"Worry is appropriate only if there is the potential of harm; a feeling of peacefulness only if there is actual safety...."

Stan Cox

peace....In its purest form, peace is inner silence filled with the power of truth. Peace is the prominent characteristic of what we call ‘a civilized society,’ & the character of a society can be seen thru the collective consciousness of its members.

The challenge to peace normally presents itself in the question,

"Are human beings by nature violent or nonviolent?"

If the answer is violent, then the concept of peace becomes nonexistent. Peace has become so illusive that people have begun to question its existence. Peace of mind has become a popular cliché, but what does that mean?

Peace is energy, a qualitative energy which emanates constantly from the One imperishable source. It's a pure force that penetrates the shell of chaos & by its very nature automatically puts things & people into balanced order.

The self is a reservoir of vital resources, one of which is peace. To recognize the original quality of the human soul as peace is to stop searching outside for peace. Thru connection with the One eternal & unlimited source of peace, our own reservoirs overflow with silent strength.

In its purest form, peace is inner silence filled with the power of truth.

Peace consists of:

• pure thoughts
• pure feelings
• pure wishes

When the energy of thought, word & action is balanced, stable & nonviolent, the individual is at peace with the self, in relationships & with the world.

To exercise the power of peace embraces the fundamental principle of spirituality:

look inward in order to look outward with courage, purpose & meaning.

The first step in that process takes careful examination of one’s thoughts, feelings & motives. By opening the window of the inner self, individuals are able to clarify & pinpoint attitudes & behavior patterns which are destructive, causing chaos & peacelessness.

People say in one breath that they want peace of mind & in the next breath they say hurtful things. Wasteful gossip spreads peacelessness, as does anger. Peacelessness initially begins with a few angry, forceful thought which are then expressed in words & in some instances escalate into uncontrolled proportions of violence.

People say they want peace in the world, but what kind of peace do they desire?

People ask for peace, but whose responsibility is that?

Can anyone who remains peaceless be an instrument for peace?

Authenticity of action depends on authenticity of person. Today, policymakers are dedicated to making, building & keeping peace. A tremendous amount of human resources & research is invested in establishing world peace.

Even prizes are given to people for their work toward peace. Emphasis is placed on the value of peace precisely because of the great peacelessness that exists & which has infiltrated our lives far deeper than we care to admit.

In its most common form, peacelessness can be felt as stress & pressure due to family, work, social & other obligations. In its more serious condition, peacelessness is manifested in breakdowns, addictions, abuse, crime, emotional imbalances & psychosomatic ailments.

While medical science has helped relieve symptoms of stress & psychology has contributed toward understanding the psyche, there continues a genuine search for a functional & empowering spirituality which can produce within the individual a calm & feeling relaxed, relaxation feelings state of mind.

The inner qualities & thought power of human beings are fast being feeling recognized, recognizing feelings as tools to deal with the world & its growing demands.

Health is being examined from a holistic perspective, partnering both physical & spiritual energies in the process of healing. Even when physical health is maintained, spiritual resources are being tapped to enhance coping skills & interpersonal relations.

The promise of peace gives hope, but like a piece of quicksilver, it sometimes seems slippery & evasive. We're at a crossroads of human civilization.

On one hand, things are rapidly disintegrating. That's made bitterly apparent by wars, civil strife, riots, ethnic cleansing & so on.

However, on the other hand, an almost invisible integration involving alternatives & possibilities is putting the pieces together. Bringing peace back into the social, economic, political & other fibers of society would require looking at peace from 2 levels:

• the external 
• the internal

Peace education, conflict resolution & all peace initiatives must take seriously the critical connection between individual & world peace. Programs & projects must include an emphasis on individual peace, offering proactive & practical means to peace, beginning with the first step of knowing the inner self.

Peace is the foundation, the major building block upon which a healthy, functional society stands.

Peace is the prominent characteristic of what we call "a civilized society" & the character of a society can be seen thru the collective consciousness of its members.

A civilization can be heaven or hell depending on the consciousness of its members. Consciousness creates culture - its norms, values & systems & consciousness can transform culture.

Ultimately, when all minds are focused & stabilized on the One imperishable source of peace & synchronized throughout the world, the reverberation of peace emitted from the silence will echo, "WORLD PEACE IS DECLARED!"

"Peace must begin with each one of us. Through quiet & serious reflection on its meaning, new & creative ways can be found to foster understanding, friendships & cooperation among all peoples."

Mr. Javier Perez De Cuellar, Secretary-General of the United Nations, September, 1986

Peace

Finding Peace by Choosing Surrender

The right kind of sorrow teaches us that real danger doesn’t lie in letting others into our heart. Danger is found in being like the abused dog that impulsively bites or runs from anyone who gets too close.

The same is true of our relationship with God. It's dangerous to fearfully resist Him. But safety is found by drawing near to Him.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted," Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5).

In other words, they're to be envied who don't resist & rebel against God. To be congratulated are those who surrender themselves to His care & protection.

This is the meek spirit of the prodigal who having "seen the light" in the mess of his own choices & broken relationships chooses to turn his heart toward the Father's house (Luke 15:11-32).

It's the rebellious child who returns w/no greater request than to be a servant in His Father's house. This is the submissive attitude that gives a loving Father reason to celebrate!

Even though victims of sexual abuse may have accepted Christ as Savior many years ago, they must continually surrender to Him in the circumstances & damage of their emotional turmoil.

If you find such surrender difficult, think again of the One who is asking for your trust. He understands your pain, because He too was a victim. He suffered unimaginable crimes against nature. He knew what it meant to bear the shame of others.

He knew what it meant to be alone, naked, bleeding in the darkness as He pathetically cried, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34).

No one better understands what it means to suffer under the weight of someone else's sin. No one better understands what it means to bear someone else's shame. No one better understands what it meant to suffer in the darkness while God & all of the angels of heaven remained silent.

It’s just as true that no one better understands God's ability to help us. Three days later, this victim of our sin rose from the dead to live His life thru all who in surrender would trust Him.

Victims who submissively surrender themselves to Christ, not only for their salvation but for daily cares, protection & change, will find themselves on a path of peace w/God. They’ll see the darkness of victimization change to the first dawning light of freedom & hope.

It must be remembered that biblical change thru the right kind of sorrow & surrender will seem very dangerous to someone who’s already felt so much pain. But the risk is an illusion. The process actually awakens in victims a passion for life.

By bringing an end to wasted struggles, it increases their energy level. By bringing them to a place of strength & personal safety, it frees them to become concerned about others. Those who have mourned to a point of being comforted by God will find that comfort received turns into comfort given.

Thru sorrow & surrender, God will bring about changes that will begin to bring peace to the heart & restore the identity, purpose & passion lost in the feelings of powerlessness, betrayal, confusion & rejection.

Peaceful Parenting

On a recent early winter morning we decided to take a family walk outside, in a wooded setting, with our 3 young children. The morning is crisp with a dusting of snow sprinkled among the crunchy leaves. We all are adorned with colorful soft hats, gloves & rubber boots.

Almost as soon as we begin, one of our sons complains about walking too far, followed by our daughter's moans that her toes are cold. We move on, knowing from experience that nature will ultimately win them over.

And as we enter a wooded area of giant pines the mood quickly changes, as the magic of the forest casts its spell. All 3 children are bouncing about collecting pine cones, twigs & leaves, jumping in the puddles & watching the swans glide along the small body of water.

Our daughter caught sight of a white-tailed rabbit as we darted among the dripping vines.

As we return to the car the gentleness of the natural world stays with us all. But not for long: we've committed to attending a birthday party at a children's pizza restaurant. 

We step into birthday land & the energy is jarring. The place screams of over-stimulation as all our senses are assaulted by a multimedia cacophony of intensity. After 2 hours, the kids are frantic & scattered.

The parents all seem exhausted & tense.

We watch the hyped-up kids eat cake & it's time to open gifts. We see a young child frantically opening presents, barely stopping to look at one before ripping into the next one on the pile. We believe that children young & old have a yearning for celebration & ritual that has a deeper meaning than an endless series of brand-name toys.

But that yearning must be nurtured & brought out in people. We also know that many people are paid lots of money with the clear goal of creating insatiable little consumers, with distinct brand preferences, in children 3 years old or less.

The contrast between both our nature walk & this birthday party brought to our attention the emptiness we often raise our children in.

Despite the obvious raising of consciousness in our world, as parents we constantly face cultural messages which say that more is better, bigger is better, louder is better, faster is better, instant is better & mindless is better.

As hurried, harried, tired parents, how can we create a peaceful, mindful space for our children to grow & learn?

One important way we have found to shut off the noise is to remove TV from your home. TV is the main medium thru which the consumer values of our culture are transmitted.

Also, when children are watching TV, they're NOT doing a host of other valuable activities such as playing, learning, creating & moving their bodies. While watching TV, our children would become so entranced that nothing else existed. Turning it off resulted in screaming fits of anger & despair.

So we decided to try life without TV. To our great amazement, the children adjusted very easily. Now they draw, talk, paint, make buildings, sing, dance & read books instead of blindly staring at a box. They watch one video a week, which has become a special event rather than the daily power struggle it used to be.

Of course this requires more parental thought, attention & planning than using the video baby-sitter, but the results are well worth the effort. And now we don't worry about the amount of violence they're exposed to or if the material is appropriate or keeping track of the number of hours they're watching the box.

In other ways, as parents we can find peace & begin to nurture it in our families. Evaluate the number of activities your child is involved in. Take control & be selective. Ask yourself, does this add to our family's peace or not?

Keeping a predictable schedule is another way to create peace. Pay attention to the rhythms of the child & the family. Since children crave familiarity & regularity, be conscious of having a normal routine they can count on...school followed by quiet time, snack, dinner, baths, story time.

Even on vacations, following the rhythm & predictability creates peace.

Celebrating the ordinary with rituals helps create peace & meaning. Try to make dinner a sacred time. Take enough time & eliminate the rush. Light a dinner candle, have special place mats, cloth napkins, & centerpieces made from your nature collections in your yard or parks.

Cultivate appreciation & gratitude by allowing each child to give thanks for one thing they're grateful for on that day. 

Reconnect with the great spirit of nature. Our family makes it a goal to go outside almost daily, no matter what the weather.  Keeping their appreciation alive for this Earth plants a seed for their future care of her.

We also feel it's important to keep celebrations simple, from birthdays to holidays, resisting the temptation that more & bigger is better. Limit the number of gifts!  Pay attention to the power of simple things like candles, songs & stories. 

The ritual of reading & storytelling is another way to deepen our connection with each other & awaken curiosity & imagination in children.

Of course, it's so easy to lose balance & give in to the larger cultural values screaming at you. But our children are so vulnerable & tender & need our guidance in creating a meaningful, sustainable life of depth & substance.

Let's embrace the challenges of our families together & be pioneers into a new family creation that embraces peaceful parenting.

Six Steps To Unleashing The Peace Within - By Chris Le Roy

We live in a hectic & uncertain world, with violence & chaos surrounding us every minute of the day. We are getting busier & busier & being bombarded with commercialism & adverts from every angle.

Just like many of us I've been looking for a way to break the constant information overload to help give my mind a chance to relax & after many years of studying & test trying the art of meditation by many of the great religions like Budhism I have found a simple 6 step formula that helps me to unleash the inner peace that really wishes to come out.

Step 1 - Find a cool quiet place

The first step in unleashing your inner peace is to find somewhere that will allow you to feel safe whilst meditating & undisturbed. Some of the sorts of places you might consider are sitting on the ground in the garden, near a river, or if you're like me & bound to the city, simply sitting in your lounge room will suffice. There are though a few key things that you must consider -

There should be little traffic noise

There is Nothing worse than to just start meditating to hear the sound of the air brakes on a truck going off or an ambulance or police car going past.

Be Free From Distractions

When you first start meditating you'll find it maybe difficult to get started but with a little practice & that's the fun part, you'll find over time that you'll get better at it but in the early stages a little distraction from your children or noise can make it very difficult.

You Must Feel Safe

With today's society being the way that it is, you must have a sense of well being before starting your meditation. If you have a sense of insecurity you'll find that it's very difficult to release your anxieties & most importantly your thoughts.

Be Comfortable

Most meditation periods usually will last around 20 minutes. When you first start off you may find that it takes a good 10 minutes to get to a point of being relaxed so make sure that you sit on a comfortable surface before starting the meditation process. I'm a great believer in sitting on the floor however if you find it difficult to sit upright for any period of time, simply sit against the wall.

Doing this can also help you with your sense of feeling safe. If you find it more comfortable sitting in a chair, try your meditation that way. I don't recommend sitting on a couch simply because you run the risk that you may fall asleep & whilst that's great before going to bed, it isn't recommended as the outcome to the meditation process. 

Step 2 - Use a Light Incense

Depending on where you are, you may find that a light incense will help you break thru the barriers when you first start meditating. If you're like me & are constantly on the rush & stressed, when you first stop you might find that it's really difficult to focus on your meditation because of the buzz running thru your blood so using a light incense like lavendar can certainly help.

You can purchase incense from any number of stores like chinese food stores, oriental food stores or even some of the mystics stores & there are certainly many places on the web where you can purchase a light incense.

Be warned though that it's illegal in some countries to buy incense via mail order & more so only buy from a reputable dealer as you never know what you could be importing.

Step 3 - Put some quiet music on

The saying, "Music Soothes the Savage Beast" is never a more truer statement then when trying to find your inner world of peace. Playing some quiet music will certainly help soothe the buzz you have after a hard day but be very cautious on the type of music you choose. You need to ensure you choose music that will slow you down rather than increase your heart rate.

Many meditation gurus will recommend music like flowing water, a rushing stream or the sounds of the great outdoors, which will all certainly be suitable for this process but what I find the most useful is music from the Baroque period.

The music from this period has particular elements that make it suitable & more conjucent to helping you find that inner peace.

Baroque music is built on 60 beats per minute, which funnily enough is the same as what our hearts should be doing. What some research has shown is that listening to music that has 60 beats per minute actually increases the alpha waves that cause calmness on both the left & right side of the brain.

The outcome of this is that you'll become calm & relax, similar to if you whistled a tune. Research has also shown that this "alpha state" can help in your learning process, creativity & more importantly becoming more calm.

Step 4 - Focus on Your Breathing. Breath In & Out

Now that we have the elements we need to meditate, it's now time for you to try . My preferred way to sit when I meditate is to cross my legs & to place my hands on my knees with my open palms up. If you can't cross your legs simply sit with your legs layed out flat. If you're sitting in a chair, simply spread your leg apart a little & place your hands on your knees.

The next step in the path towards peace is to close your eyes & to breath in deeply & then slowly exhale the air. You need to consistently repeat this process but whilst you're doing this, there are a few important things to remember.

When you first start to meditate you'll find that as you relax, the things that bothered you during the day will start to resurface & come to the forefront of your mind & we need to stop this during your meditation period because if you don't, you can end up being more stressed then when you started. Whilst you're breathing, simply look into the depths of the darkness & clear you mind.

If you're finding it difficult to let go, try this technique. Whilst breathing in slowly, concentrate in your minds eye on the number 1 & focus on the number as you exhale. Then as you take your 2nd breath, change the number 1 to a number 2 & then focus on the number 2 & maintain that focus as you exhale.

With each new breath, focus on the next number. However, if at any time your focus gets away from you & you start thinking about making dinner or what you're going to do tomorrow, then simply restart from the number one. You'll find that after a while using this process will really help you to maintain that focus & start to bring out that inner peace a lot quicker.

If you're having difficulty sleeping I find that using the counting process & the breathing process really helps a lot. Once again it does take time to master the technique but the more you practice the better you'll get at it.

Step 5 - Clear Your Mind

Once you have mastered the process of breathing & getting into a relaxed state, the next stage is to clear your mind. This can take a little bit of work & will take a while to conquer but when you do conquer it, you'll really no what inner peace is. To clear your mind, you'll simply not think of anything but just exhist. The key to clearing your mind is to focus on the space around you (whilst your eyes are closed) without thinking about a thing.

When you do this, an overwhelming sense of peace will come over your. You'll find that the endorphins will give you a tingling feeling thru out your body & you'll be extremely calm. You'll find as time goes on that you can in fact turn the tingling on at your own will but that comes with practice.

Step 6 - Feel the Rush of Peace

The Budhists talk of meditating to reach enlightenment & whilst it can take a life time or two to achieve that, I can certainly say that when you do get to that point where you have let go of your surroundings & you're at peace its certainly feels like a whole new world. At the very least, not being stressed & feeling that constant buzz caused by the pressures of our day-to-day lives, will certainly give you a new definition of normal.


When you feel that your time for meditation is over, slowly allow your mind to start to think. You'll find that its actually a lot easier than you think. Then slowly open your eyes & become more aware of your surroundings. Give yourself a good 5 minutes before you rush to get up but when you do, you should feel a sense of calm & peace around your body, mind & soul.

The MOST Important thing YOU can do to manifest World Peace - By Lisa Hepner

Here it is, it’s very simple...The most important thing YOU can do to manifest World Peace is… believe PEACE.

What? What does that mean, believe PEACE? “You mean to tell me that all I have to do is believe Peace & Peace will be my reality? You mean I don’t have to do anything like write my Representatives, participate in a Peace Rally, etc?”

If you choose to do those things, fine. But those things aren't needed to manifest World Peace.

In fact, sometimes, some of these activities perpetuate the “problem.” Anytime, anyone gets into attack / defense or support / non-support mode that creates separation instead of Unity. Peace is about Unity. Peace is about acknowledging our Oneness, our Connection. Mother Teresa said,

“If there is no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to one another.” (More on this concept later.)

Peace is an inner stillness, quietness, or love that is NOT dependent on outer circumstances. Before we get into the details of this concept, we must start at the beginning, which is a very core concept.

All motivational / success materials claim that you must have an “END” result in mind, in order to achieve anything. If we think about it now, anything that is in the physical form, began with an idea; a clear vision. So it is with peace.

Most people don't even have a concept of what peace is. What is Peace? Is it having no weapons or bombs, it's having no gangs, is it being in a supportive work environment, is it not having an argument with a spouse, is it a moment in nature?

We must have a clear vision of what “peace” means to us. I'd encourage each & every one of us to clarify that vision. It's the starting point for believing PEACE.

(At the website www.peacefulearth.org, there is a section titled “What is Peace?” It's a poem about the reflections of peace. I'd encourage you to listen to it & meditate on it & then print the one page word document titled “What is Peace?” & write down your vision of peace.)

Now that we have a vision of peace, we're able to move to the next step of actually BELIEVING PEACE.

To understand this concept fully, we must start with some basic information. Do you believe that your “inner” thoughts or beliefs create your “outer” experience?

If you said, “no”, let’s explore this concept. In Physics there's the concept that there's no difference between observer & observed. Meaning that the “observed” changes, depending on the perception, stance, orientation of the “observer.”

Another way of saying this is that, what we “see” is reflected back to us. If we “see” peace in the world, peace will be reflected back to us. Our inner thoughts & perceptions are reflected back to us.

It reminds me of this wonderful story I heard about a Hall of Mirrors. There was this hall of mirrors. It was covered with mirrors. There were mirrors on all the walls, on the ceiling & on the floor. One day a dog, entered this Hall of mirrors & immediately became defensive & angry when he saw himself surrounded by all these other dogs.

The dog started to growl & bark. As he barked & snarled, all the other dogs barked & snarled back. The dog barked louder & louder & became more viscous. The other dogs became just as viscous. The dog eventually died of exhaustion trying to fend off the other dogs.

Then there was this monk, who entered the hall. He noticed all the other peaceful looking monks around him. He smiled & all the other monks smiled back at him. He was so ecstatic to see himself surrounded by all these wonderful beings that he at that point in time reached enlightenment.

What do you see in the world?

If you choose to “see” peace, you'll create the world you see.

Some of you may still ask, how can I really “see” peace in the world, when I turn on the television & see war & violence, or when I read the paper about pending war? This is a good question.

I'd like to address this question from different perspectives. The process of “seeing” & “believing” peace is available to us thru acknowledging a Presence of peace thru Prayer or Faith.

Presence is Beingness, God, Buddha, Allah, the Divine, Mother, Father, Energy, Consciousness, Infinite, Power, or whatever you choose to call “it” that makes up the Universe & is inherent in each & every one of us. We're all beings of “energy,” that same “energy” that created the Universe. Wayne Dyer said it best when he said, “we're spiritual beings, having a human experience.”

We're spiritual beings, housed in a human shell. But we're more than the human shell we live in. We are eternal. As spiritual beings, our essence is love.

Prayer, as it's referred to here, is an acknowledgement of the Truth of who we are, beyond outer experiences. And Faith, is a belief in the inherent goodness or desired outcome, no matter what the appearance. I like the saying that “prayer doesn’t change God, prayer changes YOU.”

Prayer is just focused attention on God & God qualities, (or the Ultimate Truth.)

Situations such as war, violence, hatred, illness are human manifestations. They're situations that occur in this human form. But they're not who we are. There is an “essence” of us that is good, that is love, that is at the very core of our “experience.”

The way we change our “experience” is by bringing our attention back to our true “essence.” By focusing on that which is True. That which is never changing.

Einstein said that, “you can’t solve a problem from the same level of thinking that created the problem.”

Again, war & violence are problems that arise at the human level of form. Meeting them at the level of human form will not solve the problem; only a shift in consciousness, or awareness of our Essence, will transform the situation.

Again this takes us back to believing Peace. Trusting & knowing the Truth for each & every one of us.

No matter what is going on externally, there's still a potential, a Truth, at the core of your Being that IS peace. It can't be touched or changed by any outer circumstance. And that's the Truth of Who you Are.

Instead of “fighting” a situation or trying to “make” something happen. Shine the light of Truth into that situation. I do this thru Prayer, but many do this thru Faith.

Alan Cohen, in my book Peaceful Earth: Spiritual Perspectives on Inner Peace and World Peace, shares a powerful story about the role of the Faithkeeper.

In Native American tradition, one person is assigned the role of Faithkeeper. The Faithkeeper basically keeps the “faith” for the entire village no matter what's going on externally.

So basically, during times of illness, drought, poverty, famine & disease, it's the Faithkeeper’s job to keep the “faith” that the crops are flourishing, that the rains are coming, that the village is healthy. The Faithkeeper silently prays & “knows” the good for the entire village. The Faithkeeper keeps the “high watch.” This is what we are being called to do NOW.

To be Faithkeepers in Peace. So that no matter what's going on on the outside like threats of war, we're keeping the “faith” in the inherent goodness & peace of all people.

I'd like to offer some food for thought. James Twyman, a PeaceMaker, has taken a group of individuals & is teaching them how to bend spoons with their minds!

I've participated in a fire walk & walked across 2000 degree Fahrenheit hot coals! There have been countless documented cases of supposed medical “miracles” where people healed themselves, by the belief that they were healed.

If things like this are possible by focusing our attention on the desired outcome, why wouldn’t we believe that peace is possible by focusing our attention on it & believing it to be so?

In the Bible it says, “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.” Mathew 21:22

Another important aspect of believing peace, is “Being” peace. All of what we have talked about to this point has been about manifesting peace, by shifting YOUR awareness to the Presence of peace.

It's important to understand that World peace begins with YOUR peace! Everything we have mentioned up until now, has been about shifting your attention to peace, thru Prayer or Faith, to that of believing peace.

It’s been about your individual expression of peace, having a collective effect. But, do we really believe that an individual can affect change at a global level?

We’ve all heard the story about the 100th monkey, where monkeys on an island in Japan started washing their sweet potatoes in the stream, then once a critical amount of monkeys who were doing this, was reached, scientists observed that monkeys on other islands, were doing the same thing. There was no communication between the monkeys on the other islands. How can this be explained?

There has been documented scientific & medical data about the affects of one person on a group or groups of people. (Power vs. Force, by David Hawkins, MD & Energy Medicine by Donna Eden to name a few.)

But we don’t necessarily need to read the data to see the results. We witness the energetic effects of individuals on others everyday. For example, have you ever known a coworker that was really high strung & over-stressed?

Maybe they talked 50 miles an hour, were constantly running, doing one hundred things at once, were very fast paced, etc. Have you ever noticed that after being around them or in their presence that when you left, you had to tell yourself, “wait a minute, slow down?” You got into that energy.

Or have you ever known someone who was so peaceful, so fully present that you just wanted to be around them. And after leaving their presence, you felt more peaceful & centered?

These are examples of the energetic effects we have on other people, by our Presence. Sometimes, when we hear someone on television talking about the fear of war, we get in that energy and become fearful ourselves. These are all energetic effects.

I believe that the most important thing that we can do to manifest World Peace is to believe Peace. We can only believe Peace if we have a concept of peace. And it’s about bringing MY awareness back to that of peace. Now this is often a PRACTICE. Sometimes it’s not easy, living in this human body, with this human experience to see or believe peace.

Sometimes there are things that I may need to DO to BE peace Ultimately, the goal is to “Be” peace, but there are often things I need to Do in order to “Be” peace.

Therefore I've created a TOP 10 list of things each & every one of us can “DO” to bring peace, our true essence to every situation in our lives. This list contains the results of responses from people all over via the Internet, book-signings and speaking engagements.

I know that I needed to bring peace to relationships in my life that didn’t FEEL too peaceful. I believing the Ultimate goal is to be at peace, so that no one, no “thing” can affect that which is YOU. NO outer experience can affect that peace.

Gandhi said that “Peace, to be real, must be unaffected by outer circumstances.”

One simple technique that I have used & developed to consciously FOCUS on peace is the Peace Prize. It's a TOOL that keeps me FOCUSED on peace. If you haven’t gotten your FREE peace prize, please do so now by going to www.peacefulearth.org.

It's a spiritual truth that what we LOOK for EXPANDS.

The Peace Prize is an award given to people who are kind or peaceful. It's a way to provide positive feedback & encourage kind acts. But more importantly, it's become a tool to “Look” for peace! It's easy to focus on war or violence, when we listen to the media.

Yet it's also just as easy to shift our attention or focus to peace! Let’s train our minds to focus on the peace & therefore increase the Presence of Peace in the world!

One last suggestion: In my prayers I use visualizations & affirmations.

I like to see our President & representatives surrounded by love & peace. I like to affirm the Truth that they're guided to & make decisions from a place of peace & love. I like to see our “perceived” enemies as feeling & knowing the love.

I like to visualize sending love to them & that they're transformed by the power of love. I see all my relationships in my life as opportunities to express love.

I remind myself what a Course in Miracles says, “everything is love or a call for love.” I also affirm that I know the Truth, that regardless of what something “appears” to be, I claim the Truth.

Sometimes if I can’t see it or feel it, I still affirm that even though “such & such” is happening, I know that there's peace at the center of it.

There's love at the very core.

Let’s take on the Role of Faithkeeper right now & shift our energy & consciousness to that of absolutely KNOWING & believing Peace, which is the Truth of each & every one of us!!!