World peace comes from inner peace

Gone Fishing by Mu Shemsu-t

There is an aspect of my morning ritual that I often challenge, but never give up.
That is, walking a half mile to the neighborhood Starbuck’s for my only cup of
coffee for the day. I have ventured to other café’s in this community, but they
just don’t get it right. As I begin this familiar daily stroll, I quickly notice that my
attitude is relaxed and surrendered. You know the vibe, like when someone
brushes up against you, and you don’t flinch. Or, when the counter person is
short tempered and hurried, and you just smile, wait your turn as you tune into
the entire environment? Well, this is how my morning went today. It isn’t always
this smooth, yet today it was.

For a moment I didn’t recognize the inner peace that was flowing through me.
After all, I am still recovering from a recent breakup with a man that I adore, the
world is at war with a made up enemy, my pockets are on the down low and I
drank my only Corona last night. Amazed to see myself so relaxed, centered and
serene, I curiously look at my private thoughts over the past 24 hours. After
close observation and review I realize that I had chosen to stand in a different
place about my life. Being a person with Biblical knowledge I know and have
experienced to a large degree what it means to “be in the world, but not of it.”
However, this was always an outward stance, not a deep centered appreciation
that I am experiencing in this moment. Let me say a little more about this.

Just so you know my intent is that once you complete the reading of this article,
you will experience a sense of peace and freedom that will support the nurturing
and healing nature of real world disciples. When I speak of “disciple” I am
relating to the way in which a person studies to shed light; similar to the
relationship Jesus created with his Disciples. Buddha, Krishnamurti and
Mohammed had disciples as well. (However, this is not to be confused with
evangelist, preachers and the prophets—that is another conversation we can
have in my living room at some point.) Anyway, when we reach a certain place
in our consciousness, we can begin to view life from a totally different
perspective. A perspective that is inclusive and not limited to our own standards
and measures. It is my experience that attachment to things, view points, and
conditions become less of a concern. What remains is truly the knowing of being
“Spirit” and living to have a human experience that expands the capacity to love
and be loved in return.

Wait, wait, I have gotten way ahead of myself. There is a war going on! I can
hear the radio in the background telling us how many Iraqi’s we have killed
during the last battle (we are actually boasting that we killed 750 Iraqi Soldiers
but so far U.S. casualties are limited to fewer than 50). It’s quite interesting that
we have condensed our thinking to believe that God separates prayer- how it’s
heard and answered- based on who we determine as our enemies. For instance,
do we actually think that prayers in the Middle East are any less effective than
George Bush’s?

The same is true regarding our own limitations on who we determine to be our
“enemies”. We pray to God to bless our families and yet we hate white people,
black people, yellow people Jewish people, Arabs, skinny people, fat people,
on and on. How amazing that in this day and age we have not learned to reach
beyond our own self-centered ways of relating to one another. We sacrifice our
young men and women in the name of freedom, when owning oil fields have
nothing to do with being free. Freedom cannot be given to anyone, nor taken
away. Many of us in the United States are not living lives of freedom; we are
slaves to our jobs, our money, our things, our status, our positions, our
relationships, etc. The real war is a spiritual war and yet we live as though it’s all
about the Benjamin’s (Why is he on the money anyway – he was never a
President?) (If you would like to understand more about why we have wars, I
suggest you read, The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the
Federal Reserve by G. Edward Griffin)

Just suppose we can all live in a state of understanding and appreciation believing
that life will all turn out in the end? Would you be willing to give up the struggle?
Would you be willing to seek a means to become disciplined in the Art of
Peace? The truth is, many of us create drama to feel alive and powerful. We
seldom notice that it robs us of our youthfulness, our vitality and our relationships
with others. We are so committed to proving something, that we give up living
and enjoying life as a gift.

I’ve gone fishing today -- letting go of my own insanity and trusting the entire
process to the Universe, to Divine Order, to God. When we become
comfortable in our relationship to life and death, we can actually realize that we
are always safe. Death is not the hardest part to reconcile; try creating a life that
you love. Take on doing something that you want to do regardless of what
others say or how much support you have. Attempt to look at your complaints
as a means of what you are up to and where you would like to be, and then
make the changes. I actually laughed when I completed this sentence. I have a
friend who challenges my life changes all the time. Sometimes I will tell him about
a far fetched project that I am up to and after he listens intently, he smiles and
then looks me straight in the eye and says, “I dare you.” The best part is that he
then lines himself up to support my efforts so that I fulfill on his dare and my
adventure. (If you are interested in understanding the benefits of letting go, I
suggest you read, Grow Younger, Live Longer by Deepak Chopra).

So. I say to you, “I dare you.” I dare you to use this “so called” chaotic time as
an opportunity to become really disciplined in your spiritual walk. I dare you to
take on knowing God from a totally different perspective. I dare you to create
the gaps and see how much you really trust your faith walk. Do you gossip or do
you pray? Do you destroy or do you create?

Do you complain or do you meditate? Do you report or do you visualize? What
peace are you bringing into your relationships, your workplace, your home, and
your communities? How often do you eradicate and challenge your fears? I dare
you!

Silent Spiritual Warriors can do more to create a world of peace than all the
protestors could ever do. Protesting is about resistance; and what you resist
creates more of it. Therefore, our acceptance of what is taking place in our life
and in our world is the first level of being available to create, transform or heal.
Silent Spiritual Warriors use the tools of prayer, meditation, affirmations, silence,
and teaching to make a difference. The ironic view about all of this is that healing
has to take place in our own hearts before we can raise the level of love in
another. (If you are interested in intensifying your spiritual work, I recommend
you read Patiently Waiting for Nothing by Mu Shemsu-t).

This is an invitation for you to join me in my fishing venture. Would you
like to join me…here’s how:

(1) Practice your spiritual walk as a Silent Warrior.
(2) Join or create a prayer circle.
(3) Visualize peace
(4) Stop complaining and gossiping to or with others
(5) Write down and review regularly what you would like to see accomplished in
your life over the next 6 months.
(6) Find a new friend and share your new life vision.
(7) Meditate knowing that God is.

Remember, this is not George Bush’s world; our government need our prayers
also. When you think about it, didn’t you have fun playing war games when you
were children? Well, maybe some of us are still refusing to grow up and truly
value the soul of humanity.

I’ve gone fishing today and I am now tossing you the bait. See if you can catch...
PEACE.

Gone Fishing by Mu Shemsu-t ©January 2008 5