Choosing Peace

  Finding the Courage to Choose Yourself and Your Spiritual Path

In a world driven by constant distractions and demands, the pursuit of peace often feels like an unreachable luxury. We’re taught to value productivity over rest, achievement over fulfillment, and external validation over internal contentment. Yet, beneath the daily noise, a yearning remains: a quiet, unwavering call toward something more. Choosing this path is not for the faint-hearted; it requires courage, resilience, and a willingness to lose—sometimes everything—as we journey towards peace.

Peace has a price. As much as we seek it, the path to true serenity demands a series of sacrifices. These aren’t necessarily material sacrifices but emotional, relational, and societal. You may have to confront old stories, face familial expectations, or even walk away from relationships that no longer resonate. Peace asks us to dismantle the parts of our lives that feed noise, chaos, and resentment.

Choosing yourself often means rewriting your life’s script. For me, I grew up straddling two cultures and two identities, learning both the Indian spirituality of my father and the hippie roots of my mother. These contrasting influences conflicting, and in seeking to harmonize them, I often felt stretched thin, losing myself in a mosaic of expectations that weren’t always my own.

Letting Go to Find Peace

Sometimes, the courage to choose peace means embracing the unknown. After my father, a Swami, poured his life into teaching, I took it upon myself to continue his legacy—not only out of love but to find my own sense of balance and truth. Yet, walking in his footsteps meant I would have to sacrifice the comfort of conventional security and societal norms, and ultimately, any expectations he might have carried for me. This journey of letting go requires a readiness to see people walk away from us, confused by our choices or even disappointed.

The pursuit of peace teaches us a crucial truth: we are enough. The external accolades, the promises of material wealth, and the assurance of others’ approval are fragile, impermanent, and ultimately inconsequential in the sacred journey of self-discovery. Choosing yourself, especially as you get older, demands that you recognize your worth, regardless of the world’s response.

The Courage to Walk Alone

The courage to choose a spiritual path often feels like walking alone. In our noisy world, spirituality is frequently trivialized as an escape or luxury, rather than a profound path to truth. But choosing a path that aligns with your inner spirit means learning to quiet the external voices and tune into your own inner knowing.

Walking alone does not mean a lack of support but, rather, a refusal to depend on it. During moments of solitude, I learned to call upon my ancestors, the natural world, and even shamans and teachers who appeared in my life when I was ready for them. For me, healing came through connections to the earth, sweat lodges, fasting, and ceremonial experiences that stripped away layers of doubt and pain. These moments fortified my spirit, showing me that my support system was woven from much more than just people—it was also rooted in experiences, rituals, and wisdom handed down through generations.

Embracing the True Meaning of Freedom

Choosing yourself and your spiritual path can be one of the most liberating acts in life. It’s not always glamorous, nor is it linear. Some days feel like soaring; others, like surrender. But it’s in those moments of surrender that we often find the deepest freedom. We realize that we don’t need to force anything to happen or chase a mirage of success. We’re free to move at our own rhythm, follow our unique path, and redefine what it means to live a meaningful life.

In recent years, I’ve found myself increasingly called to help others find their way to peace. Through Ayurveda, yoga, shamanic practices ,I create spaces where others can pause, breathe, and reconnect. Each client, each ceremony, each moment of silent meditation serves as a reminder that the greatest gift we can offer the world is to be truly, authentically ourselves.

Peace Is Worth the Price

Peace, for many of us, is a place we come home to only after wandering through hardship, confusion, and loss. It is a sacred space, one that we build with our own choices, no matter how difficult or unpopular. Choosing yourself and your spiritual path is an act of faith and courage, an affirmation that you are worthy of the journey.

So, if you’re on the brink of choosing yourself, remember: peace might come with a cost, but it’s worth every sacrifice. As you step forward, trust in your ability to navigate the darkness, to let go, and to embrace your unique journey. Every choice you make to honor yourself and your spirit is a beacon for others. By having the courage to walk your path, you light the way for those yet to find theirs.

~Shanti Freedom Das