Pauses for peace

So many beautiful souls are quietly sharing with me that they feel tired, disconnected, unfocused, etc. It takes more energy to stay stable in a worked-up world, but it is doable. Peace is possible amidst the chaos.

Staying rooted in love, connected to the Divine, and committed to kindness will be our saving grace. The more of us who shine the light of our love on the world, the more we mitigate what might come. More than ever, stopping the “wars within,” as the angels call our own tensions and criticisms, is important.

I spent last weekend sitting for two days in the presence of a Hindu saint, Amma Karunamayi, who visits the area at least once a year. You sit in a hall with hundreds of people patiently awaiting your blessing, and as you stand before Amma, an incarnation of the Divine Mother, you feel a love so profound it is humbling. It reminds you of who you really are. It makes you want to love more, be more, and do more for the world, and it helps you with your life’s challenges.

In India, people wait for days to see her for a few seconds. Here, we get to sit and meditate in her presence for hours. The evening culminated with a ceremony and a blessed meal.

On Sunday, there was a powerful fire ceremony for the protection of all beings. I don’t know the meanings of the mantras we sang, but I could feel their energy. I don’t know the significance of all the prayers or the detailed offerings—herbs, spices, flowers, fruits, and honey—but the power emanating from them, and the love behind them, was unmistakable.

Before such ceremonies, even the smallest task becomes holy. The most humble items become offerings to God.

After the ceremony, when most had left, and the fire pit still burned, smelling of sweetness and smoke. I went to meditate and pray in front of it. As my heart cried out for more love in the world, a sweetness overcame me with such powerful presence and peace that it brought me to tears once again. The appearance was humble but the energy was grand.

Your prayers, no matter how humble, are powerful too. Any small act done with love is an act of devotion and a commitment to peace.

Being in such a presence makes you deeply aware of the heart’s desire to love and love more. It renders former conflicts insignificant. It builds compassion. Love begets more love.

I prayed for all of you—that you find peace, happiness, health, and protection in this wild world. I prayed equally for victims of war and those who wage it, because the spiritual solution to all problems is love.

We may not be able to stop the larger conflicts, but we can stop engaging in the smaller ones in our own lives.

Amma said this isn’t even a year to pray for peace, but rather for protection. She wouldn’t speak of what is on the path, but reminded us that our strength lies in our love and our connection to the Divine.

Like the calm center of a hurricane, we can remain centered and serene while the chaos swirls around us.

The week before the war broke out, I was returning home after retrieving the mail. I stopped under the large mesquite tree in my front yard. I often walk past her without taking the time to appreciate her beautiful canopy.  A decade ago, her predecessor was toppled in a freak storm that ripped it up by the roots and threw her inches from my neighbor’s house.  This “little girl” has grown into a fullness all her own. Peace emanated from her. She exhaled oxygen that I inhaled deeply. A profound peace and stillness overcame me.  Without knowing why, I shut my eyes and emanated it outward.

We think these moments are small, but we’ll never get to see the ripple effects of our choices until we’re on the other side. There, every moment appears significant—packed with rich opportunities to spread love, kindness, and peace or to repress love.

Now more than ever, it is important to share peace and loving kindness while refraining from the wars within.

Here are a few gentle reminders to calm the wars within:

1.  Stop attacking yourself

When you catch yourself being self-critical, shift it. Say to yourself:

I am a being sourced from Divine love.
I am nothing less.
No matter what I’ve said, felt, or done, love is my essence.
I’m doing the best I can.

Then give yourself a hug and a heaping dose of compassion.

2. Stop attacking others

When you catch yourself in the act of belittling anyone or anything, pause. It isn’t worth it. Refocus. Find something, anything, to love or appreciate, and the shift will come quickly.

When I have a reaction to someone or something, I remind myself, “It isn’t worth getting worked up about this.” Then I look for anything to be grateful for. Quickly, compassion returns. The desire to pray for all feels natural once again.

Every time we turn away from criticism, we support the vibration of peace in the world.

3. Pass the peace, please

When you feel anxious, breathe slowly and deeply. Rest. Take care of yourself. Move a little more gently. Speak more calmly. Share a little more love.

We used to sing a song in church, based on the prayer of St. Frances

“Make me a channel of Your peace…”

It feels appropriate even today.

I’m doing way more “maintenance” than usual—praying, singing mantras for peace and protection for all, and focusing every day, in every way I can, on all that is beautiful in life.  We wake up in a pool of cosmic consciousness, but quickly, by choosing a kind focus, we can recalibrate to our own beautiful harmony.

There may not be peace on earth now, but we can hold the peace in our own lives as strongly as possible, mitigating what might otherwise come, and certainly putting the light of love around our own lives and loved ones.