|
PEACE
What is peace? To everyone it is something different, to some it
means they wish to see peace in the world, to others it means they
wish to experience, Peace within themselves. Are these two
expressions of peace contradictory? Is one selfish? And the other
unselfish? How can we possibly experience true peace while there is
conflict on all sides? Is conflict an intrinsic part of human
nature? If it is are there ways that we can sublime contentious
behaviour and transmute theses energies into ways of peace?
We at times feel we would like to get rid of many of our ways of
thinking. There are minds uses we probably call emotions, which we
know are taking our health down, and are no help to others.
Experiences like resentment or anger, or thinking the worst of
people. Our inner dissatisfaction arises from accepting false
values as valid. Again some people look to the past to find causes
for their illnesses or troubles. This makes the negative more
powerful. Are we looking at a culture that is in decline, devolving
and running out of those civilization values essential to well
being?
You can’t be called a victor forever merely by crushing an external
enemy because such foes can spring up again. Real victory is
achieved by controlling the internal enemies. We should know that
it’s our internal foes which create external ones.
If we think peace, become instruments of peace then we are each of
us, in our own small way, helping to manifest peace within the
world. Our actions in some will react upon the particles of others
beings gradually as more and more beings respond to the call then a
change must occur. This change like the ripples on a pool when
another drop of water joins the already standing liquid, gradually
works its way from the centre to the every outer edge, so the
ripples of peace can and will fan out around the world.
According to me love arises and anger melts as we look deeply and
caringly at each other. As for myself, I may feel anger towards
someone at a distance, but it is very difficult for me to look into
another face and stays angry. Nearness and friendly discussion
increase our caring and we see more clearly our own short comings
and imperfections. Peace deepens as our heart opens, and we feel
beyond differences to deeper acceptance, bonding and
reconciliation. A desire for peaceful solutions keeps negotiations
open.
Forgiveness, non violence and inclusive love are there our whole
life; they are also essential energies for anyone desiring to move
ahead creatively and successfully. Forgiveness is a healing process
that may take some persons many years, even lifetime, to work out
in themselves, or it may come in a flash, transforming all parts of
us and our relationships. Forgiveness means to be willing to let it
go, to pardon and stop controlling others or demanding retribution,
to begin the process of replacing feelings of resentment, jealousy,
anger, rage, hurt and all expectations with unconditional love, to
welcome and work lovingly with whatever conditions and relationship
we ourselves have attracted into our life.
Putting our sword (or battle) back into its proper place.” by
refusing to indulge ourselves any longer in pointless fights or
conflicts, we begin to examine ourselves; we reclaim our anger,
discovering triggers and memories of pain. Many of our angers and
hurts are often residual, long absorbed, deeply buried and carried
inside us. Choosing the way of forgiveness we will find new non
violent approaches to testings; we will learn to view those who
annoy and irritate us with more patience, empathy and a larger
perspective. When we guard our battle sword in its sheath, we then
redirect our energies. Poisons that we have long stored in our
cells, emotions and attitudes, or outbursts of rage that we have
projected and dumped on others especially on those the most in
order to feel lighter will no longer occur.
We attract to ourselves what we need, not always what we deserve.
The healing process of forgiveness begin with the attitude of
acceptance and embrace: how can I fill each moment with love and be
service in whatever ways might be needed? As I help another to
advance, then I advance: if I hurt or hinder another, I hurt and
hinder myself. However I may respond to someone else, affect not
only me and another, but it makes an impact on the whole network.
Using kindness and a non violent strength, we will discover that
the greatest opportunities available to us today consist of finding
new ways to keep dialogue open, creating new harmonies and working
for the well being of a larger, inclusive world community. Even in
the midst of an accelerating global diversity and increasing
polarisation, we can live each day, affirming the vision that we
truly all are one. Every genuine act of self giving and forgiveness
counts and leaves its mark in the world’s expanding consciousness.
What was once flaw or fault can become in time our greatest
strength. The bright clarity of pure, unselfish love, wisely
offered, brings healing; love illuminates the dark room of fear,
where negatives are developed.
Negative, hurtful, unkind, jealous thoughts can be very
destructive. It is far easier to see how our emotions affect
others, but not so easy to see how our thoughts can. This requires
ongoing self scrutiny, not only to our obvious flaws, but to those
insidious false intensions that arise out of prejudice, lack of
compassion, sense of superiority and so on. Then we need to root
them out and replace them; unremittingly hard work, until this too
becomes a habit. Holding on to the prison of our comfort zone just
postpones the challenge, until something or someone comes along to
project us into new awareness. Inevitably right thinking produces
right action. This is integrity.
This requires a shift of priorities away from consuming and towards
giving, away from grasping and towards letting go. Real abundance
is learning to live more lightly. By so doing we can not only
ameliorate social justice and environmental destruction, but we can
start to reform our inner lives as well.
Falak Naz Taj
Chitral.
|
::
Front Page
