Spreading Peace in a Violent World

Is it just me, or does violence seem to be growing? The savage behavior displayed in Charlottesville, Virginia unnerved me. That human beings could treat other human beings so callously is disturbing. I watched the evening news as people committed violence against others in order to forward their own personal beliefs. I wondered… what can I do? Violence is happening everywhere, all over the world. The list of terror attacks just during the month of August 2017 is appalling. What can any of us do?  

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Nonviolence is an active force of the highest order.” 

I believe those words with all my heart. I also believe something else Mr. Gandhi said: “Outward peace is useless without inner peace.”

I strive for inner peace. I meditate. I pray daily for my own inner peace and for the inner peace of those I love, and for the inner peace of all people around the world. I want to live in a world filled with Love and Light and Peace. I don’t know how else gain and maintain peace for myself and for everyone I come into contact with except to walk a path of peace. Gandhi said, “There is no path to peace. Peace is the path.”

I intend to walk this path as best I can and I urge you to do the same. If the old adage, “violence begets violence,” is true (and I believe it is), then let’s create a new and better adage to live by: PEACE BEGETS PEACE.

If you pray, pray every day for a peaceful world. If you meditate, take a few moments of your meditation time to send out a loving message to the world. If you’re not a person who prays, I urge you to simply sit quietly for a bit each day, focus on your heart, fill yourself up with a feeling of love, and imagine that love beaming out of your chest as pure white light. It might sound hokey, but please give it a try. You might find that you like the idea of becoming a Warrior of Peace.

What other ways could we work toward world peace? Leave your comments below.

Here are some other Gandhi quotes I love. Feel free to copy and paste them on your blog or social networks. The quotes in this post and the words for peace used below come from Gandhi International Institute for Peace.







The word for “Peace” in different languages:

Salaam – Arabic/Iranian
 

Heping –Chinese, Mandarin
 

Kapayapaan - Filipino
 

Paix - French
 

Friede - German
 

Irini - Greek
 

Maluhia - Hawaiian
 

Shalom - Hebrew
 

Shanti - Indian
 

Pace - Italian
 

Heiwa - Japanese
 

Pyonghwa - Korean
 

Pax - Latin
 

Mari Rangi Maria – Maori
 

Meleilei – Micronesia, Pohnpei
 

Mir - Russian
 

La Paz - Spanish
 

Amani - Swahili
 

Shite - Tibetan
 

Thanh Binh – Vietnamese

If you’re like me—disturbed by the violence in this world—go out and spread peace and love. Every day and in every way.




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