Upon hearing Evola's use of nirvāņa as "cessation of restlessness" exactly what the term was supposed to mean became perfectly clear. I believe this sort of restlessness should be immediately familiar to any other modern man. It is a pre-occupation with all things sensory, an over-stimulation of the rational capabilities of the mind, a constant nagging desire. Shortly later Evola also translated it more literally as "non-mania" which only cemented my interpretation. Physical restlessness of the body and mental manic restlessness are two parts of a whole, and both parts must be addressed for the whole soul to be at the 'peace' of which Buddhism speaks. This restlessness is the nature of the 'desire' to be shorn; it is the source of all ties to the external; it builds the false self which distracts one from one's true Self.

To overcome it requires discipline and the employment of techniques. I'm grateful for these examples as I have been feeling the need to expand my daily routine. Meditation has seemed too difficult for too long and it is time for the restlessness to go.

“The great Zarathustra wanted knights to fight under the banner of light in the struggle against darkness—the Turanian idolaters, the demons of impurity and ignorance, and lastly the spirit of Ahriman or Satan. He wanted that there should be people able to say yes to the light—and who, consequently, learnt to say no to the darkness.” - Valentin Tomberg, Meditations on the Tarot, Letter XVII

“The great Buddha wanted to awaken the will to say no to the great routine of desires which make the wheel of births revolve. He wanted ascetics with regard to the automatic mechanism of the psyche, who would learn to say yes with regard to the free creativity of the spirit.” - Valentin Tomberg, Meditations on the Tarot, Letter XVII