It’s a lovely idea, isn’t it? World Peace Day (also known as International Day of Peace, but why use four words when three will do?) If only the sentiment of World Peace Day would reach all those involved in war and conflict; those who would claim rights over lands and borders for themselves in order to satisfy petty, age-old conflicts about ‘what is my land and what is yours.’ Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they learnt from their histories and learned to live in peace alongside each other? What should be so simple is yet so complicated because humans are ultimately power-corrupt and stupid.
The wars that continue today seem to be the oldest in history. All that has changed is the weaponry that represents the hatred and intolerance of the opposing sides. Mankind, it seems, either cannot or will not learn.
The wise Vietnamese monk and peace activist, Thich Nhat Hanh said, ‘We need to move beyond the idea of environment and fall back in love with Mother Earth.’
This is the wisdom. War, bombs, missiles, fighting, destruction, digging into Mother Earth and scarring her because of human stupidity and greed achieves nothing. It merely perpetuates a state of conflict based on retaliation - ‘You killed some of us, so we are going to kill some of you. Oh well, then we are going to kill some of you back again.’ Etc, etc and on and on. Bonehead thinking. And the result? Pain, sorrow and unnecessary suffering and death. How STUPID is that?
It hurts my heart to see it every day on the news, which is why I don’t often tolerate watching it. Landscapes are destroyed. Nature is burned by missiles. I can’t bear to think of the wildlife that is annihilated through mankind’s selfish, brutal, actions and all because of the ‘that bit of land is OURS’ mentality. The senselessness of it all bewilders me. What can I do, sitting here in privilege in England surrounded by peace and comfort?
I can sit in meditation for Mother Earth. (How middle-class and ‘nice’, some might say.)
I can generate and channel healing energies that might reach another spirit who, in turn, might look at the weapon in their hands and throw it down, choosing instead to join a wave of peaceful energy. I can cultivate peace in my own personal world - peace within myself and with those around me. Generate peace in my immediate community - random act of kindness, anyone? - and hope it will spread from there.
It seems such a small thing to do in the huge face of the problem. Small to the point of futility.
BUT then I remember when I am gardening and sowing the tiniest of seeds which hold within them the greatest capacity for change and for growth. All they need is firm ground, water and sunshine. I remind myself that the simplest and gentlest of actions can have the greatest of impacts.
I shall celebrate World Peace Day because if I don’t, that will be one less ripple of peaceful energy in the world and it might be that the world only needs one more ripple of that energy to tip the balance and make the difference.
I hope there is peace in your world today. x
Comments
KJ