Precerpt from Pathways to Inner Peace (Dreher)

Precerpt (excerpt prior to publication) from Pathways to Inner Peace by Diane Dreher, currently available on pre-order.

Introduction

If you’ve been longing for a deeper sense of connection, you’re not alone. We are living in challenging times. Years of rapid change, the COVID pandemic, natural disasters, and political uncertainty have disrupted our lives. Many of us have lost loved ones, connections with friends and colleagues, familiar routines, and a sense of personal security.

Psychologist Pauline Boss, PhD, says that we’ve suffered “the ultimate loss: the loss of trust in the world as a safe and predictable place” (2022, p. 4; Dreher, 2023). There’s an epidemic of loneliness in our world and a dramatic rise in anxiety and depression (Murthy & Chen, 2020; World Health Organization, 2022, 2024).

An increasing sense of loneliness and disconnection has rippled through our world, with disastrous consequences. Research has found that loneliness actually can make us sick (Holt-Lunstad, 2017), and studies have shown that when people feel disconnected, they can become vulnerable to extremism, believing in conspiracy theories and blaming “others” for political problems (Cohen, 2022; Holt-Lunstad, 2017). Much of the current breakdown in our personal and political health can be traced to what Buddhist teacher Sharon Salzberg has called “our delusion of being separated from one another” (1995, p. 1).

Yet, by looking back in time, we can discover a path to hope for recognizing our disconnection and distress can be the first step on a journey that has inspired spiritual seekers throughout the ages. In the Divine Comedy, Dante (c.1321/1955) wrote that “Midway through the journey of my life, I found myself lost and alone, wandering in a dark wood,” as he began his journey from loss and separation to connection with the divine.

This search for greater connection echoes through many spiritual traditions. Christian mystics have written about finding union with God in the state of grace. The journey to liberation and the power of loving kindness are central to Jewish teachings. Buddhism teaches that life is suffering until we connect with compassion for all beings, and a major lesson in the Tao Te Ching is realizing our oneness with all creation. In the Hindu tradition, this spiritual journey transformed an insecure young lawyer into Mahatma Gandhi whose message inspired multitudes and liberated India. And today, Twelve Step programs help people heal from addictions when they admit that their lives have “become unmanageable” until they connect with a power greater than they are (Alcoholics Anonymous, 1976). All of these traditions focus on the journey from disconnection and distress to a greater sense of connection, inspiration, and hope, a journey you can begin in this book.

Perhaps you, too, have felt like Dante, lost and confused by life’s challenges, searching for greater peace of mind. I know that I have.

I discovered the pathways for this book while struggling with a series of personal losses. First, my parents died, and then I lost my dear friend and mentor, Chris. During COVID, I retired from my faculty position at Santa Clara University, leaving behind my students, colleagues, and the beautiful campus that had been my professional home for years. Then, suddenly, my husband and best friend, Bob, died, and I found myself alone in a house that had once felt so much like home. I was still surrounded by Bob’s books, the saddles from his favorite horse, and photos of us in happier times. But now my only daily companion was my little dog, Ginny.

With the familiar foundations of my life stripped away, I began my personal search for connection and peace of mind.

I’ve always been a seeker, perhaps because I grew up following my Air Force father on his assignments across the country and around the world. Through the years, I’ve explored many cultural and spiritual traditions. Raised as a Catholic, I began studying Eastern philosophy and practicing Buddhist meditation, then learned about Judaism from Bob. I did research on Renaissance spiritual poetry and wrote three books on Taoism, finding the light of inspiration in many spiritual teachings.

As I was growing up, whenever my father was transferred to a new assignment, I’d find my way to the local library, discovering books that opened doors to other worlds. In college, I majored in English and went on to get a PhD in English at UCLA. Then, I moved to northern California to teach Renaissance literature at beautiful Santa Clara University where I met Bob, who taught psychology and neuroscience. We became partners in life, sharing love, laughter, and campus politics, supporting each other in our research, and exploring the world together. I became so intrigued by psychology that I took night classes to earn a master’s degree in counseling. Then, I began doing research in positive psychology, combining psychology and literature in my classes, and becoming a positive psychology coach.

While struggling with loss and searching for greater peace of mind, I drew upon what I’d learned in counseling and my lifelong study of literature and philosophy, reflected in my book, The Tao of Inner Peace. However, I soon realized that when darkness clouds our days, we need practical tools to dispel the darkness and reveal the light. I’d begun discovering these tools in positive psychology research conducted with my friend, psychologist David Feldman, PhD. In our study, we found how short, strategic steps can build our hope. Acknowledging the power of this approach, our research (Feldman & Dreher, 2012) has been included in over 500 published studies worldwide. As my search for peace of mind continued, I discovered nine powerful pathways to greater connection and inner peace These pathways have been practiced through centuries of spiritual traditions and described by poets and philosophers. Now they’re supported by the latest scientific research.

Although you and I may often feel disconnected, scientists have confirmed our essential connection with all creation. Responding with wonder to the beauty and grandeur of the cosmos, astrophysicist Carl Sagan (1980) realized that we are composed of the very elements of the stars. Astronaut Edgar Mitchell (2008) felt a deep connection to the universe when he looked down through the vast blackness of space at the small blue planet we call home. And the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for research that demonstrates our intrinsic interconnectedness, revealing how subatomic particles can behave as one, even at great distances.

Albert Einstein realized that we are each an intrinsic part of the universe. When we feel disconnected, he called this an “optical delusion of consciousness.” The path to peace of mind, he maintained, involves transcending this delusion of separation. (1950, p. 206).

Helping you free yourself from this sense of separateness, Pathways to Inner Peace can become a spiritual guidebook on your own journey to greater peace of mind.

You will not travel this journey alone for this is a pilgrimage we will take together in an ongoing conversation about our hopes, our fears, and what matters most to us. I will share stories of my own struggles and spiritual adventures along with those of my friends, favorite writers, and others who have taken this journey before us. As you read our stories, you may find yourself recalling your own stories of struggles with uncertainty as well as times when you felt a deep sense of connection and transcendence, recognizing that on this journey of oneness, we are all connected.

Research has shown that we can make our journey of connection through many pathways, including meditation, relationships, and inspiration from nature and the arts. As you make your way through this book, you’ll be exploring these nine pathways to inner peace:

1. The Path of Mindful Presence. We often feel disconnected because we’re not fully present with what we’re doing. Studies have shown that most of us spend much of our time rushing, multitasking, and doing one thing while thinking about something else. The practices in this chapter can help you feel more connected by bringing your attention back to the present moment.

2. The Path of Nature. For centuries, poets and philosophers have recognized our intrinsic connection with nature. Now research has shown that by connecting with nature we can transcend feelings of separation and gain greater peace of mind, vitality, and hope. The practices in this chapter can help you reconnect with this healing power of nature for yourself.

3. The Path of Community. We all need a sense of belonging, to feel at home in our community and our world. Yet, lately many of us have been feeling lonely and isolated. The practices in this chapter will show you how to cultivate a stronger sense of community from your close relationships to your neighborhood, workplace, and beyond.

4. The Path of Meditation. For centuries, meditation has been a source of inner peace. Now research shows that meditation can relieve anxiety, lower our blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and strengthen our immune systems while also reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation. This chapter will introduce you to a range of simple meditative practices to cultivate inner peace.

5. The Path of Kindness. Kindness, which the Buddhists call compassion, can bring us greater peace of mind and connect us to all living things. This chapter will offer practices to help you develop greater kindness for yourself and those around you.

6. The Path of Purpose. Becoming overwhelmed by our daily duties, demands and obligations can disconnect us from a deeper sense of purpose. Research has shown that developing a sense of purpose can bring us meaningful connections and a greater sense of hope. The practices in this chapter can help you connect with a greater sense of purpose in your own life.

7. The Path of Intuition and Inspiration. If you’ve ever had a flash of insight or experienced a remarkable coincidence, you’ve connected with the power of your intuition. This chapter will show you how to reach beyond surface awareness to connect more often with your intuitive wisdom and guidance.

8. The Path of the Arts. For centuries, the arts have offered a source of inspiration that can touch our hearts and transform our lives. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to find greater connection, joy, and meaning through enjoying music, literature, dramatic art, the visual arts, and by creating your own art work as well.

9. The Path of Joy. For many of us, it's been hard to feel positive lately. In recent years, our lives have been turned upside down by the COVID pandemic, political conflicts, natural disasters, economic uncertainty, lost relationships, and heartbreaking wars around the world. Yet, research shows that even during troubled times, moments of joy can bring us greater meaning, resilience, healing, and hope. The practices in this chapter can help you discover how, when your heart expands in joy, you’ll find light in the darkness and realize your deep connection to the beauty of life.

All of these pathways have been validated by research in psychology and neuroscience, demonstrating how they can make a positive difference in our lives.

As you make your way through this book, you’ll find that some pathways appeal to you more than others. You may find greater connection through nature, the arts, or cultivating community. And within the nine pathways, some practices may bring you a joyous sense of connection while others may not. This is normal for we are all individuals. I invite you to see this process as a personal experiment, an ongoing journey of discovery.

Book Description

Pathways to Inner Peace offers a guiding light of hope in a world too often filled with stress, disconnection, and uncertainty. Blending scientific insight, spiritual wisdom, personal stories, and practical exercises, this book helps readers cultivate peace of mind and deepen their connection—to themselves, to others, and to the natural world. Inspiring and accessible, it’s a companion for anyone seeking greater clarity, calm, and meaning in daily life.

Keywords

inner peace; mindfulness; emotional well-being; stress relief; spiritual growth; personal transformation; self-awareness; holistic healing; mind-body connection' guided exercises; peace of mind; connection to nature; self-discovery; practical spirituality; daily calm; clarity and purpose; mental health; resilience; inspirational stories; meditation and reflection

Sign up for the MSI Press LLC monthly newsletter
(recent releases, sales/discounts, awards, reviews, Amazon top 100 list, author advice, and more -- stay up to date)
Check out recent issues.

Follow MSI Press on Twitter, Face Book, Pinterest, Bluesky, and Instagram.

Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC?
Check out information on how to submit a proposal.

We help writers become award-winning published authors. One writer at a time. We are a family, not a factory. Do you have a future with us?

Turned away by other publishers because you are a first-time author and/or do not have a strong platform yet? If you have a strong manuscript, San Juan Books, our hybrid publishing division, may be able to help.

Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? Our author au pair services will mentor you through the process.

Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book in exchange for reviewing a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com.

Want an author-signed copy of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com.
Julia Aziz, signing her book, Lessons of Labor, at an event at Book People in Austin, Texas.

Want to communicate with one of our authors? You can! Find their contact information on our Authors' Pages.

Steven Greenebaum, author of award-winning books, An Afternoon's Discussion and One Family: Indivisible, talking to a reader at Barnes & Noble in Gilroy, California.

MSI Press is ranked among the top publishers in California.