A Violent Peace?

Have you ever noticed that peace is often described as the absence of violence, the absence of war, the absence of disturbance? Is this the best way to formulate our thinking on peace, by describing what it is not?
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While driving from Malibu to Santa Monica the other day, I was listening to NPR, relaxed into an easy place, when my attention shot up to high-alert, hearing the interviewer say, "...they are not at war. They are in a violent peace."

I was stunned. A violent peace? I pulled over to the side of the Pacific Coast Highway, where I gazed out over the expanse of the ocean, watching the sun flashing sparkling diamonds of light across the water. Right then and there, I knew what peace was, yet I was mystified by this twisted concept. It was as incongruous and self-contradictory as speaking of a cruel kindness: both, impossibly disturbing ideations.

I tried to imagine what violent peace felt like and why anyone would imagine that these two diametrically opposing concepts should companion one another in the same thought bubble.

Clearly, this idea does not represent the underbelly of a positive life-platform, but rather the strategies of a contentious society. And without question, this standard of thinking will never afford any of us the opportunity to experience peace within ourselves, nor collectively amongst humanity. So just how do we create peace and how do we take it out into our teetering world?

Have you ever noticed that peace is often described as the absence of violence, the absence of war, the absence of disturbance? But is this the best way to formulate our thinking on peace, by describing what it is not? Instead, what if we thought about peace from a positive perspective; might we describe it as the enjoyment of harmonious calm and contentment? Wouldn't the idea of experiencing a deep sense of safety and trust within our lives be another essential element of peace?

Here is a fresh thought -- what if we tenderly embraced the sweetness of our own sparkling ocean of creative genius that is innately present within each one of us? What if we allowed ourselves to do that which we truly loved to do, as a creative expression within our lives? Perhaps then, we might begin to experience a richly inspired, personal peace, birthed from within our elemental selves. From personal experience, I know that when I am deeply immersed within my creative world, I am streaming in an internal environment of dynamic peace. Within this place, I am my art form. I am my peace.

So, imagine if each of us dared to expose ourselves in such a life-affirming way and thought about peace from this shift in perspective. What might be the possibilities? Perhaps we might open up our guarded hearts, even just a little bit, and experience what that internalized peace might set the stage for. Perhaps this is the place from where imagination is free to travel and expand. Perhaps this is the place where we can begin to remember that which we truly love to do. Perhaps this is the place from which inspiration is born.

A violent peace? I think not. Peace through imagination and inspiration? Beautiful!

Just imagine ...

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