Celebrate the International Day of Peace

Podcast: Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

We’re publishing this blog two days early to coincide with the International Day of Peace, every September 21st, declared by the U.N. as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace.

When you look for it, this idea is everywhere.

How about a World Without War?

Maybe just A Year Without War?

Thousands of people have made videos saying “I Declare World Peace.”

Phil has created a Peace Poll where 96% of people say they would like to see world peace.

We believe there is a direct line between personal peace and world peace. So do Dorothie and Martin Hellman, authors of A New Map for Relationships, which tells how the couple struggled before finding peace in their relationship and also on how personal psychology affects international relationships. William J. Perry, ex-Secretary of Defense, said: “This book should be read by married couples seeking peace at home, as well as by diplomats seeking peace in the world.” (For computer nerds, this is THE Hellman of Diffie-Hellman key exchange, a critical step in secure computer communications.)

A peaceful relationship ripples out into the world and inspires people to be their best #peace Click To TweetOur message in our books, newsletter and blogs is to share our direct experience of spreading peace one relationship at a time. We’d like to close with a couple of quotes from the Peace chapter in our book How Two: Have a Successful Relationship.

One of the most surprising aspects of our relationship is the direct experience of peace that it engenders. This follows naturally from the alternatives to conflict that we practice. For us, peace is not a void described by the absence of conflict, anger or war. Peace is an actual experience. It is filled with calm, assurance of goodness, acute awareness of presence, acceptance of what is, joy, and overflowing love. It is both intense passionate happiness and quiet, rock-solid reassurance. Peace permeates all of our interactions and is our underpinning, our foundation. We are convinced that this knowledge and the direct experience of actual peace can be available in every relationship.

You think you are working on yourself and your relationship, and indeed you are. But there is another unexpected component that arises from this work. Practicing peace in your relationship has results that affect more than just the two of you. Firstly, it influences other people by example. Secondly, you start treating others the same way. It ripples out into the world and, by showing what is possible, inspires people to be their best. The direct experience of peace, and the calm yet ecstatic sense of joy and love that arise from this state, is catching and very powerful. Let’s go forth and change the world!

In the audio of this post, we include the entire peace chapter from the upcoming audio version of the book.

Tell your friends!