“Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me."
Those words from Jill Jackson’s Peace Song contain what is needed to attain peace in our communities and planet. As we look at our external world and see local and global conflict and the wars and rumors of war, it's easy to conclude that peace on earth is an airy-fairy pipe dream beyond human attainment. Yet, upon close examination, we discover that the lack of peace we see in our world reflects our collective beliefs. What manifests in the world is the byproduct of our consciousness. If we are to have the peace that our souls long for and desire, we must each look in the mirror and begin with ourselves.
We may believe that our consciousness is not connected to and has no bearing on the lack of peace on the planet. Yet, a principle says, “as within, so without." To manifest change in outer experiences, it must start with our consciousness. The change requires our thoughts, words, and actions to align with the qualities of peace.
When enough of us radiate the energy and vibration of peace, there will be a correspondent demonstration of peace in the external world because we are the peace that we want to see. We will weave ourselves into and be an integral part of our community organizations, schools, and governments and be the leaders and beacons of peace locally and globally.
It all begins with self-examination. We ask moment by moment: “Am I in any way harboring thoughts of hate or resentment or belief in separation?" If so, we must recognize that we are contributing to an energy and consciousness blocking the flow of peace in the world.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us that change, including lasting peace, will not come on the wheels of inevitability. Rather, peace must be a constant moment-by-moment choice. It must be intentional. If there is to be peace on earth, then we must individually and collectively choose peace even when faced with its seeming opposite.
It comes down to what we practice. Regardless of our philosophical theology, our actual theology is what we do. So, we ask, "What do we do when faced with revenge? Or hate? Or the need to forgive?" If we have the lofty belief that one day we'll forgive, then our theology is based on this one indeterminate day when we will forgive. One day, we'll love. One day in the future, we'll practice what we say we believe. That is not an empowering theology; it is a delay tactic of the unspiritualized ego that keeps us inundated with the prevailing thoughts of the day and adds to the violent consciousness of the group soul.
For there to be peace, we must become peacemakers. A peacemaker does not see a world of separation where there is an “us versus them” mentality. A peacemaker no longer sees from the limited perception of my family, my tribe, my country, or right or wrong. Instead, a peacemaker realizes that there is only one life and that life is the life of God. All of humanity emanates from that one life.
Our world is hungering for peacemakers. It's longing for us to become lights and instruments of the divine on earth and carry the consciousness of peace everywhere we go. When we are the peacemakers we are born to be, we begin to exude peace whenever we walk into any environment because the essence of who we are is proclaiming: "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”
Peace and Blessings,
James