Peace At Home And Abroad

Edition #121 — August 6, 2009

I've been working daily on the manuscript for my book, Clearing A Path To Joy. I started this version at the end of January, and although I continually find news ways to improve upon it, I feel that I can finish it in a few more months. After that, it will be up to the gods of commerce and industry to decide when it gets published. If they pass on it, I'll publish it myself. I don't believe in obstacles.

As a departure from my usual newsletter schtick, I thought I'd share an excerpt from one of the chapters — here it is.

Peace At Home And Abroad

As members of humanity we all share similar social obstacles. We may not live in a war torn country, but we might be engaged in our own domestic disputes at home. The cause of such conflicts may be similar except in their scale. Often someone is trying to remake the world in their own image to the detriment of others, which naturally causes a conflict. In our desperation to win, we may also lose our empathy and resort to violence as a way to secure our victory. In this sense, war is just an extended family quarrel.

As infants we want what we want and will often cry until it is given to us. In adulthood our list of negotiation tactics may now include hitting, yelling, lying, cheating or even killing others to get what we want. Yet, beneath all destructive behavior remains the desire to feel safe, free and happy throughout every stage of our life. Our need for control demonstrates a lack of trust that our needs will be met. We may also believe that our joy depends upon others behaving in a certain way, so we may try to control their minds, bodies and resources in an effort to make them conform to our demands. The outcome is naturally conflict and war — whether it is fought with words, fists, weapons or propaganda.

In clearing our path to joy we must reassert control of our own territory — including our body, our thoughts and our freedom to choose. We must also allow others to reclaim these territories within themselves for joy cannot be pursued in chains. And if others are currently trying to exert control over us, then conflicts can be expected as we begin to reclaim our rightful sovereignty for the sake of our future joy. It may sound absurd but others may not want us to get a taste of joy or freedom. Doing so would raise our expectations for increased power over our lives, which would compromise our oppressors own feelings of security.

Our common struggle for emotional balance by taking advantage of others will remain humankind’s most pervasive challenge until we have found a sense of peace within. And once peace enters our homes, only then may we hope to seed it elsewhere. The cause of all war arises from our fear of losing opportunities or life itself. It is our subsequent desire for control to overcome our fear that is further complicated by our unwillingness to share for lack of trust, and our apathy to the suffering of others as we desperately feed the hunger within.

In clearing our path to joy, we rediscover and begin to better know our true selves. Through introspection we will achieve a greater sense of inner peace so that we no longer cause others pain for the sake of our inner comfort. Our battle within is the only war worth winning.

Okay, war's over! Everyone stop fighting. You can all go home now. And I'll see you all again next month.

Roland Kriewaldt




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