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Today, September 21st, is the United Nation's International Day of Peace, a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace between people's and nations. It's a day of global ceasefire and non-violence. I find it fascinating and disturbing that we are able to decide on one day each year to stop harming and killing each other, but the rest of the year is open game.
Our external world is a direct collective representation of our internal worlds. In order for global peace to exist, we must first clean up our internal environment, to find our own inner balance and peace. Depression, anxiety, and other mental/emotional imbalances are at an all time high, as is a general dissatisfaction with life.
Any sort of illness, whether it be physical or mental, is a messenger, a call from Spirit to bring our focus inwards, to take time to witness ourselves and the unfolding of our own inner process. We are often all to quick to project onto others how they should think, behave, etc. but, honestly, how often do we pause to check that we are in alignment in all aspects of our own lives; mind, body, and spirit?
I'll be the first one to tell you, it can be REALLY scary to look inward at ourselves, to witness our shadow and all the things we'd rather not admit even exist. And then to do this with gentleness and compassion for ourselves and others, recognizing that we are not just healing our own old childhood wounds, but also undoing centuries of ancestral and societal conditioning in the process.
“Each aspect within us needs understanding and compassion. If we are unwilling to give it to ourselves how can we expect the world to give it to us?”
The ego will come out hard during this time of introspection. Trust me, it will. And you'll get to witness that, too, learning to love it's little quirks, embracing the totality of who you are, ego included. It will be painful to realize that certain relationships are no longer serving your highest good, and you will have to make the decision to move forward without people you've loved for a long time. There will be sadness during this time, and at the end, a sense of lightness that you didn't experience with them around.
You'll have to step outside of your comfort zone, to try on new "hats" to see which one fits you best. You may try one on that you've wanted to try for awhile, and it will be really awkward fitting. It looks great on others, but for you, it's just not a good fit. And that's totally ok. Take that one off and try another one. That one doesn't fit either? Try another, and another, and another. Give yourself the wiggle room to try new things, whenever you want. Forget what others may say about you being indecisive or flighty, it's your life. One moment one lifestyle may work, the next you'll be feeling called to something totally new.
Allow yourself the freedom to explore your life unapologetically, with compassion for others as they do the same. This is how we will begin to see true peace on our planet.
