It is freedom from want that gives us peace of mind. Wanting things to be different from the way they are is what destroys our peace of mind. Contentment with what is going on in our lives at the present moment, is really worth cultivating.

If we are satisfied with our standard of living, it means we won’t be continually striving to make more money. If we are satisfied with our job, we won’t keep on going for job interviews, to find a better job. The same can be said for the relationship we are in, the house that we live in, the car that we drive, the mobile phone we rely on and many other things in our lives. We just need to stop wanting!

Of course, if we have an unbearable job or partner or live in an uncomfortable house, or don’t have enough money then it makes sense to do something about that. But after we have changed whatever we are able to change, it makes sense to cultivate contentment with what is.

Jesus warns us in A Course in Miracles that the ego will induce us to keep on searching and searching for something bigger and better but whatever we find we are never satisfied with for very long. He says the ego’s motto is: “Seek, but do not find.” Text, p. 342.

When one stops wanting, one develops peace of mind. A quiet, peaceful sort of contentment takes the place of striving, wishing things were different, seeking, achieving, competing, etc. Then we may find that we have the time and the inclination to just sit in the garden and be; to absorb the sights and sounds of nature without have the egoic mind ranting on about something or other. Maybe then we will be able to hear our inner guidance or the Voice for God.