Pieces of Peace
Peace, music, vegan love. Zach.
May I let you in on a secret?
Actually, it’s a not a secret. You already know it, somewhere, innately, though most people have forgotten it.
You have an incredible power to change the world.
Many books have been written about the physics or spirituality behind this statement. An industry of self-help motivators has sprung up, reminding you of this fact.
The rise of apathy in recent decades seems to be from a sort of compassion fatigue. The 24-hour news media bombards us with the ills of the world. At some point, we tune out. At some point, we buy into the hopelessness and the helplessness. The problems are big, and you can’t change those big issues on your own. They are complex, and they are beyond your control.
But you have control of one thing: yourself.
And you are the most powerful part of changing the world.
By becoming aware of your own actions and reactions, you change how you live. Though this seems quite small - one person not eating meat, one person not buying sweatshop products, one person extending kindness to a stranger, or one person forgiving a long-held grievance – it is in actuality a major revolution. Each action of yours has ripples in the bigger world. Infinite ripples. Learning to live more nonviolently gives you control of your actions, and creates ripples of peace and compassion that touch countless other lives.
How can a person live nonviolently in a world of much violence? This is the revolution. By working on your own life and starting to live compassion and forgiveness, you chip away at the surrounding violence. The heart is far more powerful than the fist or even the word.
A meditation practice is an important tool. Creating time daily to stop and notice our minds and emotions is an imperative part of peacebuilding. During meditation, you build a space of non-judgment, which is vital to building compassion. When you stop judging yourself, you can open the doors of quieting judgment of others.
In meditation, you can see how many actions are reactions to others, in letting other control you. In reaching this realization, you can change your focus to reacting and acting from a place of compassion and mindfulness. These states build better solutions, and often, more creative ideas. Creativity is an aspect of mindfulness, and is inhibited when we act out of fear, anger, or past habit.
This is the first step. It is a difficult step, but quite possible, and once a person begins, a joy previously unknown sets up shop in that person’s life, and goes on to inspire others.
We are always grateful for Zach's submissions. He is a dedicated vegan, talented musician, and a powerful peace advocate.
Please vistit Zach's informational pages at: http://www.zachmusic.net/
http://buffalozef.blogspot.com/2013/02/3-steps-to-peace.html