World Peace Begins With Your Own Inner Peace

We all wish for World Peace, but do we even have inner peace?

Can you maintain your inner peace when:

• Someone on the road cuts in front of your car?
• Your boss keeps giving you more work with shorter deadlines?
• When your significant other screws up?
• When your in-laws insist everything be done their way?
• Your child throws a tantrum in public?
• When your neighbor throws a loud party (and you are not even invited)?

If we can’t even manage our emotions in every day life, how can we expect people who have been brutally disadvantaged, live in war zones, in extreme poverty, or been the brunt of man-made disasters, to simply turn around one day and say sure, let’s all be peaceful now.

World Peace Can’t Happen Until We Have Inner Peace

As long as individuals and the leaders who represent them feel hatred, jealousy, and revenge, we will not have world peace. This means that you and I are part of this equation. If you hold on to grudges, grievances, and jealousies, you will rob yourself of inner peace. Without inner peace, you will not be peaceful around others. It becomes a cycle of negativity both on the micro (your thoughts and feelings) and the macro (the world stage) and every level of human connection in-between.

Does this mean we should stop donating to or serving organizations that support world peace or vote for politicians committed to the peace process until we can maintain our Zen? 

No. Supporting these outward efforts for World Peace is part of the equation. The point here is that it takes more than an outward effort to achieve world peace. Outwardly working for world peace and perfecting your own inner peace go hand-in-hand.

How to Develop Inner Peace

• Practice yoga. Try Zenward for yoga practices and a supportive community of people working to become more peaceful.
• Practice meditation. Try the Omvana app for easy to access meditations.
• Observe yourself without judgment. Learn where you need help in your life and get support!
• Love yourself. You are enough. When you know you are enough you can expand your love to others more deeply.

In regards to learning how to be happy now, here’s a wonderful video by meditation expert and Ziva Founder, Emily Fletcher:

Love makes the world go round and love can bring us world peace.

As your inner peace grows, people around you will benefit and be inspired by you. 

Your example, not your admonitions is the best motivator. When you have unshakeable inner peace, others will want what you have.

How to expand your Inner Peace globally

• Encourage others to join you on your mission to achieve inner peace.
• Think about how your decisions affect you and other people.
• On a political level think about how policies might affect you as well as others.
• Stand up to bullies on the playground and on the world stage.
• Be accepting of people who are not like you and support policies that are inclusive to all people.

As the great yoga master, Paramhansa Yogananda said, “Be even minded and cheerful at all times.”

What helps you the most to have inner peace?