Is the song true? "Peace begins with me." Could we have some responsibility or control over the degree of peace we experience in our lives? We have all seen people that stay peaceful, no matter what discord may be going on around them. They seem to have a gentle calm that permeates the very air they walk through. We can sense their peacefulness when we are in their presence. Ghandi was such a man.
To be peaceful, we must have a consciousness of peace. To develop a consciousness of peace we must consistently focus our attention on thoughts words, and feelings of peace. Energy flows where attention goes. We have the power to choose our thoughts, we have a mind that has volition. When we focus our energy it moves into form. The Berlin wall came down surprisingly fast when we focused on peace. When the TM movement held a conference in Washington and focused on peace, the crime rate of the city dramatically decreased. These are good examples of collective consciousness at work. We all know that there is war and hate going on in the world. When we as a country focus our attention on peace, war will cease.
Let's do ourselves a favor and start focusing on the positive, the good, and the beautiful. By imagining the best that can happen, we can create the best. We always get what we believe, at some level. It is often said, "What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve."
Peace or violence, it is our choice how we decide to use our mind. It takes discipline to reprogram our negative thoughts into peaceful, positive thoughts.
Child violence has become a major topic of TV talk shows. This is a good example of the mind being programmed with violence. Children can see up to fifty acts of violence an hour on TV. Even the cartoons are displaying violence. We must stop programming our society with violence if we are to have peace. There is now a TV network available called The People's Network that assists in programming a more positive, peaceful approach to life.
It is now known that dis-ease in our thoughts affects and promotes disease in our body. Negative emotions such as anger, hate, and fear affect our body in negative ways. Thoughts of love, peace, and joy affect our body in a positive way that promotes health.
It may be important to work out unresolved issues from the past with a counselor. Releasing mental and emotional garbage from our past gives us a better opportunity for peace in the present.
Forgiveness can set us free from others' negative behavior towards us, as well as our own personal guilt. Blame has a tendency to keep us stuck in the past. I know this because I have spent a lot of time there! It has helped me and others to write out seventy times a day for seven days, "I now forgive . . . . . . completely." This practice of forgiveness usually restores peace in our life. Meditation and prayers of peace incorporated into our daily activities, affect not only ourselves but others. Let the song be true: "Peace begins with me." Let peace begin with you.
Nancy Buchanan, a counselor, is presently doing Love Relationship Workshops for Singles. Tampa Bay, Florida (813) 415-0915. (Call also for information regarding The People's Network.)