Peace Now!

The most important thing I struggle in my life is to become peaceful with myself. War in our world begins at home. For me, I must welcome a form unconditional surrender and lessen how I create my own suffering. When I embrace my shadows and cultivate inner kindness this becomes more possible. I find out that I must accept not resist what is true. Showing up and dealing with my issues works much better for me then avoiding them. However, knowing when it is a good time to address my inner demons is something that takes skill. Being kind with myself is a work in constant progress. Just because I feel uncomfortable does not mean I must run from things. Sometimes my cowardice comes back to haunt me. Nurturing a deeper soulful relation with myself I will not be able to become whole and happy. I can find more pleasure with my life when I find how to perform a careful examination of what truly causes me discomfort and how to best address it. This critical development is all about healing, praying, spending time in nature and finding friends to support me.

Such an inner transformation has profound implications for the outer physical work we must constantly be reminded to do. Violence and war in our outer work is so prevalent. Even though we may be in a serene setting such things as the way we drive our cars, talk to one another or even run around conveys bellicose acts.

After much searching and exploring the source of my despair I have realized one thing. All I can do is cultivate my own peace and lead by example. Without some understanding of myself my problems and the world problems will not go away. I write this struggling with my own life and future. My self education is not just about becoming better at what I do but to address my most fundamental challenge, what I fear about most in myself. I cannot find peace if I do not go into me and see or become more intimate with my soul. What is truly is intimacy? In to me I see that I must trust myself and become closer to what is true. Such familiarity takes many forms of spiritual practice.

When more I can embrace both my and the world’s stress and anxiety the more harmonious I live. Without my individual awakening to that separation results in suffering and that our own fears will haunt us until we address them then the possibility of peace begins.

To find my peace outside I must remember to constantly practice inner peace. Developing this mental calm comes through accumulating both understanding and knowledge to keep myself strong in the face of dissatisfaction, stress or anxiety. Being "at peace" not only maintains me in better health and the opposite of being stressed or anxious.

There are many forms of violent that we must learn from. One of the greatest terrors is how we disconnect ourselves from our world. We, humans are part of not separate from the other 30 million diverse species on this planet. Can we acknowledge that ultimately the land owns us we do not own it? The more we all can search our souls to live in harmony the greater we counter the hysteria of terror. We now are at the crossroads to either respect or disregard for our delicate world. Just the simple act of caring or showing kindness has a tremendous ripple effect.

Each of us must cultivate more compassionate relationships because we all share the same future. Can we as a people have the courage to find deeper truths and explore what is calling for attention?

We must invest in non-violence and more sustainable ways so to support the cultivation not the devastation of land, cultures, indigenous people, species, and ecosystems. Can we shift our culture that depletes to one that replenishes? Finally, non-violence must be also promoted in our media since the press must be careful not reinforce further violence.

Our prosperity on this tiny planet will only continue when we develop a renewed respect in what we have here and now. Certainly we must show tough love and protect ourselves from those wishing to harm us. Non-violent action will happen when together we pray, meditate and work towards future life. If we can shift from a society that supports violence to one that fosters peace then we as people may develop a new sense of hope over the despair and alienation many of us feel.

We will continue to be tormented until we come together with kinder acts that benefit all things on this fragile Earth. We are no longer separate individuals but apart of a greater whole. We must now act with grace to behold what we have been blessed with. Our freedom will only flourish when we evolve from our own personal interests to a global effort to insure our survival. We are this earth both one and the same. Suffering is no fun. I must remember to ways to listen, have faith, relax, show grace and celebrate my boundless heart. By accepting what is and changing what I can I liberate myself to a peaceful place.