Peace

I spent the past week or so preparing for and participating in the annual event of Mata Amritandamayi (Amma) here in the Washington, D.C. area (for more about her). I can't begin to do her justice in describing her or what she has done for me and many others I know.

Oh peacemaker, before trying to make peace throughout the world, first make peace within thyself.

—Hazrat Inayat Khan

We cannot "fight for peace". Fighting is what we do when we feel threatened and insecure. Are we really so threatened? I don't think most of us are. I think many of us in U.S. society are addicted to violence. We frame so much of our identity in violence and its symbols. In the past war was seen as a way not only to defend one's tribe but also to learn the manly virtues of loyalty, courage, self-sacrifice and so on. In ancient time war was also a means for material gain (pillage) and a way to enjoy certain amorous delights (rape) that was normally frowned upon in polite society. The cult of violence is very much about maleness and about domination/submission.

In this advanced post-modern world where we have removed ourselves from nature (our own and as well as the natural world) violence and sex have become very compelling and glamorous. It is so interesting. It is also very convenient to those who enrich themselves by catering to the weakness of others. It is very convenient to create a psychic space wherein it is “ok” to control the world through threats, intimidation, domination, abuse, torture, cruel slaughter of innocence and these methods seem to be preferred whether or not they, as practical techniques for domination, actually do the job.

The leadership class in the United States appears to love violence for its own sake and this is clearly not a good thing for a world in need of peace and cooperation. These people seem to think that spreading fear and dread will encourage “freedom”. I prefer the old fashioned raping and pillaging idea, at least it is honest. But before we waste energy in hating the ruling class let's take a bit of time to look around at ourselves and the culture we contribute to every day in so many ways. Look at violence in movies, music and sports. Look at our fondness for watching others be humiliated in public.

Dominance/submission is the sexual sense has become a very big deal in Western culture not only in the sexual sense but obviously in the political sense. Let me make it very clear that leaders don’t go around wearing black leather and a carrying a whip but, in America at least, the personality that is considered “strong” and a “leader” is aggressive, loud, and not necessarily very intelligent. It is interesting how scientists and scholars are very much out of fashion these days.

May people believe the urge towards dominating others through force is healthy and a sign of vigor and virtue. Certainly in societies that need that mentality to survive an argument could be made for that ethic. But we are in a very different world than our ancestors where wars and follies passed into history very quickly. The problem is not just the violence we inflict on each other, but the violence we inflict on everything we touch and nearly everything we do involves tearing resources out of the earth in ways that deeply affect the commons and the future. We no longer go quietly into history—we have grown up as species we now have ultimate power over the planet we live on and there is little evidence that our minds have grown up alongside our power.

Peace is, I think, the absence of agitation. The peaceful person possesses a certain quietness that does not signify a lack of vigor but rather watchfulness, a willingness to take in what is around and what is. The agitated person is prone to violence for nothing seems quite right—everything needs adjustment or “improvement” or, more commonly there is not enough food, status or sex so more must be gotten. To work towards peace demands a sense of inner satisfaction and completeness that does not need anything added. Truly peaceful people can be very lively and produce extraordinary even prodigious works since they don’t waste their time worrying about their own “needs” since those are already fulfilled. He or she only sees others who may be in pain or in need and seeks to aid these others in ways that are obvious, i.e. feed the hungry, comfort the afflicted, hug those without love, bring enlightenment to the seekers.

When we look at an outer world dominated by the dominator model what do we do? Do we “fight” the power? My answer is both yes and no. Those of us who prefer non-violence are under a certain obligation to make non-violence “strong”, i.e., cultivate the good side of the force so that even if “violent” activity may become necessary it will exhibit itself in a playful and non-hateful manner. Evil in the world has become far too developed to be defeated by naturally peaceful people adopting anger and hatred as a motivation to fight for the earth, for the poor, for peace. We have to work much harder to develop ourselves and, as importantly, our communities (however we define them) in living a peaceful yet vigorous life so that others can see non-violence, love, gentleness, love of nature, love of our fellows as an indication of true virtue and strength.