Today, September 21, is the International Day of Peace, also called World Peace Day.
It all began in 1981 when the United Nations General Assembly declared its opening session, the third Tuesday in September, as International Day of Peace. Since then we’ve celebrated every September 21 as World Peace Day.
Are we any closer to world peace today, 30 years later, than we were in 1981?
I don’t know. But what I do know is more and more of us are waking up to the fact war does not create peace. Neither do anti-war protests, government diplomacy, peace negotiations, religious values, spiritual beliefs, etc. etc.
So how do we create real peace on earth?
Over the years I’ve randomly collected a few of Spirit’s thoughts on peace:
- Peace on earth must always begin within yourselves. If you are feeling less than peaceful within your own hearts, minds, and bodies, then you have nothing to contribute to world peace.
- Any negative thoughts you hold contribute nothing to world peace. You are only adding to the further wounding of an already wounded world.
- Peace, personal and global, always begins with you.
- The best thing you can do for world peace is to come to a place of deep personal peace — and to do whatever it takes to get there. That high, positive vibration will radiate out into the entire world. It can create miracles.
- The only way you can create “peace on earth” is to first create it within yourself. This is a premise many humans have missed.
- You must be at peace within yourself. You must have found peace for yourself before you will have any peace to give others, before you will be able to show others the true path to peace, before you will be able to join that gathering force of those who really know how to create peace within themselves and for the planet.
What are your thoughts? Is world peace achievable? Or is it an impossible dream? Please comment below.
George Ball
Yes, I believe that is all very true and that is how I like to see folks working for peace. That is how MLK and Albert Schweitzer and others have worked for peace. That is a prescription for working for peace that can be found in Quakerism — not just outer pacifism but also inner peace. I would like to think that the “Arab Spring” and the Palestinian appeal to the UN are signs of a move toward peace. Earlier, the establishment of NATO was such a sign. So, yes, I agree with MLK that although the arc of the moral universe is long, it bends toward justice and we cannot have justice without peace. Namaste, George
Jeannie
In a store environment we run into all kinds of people and some of them are very angry. I seem to have a calming effect on these people. A smile, a touch and a genuine will to listen is all it needs to stem any flow of anger. So I of course agree with you that unless you find peace within your self you will not find it outside nor help the world towards it.
love and hugs
Jeannie