Today is International Day of Peace day. I don’t know about you, but the possibility of global peace has always been appealing.
As a young adult you’d find me eagerly signed up for anti nuclear marches. Even trespassing on military bases along with hundreds of passionate campaigners. Willing to risk being arrested for making a point.
Being an activist was exciting. Bringing public attention to the devastating consequences of war.
A decade or so later, in a shock disclosure that my father, during an under-cover career, designed nuclear warheads. I suddenly had a visceral understanding why making a stand for world peace beat so strong in my heart.
His revelation struck me like a karmic brick.
Not as a cosmic punishment but in the sense that his dedication to defend life with bombs, and my passion for peace, balanced the books. Set things straight.
By that time my peace seeking activities had shifted. No longer a law breaker trying to change the world ‘out there’. I’d become devoted to finding peace inside myself.
My inward search began with a hunch to learn to meditate. A practice I stuck with for almost twenty years.
Meditation delivered many benefits;
- I understood the workings of my mind better.
- Learned to tell the difference between ego chatter and higher thought.
- Discovered how to steady and focus my attention.
- Connected with inner silence.
Then one day, just as suddenly as the impulse to meditate had grabbed me, I knew it was time to drop it.
To be honest I initially baulked. Because it looked to me like my meditation practice caused me to be more peaceful.
I believed that if I meditated better or longer I would get rid of uncomfortable un-peaceful feelings altogether. I was afraid that if I stopped my practice I’d become more stressed.
But the thing about inner guidance is that it always frees us from misguided thinking.
Fortunately I trusted inner knowing over my rational thinking enough to take the plunge. I dropped my meditation practice and to my relief didn’t morph a raging monster.
I still have human moments of getting caught up in insecure, negative thinking. And I still sit from in silence when I feel the impulse. But now, when I’m in the thick of discomfort, instead of digging a hole trying to change how I feel I leave my feelings alone.
Because emotions smooth out all by themselves when we let them. And when we leave feelings alone we’ll fall into unbroken peace inside ourselves.
Peace is what you, me and we all come in with. Peace is our true nature. It is woven into the fabric of our being. Wherever we go, peace goes with us, as us.
And peace is a multi-purpose currency. It not only works in our inner life, to settle us down and heal our body and mind. It also repairs relationships, uplifts our business life, enhances our civic life and thus changes our world.
So on this day when thousands around the globe are honoring peace. Claim the peace pole that stands strong inside of you. Celebrate being alive. Because the peace that you are is powerful beyond measure.
