A Note from Supervising Editor, Sherri Carter: In celebration of World Peace Day, here are some suggestions for developing and nurturing Inner Peace.
Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me are lyrics from the song Let There Be Peace, written in 1955. This song has long been a staple in churches across America and very popular during Christmas. Now, here for World Peace Day, what can we take from these lyrics to create a peaceful world? Peace begins within each of us, thenradiates out into our world. Creating peace within is nurturing a sacred internal space of peace, providing a foundation from which to stand, at all times, even when outer circumstances are less than peaceful. Peace isn’t the absence of all things, experiences or even people who aren’t peaceful. True inner peace transcends outer influences, isn’t swayed, but rather, becomes a source of strength. Here are a few suggestions on how to develop inner peace.
First, to cultivate inner peace, become emotionally attached to and give energy to this space, nurturing peace within. Develop and commit to a Peace Practice. What brings you peace? Even just spending a few minutes focused on peace and breathing supports inner peace.
Second, developing inner peace includes assessing what peace draining situations do you have in your life. It is up to you to determine just how much emotional attachment and energy you give to less than peaceful situations. In these situations, decide how you can stand in alignment with your inner peace.
Finally, some say World Peace is a dream and that it could never happen so why even try? Who knows if it could ever happen, but that doesn’t release us from our responsibility to at least bring peace to our own individual places on this planet. When we live from a foundation of peace, then it also becomes our responsibility to allow that ripple to flow. We stand for peace and move into promoting that peace out into our world through the actions we take.
While World Peace Day is observed one day each year, you can nurture your own inner peace every day. Ghandi said “be the change you wish to see in the world”. If you wish for there to be World Peace, live a life with a strong foundation for peace. Become a steward of peace within your world, for it is there, World Peace becomes possible.
