Start with Yourself

After writing a few days ago about how we can all contribute to creating more peace in the world by 'being' more peaceful ourselves, I rediscovered this article. The words were apparently written on the tomb of a Bishop in the Crypts of Westminster Abbey and are a nice reminder.

"When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser I discovered the world would not change so I shortened my sights and decided to change only my country. But it too, seemed immovable.

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

And now, as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realise: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family.

From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows I may have even changed the world".

Anon

How are you 'being' in the world? ;-)
Dx

Give Peace a Chance

Last week while having dinner with a friend we got talking about which of the world problems we would solve if we had the power! That's after we'd covered the new Sex in the City film of course ;-)

At first, we found ourselves thinking about major issues such as world hunger, lack of clean water and poverty. And then we both realised that, actually, if we could eradicate conflict and create more peace and harmony in the world then people and nations could genuinely collaborate, share resources and bring an end to all of these problems.

Now I know people have been talking about creating world peace for decades but to be honest, I've probably been guilty of thinking this was a bit of a pipe dream and had become something of a cliche. And certainly, on a macro level, it might still seem like a pretty insurmountable task. Yet last week I really gained a fuller realisation of just how vital this is.

Today, more than ever, we are living as a global community. We are all interdependent. We cannot survive in isolation. And so not only do we each have a responsibility to take care of where we are living (the planet), we also have a responsibility for how we are living too.

For instance..........

• Think of a time recently when you were in the company of someone who appeared angry or stressed. What were they doing? What were they saying? How did you feel?
• Now think of a time when you were with someone who seemed content and relaxed. What were they doing? What were they saying? How did you feel?

There's really no denying that the state we're in is the state we create, and that our feelings and emotions are highly contagious. The question is, are we radiating peace and happiness or are we spreading a virus of fear and negativity?

As humans, our natural state of being is a sense of inner peace and presence. Yet we spend so much time and energy regretting the past, worrying about the future, feeling anxious about how we measure up or frustrated by other people's behaviour that we forget how to be in our natural state. And the more we forget, the greater the risk that we are contaminating our environment and affecting those around us.

As Eckhart Tolle puts it "Are you polluting the world or cleaning up the mess? You are responsible for your inner space; If humans clear inner pollution, then they will also cease to create outer pollution"

So, as world peace is such a huge challenge, perhaps we can contribute on a more local level by reconnecting with our own inner peace and, as Ghandi says, "BE the change we want to see in the world". And from this place of inner peace we can generate a little more outer peace too ;-)