[24 days ’till Daily Peace]
At the Teachers 4 Social Justice conference a couple of years ago, I began presenting ideas about how to use peace in the classroom. Not peace as in ‘peace and quiet,’ but peace as a tool for accelerating change and supporting each other in purposeful ways. My session was titled, “Creating a Culture of Peace in the Classroom and Beyond.“
Most of the nearly 50 educators that came to my session worked with extremely stressed out kids. Violence at the schools, violence in the neighborhoods, societal violence against the communities. They were looking for some ideas and hope.
What I learned is that of the 50, some believed that they would find peace within themselves. But no one believed they would see peace in their communities or in the world. Period.
This pointed to two things in my imagination. One, we must change the story about what is possible on a very deep level and two, we must understand the true nature of peace.
Of course these are inherently tied to one another. When we begin to understand the true nature of peace, our stories and how we approach things naturally change.
To begin…
What is peace? Is it something outside of ourselves? Is it something we must modify ourselves to attain?
Explaining peace is a lot like explaining love. Highly individual, often well beyond words and into a realm that is at once physical, emotional and something altogether unknown and exceptional.
Fortunately there is one very true thing that I have learned about peace that I can put into words and it makes all the difference.
Peace begins within. Perhaps not in the way you think.
The almost unbearably beautiful thing I learned about peace is that at my core, beyond everything small and petty, I AM PEACE. It is not something OUTSIDE OF ME. It never was. It never is and it never will be. It is not something I have to strive for or sacrifice to gain. I am peace. It is the eternal aspect of my core being. When I fully relax into my full self, it is not that I am peaceful or I am at peace. My BEing is peace.
What the educators were teaching me is that many of us, possibly most of us as a society, believe that outside peace is something different, unconnected to inside peace. Outside peace is something to fight for and in the face of this seemingly endless struggle the best we can do is strive to find peace within ourselves in order to cope with an unjust and chaotic world.
I’m suggesting that we switch up the perspective and begin to see the true nature of our core being as peace.
Just that.
I could go on and on about what this does and how it affects different areas of your life and how it’s structurally sound, but honestly I just want to keep my mouth shut about that part for now.
I have learned to trust. Each step will unfold as naturally as a flower. If you’re willing to play with this shift in perspective things will start moving.
Do know that while it is about letting go it is not passive. Peace is the embodiment of action. In fact the more you let go into peace often the more active you become.
But, just for now.
I am peace.
Just This.
I am peace.
The revolution is a flower opening up to the possibility of sky. Be the revolution.
Learn more about:
Believing is Seeing: Daily Journal of Transformation
31 days of life-altering, soul-quenching peace in an invigorating online course that challenges you to commit to your own personal peace revolution and take action to manifest the life you want. You’ll use the book & journal I See Peace as a framework and guide to transform your everyday habits and infuse your life with peace. Let the peace begin January 1st!
More info or to register>>