I know you’re angry. I’m angry, too. But I believe that peace starts within us. We cannot bring to the world what we do not have to offer it ourself.
Today I want to encourage all of us to find the self-love within so that we can build a world built on a solid foundation that includes peace, compassion, and empathy.
For those of you who’ve been reading me for a while now, you know how important cultivating your own inner landscape is. It’s the first step to building a better world.
When we can act from a place of self-love, we can radiate the energetics of peace and compassion outward into the world.
The Vietnamese Zen master and peace activist Thích Nhất Hạnh said: “Peace is at every moment. Peace begins with yourself.”
Let’s take a moment and put aside the anger and the outrage, for while there is a place for those feelings, in this moment, right now, I invite you to imagine a world where people in power (police, politicians, parents…) loved themself deeply, from the inside out.
Imagine their power not as an end to proving their self-worth, but rather to their compassion and empathy for those they serve.
We can become the peace we seek. Peace starts in our own hearts and minds, not outside ourselves. We can’t control what others do or how they act, but we stand in our truth and we can set the example.
Look to Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King and others for guidance during these dark times. I know it might not feel as mighty as raising your voice in anger, but the energetics of these peaceful protests help heal ourself and the planet through harmony instead of hatred.
There are ways to stand up to this aggression other than violence, hate and anger. I sit in meditation everyday and envision the world that I want to live in. It’s a slow process, but real change is never easy.
I’m encouraged by the new generation of schools that are teaching children how to meditate and use non-violent communication. It’s taken me a lifetime to learn how to use these tools and to experience just how powerful and effective they are.
I hope you are finding the power in your self-love practice and the other non-violent tools that you have in your toolbox.
Reach out if you need to share, talk, scream, or be heard. I’m always here for you and want you to know that you are so vital, so critical, so important in our world, right now, and always.