International Day of Peace 2024
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace
There are many magnificent words spoken about peace as the search for world peace continues from time immemorial.
“If peace in our world is to truly come into being, then it’s up to us, we who inhabit this earth, to look at ways to make it happen.” Could those words of Jimi Hendrix provide an important, yet simple call to action? For Love, used to its fullness, could – and should make all the difference.
Let’s pause and pay attention? Let’s consider that maybe our human gift of ‘awareness’ is in need of review? Because if we’re truly aware of our self, our life and the world around us, we will recognise that capital L love is deeply at the heart of peace.
Teach love is essentially the message of all the great spiritual leaders throughout history
Love, in the broadest sense of the word, means respect and care for our self and for others and for the magnificent world we inhabit.
Yet everyday human awareness seems somewhat lost to us! The absence of world peace remains. Very likely the power of Love in its fullest expression has also become lost in our everyday experience of living?
Surely the power of love is made up of simple values such as courtesy and respect along with similar loving reactions that help to build peaceful communities? A small example springs to mind … in this busy 21st C, sharing a common footpath invariably means stepping aside from others as others push through crowded streets without regard to courtesy or even the concept of order.
Then add to that the unloving level of violence on our roads. One of the most pleasant moments in any driving day, is the friendly wave exchange when two drivers kindly give way to each other in traffic congestion. Yet, angry words, coarse language, gestures, bullying and aggressive driving, blaring ‘music’, or speeding out of control are not uncommon occurrences. Small incidents maybe? But a clear demonstration of an absence of respect or love or peace.
A peaceful world would surely be a happier world … our most important human ambition?
As violence creates violence, similarly, peace creates peace. If we want a peaceful world, maybe those small examples of awareness leading to courtesy and care are the key to change? And to lean again on Hendrix words, our leaders too, could take steps to ensure that their actions demonstrate the power of love rather than the love of power. Small steps now may lead to bigger steps later and, little by little, on to addressing, peacefully, the far bigger issues.
Peace is also damaged when fear becomes dominant
As human beings we are constantly ‘juggling’ both positive and negative thinking. Negativity is the product of fear. Negative thinking has the potential to destroy peace within our-self and therefore, within the wider world. The power of fear can make us defensive. It raises nervous tension, suffocates awareness and may lead to wrong judgments as well further negative emotions … frustration … anger … prejudice … envy … injustice … and more …
The practice of meditation, a practice of self-love can assist positive change. Meditation offers calm, rest, awareness, inner strength and many other benefits.
At this practice we offer stillness meditation as one powerful way to correct negative impulses and develop and maintain personal peace and ultimately, contentment.
Life must be constantly worked upon to better ourselves, to discover Love in its fullness and to cultivate personal peace with the aim of greater peace for the future of our world!
