Shaping Peace Together

Each year, the United Nations International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace through observing 24 hours of non-violence and ceasefire.  (https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-peace)

The Hamblin Trust is keen to play its part in helping to develop a more peaceful and loving world and, to that end, usually holds a special Peace Day event each year to support the UN initiative.

In previous years we have hosted a physical event at our Centre in Bosham and have been blessed by inspiring talks and demonstrations from some of the teachers and practitioners who take classes, or offer talks and complementary therapies at the Centre.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the present social distancing requirements, we decided to host an online event this year. All the talks and presentations are pre-recorded and a link to them will be placed on our website under Online Resources (https://hamblincentre.org.uk/audio-and-video-meditations) so that you can enjoy them again should you wish, or at a later date if you were unable to join us for the evening session on the 21st September.

This event would not have been possible without the willing assistance of our speakers who are supporting this event with their various contributions covering a wide range of inspiring talks and activities. Much love, many blessings and very grateful thanks to all of them. 

Their contributions include a series of peace-related talks, music, and meditations intended to focus our hearts and minds on the subject of peace, both for us individually and for the planet as a whole and, although a very new venture for us, we hope that you will enjoy the rich selection of contributions that are available on our Online Resources page.

On the United Nations website, we find the following words:  “In these difficult times of physical distancing, this International Day of Peace will be dedicated to fostering dialogue and collecting ideas. The world will be invited to unite and share thoughts on how to weather this storm, heal our planet and change it for the better. Even though we may not be able to stand next to each other, we can still dream together.”

And the theme for this year’s Day of Peace is “Shaping Peace Together”.

At this point, it might be helpful to clarify what we mean by the word ‘peace’ for, although the temporary cessation of hostilities was the original purpose when the International Day of Peace was first established, peace is not just the absence of war or armed conflict.    

There are many countries where there is no war or armed conflict, but there is repressive treatment and much suffering imposed on certain individuals or groups of individuals. It is therefore not likely that they would consider themselves to be at peace. 

So do we mean freedom to live as we want? That sounds more like peace but what if what you want to do has a negative impact on the lives of others – would they call that ‘peace’?

So, much as we might consider peace as a desirable outcome, I suggest we should be clear what it is we are seeking because thought is powerful and group thought manifests what it most desires. And if what you are seeking is the absence of war, you might just be tempted to accept that an external agency that could enforce peace through power is a price worth paying.

Or, if what you are seeking is to live your life as you wish, you might just be tempted to accept that those who are negatively impacted by your behaviour are less important than you and your impact on them is therefore OK.

So what is it that we should be looking for in terms of ‘peace’? From the foregoing comments, we can identify some aspects, as follows:

1.      It is not just the absence of war or armed conflict, although that is part of it

2.      It is not just freedom from repression and suffering, although that, too, is part of it

3.      It is also the ability to live your life as you wish, subject to the ability of others to live their lives as they wish

So what DO we mean by the word peace?

Sri Chinmoy said: “Peace does not mean the absence of war, peace means the presence of harmony, love, satisfaction and oneness. Peace also means a flood of love in the world family”

Mystics and spiritual activists work on the subtle energy planes, using visualised images to achieve positive outcomes or, if not visually orientated, emotionalised or vocalised aspirations. But it is difficult to visualise something not happening as it tends to give energy to the very thing you are seeking to avoid. So it is important to use an image of the opposite, a positive outcome. 

So, here’s a challenge for you: how would you visualise the absence of war or armed conflict, freedom from repression and suffering, and everybody living the lives they want to live?

Eileen Caddy provides one example in her book, Opening Doors Within: "Hold the vision of vast cities of light springing up all over the world where peace and love reign supreme.”

Light Workers may say ‘surround people, planet or situations with light’, spiritual activists may say ‘share love and blessings’, religious people may say, ‘pray to God for the right outcomes’.

And all of those approaches will work, if they come from the heart in attunement with the highest spiritual energy we can conceive, whatever name we may use to describe it. 

But I suggest that there is more to consider here. Each of us is a member of, and contributes to, a planetary consciousness that is affected by the combined thoughts and aspirations of all of us. So each of us has a responsibility to be clear about our aspirations and to use our thoughts positively because we are co-creators with God.      

This reminds me of a lovely expression I came across some years ago in the book What God Wants by Neale Donald Walsch: the word FATE can be used as an acronym for the words, ‘From All Thoughts Everywhere’

So, all our thoughts everywhere need to be clear and positive.

And, in order to help each of us to continually project clear and positive thoughts, I suggest we need to focus on the following:

•   A world in which all people love and care for each other, whatever their differences

•   An enlightened humanity loving and caring for our planet and all the kingdoms of nature

• A world in which rights are respected and responsibilities accepted

In his book, His Wisdom Guiding, HT Hamblin wrote: “….we cannot transmit God’s inward peace to others if we do not possess it ourselves. So our duty must always be to be so filled with God’s peace that others become conscious of it.”

Peace is not something we should strive for, of course, it is a state in which we should BE. Am I suggesting that we should selfishly focus on our own peace and forget about others? Well, yes - and no.

It is sensible to focus our energies on those areas that we can influence and change most effectively and that area is naturally ourselves. Yes, we can meditate and pray for world peace, join activist movements, or support relevant political or non-governmental organisations, but real change can only come from within individuals.  

True peace cannot be achieved by force. It is true that a succession of dictators have achieved periods of enforced stability but usually at the cost of various minority groups or unpleasant repressive practices. This is not ‘peace’, this is subjugation.

As Sri Chinmoy states on his website:

Do not try to change the world

You will fail

Try to love the world

Lo, the world is changed, changed forever

True peace is a state of harmony in which people co-exist in a loving and caring environment, where all accept the need for compromise to ensure rights are balanced by responsibilities, whether as individuals, groups or nations.

Once a sufficient number of people understand, adopt and habitualise this way of thinking and living, the planetary consciousness will reach a tipping point and it will lead to a transformation of truly global proportions.

So, by focusing on our own understanding of peace, we are automatically contributing to the welfare of both other individuals and our beautiful planet.

I would not discourage anyone from striving for change in the world, on the contrary, anything that reinforces the message both from within and from wider society that change is needed can only add to that global tipping point when there are more people sufficiently concerned about the state of our world and prepared to change and to act, than there are those who are still restricted by blinkered and historic beliefs.

As Eileen Caddy said in Opening Doors Within: "When a stone is thrown into the centre of a pond, the ripples go out and out; but they start from that stone; they start from that centre. Start with yourself; then you can radiate peace, love, harmony and understanding out to all souls around you".

So, on this special day for Peace, let us work together to achieve positive change by joining with the forces of light in group meditation and attunement to help transform our world and manifest a new golden era of love and harmony. As well as our own initiative, there are many groups and organisations planning events over this period so I would encourage you to join with us or one of the others, whatever touches your heart and resonates with you, so that our group aspiration can help power the force of positive change in the world at this time. 

A final Eileen Caddy quote for you from her book Opening Doors Within: "Realise that what is taking place within the individual goes out into the world and is reflected in the world situation. That is why peace of heart and mind is so essential within you, and why harmony, understanding and deep love should flow between you and all others".