Peace
-letter
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 mind's 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 stay angry. Nearness and friendly discussion increase our caringness
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 in 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.
27 Nov 09.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------