If only we knew that we ARE the essence at the heart of peace. That knowing would allow us to see peace as communication from the authentic Self, the soul, the spirit. It would allow us to see that we are in alignment with truth.

But that knowing comes hard to us, as we live in earth consciousness, in which we believe not only that we are separate from the divine (in whatever form we see the divine) but also separate from our own souls. If we allow ourselves to think about it, to explore what goes on within us at the level of belief, we often find that we think of the soul as a spark, a tiny thing within us, that is just a little light—a light that we have to connect to, for otherwise we are separate from it. And we think of the soul as further separated from the spirit, as if the spirit is something we can only access out-of-body.

But the authentic Self, the soul and the spirit are one in the same thing. Who we are is a soul, a spirit. And that spirit, that soul, that authentic Self is the essence at the heart of peace. It is the reason we ever have peace, if we have it. Peace is the voice of the authentic Self, informing us of its presence, informing us that at least for this moment, we are in alignment with the Self, the soul, the spirit.

Have you ever experienced an extremely emotionally painful moment that also simultaneously seemed to be held by peace? Perhaps you had a realization of some old unhealed aspect of your consciousness. You find yourself sobbing into a towel because the pain is so intense. But at the same time you notice that there is this warmth, this deep calmness that seems to breathe you. That peace is the emission of the Self, the soul, the spirit. It has come to inform you that you have come into alignment with the Self. That realization put you in that alignment.

Have you ever worried and worried about some direction to take, until you finally discovered a path for which at the same moment you experienced a warm, calming, soothing peace? That’s the authentic Self, talking to you. It’s telling you that this path will mean that you will be in the presence of the Self, the soul, the spirit as you take it.

Many of us have experienced this peace when we meditate, and we return to meditation daily in order to attain at least some measure of this peace. Sometimes this peace can be so profound that it seems to hold you, so that movement seems impossible. Your body simply refuses to do anything. Not only does the mind and heart feel peace in this case, but the body feels it, as if the body were temporarily ensconced in peace. Hidden away from earth consciousness temporarily, the body’s blood, bone, flesh and breath all seem to be coming from this deep peace.

Though we want them to, these things do not seem to last. We still live on planet earth, where the collective consciousness, of which we are all a part, believes deeply in separation rather than Oneness. We must return to a pose of presence again and again to access this peace. But it is not the peace itself that we are truly seeking. It is the essence at the heart of peace, which is the soul, the spirit, the authentic Self. It is who we are.

That essence is that which exudes the peace we feel. But it is that essence that we are. We are the source of our own peace. Because we are One with the Source of all.

Andrea Mathews is the author of four books, the latest of which is “Letting Go of Good: Dispel the Myth of Goodness to Find Your Genuine Self.” She is the host of the very popular Authentic Living Show and a therapist with over 30 years’ experience.