Be the Peace you Are

Yesterday the following two quotes crossed my desk.

“Every day we do things, we are things that have to do with peace. If we are aware of our life.. our way of looking at things, we will know how to make peace right in the moment, we are alive.” - Thich Nhat Hahn.

“Some people think it's a miracle to walk on water. I think it is a miracle to walk on the earth in peace.” - Thich Nhat Hahn.

It truly is a miracle to walk in peace. At least when we compare the way we typically live our lives to one of “walking in peace”, it can seem like a miracle.

The truth is walking in peace is our natural state. I feel a huge part of our life purpose is to overcome the illusions of this world, and return to this natural state. It’s actually all about choice.

A peace filled life does not appear to be within our power because we allow our lives to be run by the autonomic programming, which we have developed throughout our lives.

In the first quote above it is important to notice that peace is contingent upon our being aware of our lives; of being aware of our way of looking at things. This is why self-awareness is so crucial. This is the reason self honesty is absolutely essential.

Peace is not possible to the person who is unaware. Awareness of who you are, what motivates you, how you react in certain situations, and who you want to be is necessary to live a life in peace.

Today, in as much as possible, dedicate yourself to observing you. Don’t judge. Just observe. How do you react to life? Is this a thoughtful reaction or an automatic one? This is where your power lies.

The more you understand about who you are, and who you wish to be, the easier it becomes for you to make the choices consistent with living a life filled with peace.