You Have the Power to Spread Peace in All Your Relationships

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Given everything going on in the world, we feel moved to talk about what each of us can do.

PHIL: [Sigh.] Another war breaks out, and people take sides. Who is responsible, how did this happen, what were their reasons for it? How can we avoid being part of this polarization?

I’d like to say don’t get upset, but of course that is absurd; the whole situation is upsetting. What is happening in these two regional wars stirs outrage; I want to scream at the inhumanity exhibited. Yes, bring your emotions into it, but bring empathy, sadness, grief, instead of anger, revenge, hate, name-calling. That isn’t easy to do, but what choice do you have? When you are hostile, it provokes defensiveness and counter-attacks; it escalates the situation. Is that what you want to happen?

And therein lies the problem: if you can’t be peaceful, how can you expect the same of others? We all ride the tiger of animal emotions, but we all have at least a little choice in how we handle them. (If we don’t have any choice – if there is no free will – then all of human advice is a farce, and we are but gears in a vast clockwork machine taking us toward inevitable consequences.) But I prefer to believe in free will.

Every time you respond peacefully, you raise the chances of peace. Even when you are not personally involved, you can help to spread this further. When someone else is swept up in the events in the Middle East or being cut off in traffic or what their ex said to them, suggest that focusing on the positive emotions is the way to a more harmonious life.Every time you respond peacefully, you raise the chances of peace #peace #quote Share on X

MAUDE: In the face of all the dissonance and conflict in our world, it is easy to become despondent and to feel hopeless. We are not powerless! We must desire peace. We must declare peace. We must explore peace within ourselves and create peace within all our relationships. It is up to us!

Peace is a real, livable and discernible experience. It is visceral: not just a thought but an inner deep feeling. If we strive for peace within each of our relationships, we will grow in our abilities to behave peacefully and we will learn the techniques of creating it between people.

We can learn to use the new forms of global communication as instruments to spread our peace. When we speak from a place of experience and understanding about what peace is, when we are peaceful ourselves, we become powerful forces for change.

We must resist the urge to respond in kind to hate, war, bigotry, anger and injustice. Raised voices and angry words will not create peace. Loving, respectful, kind and harmonious interactions have a strength to melt the illusory barriers between us.

Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. Friedrich Nietzsche

This is not to say that we shouldn’t speak our truth. Truth shared that is devoid of violence, threats or aggressiveness sits as a beacon to the better desires in all our natures. Truth shared in actions of loving kindness and compassion strengthens our natural connection to each other.

Practicing peace as a goal and creating that reality in all our relationships is a powerful force for change that we need in our world. Use your voice with patience and gentleness. If we keep supporting each other in times of weakness and despair, and reminding each other of the simple, yet potent energy of living peace, nothing can stop this from eventually becoming a reality.

And remember to laugh and play. Peace is soft and light, not dark and heavy.

Take action now: Declare World Peace.

Photo credit: Phil Mayes
Photo note: Women’s Peace March, Santa Barbara

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