Story: The Alchemist: By Paulo Coelho (Source: Internet)
It is the story of Santiago, a young shepherd from Andalusia, who dreams of finding a hidden treasure near Egypt’s pyramids. Encouraged by a recurring dream and a meeting with a mysterious king named Melchizedek, Santiago sells his flock. He embarks on a journey to pursue his Legend, which is the fulfilment of his deepest desires and purpose in life.
Santiago encounters various characters throughout his journey, each imparting wisdom and life lessons. He meets an Englishman who is studying alchemy and searching for the Philosopher’s Stone, and together they travel across the desert. Santiago also meets and falls in love with Fatima, a woman of the desert, who teaches him about love and the importance of following one’s heart.
One of the key figures Santiago encounters is the Alchemist, a wise and powerful man who teaches him about the Soul of the World, the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of listening to one’s heart. The Alchemist guides Santiago through the final leg of his journey across the desert and helps him understand the deeper truths about life and his destiny.
In the end, Santiago reaches the pyramids but finds no treasure. Instead, he learns that the true treasure lies not in material wealth but in the journey itself and the wisdom gained along the way. He discovers that the treasure he sought was buried back in Spain, at the very place where he had his original dream.
Moral of the Story:
“The Alchemist” is a story about following one’s dreams, listening to one’s heart and realizing that the journey is as important as the destination. It emphasizes themes of self-discovery, personal growth and the realization that true wealth comes from within.
Quest for Peace
Similar to the story above, wherein Santiago was searching for treasure everywhere, Very often we go to religious places, retreats and vacations to find peace. All these places have a strong aura of tranquillity (although created by us!) and instantly we get connected to the place and start feeling its vibrations. Many times, we do feel calm and relaxed in these places. But when we come back and get busy with our routine, we start feeling restless and anxious.
Why does it happen that we feel in harmony with ourselves for some time but when we return to the routine of life, we start feeling the same uneasiness? To get the same energy, we again decide to visit such places after a couple of months and this cycle of happiness and unhappiness continues!
Why it is Important to Find Peace Within?
It is not always possible for everyone to go to vacation or religious places frequently. Moreover, it is not practical to spend money, time and energy on something which is most important in life yet not tangible.
Also, we need to understand that peace is just like breath which we need in every moment. We can not consider it like food which we eat when we feel hungry. Since the majority of people around us are living a life laced with tension, pressure and anxiety, we also feel that peace is something which is coming from outside and we need to go somewhere to find it (like in the Novel: The Alchemist)
Steps to Find Inner Peace
There is nothing wrong with going on vacation, visiting religious places and spending money to buy jewellery/clothes. It is an integral part of our life but it should have the right purpose. When we want to learn new things in life, we need intellectuals who can help us to find the appropriate education and right path but depending our restfulness on external factors is counterproductive as they are never in our control and it has a shelf life. If we are happy with the ‘Limited Edition’ of peace, we can continue with our present schedule.
But if we want to own it, we need to find it within us rather than roaming around (like in the Novel: The Alchemist). Many times, we visit and talk to saints to find the answer to our questions but in the majority of the cases, we know the answer to all the questions but we need people’s validation. That is why we seek the guidance and approval of ‘learned people’.
If we can start trusting our instinct and experimenting with it, soon we will realize that answers to all the questions are known to us and there is no need to wander around. Maybe in the beginning, we may find it difficult and impractical but if trust ourselves and persistently follow our instincts, we can start with small wins which will later convert into much bigger successes.
The following are the 3 key steps which can help us to find peace within us
- Meditation: Some people find it difficult; some think it does not work and there are a few who feel that it is old-fashioned. But it is key to know ourselves, our thoughts, our anxieties and our core. Spending time with ourselves is the best way to find ourselves and answer our queries. If we are undecided about changing jobs, spending time with ourselves in isolation can help us to see the positives and negatives and what can be the best decision at this point.
- Mindfulness: Throughout the day, we do things randomly without even knowing what we are doing and why. If we can start seeing every single thought and act, we will be able to identify wasteful activities and can work ourselves to minimize them. The biggest depleter of energy in present times is social media. It is a wonderful and powerful medium but when instead of us, social media starts using us and we use it mindlessly, it drains our energy. Being mindful helps us to address such issues.
Self-Belief: When we doubt ourselves, we do not believe in ourselves. But when we have a strong self-belief, we trust our decisions irrespective of whether they turn out right or wrong. Like in the story, the boy realized that the real treasure lies within us although everyone around us is searching for it outside. A strong self-belief helps us to trust our conclusions.