PEACE AND HARMONY
Peace is a condition of mind brought about by a serenity of soul.
Peace is not simply the absence of war.
it is also a state of mind.
Lasting peace can only come to peaceful people.
“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me”
At Oakbrook Center for Spiritual Living we often close our Sunday morning service by singing “Let There Be Peace on earth and let it begin with me”. I know from my travels that this is a song that is sung in many Unity and Centers for Spiritual Living Churches from coast to coast. Most often we form a circle, holding hands and sing with great gusto.
I often look into the faces in the circle searching for connection, looking for the eyes that say, YES, I AM committed to PEACE ON EARTH! Yes I know that I AM “THE WAY TO PEACE ON EARTH!
You see I truly believe with Gandhi that “if it is to be it is up to me”. I know that If I am to be true to this cause I need ongoing support and hands to hold and minds to explore. I believe we must all ask ourselves continually “Do I choose to be at peace or do I NEED to be right!!”
When we need to be right we will keep any argument, upset, or war going for as long as needed to bring the other to their knees; it’s a game of chicken, who will give in first! It’s a game that we must give up if we choose to live in a peaceful world.
First concept to grasp here is – war does not bring peace – killing does not stop killing – hate does not soothe a grieving soul.
I began to find my personal peace through the deaths of my children and grandchildren; not an easy lesson but certainly a lesson not to be ignored.
My son, at the age of 22, broke his back in an accident and was paralyzed from the waist down. When he was 32 he was killed by his best friend who shot him 5 times at close range. When he was asked why he said “I just got tired of listening to the S.O.B.”
As I see it I had several choices: {1} I could hate the perpetrators involved and I could give years and years and tremendous energy to hating and seeking revenge. I could literally destroy my life and become a sick and angry woman. {2} I could bless them and be at peace knowing that all is in DIVINE ORDER.
My daughter, at the age of 54, was killed by her live-in lover who manipulated and stole thousands of dollars leaving my 17-year-old grandson a penniless orphan.
My beautiful 24-year-old granddaughter, Tasha, died from heroin and alcohol.
My options were the same as above, hate and revenge, or peace.
I truthfully could not hate the persons involved in the deaths if I was to stay true to my belief that death only comes to us when we are ready. This is a belief that became real for me when I experienced my own death and was clearly informed of my option to stay out of body or return to the body. Either way there was no actual death; only the absence of a body.
The master teacher Jesus said, “Do not resist one who is evil. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek turn to him the other also...” {Mt.5;38,39}. Jesus’ ideal was the power of transcendence. We may not be able to change the outer situation but we can always rise above it by turning to a higher level of consciousness.
A higher level of consciousness for me was to realize that Skip and Tanya were not happy in their bodies and were ready to exit this earthly plane and they found the person who would help them with their exit plan.
If we as a nation are going to thrive and grow, the time has come for us to join together and find a way to live together in peace. As you well know simply telling other nations to stop building nuclear weapons as we continue to build more WILL NOT WORK!
What will work? Each and everyone of us finding our own peace, stopping our own internal war, realizing that we are the one who can make a difference. You and I working together, supporting one another in love. I don’t know all the answers, but I do know that what we are doing now is not working.
I personally feel that if it is going to happen women must step up to the plate and take the lead. Men do not know the way.
I encourage you to go into your heart and see what you need to do to find your peace. Together we can make a difference.
Namaste’
Yoga Yaya
