Peace...
I attend classes at the Life of Learning Foundation in Merlin, Oregon and recently the director/speaker, Guy Finley, said this:
"How will there ever be peace in this world as long as two human beings look at this world and see in this world something that conflicts with what each other believes is true about this world? There will never be peace, because I will be identified with what I see, and you will be identified with what you see, and when you and I see different things, we will fight over what we see because we are identified with what we see and believe that unless the other sees what I see and the way I see it, that person is a threat to me."
That comment struck something deep inside of me.
If you consider how many people there are living on this planet, and every single individual each having "their" own beliefs, it is no wonder why the world is the way it is. It also makes sense why we tend to gather with people who agree or come close to agreeing with our own identified beliefs. Why is that? Because I'm trying to maintain a certain sense of peace in my life, and the idea of being triggered by "you" isn't on that menu. When we are on the same side of things (or close to it), I believe it minimizes that triggering and therefore I feel more peaceful.
The unfortunate misunderstanding is the belief that I am keeping myself safe by surrounding myself with less-triggering individuals.
First of all, "playing it safe" isn't playing it safe at all like we believe it is. When there is avoidance of anyone or anything, that very avoidance isn't a gateway to peace, but is actually a continuation of conflict in us and in the world.
It was always intended that we be triggered by others. That's how the universe is set up for our continued revelation of self. We can't trigger hidden parts in ourselves by ourselves, and so we need others to be that triggering mechanism.
It's one beautiful dance, but in order to see it as that beautiful dance, we have to become aware of the misunderstanding that people are to blame for what negatives states arise in us, because the misconception taints and harms everything.
What if we were to understand that this dance of life is perfectly orchestrated and needs nothing but our willingness to observe ourselves when an unwanted event takes place. This dance doesn't need "our" beliefs or opinions impressed upon it. The dance simply needs to be witnessed by the audience (you and I) and allowed to play itself out.
If one really considers this idea, can you see how we would naturally enter into a state of peace by allowing the dance of life to simply be?
We've all heard the familiar lyric from the song "Let There Be Peace on Earth", which goes like this: "Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now."
Between husband and wife, let this be the moment now. Between parent and child, let this be the moment now. Between co-workers, let this be the moment now. Between every single human being you encounter, let this be the moment now.
Let this be the moment where we share in an understanding that we all are part of this dance of life and no matter how different our opinions and beliefs may be, inserting them into the moment is an absolute waste of energy and adds only conflict to this consciousness.
....and think of how quiet the world might become if we all closed our mouths instead of adding our opinions and beliefs.
Sounds like it might be pretty peaceful.
Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash
