Peace is every step
-- Thich Nhat Hanh
Did you know that Monday, September 21st is International Peace Day? I didn't, I until I looked up and saw it printed on my wall calendar today. Have I been that tuned out for the past 10 years? Or have we been so preoccupied with war, the very idea of peace seems quaint and foreign?
In 1999, the first fixed International Day of Peace was initiated out of the vision of former actor and filmmaker Jeremy Gilley, who after traveling the world and meeting with heads of state, took his idea to the U.N. General Assembly and succeeded in drafting a declaration naming September 21st as a day devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace. Every year since then, the Peace Bell, cast from coins donated by children from every continent, has been rung on this day.
Imagine a 24 hour period all over the world when everyone lays down their weapons (physical and psychic) and dedicates their consciousness and actions to nonviolence. Why would anyone want to resume war (internal and external) after bathing in peace for a day?
Who knows? Maybe we could really go all out and extend ourselves for 48 hrs. Imagine the difference we could make.
What will you do to bring peace to your world? Participate below.
What if Republicans and Democrats called a truce in the "war" over healthcare and decided to seek resolutions instead of bandying about false accusations and fear tactics? What if these "enemies" gave up warring and looked for common ground instead? Does anyone actually think common ground does not exist between two polarities? Surely it does, but there must be an intention and a desire to look for it. Are we not up to this task?
What is required to lay down one's "weapons" of war, be they machine guns or a sharp tongue? What is required to let go of the need to annihilate and destroy the "other"?
What is the cost to the psyche and the soul to live in a state of perpetual war? There are millions of children growing up all over the world who've known nothing else. What can we expect from them as adults?
Peace is more than just the absence of war. Yes, it is the cessation of violence, but it's also the creation of conditions aligned with the principles that foster life. It requires intention coupled with action.
There is something you can do to bring peace to the world, right where you are. It doesn't have to be big and flashy. The scale of your action is not important. Your willingness to act is everything.
If you tell yourself you're just one person and can't make a difference, then surely you can't. But what if you're the one who's choice to extend a peaceful, loving gesture to another started a chain of events that created a miracle? Who's to say you're not? You are if you say so. Say so.
5 ways to make peace in your world:
1) Extend yourself to someone who's been on your "enemies" list. Apologize.
I know, you've probably told yourself it's their fault and why should you be the one to bend over backwards? Be the bigger person and do it anyway. Do it from a generous heart and see what happens. Let me know how that goes. I've done this exercise with 100's of people and many report miracles happened. It's amazing what is possible when you give up the need to be right.
2) Create your own personal commitment statement to be a stand for peace.
Invite a group of people to join you. Gather together and share your commitments. Write them down, attach your statements to a helium filled balloon and release it to the world. If you really want to have some fun with this, put your email address on the papers and see what comes back.
3) Peace can begin right now on the very next breath.
Breathe in and say "Peace". Breathe out- "Peace". BE a peace mantra for 24 hrs. What could happen in the world if we were all silently chanting "Peace" on each breath? Is it worth a try? What'll it cost you?
4) Give a "love/peace offering" to a stranger.
Pick a small possession that you value and give it away to someone you've never met until this moment. Be a role model for what generosity looks and feels like. What if we didn't fear "losing" and saw that we could only gain by sharing what we love? Be prepared to receive more than you give.
5) Make peace with yourself.
Write down all your judgments and negative opinions about yourself on a piece of paper. Write down all the struggles, conflicts and worries, everything you're ready to be done with. Then set a match to the paper (in a safe place, of course) and watch those tired, old stories go up in flames. What's the purpose of all that self recrimination anyway? Loving yourself is no one's responsibility but your own. If you can't love you, why should you expect anyone else to?
Peace is an inside job.
It starts with your intention to align with the energy of peace, then to express and manifest that energy in tangible form. In his book, Power Vs. Force, David Hawkins calibrates the vibrations of every emotion. Peace calibrates at the highest level, right along with Love. When you are in the vibration of peace, your energy is aligned with the purest form of consciousness in the universe. If the very thought of peace can align you with that vibration, why think of anyplace else?
What will you do to create peace in your world? Who needs an apology from you? Who needs to know they're loved and you're the one to tell them? Who needs an acknowledgment for their silent contributions?
These people are right there in front of you. It's the checker at the grocery store, the waitress who serves you lunch, the cab driver, the person seated next to you on the train, or the homeless person who approaches you on the street. It's your husband or wife, boss or employee, or maybe even a former spouse or lover.
How will you help bring peace to the world next Monday? You might even get an early start and begin now. Let's not keep this a secret. Spread the word.
I'd love to receive your input on this subject. Please drop by the comment section and share how you plan to bring peace to your world. Maybe you can spark an idea for others. That would be a good way to contribute! And while you're in the neighborhood, why not Become A Fan, then Buzz and Digg this article. That way more people will get to read it and Peace Day will become less of a secret. Thanks for doing your part.
Peace is every step. Happy Peace Day!
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