Although this entitled 'peace web' it is as much about the web of peace within us......
warmly,
ken
thanks ken for forwarding it
veroniKA
Peace Web
No matter how hard we try we cannot completely disconnect from those with whom we have shared dances, dreams, journeys and spirits. Our sole purpose in this life is to create lasting connections that survive any distance - a purpose that takes only the energy of awareness. In spite the brilliant web we weave, our bonds are delicate and require mindfulness always. In rage, we rip through our webs belligerently. In apathy, we allow our webs to fray and become riddled with debris. In fear, we doubt the beauty and brilliance of our webs. No matter our paths in life, we remain connected. Distance grows between two people for many reasons: time, geography, dispute, discord, death… People come into our lives to teach us, inspire us, encourage us, challenge us – to remind us who we truly are and who we truly are not. How we respond and reflect on the connections of our lives determines how strong our grand web will be. Each time we ignore, resent, fear and hate the memory of those who have come and gone through our lives, we weaken. Each time we reflect, respond, nurture and love those who have come and gone through our lives, we strengthen.
The web we build is our place of rest, meditation, prayer, growth, healing, rejuvenation and light. It begins at birth and continues for most, beyond death. Before we take refuge in our web we must reflect on every strand and every connection. Where there are frayed or broken strands, we must mend. If we expect our webs to be strong enough to hold us when we are tired, weak, hungry, frightened, and dim we must be mindful when dealing with the memories that created them.
No matter how hard we try we cannot completely disconnect from those with whom we have shared dances, dreams, journeys and spirits. We cannot escape this fact. The lessons we teach each other as friends and foes continue on long after contact. Our job is to heal discord, smooth chaos and nurture peace. We must mend the fractures in our webs with love and compassion if we ever intend to find peace, rest and growth. And if we are afraid to reflect on our web, we certainly lack ease and harmony.
Reflection is the most efficient physician. Healing comes from within, not from without. We can ask an expert to examine our web and give us an answer, but he does not know who and what made up every strand. He may take out scissors and cut away and the loose ends to make our web appear sturdy, but in fact he has only weakened the strands he trimmed. He can give us prescriptions to force our bodies to mend loose ends temporarily, without the sustenance of our mind or spirit. Sometimes taking medicine makes it easier for us to ignore and reject our webs and the connections of our lives – they mask the imbalances. When we stop taking the medicine we become riddled with broken strands and we are overwhelmed.
We don’t always seek physicians. Many times we seek pleasures to replace reflection. We choose to feel good over what ever feelings may arise when reflecting on our web. We choose to numb our fears and ignite our frustrations. Many of us live our lives adopting the personality of our habit(s), assuming that we have replaced our own private connections with a brand name, a high, a fix or new lifestyle. Assuming that the broken strands will just go away and leave us alone! And they do. We always get what we ask for. And every time we fall, we land with a painful thud on the hard Earth, because we have a web so weak, it cannot support the weight of our woes.
We blame our web. It isn’t strong enough. It isn’t living up to our expectations. It shouldn’t be so hard to keep it strong. I deserve a sturdy web even though I don’t feel like earning it. Other people should lend me their web when I fall. The world owes me an upgraded web.
We blame the people that make up our web. My parents didn’t support me enough. My friends and family always let me down. The reasons I resent the people in my web is because they let me down.
We dis-empower ourselves. I can’t do it. I don’t want to. It’s too hard. I am afraid.
The truth is that we have weak webs for a mosaic of reasons. For many of us, no one ever showed us how to build a strong web. It is like asking an infant to run, never having learned to crawl or walk. We show each other by example. We cannot make or fix the web of someone else’s life, but we can mend our own.
Peace is a great idea and most of us want it to happen “out there”. We want the world to stop fighting and feuding. We want cultures to accept each other and honor differences. We want people to stop being blind to destroying the planet. We generally don’t want people, creatures or the planet to suffer.
But what are WE doing about it?
Peace does not start in the White House or on the battle field. Peace doesn’t even start in a Pro-Peace march. Peace starts with every being reflecting on their own, sacred web. Peace begins within. Within the heart. Peace is a response to personal action. Mending every frayed and broken strand in our web. Acknowledging the strands we have ignored. Treating each connection, no matter how painful the memory, with loving kindness. Peace is humility and release. Peace is full of tears, regression and hurt. Peace is reaching out and calling out for God, parents, friends to hear us as we heal. Peace is not checking to make sure it is “cool” before reflecting. Peace is naked and flawed. Peace is reaching into our lives with a hand of love – letting the hurt pieces of our psyche feel heard – often for the first time. Peace is the inner child, the inner teen, the inner adult. Peace is the way we treat ourselves when our hormones are out of balance and when the world isn’t giving us what we need. Peace is the time we take out of our busy lives to sit in contemplation and reflection of the web we have weaved. Peace is holding every event and person with a compassionate mind. Peace is taking accountability for our flaws with courage and compassion.
In a world where most webs are broken and frayed, how can we expect to find peace? The chaos of the world is a collective reflection of each and every one of us. How we live our lives. How we treat each other is all reflective of our inner web.
Are we consistent? Are we on a path to integrity? Are we kind? Are we mindful with our words? Where there is imbalance in our actions, thoughts and lives – there is a corresponding broken strand that needs tending to. If we do not have a place to find peace secure in a strong web – how can we expect peace in the world?
No matter how hard we try we cannot completely disconnect from those with whom we have shared dances, dreams, journeys and spirits. No matter our paths in life, we remain connected. How we respond and reflect on the connections of our lives determines how strong our grand web will be. Humility requires being wrong sometimes… being wrong is a virtue when being right means fighting, ignoring, destroying others. Rightfulness is not something to be proud of. True rightfulness is a path, not an award. It does not need a jury or a law. True rightfulness means admitting fault, taking responsibility and letting go of ventures and ideas that cause suffering. In a world full of beings with solid webs, being wrong doesn’t result in punishment; it results in compassion and redirection. In a world full of beings with strong webs, greed and power are unnecessary.
Do not turn away from those you loved once – turn to them and open your heart. Do not turn away from those you hate – turn to them and open your heart. Do not make excuses about anyone for the reasons why you feel justified in resenting them – resentment harms your web. Sometimes logic and reason negate peace. There are plenty of reasons why we should hate violators of peace… but by hating them, aren’t we just like them? Aren’t we using hate to try and control and curb their actions? Spending time in hate is toxic no matter who you are. What we focus on grows. When we look outside to find all the things wrong in the world, we are not looking inside to find all our faulty strands and those strands are becoming weaker. When we look inside with a patient and loving heart, mending our wounds – we simultaneously mend our place in the world. We create abundance of positive energy and we tend to see the beauty in the world more abundantly. If everyone in the world were to do this – war would cease, lives would flourish, and Eden would reclaim herself.
I am healing for world peace.