WORLD AFFAIRS | Making an Impact Meditation
It is easy to look out at the world and feel powerless with regard to our ability to make any worthwhile impact. It can all seem way too big a task to undertake or appear outside our control and in hands of others. However, if we allow ourselves to remain paralysed by our perceived powerlessness, then the world will end up being governed and shaped by the minority of people we give our power to.
If these people aren’t consciously aware enough to bring about positive changes based in love, freedom and the collective good, then the next generation will be left to deal with the ramifications of our reluctance to step up, wake up and bring about a better world.
‘I am proud to be one of the millions of human beings on planet Earth with the intention to live in peace and have a positive impact on the lives of others.’ After posting this quote on Facebook, it quickly became my most shared meme of 2016. If you too want peace, then you are not alone.
The comforting reality is that despite the stats on war suggesting the contrary ie. that only 10 countries in the world are not at war, we are the majority. However, this begs the big question: If there are more people on the planet wanting calm instead of conflict, why is there not global peace? When attempting to answer this, it would be easy to blame the politicians, religions, or bullet- and bomb-makers. Yet, although they clearly contribute to making the problems possible, they aren’t the ultimate cause.
‘The world reflects the collective conflict happening within the heart of humanity’
One truth shared by many spiritual teachers is that the ‘outer reflects the inner’ and ‘as above, so below’. The world is a reflection of the individuals who populate it. As long as there is conflict going on at an individual level, conflict will continue in the external world too.
Greed, unworthiness or lack within the individual will be reflected as debt and poverty in the world. The absence of unconditional love within the individual will be mirrored back by hate in the headlines. If there is division and a sense of separateness within the individual, then countries will need borders and police to patrol them. As long as humanity places God in the sky and ignores the divinity that exists within, there will be wars fought over whose God is most righteous.
This long-standing spiritual truth can be linked to many problems we see on the planet. If you want to be part of the solution, it is vital that we all play our part by calming inner conflict so that a more loving and peaceful world can be reflected back.
Let me be clear. It is not your fault. None of this has anything to do with blame, guilt or carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. It’s about reclaiming your power to make a difference and, as Mahatma Gandhi once encouraged, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’ But where do you start?
Have you noticed how different people have differing concerns about the world? You may be concerned by climate change, whereas animal cruelty distresses your friend, while your neighbour is angered by the cuts at the local hospital. I don’t believe this is by chance or just down to our conditioning. We are not meant to ‘heal’ the world on our own. We are in it together and make our contributions depending on what is ‘up for us’ the most.
Notice what jumps out from the tapestry of world tasks requiring some love and attention and assume it is up for you because there may be some inner work you can do to help. It is an opportunity to ‘be the change you want to see’ and serve humanity. View it as a sacred invitation to do your bit, make a contribution and impact the greater good.
New beginnings usually call for something to end. Getting out of debt involves new spending habits, moving to a new home involves leaving the previous place, and embodying new behaviours requires the old ways of being to be relinquished. But how do we know when it’s time to make a change?
Life has a way of coming to a head so that we can see. Yes, the s**t may appear to be hitting the fan on many fronts, but it’s fanning the flames of humanity getting clear on the kind of world we want to live in. The current state of affairs is therefore the fertiliser for a fresh new world to grow out of. Very often, when things appear to hit rock bottom, they turn out to be the exact wake-up call we need to clarify what we want and step towards it. Bring to mind a difficult time in your life. Now consider what it taught you and how it shaped you into the person you are today.
Wake-up calls like these are happening both personally and globally. The state of the world is changing. Every day, an ever-increasing number of people are rediscovering the inner peace of their aware self and transcending the conflicts caused by their conditioning. Together, we are waking up to a wonderful new world, where every human is free.
CALM WORLD MEDITATION
Be the change you want to see and be a positive and peaceful presence in the world. This meditation helps you to be a positive and peaceful presence in the world, which is the key to bringing more peace to the planet as a whole.
