The Irony of Peace
Some thoughts on inner peace…
A few weeks ago I was invited by a dear friend to a virtual gathering in celebration of the International Day of Peace. As I let the teachings pour into me, immersed in the peaceful energy that comes when a group of people practice fully seeing and honoring each other, present and embodied together (it’s amazing how this energy can be felt virtually), I felt the need to take it all in. The leaders reminded me of the importance of listening with my whole Being. So this is what I practiced.
The question was posed, what does peace mean to you? Here is what came to me:
I used to be confused about peace, like it was this cozy, tranquil feeling inside that I could retreat to whenever life got hard. And I still do retreat to this place, which can have one of two effects: It can recharge me and make me more resilient, or it can cause me to become complicit, comfy in my privilege without urgency to take action. Only I know which territory I am swimming in and it requires getting really (uncomfortably) honest with myself.
If we’re not careful, finding peace within ourselves can be divisive because it can create the illusion that we don’t need each other. When in reality we all know that we do need each other. We need each other to solve the challenges that we collectively face. Challenges with repercussions that have not yet disturbed the peace of some, but crush others.
The irony with peace is that outer peace requires a disturbance of inner peace: To bolster the peace of many, I must be willing to sit in my discomfort, to acknowledge the cushion of privilege and feel the hard truth that I haven’t always been a good person despite having peaceful intentions.
So yes, we must find this cozy, tranquil place within ourselves, but we must not stay here too long. We must let this be the fuel that powers us through the uncomfortable moments that come when we challenge ourselves to unlearn our programming and become our authentic selves; the fuel that powers us to fight for the protection and peace of our human family, our collective lungs, our home.
Thanks for Being,
About Allie Andrews
Allie helps busy people prioritize their self-care, slow down and create space so they can hear their inner knowing. Her teaching and coaching primarily focuses on ritualizing self-care and Being through the lens of yoga, mindfulness, embodiment and spirituality. Learn more about Allie.