World Peace Begins With Your Peace

Print

As the entire world pledges for peace on September 21, which marks the International Day of Peace, our thoughts inadvertently shift to the scenario of world peace and what can be done to make it better. While recently listening to a spiritual discourse, I was surprised at the advice given by the guru, which suggested not reading the newspaper in the morning, but instead saving the task for the evening. This sounded strange to me as I questioned what I so far thought to be one of my best habits- practically devouring every bit of news first thing in the morning.

But when you come to think of it, the pages of an average newspaper are filled to the brim with negativity which definitely does not make for the best start to the day. In this age of information overload, terror and bloodshed are going on to become a way of life. Most of us are comfortable with our positions as silent observers, knowing that there is nothing we can do to better the situation. After all, what difference can a single individual make, in the global peace scenario? Well, surprisingly the answer is- a huge one! Think of it this way- Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln- they were all single individuals who decided to step up and do something.

If you really wish to make a difference, the first place that you will have to look is inside you. If you are not at peace with yourself, it is unlikely that you will be able to contribute to world peace in anyway. So begin with yourself, and work your way towards inner peace before you begin to look outward. Yoga is a great way to do that. Just a few minutes of peaceful meditation and breathing exercises is all it takes to balance your internal energies and attain a state of complacency. The power of practicing yoga for peace in a group cannot be denied. This peace day, you can join one of the many ‘Global Yoga for Peace’ events being held across the globe, which involve the performance of 108 sun salutations in unison for the creation of peace.

You can also perform a simple meditation practice for peace. This involves lighting a candle and focusing on the warmth and the light emanating from it. Feel this yellow light entering in you with each inhalation. Now picture the image of a situation that you wish to change. It could be anything from a personal conflict to a global occurrence. As you exhale, feel the light from you spreading on the picture and making it vanish. As the image fades, shift focus to the golden glow in you and feel the peace taking over you as you rest in silence.

Once you are at peace with yourself, you will find it much easier to help spread peace around yourself. Start by believing that you can make a difference. A mind crippled by doubt can never do much. You then have to convert your thoughts into actions. This does not necessarily mean launching a dramatic protest or altering your appearance to gain attention. With the advent of social networking sites, blogs, and other easily accessible forms of media, it is very easy to make your voice reach out to people. If you feel strongly about any issue, do not hesitate to have your voice heard. Create the ripples, and it will not be long before you will witness the change!

One of the best initiatives that you can take is to reach out to young children in your community. After all, it is they who shape the future of our world. With the increasing amount of violence and racism on television, in the movies, and even in cartoons, most children grow up to be rebellious teenagers with unexplained intolerance. As a responsible adult, talking to children about the importance of religious tolerance, peace and conservation of resources is the least that you can do. But above all else, remember to practice what you preach. After all, as Mahatma Gandhi said, we must be the change that we wish to see in the world!