The Way of the Peaceholder

“peace is to be cradled before it can be given

 forging passage through the wild

 it fuels the soul for the journey”

     Living from a consciousness of peace may seem highly transcendent and admirable as we evolve as a collective. But in reality it can be one of the most humbling (and therefore difficult) states for many to maintain. Challenging social norms and prizing cooperation above competition, “holding the peace” can feel like an uncharted path through the wildwood of cultural and tribal expectation. Though it is a solid and rewarding way to travel, it can be tended and navigated by internal means only. 

   
    As we strive to bring more stability to our world, it’s good to remember that cultivating and holding peace is not the same as “keeping the peace”. It does not mean that we stand idly by while injustice is taking place towards ourselves or others. To the contrary, it can help us resolve conflict more efficiently as well as strengthen our ability to handle tragedy on a larger scale, by our knowing how to keep calm and make wise choices in moments of crisis. In doing so we acknowledge that we have no control over the dissonance of the world’s many vibrations, but we can still resonate, one by one, to the power of peace that hums beneath the chaos. Peace can be held in our own lives by being honest with ourselves, nurturing moments of inner silence and taking time for activities that bring us a sense of well-being and contentment. In the respite we experience, our reserve is replenished so that it can be shared with others when we emerge. 

Whether your path of action is teaching, parenting, activism, art, science, healing, counseling, service, charity, finances or entrepreneurism (etc.)…  if you wish to bring the power of peace to your area of focus, it is helpful to maintain awareness of the quality of your internal energy as you go through the motions of your work. This is where true reality resides. This is where the peace is held. Do you feel scrambled by the stresses and emergencies you encounter? Or are you a calm oasis in which such chaotic energy can be filtered and healed? By choosing to generate peace from the anxieties that inevitably flow to us, we bring forth comfort from within rather than allowing that negative charge to shoot through us into others. We make better choices from a place of understanding and not of defense as we allow solace to shine through the shadows of an uncertain world - and in the meantime, we reap the constant benefits of the peace that radiates out from our center.

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