“May all beings be at peace.
May we all live in the true peace of our own hearts.”

I say these two lines at the end of every class yoga and meditation class I teach and every therapy session. It is an invitation to my students to find peace in their hearts and a wider invitation to humanity to live in the peace present in all our hearts.

It is a simple prayer but always engenders a sense of peace and connection within my own ecosystem. These two lines give me hope and remind me of my own power when I feel hopeless and powerless.

It also reminds me that we are all united in our search for meaning and our search for peace and happiness. I believe even those now on the path of terror began on a search for peace, a sense of belonging.

In the wake of the last few weeks of terror-related violence in the UK and the ongoing violence around the world, I have felt despondent and powerless. And then I repeat these simple words and am reminded that my greatest power is in my own state of mind and how I relate to my community.

This personal responsibility remains unchanged by acts of violence in the world. I have felt the temptation to become fearful, felt the lure of hate, and then I remember. We all have a choice to live in fear or love, to choose the kind of community we want to live in and be that community, ourselves.

This prayer for peace reminds me of my choice to navigate my choices by the love and peace in my heart. It reminds me that love and peace are an internal state, not given or dependent on the external world. It reminds me of my own journey from fear to love, that continues to enable the life I now live.

I offer you this prayer as an invitation to find the peace resting in your heart and continue your own journey from fear to love.

The practice

  • Make yourself comfortable.
  • Take a few minutes to allow your breath to settle, noticing your breath in your nostrils and the rise and fall of your chest.
  • If you feel comfortable, allow your eyes to softly close, otherwise, direct your eyes downward and soften your gaze, and your hands rest in your lap.
  • Repeat, “May all beings be at peace.
    May we all live in the true peace of our own hearts.”
  • Take a few moments to rest in the stillness that follows.
  • Gently return to your life and notice the difference.

Repeat this practice when you feel anxious or fearful, as many times a day as you need.

As one of the many great peacemakers of modern times, Gandhi, said,
“be the change you want to see in the world”.

 

Lynnette Dickinson is the author of A Journey to Peace through Yoga, and teaches yoga, relaxation and meditation in Canberra and via Skype or phone. Classes, personalised programs and yoga therapy. Visit www.splendouryoga.com. Listen to Lynnette telling her story click here for Part 1 and here for Part 2, and be inspired.