Peace on Earth – Inner-Peace is the Integral Component

Peace on Earth – Inner-Peace is the Integral Component

“What we can control is the here and now. We are not even guaranteed our next breath; we have this moment in time.”

When we look at the world ̶ especially how it is being reported ̶ it would appear that turmoil and not peace fills the earth. When our vision is continually focused on matters of importance out of our control, we feel agitated and overwhelmed and it begins to affect our health and wellbeing. At Christmas, even the name Christmas is under attack. I have made it a point to never X the Christ from Christmas, that is all I have ever known.

It is our hope that peace would prevail, and that war would no longer be waged and humanity would live by the principles to “do unto others as we would like reciprocated to ourselves.”

The legacy media is constantly reporting the problems of the world, we could fill several paragraphs with what they are doing to drive the fear but what good would that do, it brings nothing positive. We must protect the internal from the external, contentment and stress are diametrically opposed. Did you know that the greatest battle being fought today is within the human mind? Have you noticed the connection of declining health when faced with stressful situations? Especially the stress of feeling trapped with a situation larger than life and living with the fear of an unknown outcome.

We materialize what we feed upon; this becomes our reality as our mind cannot distinguish fact from fiction. Several studies have linked disease conditions to stress, such as obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems, and asthma to name a few. Of course, it also affects aging—based on research, stress very likely accelerates aging about 9 to 17 additional years[1]—and it can lead to early death.

The beauty is, optimism allows us to live longer. “That conclusion comes from a study of more than 69,000 female health professionals ages 58 to 86, and more than 1,400 male veterans ages 41 to 90, who were followed for 10 to 30 years. The study found that participants who reported the highest levels of optimism were 50% to 70% more likely to live to age 85 or beyond, compared with those who reported the lowest levels of optimism. Fascinating right? Apparently, how optimistic you are also matters: “the most optimistic people had life spans that were about 11% to 15% longer, on average, than the least optimistic people.”[2]

Why do we keep stressing if we know that a positive attitude is the key for our wellbeing? Partly it is the way we were created: our brain gets bored with the mindful minutes concentrating on our breathing ̶ it likes to be occupied and creative. This is why analyzing the past and foreseeing the future’s worst-case scenarios take up most of our space and time, watching for and awaiting the outcome while the present remains unnoticed. Our brain loves to be engaged. This is why horror films and video games are so addictive; they are much more interesting to our active brain than how our body feels at the moment.

We become reactive and not responsive to situations, stemming from a deeply rooted idea that “if I’m right, the other person must be wrong.” As human beings we have been programed this way by our upbringing, we sort through data that best match our belief—we accept the matters supporting our truth and disregard the rest. This perspective is not a peaceful approach. This does not mean that in finding peace we must relinquish our beliefs as an act of compromise, absolutely not. It is about finding our part in the tapestry of humanity. The world stretches far beyond the realm we live in. We can live with the understanding how different we may be while realizing how very similar we are. The basics do not change, we all want to be loved, we all want our families to be healthy and to achieve their very best and we all want to live in peace. Our diversity is the fabric of life, accepting these differences in others while reciprocating the same is the key for a peaceful existence.

When researchers from John Hopkins examined the potential of meditation by reviewing several previous studies, they found that mindfulness and meditation can help reduce symptoms of psychological stress and even pain.[3] The American Psychological Association has concluded that these practices “lower heart rates, blood pressure and oxygen consumption, and they alleviate the symptoms associated with a vast array of conditions, including hypertension, arthritis, insomnia, depression, infertility, cancer, anxiety, even aging.”[4]

An overview study from Baylor University indicated that spirituality’s greatest impact on health is found in 3 areas: mortality, coping, and recovery.[5] Those who engage in regular spiritual practices tend to live longer. Those who participate in a spiritual community may also benefit from additional social support.

Spirituality helps with coping in difficult situations, such as chronic pain and death. In fact, in response to a survey distributed by the American Pain Society, 76% of respondents said they used prayer to help manage pain; it was used more frequently than pain medication.[6] Similarly, patients facing death from cancer, as well as parents who had lost their children to cancer, were interviewed about the role spirituality played in coping with fate. Of 108 women diagnosed with cancer, 93% said spiritual beliefs were helping them cope. Of 145 parents who had lost children to cancer, 80% found comfort from spirituality one year after. Even if the effect is a placebo effect, studies have historically found the power of belief on physical healing. Considering that 60-90% of visits to health care professionals are stress related, these practices have definite value.[7] The power of positive thinking is a worthwhile endeavor, as well as trusting what nature has provided to heal.

When we direct our energy to matters that are under our control, acknowledging that the past cannot be changed, we must pray and learn to let it go. Worrying about the future, what kind of success has that been? In reality the future is anyone’s guess. What we can control is the here and now. We are not even guaranteed our next breath; we have this moment in time. Accepting this balance is the key to a state of calm. Laying aside matters that are not your own, even our beliefs could be handed down. Peace will reign but it must begin from within. This is your space under your control. From this stage your light will shine from person to person. When our life and surroundings are in balance, the soothing harmony renders peace to our troubled souls. Walking in this light we sojourn through the forest of life as each purifying breath compliments our existence. We forget we are body, soul and spirit, learning to accept who we are as eternal beings brings restoration to our thirsting souls. Gratitude of heart and shining your light helping those in need is the reason for the season, in this frame of mind life’s smallest miracles will become the common thread to the life we have been given.

Products to Reduce and Manage Stress:

Kava Kava: Used in herbal medicine as a calmative and/or sleep aid. Kava Kava is best-known as a ceremonial South Pacific beverage. The earliest European knowledge of Kava Kava dates back to the late 1700s, with the journeys of Captain Cook. Today, usage of Kava Kava beverages in tropical climates is similar to the use of alcoholic beverages in the West. However, the plant from which the beverage is made was found to have useful properties to aid anxiety, hyperactivity, stress, and restlessness.

Gaba: Helps promote relaxation. GABA is found throughout the central nervous system (CNS), assuming an ever-enlarging role as a significant influence for pain, stress, anxiety, depression as well as stress-induced illness. Before January 1995, there were over 2000 documents and texts on GABA, describing how it affects anxiety/stress in the brain and CNS.

Lithium Homeopathic: Lithium salts have the power to change the brain: they were the first drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat mania, depression and Bipolar disorder, according to the National Institute of Health. No one knows exactly how lithium works to stabilize mood. Studies show multiple effects on the nervous system. In 2008, researchers reported in the journal Cell that lithium interrupts the activity of a receptor for the neurotransmitter dopamine

L-Tryptophan: Tryptophan also helps combat depression and insomnia and to stabilize moods. It helps to control hyperactivity in children, alleviates stress, benefits the heart, aids in weight control as an appetite suppressant, and enhances the release of growth hormone. B-6 (pyridoxine) is necessary for the formation of tryptophan, which is required for the formation of serotonin.

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