Cultivating Peace
DOV in Australia

Key Issues: Finding Personal Peace

'The line separating good and evil passes not through states,
nor between classes, nor between political parties either...
but right through the human heart...and through all hearts...
and even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained.
And even in the best of hearts, there remains...
an un-uprooted small corner of evil'
(Solzhenitsyn)

The Decade to Overcome Violence has a holistic understanding of violence and peace. 
In keeping with the heart of biblical and all great spiritual teachings, we recognise that peacemaking and
reconciliation must begin (though most certainly not end) with ourselves, and with each person's need for grace, forgiveness and renewal.  Reconciling the world requires reconciled and reconciling persons.

Ways towards Personal Peace

Well before the modern age, Christians understood that peace is both personal and political, and that God’s peace involves the transformation of all aspects of life.  Such peace begins with ourselves.

The Quaker Peace Committee are thus urging people to take the following actions to help promote peace in themselves:

‘Keep your spiritual centre.  In the urgency of present times, it is tempting to be drawn into the frantic and depleting pace of activity.  Doing things can actually be energising, but Sabbath time is needed for balance.  We encourage friends to filter/limit information (eg news, internet) and to honour your need to take a break when you feel too overwhelmed or anxious.  When interacting with others, spend time getting very clear about the purposes and methods before going forward with a public action.  We need to support each other, celebrate efforts even if they are not perfectly done or “successful” in outcome, and keep a sense of humour.’

Here are some suggestions from the South Australian Council of Churches' 'Steps to Peace':

STEP 1. Building peace within yourself

Many Christians have rich resources in their particular faith for prayer.  The rhythm of prayers brings peace to our soul amidst chaos.  A daily walk with God, like physical walking, sets a rhythm that calms the inner person.  The anxious heart steps into a rhythmic pace of consistency.  The great saints lived a rhythmic life style of prayer and work; they diminished anxiety in the midst of chaos.

to do:
Create a rhythmic walk with God. 
Can you find prayers of the saints and make them your helpers?

Some Christians have a Prayer Book background, through which the daily saying of the Offices assure us God is still on the throne.  And crass as it is, it reminds us through rhythm of prayer the sun will still rise again tomorrow.

to do:
Do something simple. 
Get up early and see God in the sunrise, or later and see God in the sunset. 
What did you see?  Write in a journal.  Read it later!

I went on a boat trip with friends the weekend of the Bali bombings.  We did not have radio or TV, when we returned on the Sunday we were shocked to hear of the Bali incident.  Two things dawned on me, firstly my boat trip allowed me to escape for a while from the issues of the world, concentrating on other things and to regroup.

to do:
We are fortunate in Australia, we can escape on boat trips, bush walks and coffees.
Can you think of others, even silly things to do?

Secondly on the boat trip; our conversation was about light-hearted things in life. 
We talked and we looked at the bush, birds and water, everything except the world outside the boat. 
As one writer said years ago, we have gifts in people and events that nourish the soul.

to do:
Find people or events that lift us above the chaos.  They are gifts from God who gives us optimism and hope.  Are comedians people who help us to see optimism in other ways?  When did you laugh last?

Anxiety disables, thereby hampering our daily activities; we deplete our energies through anxiety.  If we feel helpless we feed our anxiety, find some self-consuming project.

to do:
In one of the next series (of SACC's 'Steps to Peace')  there are suggestions of how to do practical things in relation to violence. 
Is there something you yearn to do? It may redirect those anxious energies.

Keep your face to the sunshine and you will not see the shadows.
(Helen Keller)