Finding peace in a troubled world

The answer is simple. We cannot impose peace upon a troubled world. The only way we will have peace worldwide is when we have a world made up of people with peace in their hearts. As individuals who are interdependently linked with all of humanity, what we can do is to start with us. The more peace we develop in our own heart, the more we contribute to world peace. 

So how to do this amidst all the provocation to be fearful, hateful, vengeful, aggressive, defensive, apathetic and so on? But first

             Thought for the day

       When your fear touches someone’s pain 

       It becomes pity; 

       When your love touches someone’s pain, 

       It becomes compassion.

                   Stephen Levine

Christmas is a wonderful time of year. 

It celebrates the birth of a child who came to embody unconditional love. 

Also, one of Christ’s major messages was forgiveness.

So in these hugely troubled times, how do we embody unconditional love and find forgiveness when there is so much going on that seems on first examination to be unforgivable. 

First, it serves us well to be clear none of this is easy. For many, it comes way more easily to dive into destructive emotions; to be fearful, hateful, vengeful, aggressive, defensive, apathetic. If we are to counter this within ourselves, we will need a good deal of resolve. 

We need to start with a strong intention. A powerful recognition that hate never cured hate. That love is the only thing that will cure hate. A strong intention to be more loving...

So we need to consider... how can I do this? How can I be more loving? 

Good question... Probably the basis for a book or two... and definitely the very essence of what all the great spiritual traditions do aspire to – to help us become more loving.

So if we are not involved in a spiritual tradition already, maybe now is a good time to consider taking this up – following the spiritual path more formally. I have always been of the view, that if we did grow up in a particular tradition, lapsed for whatever reason and then felt to return to the spiritual path; it makes sense to go back to what we first knew. 

Even for those who left say in response to all the sexual abuse that has plagued most traditions, having grown up in a particular tradition means you are familiar with its principles and values. 

With its iconography and liturgy. 

By going back to that, maybe these days you have a different perspective, can hear it all in a different, more meaningful way, that proves to be satisfying. 

If not, you will know clearly - that particular path is not for you, and then you can look elsewhere.

But a caution. Changing traditions is not easy and few recommend it unless you have a very strong motivation and connection with the new path.

For those more secular. Starting with your self means developing a regular meditation practice. Meditation is the key to inner peace. However, the path of meditation towards peace is not easy either. Once we do begin to look inwardly more closely, we will need to confront our own states of mind – with all their diversity - good thoughts, destructive thoughts, loving kindness, desire, hatred and aversion; the full catastrophe. That is why we need a strong resolve. We need enough energy to stay with all this; enough energy to work out how to be with our own inner demons - and gods.

And how can we be present to someone else's trauma and destructive thoughts and emotions, if we cannot be present to our own? The need is to learn how to be with the difficult stuff; and what we do with it... 

So we need to be gentle with ourselves. The old adage “Love they neighbour as thy self”, emphasises the need – “as thy self”. Love thy self. Be kind to self. Be gentle with self. Be forgiving of self.

Forgiveness is a key. Forgiveness of self, forgiveness of others. This too can be very difficult. But it is always possible. And it frees us from the self-destructive emotion of hate. There is a good piece on forgiveness in a post on Thich Nhat Hahn. 

If considering developing or returning to a regular meditation practice, do consider joining our Meditation Community. 

Most of us find it hard to maintain regular meditation long-term. 

Having the company and support of good teachers and like minded meditators really makes a difference, and this is what the online Meditation Community offers. 

Regular live teachings and practices spread throughout the week, access to guided practices you can listen to like you would on an App, videos to watch, a secure online chat forum, and more... 

A wonderful environment designed to support your good intentions: The Meditation Community...

Then too, consider attending a meditation retreat. In current times, I suggest attending at least one retreat each year. There are many good options available. Ruth and I will present our annual 7 day meditation retreat again in 2026 – from 7 -13th June in the highly conducive environment of the Yarra Valley Living Centre. Details are on the website iangawler.com; you can register your interest and bookings will open soon. The focus for the 2026 retreat will be the Stillness of Meditation – the heart of meditation where unconditional love is to be experienced. 

This has been a really tough year for many of us. Speaking personally, so many good things have happened, including great retreats and meditation teacher trainings presented, but the whole year has been turbulent. Included amongst all this, Ruth has been seriously unwell (but happily, is much better now) and we have friends who knew 4 of the people so tragically murdered in the Bondi massacre. Our hearts really do go out to all our Jewish friends, their families and the wider community. May something meaningful come from all this trauma, like it did following the Pt Arthur massacre.

But for now, with the year coming to an end, it is a great time to enter into the heart of Christmas, the real message of Christmas – the birth of unconditional love. It may surprise some, but unconditional love is actually our default. It may seem strange, but unconditional love is actually the natural state. Our job is to reconnect with it. To do what we can firstly to be less destructive and more loving; then move on towards becoming unconditionally loving.

May that true spirit of Christmas touch you and the hearts of all you love and value. 

And everyone else as well...