Peace Consciousness

Instead of languishing as an ideal that will never come true, a vision rooted in consciousness must come true. The proof of this always arises in hindsight.

Anyone who knows how to move consciousness in an evolutionary direction is part of the peace movement. I find this immensely encouraging because there can’t be a living human being whose makeup doesn’t include at least a fraction of devotion to evolution.

Our innate desire for more happiness ensures that this is true. Another portion of the self may believe that happiness will increase by building a new weapon, discovering a new technology of death, living in a country that is hugely militarized, and so forth.

The old order is extensive and powerful; it has materialism on its side. Let that be as it may. The livelier part of awareness is always the leading edge, the part that wants to evolve. It takes time for the leading edge to convince the rest of the self to give up its old outworn habits, but the evolutionary impulse is irresistible.

The best thing you can do for peace today is encourage the evolutionary impulse in yourself. Developing peace consciousness is a practical project, and the more of us who engage in it every day, the more momentum we add to the future.

The future doesn’t exist in time; it isn’t a place over the horizon of tomorrow. The future is the next shape that consciousness takes. A flower is the future of a seed. It takes time for the seed to turn into a flower, but in truth the pattern mapped out in the plant’s genes controls time.

It uses it to bring about a reality already deeply imprinted. Peace consciousness, once imprinted on our minds, can use time in exactly the same way, as the stage for an unfolding that was fully shaped in advance.

Adapted from: Peace Is the Way, by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 2005).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Melinda offline K.

6:56PM PDT on Aug 30, 2011

It does start from within, and I think its something that should be more of a priority in our world. its when there is a lack of peace that you notice its value the most.

send a green star

KS G.

5:44AM PDT on Jul 19, 2011

Thanks for the article.

Beverly L.

6:38AM PDT on Oct 5, 2010

Thank you for this beautiful article! I am generally a peaceful person but sometimes find it hard ~ thank you for enlightening me as to my own thoughts and actions.

Four A.

2:20PM PDT on Sep 25, 2010

Around 75 percent of pre-contact cultures were peaceful as best research can determine. What was different? I contend that the Indigenous perspective represented by the Lakota phrase, "Mitakuey Oyasin" is the answer. Let's start referring to "natural resources" as "our relatives" and see what happens. Let's remove anthropocentrism (human-centeredness) from society and see what happens. Everyone should read the new novela, LAST SONG OF THE WHALES, endorsed by the Cousteau Society, to ponder whether such a collaboration between whales and humans is possible and then if the answer is yes, begin making it happen! Do you think what happen in this story is theoretically possible? Humpback whale expert, Jim Darlings, says is is possible but unlikely. What do you think? (It sells at amazon for 16).

Mike M.

8:15AM PDT on Sep 25, 2010

Peace is not an illusion, but the strength of a driving force.

Mary L.

10:17AM PDT on Sep 24, 2010

Old song, "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me..." (LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH song and words by Jill Jackson / Mark Miller - circa 1955)

Zion R.

6:17PM PDT on Sep 23, 2010

Thank you for this article and for all the inspiring comments.

"Peace must start within ourselves".

Lisa R.

4:21PM PDT on Sep 23, 2010

Thanks.

Jewels S.

2:59PM PDT on Sep 23, 2010

Reminds me of a quote I admire:

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

Viktor Frankl (1905 - 1997) author: Man's Search for Meaning

Kathy K.

2:17PM PDT on Sep 23, 2010

Interesting. thanks.