"And have you brought the wisdom
That we have near lost?
Or have you brought the peace
That we're all aching for?"
____ Mary McLaughlin, "Bring the Peace"
Peace begins at home. Many of us have peaceful intentions regarding the world at large, but what is the use of feelings of cosmic peace if our own heart is troubled and we cannot keep peace within the family or between neighbors? Conflict should be set aside as we lie down to rest, since it blocks the path to peace. (Toward the end, the self-clarification shown below can be used at the end of the day, before sleeping.) Only by the surrender of forgiveness can conflict finally and completely be resolved, however.
This surrender is hard to achieve, because it means giving up pride, boundaries, territories, rights, and many other issues that we instinctively defend. Peace does not require us to tear down natural defenses or let the other party invade our domain, but it does require us to extend hospitality of spirit. Peace will sprout only when we ourselves spill tears of release upon the hard ground of our hearts.
Meditate upon the following questions:
* Is there peace between me and my soul? my family? my neighbors? my environment? my country?
* Is there peace between my faith, and generation and those of others?
* Is there peace between my country and the world?
* Is there peace between me and Spirit?
Finally make your own blessing upon those with whom you are currently in conflict: 'May there be peace between me and __________; and may Spirit breathe peace into every breast.'
[From: The Celtic Spirit by Caitlin Matthews]
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