul itch enjoys anything that scratches it. Similarly I assure you that these minds over which desires have spread like evil ulcers, take pleasure in toils and troubles, for there are some things which please our body while at the same time they give it a certain amount of pain, such as turning oneself over and changing one's side before it is wearied, or cooling oneself in one position after another. It is like Homer's Achilles lying first upon its face, then upon its back, placing itself in various attitudes, and, as sick people are wont, enduring none of them for long, and using changes as though they were remedies. Hence men undertake aimless wanderings, travel along distant shores, and at one time at sea, at another by land, try to soothe that fickleness of disposition which always is dissatisfied with the present. "Now let us make for Campania: now I am sick of rich cultivation: let us see wild regions, let us thread the passes of Bruttii and Lucania: yet amid this wilderness one wants some thing of beauty to relieve our pampered eyes after so long dwelling on savage wastes: let us seek Tarentum with its famous harbour, its mild winter climate, and its district, rich enough to support even the great hordes of ancient times. Let us now return to town: our ears have too long missed its shouts and noise: it would be pleasant also to enjoy the sight of human bloodshed." Thus one journey succeeds another, and one sight is changed for another. As Lucretius says:—

but what does he gain by so doing if he does not escape from himself? he follows himself and weighs himself down by his own most burdensome companionship. We must understand, therefore, that what we suffer from is not the fault of the places but of ourselves: we are weak when there is anything to be endured, and cannot support either labour or pleasure, either one's own business or anyone else's for long. This has driven some men to death, because by frequently altering their purpose they were always brought back to the same point, and had left themselves no room for anything new. They had become sick of life and of the world itself, and as all indulgences palled upon them they began to ask themselves the question, "How long are we to go on doing the same thing?"

You ask me what I think we had better make use of to help us to support this ennui. "The best thing," as Athenodorus says, "is to occupy oneself with business, with the management of affairs of state and the duties of a citizen: for as some pass the day in exercising themselves in the sun and in taking care of their bodily health, and athletes find it most useful to spend the greater part of their time in feeding up the muscles and strength to whose cultivation they have devoted their lives; so too for you who are training your mind to take part in the struggles of political life, it is far more honourable to be thus at work than to be idle. He whose object is to be of service to his countrymen and to all mortals, exercises himself and does good at the same time when he is engrossed in business and is working to the best of his ability both in the interests of the public and of private men. But," continues he, "because innocence is hardly safe among such furious ambitions and so many men who turn one aside from the right path, and it is always sure to meet with more hindrance than help, we ought to withdraw ourselves from the forum and from public life, and a great mind even in a private station can find room wherein to expand freely. Confinement in dens restrains the springs of lions and wild creatures, but this does not apply to human beings, who often effect the most important works in retirement. Let a man, however, withdraw himself only in such a fashion that wherever he spends his leisure his wish may still be to benefit individual men and mankind alike, both with his intellect, his voice, and his advice. The man that does good service to the state is not only he who brings forward candidates for public office, defends accused persons, and gives his vote on questions of peace and war, but he who encourages young men in well-doing, who supplies the present dearth of good teachers by instilling into their minds the principles of virtue, who seizes and holds back those who are rushing wildly in pursuit of riches and luxury, and, if he does nothing else, at least checks their course—such a man does service to the public though in a private station. Which does the most good, he who decides between foreigners and citizens (as praetor peregrinus), or, as praetor urbanus, pronounces sentence to the suitors in his court at his assistant's dictation, or he who shows them what is meant by justice, filial feeling, endurance, courage, contempt of death and knowledge of the gods, and how much a man is helped by a good conscience? If then you transfer to philosophy the time which you take away from the public service, you will not be a deserter or have refused to perform your proper task. A soldier is not merely one who stands in the ranks and defends the right or the left wing of the army, but he also who guards the gates—a service which, though less dangerous, is no sinecure—who keeps watch, and takes charge of the arsenal: though all these are bloodless duties, yet they count as military service. As soon as you have devoted yourself to philosophy, you will have overcome all disgust at life: you will not wish for darkness because you are weary of the light, nor will you be a trouble to yourself and useless to others: you will acquire many friends, and all the best men will be attracted towards you: for virtue, in however obscure a position, cannot be hidden, but gives signs of its presence: anyone who is worthy will trace it out by its footsteps: but if we give up all society, turn our backs upon the whole human race, and live communing with ourselves alone, this solitude without any interesting occupation will lead to a want of something to do: we shall begin to build up and to pull down, to dam out the sea, to cause waters to flow through natural obstacles, and generally to make a bad disposal of the time which Nature has given us to spend: some of us use it grudgingly, others wastefully; some of us spend it so that we can show a profit and loss account, others so that they have no assets remaining: than which nothing can be more shameful. Often a man who is very old in years has nothing beyond his age by which he can prove that he has lived a long time."

To me, my dearest Serenus, Athenodorus seems to have yielded too completely to the times, to have fled too soon: I will not deny that sometimes one must retire, but one ought to retire slowly, at a foot's pace, without losing one's ensigns or one's honour as a soldier: those who make terms with arms in their hands are more respected by their enemies and more safe in their hands. This is what I think ought to be done by virtue and by one who practises virtue: if Fortune get the upper hand and deprive him of the power of action, let him not straightway turn his back to the enemy, throw away his arms, and run away seeking for a hiding-place, as if there were any place whither Fortune could not pursue him, but let him be more sparing in his acceptance of public office, and after due deliberation discover some means by which he can be of use to the state. He is not able to serve in the army: then let him become a candidate for civic honours: must he live in a private station? then let him be an advocate: is he condemned to keep silence? then let him help his countrymen with silent counsel. Is it dangerous for him even to enter the forum? then let him prove himself a good comrade, a faithful friend, a sober guest in people's houses, at public shows, and at wine-parties. Suppose that he has lost the status of a citizen; then let him exercise that of a man: our reason for magnanimously refusing to confine ourselves within the walls of one city, for having gone forth to enjoy intercourse with all lands and for professing ourselves to be citizens of the world is that we may thus obtain a wider theatre on which to display our virtue. Is the bench of judges closed to you, are you forbidden to address the people from the hustings, or to be a candidate at elections? then turn your eyes away from Rome, and see what a wide extent of territory, what a number of nations present themselves before you. Thus, it is never possible for so many outlets to be closed against your ambition that more will not remain open to it: but see whether the whole prohibition does not arise from your own fault. You do not choose to direct the affairs of the state except as consul or prytanis [ 2 ] or meddix [ 3 ] or sufes: [ 4 ] what should we say if you refused to serve in the army save as general or military tribune? Even though others may form the first line, and your lot may have placed you among the veterans of the third, do your duty there with your voice, encouragement, example, and spirit: even though a man's hands be cut off, he may find means to help his side in a battle, if he stands his ground and cheers on his comrades. Do something of that sort yourself: if Fortune removes you from the front rank, stand your ground nevertheless and cheer on your comrades, and if somebody stops your mouth, stand nevertheless and help your side in silence. The services of a good citizen are never thrown away: he does good by being heard and seen, by his expression, his gestures, his silent determination, and his very walk. As some remedies benefit us by their smell as well as by their taste and touch, so virtue even when concealed and at a distance sheds usefulness around. Whether she moves at her ease and enjoys her just rights, or can only appear abroad on sufferance and is forced to shorten sail to the tempest, whether it be unemployed, silent, and pent up in a narrow lodging, or openly displayed, in whatever guise she may appear, she always does good. What? do you think that the example of one who can rest nobly has no value? It is by far the best plan, therefore, to mingle leisure with business, whenever chance impediments or the state of public affairs forbid one's leading an active life: for one is never so cut off from all pursuits as to find no room left for honourable action.

We ought, however, first to examine our own selves, next the business which we propose to transact, next those for whose sake or in whose company we transact it.

It is above all things necessary to form a true estimate of oneself, because as a rule we think that we can do more than we are able: one man is led too far through confidence in his eloquence, another demands more from his estate than it can produce, another burdens a weakly body with some toilsome duty. Some men are too shamefaced for the conduct of public affairs, which require an unblushing front: some men's obstinate pride renders them unfit for courts: some cannot control their anger, and break into unguarded language on the slightest provocation: some cannot rein in their wit or resist making risky jokes: for all these men leisure is better than employment: a bold, haughty and impatient nature ought to avoid anything that may lead it to use a freedom of speech which will bring it to ruin. Next we must form an estimate of the matter which we mean to deal with, and compare our strength with the deed we are about to attempt: for the bearer ought always to be more powerful than his load: indeed, loads which are too heavy for their bearer must of necessity crush him: some affairs also are not so important in themselves as they are prolific and lead to much more business, which employments, as they involve us in new and various forms of work, ought to be refused. Neither should you engage in anything from which you are not free to retreat: apply yourself to something which you can finish, or at any rate can hope to finish: you had better not meddle with those operations which grow in importance, while they are being transacted, and which will not stop where you intended them to stop.

In all cases one should be careful in one's choice of men, and see whether they be worthy of our bestowing a part of our life upon them, or whether we shall waste our own time and theirs also: for some even consider us to be in their debt because of our services to them. Athenodorus said that "he would not so much as dine with a man who would not be grateful to him for doing so": meaning, I imagine, that much less would he go to dinner with those who recompense the services of their friends by their table, and regard courses of dishes as donatives, as if they overate themselves to do honour to others. Take away from these men their witnesses and spectators: they will take no pleasure in solitary gluttony. You must decide whether your disposition is better suited for vigorous action or for tranquil speculation and contemplation, and you must adopt whichever the bent of your genius inclines you for. Isocrates laid hands upon Ephorus and led him away from the forum, thinking that he would be more usefully employed in compiling chronicles; for no good is done by forcing one's mind to engage in uncongenial work: it is vain to struggle against Nature. Yet nothing delights the mind so much as faithful and pleasant friendship: what a blessing it is when there is one whose breast is ready to receive all your secrets with safety, whose knowledge of your actions you fear less than your own conscience, whose conversation removes your anxieties, whose advice assists your plans, whose cheerfulness dispels your gloom, whose very sight delights you! We should choose for our friends men who are, as far as possible, free from strong desires: for vices are contagious, and pass from a man to his neighbour, and injure those who touch them. As, therefore, in times of pestilence we have to be careful not to sit near people who are infected and in whom the disease is raging, because by so doing, we shall run into danger and catch the plague from their very breath; so, too, in choosing our friends' dispositions, we must take care to select those who are as far as may be unspotted by the world; for the way to breed disease is to mix what is sound with what is rotten. Yet I do not advise you to follow after or draw to yourself no one except a wise man: for where will you find him whom for so many centuries we have sought in vain? in the place of the best possible man take him who is least bad. You would hardly find any time that would have enabled you to make a happier choice than if you could have sought for a good man from among the Platos and Xenophons and the rest of the produce of the brood of Socrates, or if you had been permitted to choose one from the age of Cato: an age which bore many men worthy to be born in Cato's time (just as it also bore many men worse than were ever known before, planners of the blackest crimes: for it needed both classes in order to make Cato understood: it wanted both good men, that he might win their approbation, and bad men, against whom he could prove his strength): but at the present day, when there is such a dearth of good men, you must be less squeamish in your choice. Above all, however, avoid dismal men who grumble at whatever happens, and find something to complain of in everything. Though he may continue loyal and friendly towards you, still one's peace of mind is destroyed by a comrade whose mind is soured and who meets every incident with a groan.

Let us now pass on to the consideration of property, that most fertile source of human sorrows: for if you compare all the other ills from which we suffer—deaths, sicknesses, fears, regrets, endurance of pains and labours – with those miseries which our money inflicts upon us, the latter will far outweigh all the others. Reflect, then, how much less a grief it is never to have had any money than to have lost it: we shall thus understand that the less poverty has to lose, the less torment it has with which to afflict us: for you are mistaken if you suppose that the rich bear their losses with greater spirit than the poor: a wound causes the same amount of pain to the greatest and the smallest body. It was a neat saying of Bion's, "that it hurts bald men as much as hairy men to have their hairs pulled out": you may be assured that the same thing is true of rich and poor people, that their suffering is equal: for their money clings to both classes, and cannot be torn away without their feeling it: yet it is more endurable, as I have said, and easier not to gain property than to lose it, and therefore you will find that those upon whom Fortune has never smiled are more cheerful than those whom she has deserted. Diogenes, a man of infinite spirit, perceived this, and made it impossible that anything should be taken from him. Call this security from loss poverty, want, necessity, or any contemptuous name you please: I shall consider such a man to be happy, unless you find me another who can lose nothing. If I am not mistaken, it is a royal attribute among so many misers, sharpers, and robbers, to be the one man who cannot be injured. If any one doubts the happiness of Diogenes, he would doubt whether the position of the immortal gods was one of sufficient happiness, because they have no farms or gardens, no valuable estates let to strange tenants, and no large loans in the money market. Are you not ashamed of yourself, you who gaze upon riches with astonished admiration? Look upon the universe: you will see the gods quite bare of property, and possessing nothing though they give everything. Do you think that this man who has stripped himself of all fortuitous accessories is a pauper, or one like to the immortal gods? Do you call Demetrius, Pompeius's freedman, a happier man, he who was not ashamed to be richer than Pompiius, who was daily furnished with a list of the number of his slaves, as a general is with that of his army, though he had long deserved that all his riches should consist of a pair of underlings, and a roomier cell than the other slaves? But Diogenes's only slave ran away from him, and when he was pointed out to Diogenes, he did not think him worth fetching back. "It is a shame," he said, "that Manes should be able to live without Diogenes, and that Diogenes should not be able to live without Manes." He seems to me to have said, "Fortune, mind your own business: Diogenes has nothing left that belongs to you. Did my slave run away? nay, he went away from me as a free man." A household of slaves requires food and clothing: the bellies of so many hungry creatures have to be filled: we must buy raiment for them, we must watch their most thievish hands, and we must make use of the services of people who weep and execrate us. How far happier is he who is indebted to no man for anything except for what he can deprive himself of with the greatest ease! Since we, however, have not such strength of mind as this, we ought at any rate to diminish the extent of our property, in order to be less exposed to the assaults of fortune: those men whose bodies can be within the shelter of their armour, are more fitted for war than those whose huge size everywhere extends beyond it, and exposes them to wounds: the best amount of property to have is that which is enough to keep us from poverty, and which yet is not far removed from it.

We shall be pleased with this measure of wealth if we have previously taken pleasure in thrift, without which no riches are sufficient, and with which none are insufficient, especially as the remedy is always at hand, and poverty itself by calling in the aid of thrift can convert itself into riches. Let us accustom ourselves to set aside mere outward show, and to measure things by their uses, not by their ornamental trappings: let our hunger be tamed by food, our thirst quenched by drinking, our lust confined within needful bounds; let us learn to use our limbs, and to arrange our dress and way of life according to what was approved of by our ancestors, not in imitation of new-fangled models: let us learn to increase our continence, to repress luxury, to set bounds to our pride, to assuage our anger, to look upon poverty without prejudice, to practise thrift, albeit many are ashamed to do so, to apply cheap remedies to the wants of nature, to keep all undisciplined hopes and aspirations as it were under lock and key, and to make it our business to get our riches from ourselves and not from Fortune. We never can so thoroughly defeat the vast diversity and malignity of misfortune with which we are threatened as not to feel the weight of many gusts if we offer a large spread of canvas to the wind: we must draw our affairs into a small compass, to make the darts of Fortune of no avail. For this reason, sometimes slight mishaps have turned into remedies, and more serious disorders have been healed by slighter ones. When the mind pays no attention to good advice, and cannot be brought to its senses by milder measures, why should we not think that its interests are being served by poverty, disgrace, or financial ruin being applied to it? one evil is balanced by another. Let us then teach ourselves to be able to dine without all Rome to look on, to be the slaves of fewer slaves, to get clothes which fulfill their original purpose, and to live in a smaller house. The inner curve is the one to take, not only in running races and in the contests of the circus, but also in the race of life; even literary pursuits, the most becoming thing for a gentleman to spend money upon, are only justifiable as long as they are kept within bounds. What is the use of possessing numberless books and libraries, whose titles their owner can hardly read through in a lifetime? A student is over-whelmed by such a mass, not instructed, and it is much better to devote yourself to a few writers than to skim through many. Forty thousand books were burned at Alexandria: some would have praised this library as a most noble memorial of royal wealth, like Titus Livius, who says that it was "a splendid result of the taste and attentive care of the kings." [ 5 ] It had nothing to do with taste or care, but was a piece of learned luxury, nay, not even learned, since they amassed it, not for the sake of learning, but to make a show, like many men who know less about letters than a slave is expected to know, and who uses his books not to help him in his studies but to ornament his dining-room. Let a man, then, obtain as many books as he wants, but none for show. "It is more respectable," say you, "to spend one's money on such books than on vases of Corinthian brass and paintings." Not so: everything that is carried to excess is wrong. What excuses can you find for a man who is eager to buy bookcases of ivory and citrus wood, to collect the works of unknown or discredited authors, and who sits yawning amid so many thousands of books, whose backs and titles please him more than any other part of them? Thus in the houses of the laziest of men you will see the works of all the orators and historians stacked upon bookshelves reaching right up to the ceiling. At the present day a library has become as necessary an appendage to a house as a hot and cold bath. I would excuse them straightway if they really were carried away by an excessive zeal for literature; but as it is, these costly works of sacred genius, with all the illustrations that adorn them, are merely bought for display and to serve as wall-furniture.

Suppose, however, that your life has become full of trouble, and that without knowing what you were doing you have fallen into some snare which either public or private Fortune has set for you, and that you can neither untie it nor break it: then remember that fettered men suffer much at first from the burdens and clogs upon their legs: afterwards, when they have made up their minds not to fret themselves about them, but to endure them, necessity teaches them to bear them bravely, and habit to bear them easily. In every station of life you will find amusements, relaxations, and enjoyments; that is, provided you be willing to make light of evils rather than to hate them. Knowing to what sorrows we were born, there is nothing for which Nature more deserves our thanks than for having invented habit as an alleviation of misfortune, which soon accustoms us to the severest evils. No one could hold out against misfortune if it permanently exercised the same force as at its first onset. We are all chained to Fortune: some men's chain is loose and made of gold, that of others is tight and of meaner metal: but what difference does this make? we are all included in the same captivity, and even those who have bound us are bound themselves, unless you think that a chain on the left side is lighter to bear: one man may be bound by public office, another by wealth: some have to bear the weight of illustrious, some of humble birth: some are subject to the commands of others, some only to their own: some are kept in one place by being banished thither, others by being elected to the priesthood. All life is slavery: let each man therefore reconcile himself to his lot, complain of it as little as possible, and lay hold of whatever good lies within his reach. No condition can be so wretched that an impartial mind can find no compensations in it. Small sites, if ingeniously divided, may be made use of for many different purposes, and arrangement will render ever so narrow a room habitable. Call good sense to your aid against difficulties: it is possible to soften what is harsh, to widen what is too narrow, and to make heavy burdens press less severely upon one who bears them skillfully. Moreover, we ought not to allow our desires to wander far afield, but we must make them confine themselves to our immediate neighbourhood, since they will not endure to be altogether locked up. We must leave alone things which either cannot come to pass or can only be effected with difficulty, and follow after such things as are near at hand and within reach of our hopes, always remembering that all things are equally unimportant, and that though they have a different outward appearance, they are all alike empty within. Neither let us envy those who are in high places: the heights which look lofty to us are steep and rugged. Again, those whom unkind fate has placed in critical situations will be safer if they show as little pride in their proud position as may be, and do all they are able to bring down their fortunes to the level of other men's. There are many who must needs cling to their high pinnacle of power, because they cannot descend from it save by falling headlong: yet they assure us that their greatest burden is being obliged to be burdensome to others, and that they are nailed to their lofty post rather than raised to it: let them then, by dispensing justice, clemency, and kindness with an open and liberal hand, provide themselves with assistance to break their fall, and looking forward to this maintain their position more hopefully. Yet nothing sets us free from these alternations of hope and fear so well as always fixing some limit to our successes, and not allowing Fortune to choose when to stop our career, but to halt of our own accord long before we apparently need do so. By acting thus certain desires will rouse up our spirits, and yet being confined within bounds, will not lead us to embark on vast and vague enterprises.

These remarks of mine apply only to imperfect, commonplace, and unsound natures, not to the wise man, who needs not to walk with timid and cautious gait: for he has such confidence in himself that he does not hesitate to go directly in the teeth of Fortune, and never will give way to her. Nor indeed has he any reason for fearing her, for he counts not only chattels, property, and high office, but even his body, his eyes, his hands, and everything whose use makes life dearer to us, nay, even his very self, to be things whose possession is uncertain; he lives as though he had borrowed them, and is ready to return them cheerfully whenever they are claimed. Yet he does not hold himself cheap, because he knows that he is not his own, but performs all his duties as carefully and prudently as a pious and scrupulous man would take care of property left in his charge as trustee. When he is bidden to give them up, he will not complain of Fortune, but will say, "I thank you for what I have had possession of: I have managed your property so as largely to increase it, but since you order me, I give it back to you and return it willingly and thankfully. If you still wish me to own anything of yours, I will keep it for you if you have other views, I restore into your hands and make restitution of all my wrought and coined silver, my house and my household. Should Nature recall what she previously entrusted us with, let us say to her also: 'Take back my spirit, which is better than when you gave it me: I do not shuffle or hang back. Of my own free will I am ready to return what you gave me before I could think: take me away.'" What hardship can there be in returning to the place from whence one came? a man cannot live well if he knows not how to die well. We must, therefore, take away from this commodity its original value, and count the breath of life as a cheap matter. "We dislike gladiators," says Cicero, "if they are eager to save their lives by any means whatever: but we look favourably upon them if they are openly reckless of them." You may be sure that the same thing occurs with us: we often die because we are afraid of death. Fortune, which regards our lives as a show in the arena for her own enjoyment, says, "Why should I spare you, base and cowardly creature that you are? you will be pierced and hacked with all the more wounds because you know not how to offer your throat to the knife: whereas you, who receive the stroke without drawing away your neck or putting up your hands to stop it, shall both live longer and die more quickly." He who fears death will never act as becomes a living man: but he who knows that this fate was laid upon him as soon as he was conceived will live according to it, and by this strength of mind will gain this further advantage, that nothing can befall him unexpectedly: for by looking forward to everything which can happen as though it would happen to him, he takes the sting out of all evils, which can make no difference to those who expect it and are prepared to meet it: evil only comes hard upon those who have lived without giving it a thought and whose attention has been exclusively directed to happiness. Disease, captivity, disaster, conflagration, are none of them unexpected: I always knew with what disorderly company Nature had associated me. The dead have often been wailed for in my neighbourhood: the torch and taper have often been borne past my door before the bier of one who has died before his time: the crash of falling buildings has often resounded by my side: night has snatched away many of those with whom I have become intimate in the forum, the Senate-house, and in society, and has sundered the hands which were joined in friendship: ought I to be surprised if the dangers which have always been circling around me at last assail me? How large a part of mankind never think of storms when about to set sail? I shall never be ashamed to quote a good saying because it comes from a bad author. Publilius, who was a more powerful writer than any of our other playwrights, whether comic or tragic, whenever he chose to rise above farcical absurdities and speeches addressed to the gallery, among many other verses too noble even for tragedy, let alone for comedy, has this one:—

If a man takes this into his inmost heart and looks upon all the misfortunes of other men, of which there is always a great plenty, in this spirit, remembering that there is nothing to prevent their coming upon him also, he will arm himself against them long before they attack him. It is too late to school the mind to endurance of peril after peril has done. "I did not think this would happen," and "Would you ever have believed that this would have happened?" say you. But why should it not? Where are the riches after which want, hunger, and beggary do not follow? what office is there whose purple robe, augur's staff, and patrician reins have not as their accompaniment rags and banishment, the brand of infamy, a thousand disgraces, and utter reprobation? what kingdom is there for which ruin, trampling under foot, a tyrant and a butcher are not ready at hand? nor are these matters divided by long periods of time, but there is but the space of an hour between sitting on the throne ourselves and clasping the knees of someone else as suppliants. Know then that every station of life is transitory, and that what has ever happened to anybody may happen to you also. You are wealthy: are you wealthier than Pompeius? [ 6 ] Yet when Gaius, [ 7 ] his old relative and new host, opened Caesar's house to him in order that he might close his own, he lacked both bread and water: though he owned so many rivers which both rose and discharged themselves within his dominions, yet he had to beg for drops of water: he perished of hunger and thirst in the palace of his relative, while his heir was contracting for a public funeral for one who was in want of food. You have filled public offices: were they either as important, as unlooked for, or as all-embracing as those of Sejanus? Yet on the day on which the Senate disgraced him, the people tore him to pieces: the executioner [ 8 ] could find no part left large enough to drag to the Tiber, of one upon whom gods and men had showered all that could be given to man. You are a king: I will not bid you go to Croesus for an example, he who while yet alive saw his funeral pile both lighted and extinguished, being made to outlive not only his kingdom but even his own death, nor to Jugurtha, whom the people of Rome beheld as a captive within the year in which they had feared him. We have seen Ptolemaeus King of Africa, and Mithridates King of Armenia, under the charge of Gaius's [ 9 ] guards: the former was sent into exile, the latter chose it in order to make his exile more honourable. Among such continual topsy-turvy changes, unless you expect that whatever can happen will happen to you, you give adversity power against you, a power which can be destroyed by anyone who looks at it beforehand.

The next point to these will be to take care that we do not labour for what is vain, or labour in vain: that is to say, neither to desire what we are not able to obtain, nor yet, having obtained our desire too late, and after much toil to discover the folly of our wishes: in other words, that our labour may not be without result, and that the result may not be unworthy of our labour: for as a rule sadness arises from one of these two things, either from want of success or from being ashamed of having succeeded. We must limit the running to and fro which most men practise, rambling about houses, theatres, and marketplaces. They mind other men's business, and always seem as though they themselves had something to do. If you ask one of them as he comes out of his own door, "Whither are you going?" he will answer, "By Hercules, I do not know: but I shall see some people and do something." They wander purposelessly seeking for something to do, and do, not what they have made up their minds to do, but what has casually fallen in their way. They move uselessly and without any plan, just like ants crawling over bushes, which creep up to the top and then down to the bottom again without gaining anything. Many men spend their lives in exactly the same fashion, which one may call a state of restless indolence. You would pity some of them when you see them running as if their house was on fire: they actually jostle all whom they meet, and hurry along themselves and others with them, though all the while they are going to salute someone who will not return their greeting, or to attend the funeral of someone whom they did not know: they are going to hear the verdict on one who often goes to law, or to see the wedding of one who often gets married: they will follow a man's litter, and in some places will even carry it: afterwards returning home weary with idleness, they swear that they themselves do not know why they went out, or where they have been, and on the following day they will wander through the same round again. Let all your work, therefore, have some purpose, and keep some object in view: these restless people are not made restless by labour, but are driven out of their minds by mistaken ideas: for even they do not put themselves in motion without any hope: they are excited by the outward appearance of something, and their crazy mind cannot see its futility. In the same way every one of those who walk out to swell the crowd in the streets, is led round the city by worthless and empty reasons; the dawn drives him forth, although he has nothing to do, and after he has pushed his way into many men's doors, and saluted their nomenclators one after the other, and been turned away from many others, he finds that the most difficult person of all to find at home is himself. From this evil habit comes that worst of all vices, tale-bearing and prying into public and private secrets, and the knowledge of many things which it is neither safe to tell nor safe to listen to.

It was, I imagine, following out this principle that Democritus taught that "he who would live at peace must not do much business either public or private," referring of course to unnecessary business: for if there be any necessity for it we ought to transact not only much but endless business, both public and private; in cases, however, where no solemn duty invites us to act, we had better keep ourselves quiet: for he who does many things often puts himself in Fortune's power, and it is safest not to tempt her often, but always to remember her existence, and never to promise oneself anything on her security. I will set sail unless anything happens to prevent me, I shall be praetor, if nothing hinders me, my financial operations will succeed, unless anything goes wrong with them. This is why we say that nothing befalls the wise man which he did not expect—we do not make him exempt from the chances of human life, but from its mistakes, nor does everything happen to him as he wished it would, but as he thought it would: now his first thought was that his purpose might meet with some resistance, and the pain of disappointed wishes must affect a man's mind less severely if he has not been at all events confident of success.

Moreover, we ought to cultivate an easy temper, and not become over fond of the lot which fate has assigned to us, but transfer ourselves to whatever other condition chance may lead us to, and fear no alteration, either in our purposes or our position in life, provided that we do not become subject to caprice, which of all vices is the most hostile to repose: for obstinacy, from which Fortune often wrings some concession, must needs be anxious and unhappy, but caprice, which can never restrain itself, must be more so. Both of these qualities, both that of altering nothing, and that of being dissatisfied with everything, are enemies to repose. The mind ought in all cases to be called away from the contemplation of external things to that of itself: let it confide in itself, rejoice in itself, admire its own works; avoid as far as may be those of others, and devote itself to itself; let it not feel losses, and put a good construction even upon misfortunes. Zeno, the chief of our school, when he heard the news of a shipwreck, in which all his property had been lost, remarked, "Fortune bids me follow philosophy in lighter marching order." A tyrant threatened Theodorus with death, and even with want of burial. "You are able to please yourself," he answered, "my half pint of blood is in your power: for, as for burial, what a fool you must be if you suppose that I care whether I rot above ground or under it." Julius Kanus, a man of peculiar greatness, whom even the fact of his having been born in this century does not prevent our admiring, had a long dispute with Gaius, and when as he was going away that Phalaris of a man said to him, "That you may not delude yourself with any foolish hopes, I have ordered you to be executed," he answered, "I thank you, most excellent prince." I am not sure what he meant: for many ways of explaining his conduct occur to me. Did he wish to be reproachful, and to show him how great his cruelty must be if death became a kindness? or did he upbraid him with his accustomed insanity? for even those whose children were put to death, and whose goods were confiscated, used to thank him: or was it that he willingly received death, regarding it as freedom? Whatever he meant, it was a magnanimous answer. Someone may say, "After this Gaius might have let him live." Kanus had no fear of this: the good faith with which Gaius carried out such orders as these was well known. Will you believe that he passed the ten intervening days before his execution without the slightest despondency? it is marvellous how that man spoke and acted, and how peaceful he was. He was playing at draughts when the centurion in charge of a number of those who were going to be executed bade him, join them: on the summons he counted his men and said to his companion, "Mind you do not tell a lie after my death, and say that you won;" then, turning to the centurion, he said "You will bear me witness that I am one man ahead of him." Do you think that Kanus played upon that draught-board? nay, he played with it. His friends were sad at being about to lose so great a man: "Why," asked he, "are you sorrowful? you are enquiring whether our souls are immortal, but I shall presently know." Nor did he up to the very end cease his search after truth, and raised arguments upon the subject of his own death. His own teacher of philosophy accompanied him, and they were not far from the hill on which the daily sacrifice to Caesar our god was offered, when he said, "What are you thinking of now, Kanus? or what are your ideas?" "I have decided," answered Kanus, "at that most swiftly-passing moment of all to watch whether the spirit will be conscious of the act of leaving the body." He promised, too, that if he made any discoveries, he would come round to his friends and tell them what the condition of the souls of the departed might be. Here was peace in the very midst of the storm: here was a soul worthy of eternal life, which used its own fate as a proof of truth, which when at the last step of life experimented upon his fleeting breath, and did not merely continue to learn until he died, but learned something even from death itself. No man has carried the life of a philosopher further. I will not hastily leave the subject of a great man, and one who deserves to be spoken of with respect: I will hand thee down to all posterity, thou most noble heart, chief among the many victims of Gaius.

Yet we gain nothing by getting rid of all personal causes of sadness, for sometimes we are possessed by hatred of the human race. When you reflect how rare simplicity is, how unknown innocence, how seldom faith is kept, unless it be to our advantage, when you remember such numbers of successful crimes, so many equally hateful losses and gains of lust, and ambition so impatient even of its own natural limits that it is willing to purchase distinction by baseness, the mind seems as it were cast into darkness, and shadows rise before it as though the virtues were all overthrown and we were no longer allowed to hope to possess them or benefited by their possession. We ought therefore to bring ourselves into such a state of mind that all the vices of the vulgar may not appear hateful to us, but merely ridiculous, and we should imitate Democritus rather than Heraclitus. The latter of these, whenever he appeared in public, used to weep, the former to laugh: the one thought all human doings to be follies, the other thought them to be miseries. We must take a higher view of all things, and bear with them more easily: it better becomes a man to scoff at life than to lament over it. Add to this that he who laughs at the human race deserves better of it than he who mourns for it, for the former leaves it some good hopes of improvement, while the latter stupidly weeps over what he has given up all hopes of mending. He who after surveying the universe cannot control his laughter shows, too, a greater mind than he who cannot restrain his tears, because his mind is only affected in the slightest possible degree, and he does not think that any part of all this apparatus is either important, or serious, or unhappy. As for the several causes which render us happy or sorrowful, let everyone describe them for himself, and learn the truth of Bion's saying, "That all the doings of men were very like what he began with, and that there is nothing in their lives which is more holy or decent than their conception." Yet it is better to accept public morals and human vices calmly without bursting into either laughter or tears; for to be hurt by the sufferings of others is to be forever miserable, while to enjoy the sufferings of others is an inhuman pleasure, just as it is a useless piece of humanity to weep and pull a long face because someone is burying his son. In one's own misfortunes, also, one ought so to conduct oneself as to bestow upon them just as much sorrow as reason, not as much as custom requires: for many shed tears in order to show them, and whenever no one is looking at them their eyes are dry, but they think it disgraceful not to weep when everyone does so. So deeply has this evil of being guided by the opinion of others taken root in us, that even grief, the simplest of all emotions, begins to be counterfeited.

There comes now a part of our subject which is wont with good cause to make one sad and anxious: I mean when good men come to bad ends; when Socrates is forced to die in prison, Rutilius to live in exile, Pompeius and Cicero to offer their necks to the swords of their own followers, when the great Cato, that living image of virtue, falls upon his sword and rips up both himself and the republic, one cannot help being grieved that Fortune should bestow her gifts so unjustly: what, too, can a good man hope to obtain when he sees the best of men meeting with the worst fates. Well, but see how each of them endured his fate, and if they endured it bravely, long in your heart for courage as great as theirs; if they died in a womanish and cowardly manner, nothing was lost: either they deserved that you should admire their courage, or else they did not deserve that you should wish to imitate their cowardice: for what can be more shameful than that the greatest men should die so bravely as to make people cowards. Let us praise one who deserves such constant praises, and say, "The braver you are the happier you are! You have escaped from all accidents, jealousies, diseases: you have escaped from prison: the gods have not thought you worthy of ill-fortune, but have thought that fortune no longer deserved to have any power over you": but when any one shrinks back in the hour of death and looks longingly at life, we must lay hands upon him. I will never weep for a man who dies cheerfully, nor for one who dies weeping: the former wipes away my tears, the latter by his tears makes himself unworthy that any should be shed for him. Shall I weep for Hercules because he was burned alive, or for Regulus because he was pierced by so many nails, or for Cato because he tore open his wounds a second time? All these men discovered how at the cost of a small portion of time they might obtain immortality, and by their deaths gained eternal life.

It also proves a fertile source of troubles if you take pains to conceal your feelings and never show yourself to any one undisguised, but, as many men do, live an artificial life, in order to impose upon others: for the constant watching of himself becomes a torment to a man, and he dreads being caught doing something at variance with his usual habits, and, indeed, we never can be at our ease if we imagine that everyone who looks at us is weighing our real value: for many things occur which strip people of their disguise, however reluctantly they may part with it, and even if all this trouble about oneself is successful, still life is neither happy nor safe when one always has to wear a mask. But what pleasure there is in that honest straight-forwardness which is its own ornament, and which conceals no part of its character? Yet even this life, which hides nothing from any one runs some risk of being despised; for there are people who disdain whatever they come close to: but there is no danger of virtue's becoming contemptible when she is brought near our eyes, and it is better to be scorned for one's simplicity than to bear the burden of unceasing hypocrisy. Still, we must observe moderation in this matter, for there is a great difference between living simply and living slovenly. Moreover, we ought to retire a great deal into ourselves: for association with persons unlike ourselves upsets all that we had arranged, rouses the passions which were at rest, and rubs into a sore any weak or imperfectly healed place in our minds. Nevertheless we ought to mix up these two things, and to pass our lives alternately in solitude and among throngs of people; for the former will make us long for the society of mankind, the latter for that of ourselves, and the one will counteract the other: solitude will cure us when we are sick of crowds, and crowds will cure us when we are sick of solitude. Neither ought we always to keep the mind strained to the same pitch, but it ought sometimes to be relaxed by amusement. Socrates did not blush to play with little boys, Cato used to refresh his mind with wine after he had wearied it with application to affairs of state, and Scipio would move his triumphal and soldierly limbs to the sound of music, not with a feeble and halting gait, as is the fashion now-a-days, when we sway in our very walk with more than womanly weakness, but dancing as men were wont in the days of old on sportive and festal occasions, with manly bounds, thinking it no harm to be seen so doing even by their enemies. Men's minds ought to have relaxation: they rise up better and more vigorous after rest. We must not force crops from rich fields, for an unbroken course of heavy crops will soon exhaust their fertility, and so also the liveliness of our minds will be destroyed by unceasing labour, but they will recover their strength after a short period of rest and relief: for continuous toil produces a sort of numbness and sluggishness. Men would not be so eager for this, if play and amusement did not possess natural attractions for them, although constant indulgence in them takes away all gravity and all strength from the mind: for sleep, also, is necessary for our refreshment, yet if you prolong it for days and nights together it will become death. There is a great difference between slackening your hold of a thing and letting it go. The founders of our laws appointed festivals, in order that men might be publicly encouraged to be cheerful, and they thought it necessary to vary our labours with amusements, and, as I said before, some great men have been wont to give themselves a certain number of holidays in every month, and some divided every day into play-time and work-time.

Thus, I remember that great orator Asinius Pollio would not attend to any business after the tenth hour: he would not even read letters after that time for fear some new trouble should arise, but in those two hours [ 10 ] used to get rid of the weariness which he had contracted during the whole day. Some rest in the middle of the day, and reserve some light occupation for the afternoon. Our ancestors, too, forbade any new motion to be made in the Senate after the tenth hour. Soldiers divide their watches, and those who have just returned from active service are allowed to sleep the whole night undisturbed. We must humour our minds and grant them rest from time to time, which acts upon them like food, and restores their strength. It does good also to take walks out of doors, that our spirits may be raised and refreshed by the open air and fresh breeze: sometimes we gain strength by driving in a carriage, by travel, by change of air, or by social meals and a more generous allowance of wine: at times we ought to drink even to intoxication, not so as to drown, but merely to dip ourselves in wine: for wine washes away troubles and dislodges them from the depths of the mind, and acts as a remedy to sorrow as it does to some diseases. The inventor of wine is called Liber, not from the licence which he gives to our tongues, but because he liberates the mind from the bondage of cares, and emancipates it, animates it, and renders it more daring in all that it attempts. Yet moderation is wholesome both in freedom and in wine. It is believed that Solon and Arcesilaus used to drink deep. Cato is reproached with drunkenness: but whoever casts this in his teeth will find it easier to turn his reproach into a commendation than to prove that Cato did anything wrong: however, we ought not to do it often, for fear the mind should contract evil habits, though it ought sometimes to be forced into frolic and frankness, and to cast off dull sobriety for a while. If we believe the Greek poet, "it is sometimes pleasant to be mad"; again, Plato always knocked in vain at the door of poetry when he was sober; or, if we trust Aristotle, no great genius has ever been without a touch of insanity. The mind cannot use lofty language, above that of the common herd, unless it be excited. When it has spurned aside the commonplace environments of custom, and rises sublime, instinct with sacred fire, then alone can it chant a song too grand for mortal lips: as long as it continues to dwell within itself it cannot rise to any pitch of splendour: it must break away from the beaten track, and lash itself to frenzy, till it gnaws the curb and rushes away bearing up its rider to heights whither it would fear to climb when alone.

I have now, my beloved Serenus, given you an account of what things can preserve peace of mind, what things can restore it to us, what can arrest the vices which secretly undermine it: yet be assured, that none of these is strong enough to enable us to retain so fleeting a blessing, unless we watch over our vacillating mind with intense and unremitting care.

• ↑ Cf Juv. ii. 150
• ↑ The chief magistrate of the Greeks.
• ↑ The chief magistrate of the Uscans.
• ↑ The chief magistrate of the Carthaginians.
• ↑ "Livy himself styled the Alexandrian library elegantiae regun. curaeque egregium opus : a liberal encomium, for which he is pertly criticised by the narrow stoicism of Seneca (Tranq., ch. ii.), whose wisdom, on this occasion, deviates into nonsense."—Gibbon, "Decline and Fall," ch. li., note.
• ↑ Haase reads Ptolemaeus
• ↑ It was the duty of the executioner to fasten a hook to the neck of condemned criminals, by which they were dragged to the Tiber
• ↑ The Romans reckoned twelve hours from sunrise to sunset. These "two hours" were therefore the two last of the day

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.

This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works .

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• Ancient Roman philosophical works
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40 Peace Quotes That Inspire Inner Balance And Love

Find harmony and inspiration with this collection of uplifting quotes.

Inner Peace Quotes

Calming peace quotes, inspirational peace quotes.

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Whether you are seeking a special quote to insert into a card for a friend , looking to embrace your own inner peace, or need something inspirational to caption a social post, let this collection of peace quotes be your guide to a more harmonious world.

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• “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “You cannot find peace by avoiding life.” ― Michael Cunningham
• “It is not enough to win a war; it is more important to organize the peace.” ― Aristotle
• “You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realizing who you are at the deepest level.” ― Eckhart Tolle
• “Peace is not something you wish for, it is something you make, something you are, something you do and something you give away. ” ― Robert Fulghum
• “You have peace," the old woman said, "when you make it with yourself.” ― Mitch Albom
• “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” ― Siddhārtha Gautama
• “You have everything you need for complete peace and total happiness right now.” ― Wayne W. Dyer
• “World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.” ― Dalai Lama XIV
• “Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.” ― Albert Schweitzer
• “Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible. We all wish for world peace, but world peace will never be acheived unless we first establish peace within our own minds. We can send so-called 'peacekeeping forces' into areas of conflict, but peace cannot be oppossed from the outside with guns. Only by creating peace within our own mind and helping others to do the same can we hope to achieve peace in this world.” ― Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
• “Peace begins with a smile." ― Mother Teresa
• “Many people think excitement is happiness.... But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh
• “If you love me as you say you do," she whispered, "Make it so that I am at peace.” ― Leo Tolstoy
• “You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.” ― John Lennon
• “There is no 'way to peace,' there is only 'peace.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
• “Rest and be thankful.” ― William Wordsworth
• “Always ask yourself: "What will happen if I say nothing?” ― Kamand Kojouri
• “To understand the immeasurable, the mind must be extraordinarily quiet, still.”― J. Krishnamurti
• “The more humble and obedient to God a man is, the more wise and at peace he will be in all that he does.” ― Thomas à Kempis
• “I still believe that peace and plenty and happiness can be worked out some way. I am a fool.” ― Kurt Vonnegut
• “Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace.” ― Buddha
• “There is peace even in the storm." ― Vincent van Gogh
• “The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.” ― Marianne Williamson
• “Language is the key to the heart of people.” ― Ahmed Deedat
• “Peace is always beautiful.” ― Walt Whitman
• “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
• “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” ― Jimi Hendrix
• “Peace is more than the absence of war. Peace is accord. Harmony.” ― Laini Taylor
• “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
• “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” ― Albert Einstein
• “When you do the right thing, you get the feeling of peace and serenity associated with it. Do it again and again.” ― Roy T. Bennett
• “It does not matter how long you are spending on the earth, how much money you have gathered or how much attention you have received. It is the amount of positive vibration you have radiated in life that matters,” ― Amit Ray
• “Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Instead of hating the people you think are war-makers, hate the appetites and disorder in your own soul, which are the causes of war. If you love peace, then hate injustice, hate tyranny, hate greed - but hate these things in yourself, not in another.” ― Thomas Merton
• “A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, can even enable a change in the destiny of all humankind.” ― Daisaku Ikeda
• “In this world, whenever there is light, there are also shadows. As long as the concept of winners exist, there must also be losers. The selfish desire of wanting to maintain peace causes wars and hatred is born to protect love.” ― Masashi Kishimoto
• “We shall find peace. We shall hear angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds.” ― Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
• “If peace can only come through killing someone, then I don't want it.” ― Hiro Mashima
• “If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nations. When there is order in the nations, there will peace in the world.” ― Confucius

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• Hersh Goldberg-Polin

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At the Jerusalem synagogue where Hersh Goldberg-Polin danced in life, grief and anger reign after his death

JERUSALEM — Three hundred and thirty-two days after Hersh Goldberg-Polin danced in the courtyard next to his Jerusalem synagogue on the holiday of Simchat Torah, more than a thousand people gathered there in grief and prayer to mourn his murder by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

During the Sunday night vigil, the courtyard railings were lined with oversized yellow ribbons to symbolize advocacy for the hostages, Hapoel Jerusalem soccer flags — the 23-year-old’s favorite team — and posters that read, “We love you, stay strong, survive,” a mantra coined by his mother, Rachel Goldberg-Polin.

Just hours earlier, one of the posters had been hanging over the balcony of the home of Shira Ben-Sasson, a leader of Hakhel, the Goldberg-Polins’ egalitarian congregation in the Baka neighborhood of Jerusalem.

“We were sure we would take it down when he came home,” Ben-Sasson said.

The community wanted to unite while respecting the Goldberg-Polins’ desire for privacy, she said, prompting them to organize the prayer gathering.

“But it’s like a Band-Aid or giving first aid, it’s what you do in an emergency. I don’t know how we go on after this,” she said.

A covered courtyard at the Hakhel congregation was filled with mourners the day after Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose family are prominent members, was found to have been killed in Gaza. Hundreds of other people crowded outside the gates, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

She added that the community, which has a large contingent of English-speaking immigrants, was not prepared for the High Holidays, which begin in about a month. She said, “Seeing his empty seat is hard.”

For Ben-Sasson, who wore a T-shirt bearing the Talmudic dictum “There is no greater mitzvah than the redeeming of captives,” the tragedy is especially painful because, she said, it could have been avoided with a ceasefire agreement that freed hostages.

“Hersh was alive 48 hours ago. We think a deal could have saved him. There is no military solution to this,” she said.

That feeling of bereavement, often mixed with betrayal, pervaded gatherings across Israel on Sunday, as the country struggled with the news that six hostages who may have been freed in an agreement were now dead as negotiations continue to stall. Speakers at protests in Tel Aviv blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who himself apologized for not getting the hostages out alive but blamed Hamas for obstructing a deal. The country’s labor union, the Histadrut, has called a national strike on Monday to demand a deal.

A rare early September rain lashed parts of Israel on Sunday, leading to a widespread interpretation: God, too, was weeping.

Some at the Jerusalem gathering, including the relative of another former hostage, said Netanyahu had chosen defeating Hamas over freeing the captives.

Josef Avi Yair Engel’s grandson Ofir was released from Hamas captivity in November. He paid tribute to Hersh Goldberg-Polin, murdered in captivity, in Jerusalem, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

Josef Avi Yair Engel, whose grandson Ofir, 18, was released from Hamas captivity in November during that month’s ceasefire deal, expressed shock over Hersh’s murder but said he was not surprised, given the wartime policies of Netanyahu’s government.

“We knew months ago this was going to happen. Bibi’s formula, to dismantle Hamas and return the hostages, wasn’t logical. It’s an either/or situation,” Engel said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. “He’s tearing the country apart. I’m afraid that in the coming months there won’t be a state at all.”

Engel said he felt a close bond with Hersh’s father Jon Polin, not only because of their joint activism in the hostage families’ tent outside the Prime Minister’s Residence, but also because of their shared identity as Jerusalemites.

“There aren’t many of us in the hostage circle,” he said. “We’re like family.”

Sarah Mann, who did not know the family personally, said the weekend’s tragedy reminded her of Oct. 7.

“This day has sparks of the seventh, which created numbness and an inability to talk. Just complete shock,” she said.

Mourners left notes at a gathering at Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s family synagogue in Jerusalem. Many of the messages used the Hebrew word for “sorry.” (Deborah Danan)

Part of the reason for that, Mann said, was Rachel, who she described as a “force of faith.” Goldberg-Polin’s mother emerged as the most prominent advocate for the hostages globally and became a symbol in her own right as she crisscrossed the world calling for her son’s freedom.

“Millions of people around the world held onto her. Once that was cut, people’s ability to hold onto faith was knocked out today. But even though this has shattered us, we need to keep holding onto God,” Mann said.

For Susi Döring Preston, the day called to mind was not Oct. 7 but Yom Kippur, and its communal solemnity.

She said she usually steers clear of similar war-related events because they are too overwhelming for her.

“Before I avoided stuff like this because I guess I still had hope. But now is the time to just give in to needing to be around people because you can’t hold your own self up any more,” she said, tears rolling down her face. “You need to feel the humanity and hang onto that.”

Like so many others, Döring Preston paid tribute to the Goldberg-Polins’ tireless activism. “They needed everyone else’s strength but we drew so much strength from them and their efforts, “she said. “You felt it could change the outcome. But war is more evil than good. I think that’s the crushing thing. You can do everything right, but the outcome is still devastating.”

Guy Gordon, with his daughter Maya, added a broken heart to the piece of tape he has worn daily to mark the number of days since the hostage crisis began, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

Guy Gordon, a member of Hakhel who moved to Israel from Dublin, Ireland, in the mid-1990s, said the efforts towards ensuring Hersh’s safe return have been an anchor for the community during the war. The community knew him as the family described him in its announcement of his funeral on Tuesday, as “a child of light, love and peace” who enjoyed exploring the world and coming home to his family, including his parents and younger sisters, Leebie and Orly.

“It gave us something to hope for, and pray for and to demonstrate for,” he said. “We had no choice but to be unreasonably optimistic. Tragically it transpired that he survived until the very end.”

Gordon, like many others in the crowd, wore a piece of duct tape marked with the number of days since Oct. 7 — a gesture initiated by Goldberg-Polin’s mother. Unlike on previous days, though, his tape also featured a broken red heart beside the number.

Nadia Levene, a family friend, also reflected on the improbability of Hersh’s survival.

“He did exactly what his parents begged him to do. He was strong. He did survive. And look what happened,” Levene said.

She hailed Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s “unwavering strength and belief in God,” adding, “There were times I lost faith. I suppose I was angry with God. But she just kept inspiring us all to pray, pray, pray.”

Leah Silver of Jerusalem examined stickers showing Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s mantra for her son Hersh, who was murdered in captivity in Gaza, at a gathering after Hersh’s death, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

Jerusalem resident Leah Silver rejected politicizing the hostages’ deaths.

“Everything turns political so quickly. I came here because I felt that before all the protests, we need to just mourn for a moment and to pray. And show respect for each other,” she said. “We’ve become confused about who the enemy is. It’s very sad.”

But not everyone at the gathering joined in to sing Israel’s national anthem at the closing of the prayer gathering.

“I’m sorry, I can’t sing ‘Hatikvah,'” Reza Green, a Baka resident who did not know the Goldberg-Polins personally, said. “I’m too angry. We shouldn’t be here.”

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At 76, my dad sent me a 'financial love letter' detailing everything to do when he dies. Now, I'm planning the same for my own kids.

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• My 76-year-old father sent me and my sister his advanced care directive alongside his will.
• There will never be a question in our minds as to what to do with our father's assets when he dies.
• My father's forward thinking has inspired me to do the same for my own children.

A few years ago, my 76-year-old father gave me a file labeled " financial love letter ," containing a copy of his will and further instructions on what to do if he is incapacitated or dies.

The letter had his lawyer and bank contact numbers as well as passwords and other sensitive information. I glanced at it and put it in my file cabinet.

This year, he sent my sister and me a new addendum — his advanced care directive. I saw from the document that he drew it up with an estate lawyer. According to the document, he gave me, his oldest child, power of attorney if he could not make his own decisions. I'm also the executor of his estate when the time comes. 

It's more than just a will

The advanced care directive also broke down in no uncertain terms exactly what my dad wants for his medical intervention, funeral procedures, and even music choices if he has a stroke or something similar and couldn't advocate for himself.

At Thanksgiving, he gave my sister and me each an updated file with his new will, the advanced care directive, and a USB with the documents uploaded digitally. He also told me he has hard copies of everything in a safe deposit box at his bank that I have access to. 

I visited my childhood best friend on my holiday weekend visiting home and told her all about my dad's letter. Even though both her parents are alive and, therefore, each other's executors, I encouraged her to ask them if they have all this set up in case something happens to one or both of them. 

Even though it's morbid to think about our dad dying, my sister and I discussed the letter and decided we are very happy that he put in the work to tell us exactly how he wants everything to play out. There is no gray area about who gets which assets or what percentage of his estate.

I'm not going to have to debate with my sister about whether he wants resuscitation or extended care if he is in a vegetative state or has reached the end stages of a degenerative condition — he told us. He also told me I get to use my best judgment about moving him to a facility near me if he needs care. 

He planned and paid for his funeral, reserved the plot next to our mother, and gave me step-by-step instructions for who to talk to about selling his house and dividing up his assets.

He has a couple of other beneficiaries in his will, and he gave me instructions on how those work. His lawyer advised him not to tell us any specific amounts of money to reduce possible conflict, which — while fair — is hopefully unnecessary. 

I'm inspired to write one for my own kids now

My dad's exhaustive work reminded me that I never updated my will after my divorce. I didn't set up my kids' college fund in my name, either.

I need to set up a trust for them so that if I die, their father has access to my estate to use for the care of our kids.

If somehow my ex-husband and I both die before my kids are adults, I need to make sure my kids' next of kin are properly acknowledged and that the trust would go to them. 

The paperwork is not fun, and you do need to pay a lawyer to help you with it. However, having everything set up so your family or other beneficiary knows what to do when you die or become too ill to care for yourself is a true act of love.

My dad says he's shooting to live until age 92. I very much hope he makes it and is happy and healthy along the way. That said, I'm very relieved that whenever it happens, it'll be clear how to honor him best and move on with peace and clarity.

This article was originally published in March 2022.

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Fall Preview

22 Nonfiction Books to Read This Fall

Essays by Ta-Nehisi Coates; memoirs by Alexei Navalny, Ina Garten and Cher; and dispatches from the mind of a Nobel laureate are among this season’s most anticipated offerings.

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By Shreya Chattopadhyay and Miguel Salazar

• Published Sept. 2, 2024 Updated Sept. 5, 2024, 10:02 a.m. ET

As vacations wrap up and classes resume, trade in those sandy beach reads for more ambitious fare this fall. If you’re desperate for a break from politics — it is an election year, after all — look for dispatches from the mind of Orhan Pamuk, the latest humanistic work from Yuval Noah Harari and tell-alls by Connie Chung, Alex Van Halen and Lisa Marie Presley. If you’d rather lean into the political season, you might pick up biographies of John Lewis and Mitch McConnell or memoirs by Ketanji Brown Jackson, Alexei Navalny and Angela Merkel. Ta-Nehisi Coates returns with an essay collection on collective mythmaking, and an alarming account by Porter Fox warns of coming superstorms. Find these and others among our most anticipated nonfiction books of the fall.

See our fiction and poetry picks .

Lovely One , by Ketanji Brown Jackson

Jackson made history in 2022, when she became the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. Her memoir, named for the English translation of her name , traces not only her personal history but also that of her family, who endured generations of oppression in the segregated South.

Random House, Sept. 3

Category Five , by Porter Fox

A travel writer whose previous books explored shrinking snowpacks and the United States-Canada border , Fox is also a seasoned sailor. So it makes sense that his new book, which investigates why storms worldwide are becoming increasingly extreme, starts at sea. “A deep ocean storm does not pass overhead,” he writes. “It absorbs everything beneath it: islands, coastlines, boats, the sea itself.”

Little, Brown, Sept. 3

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