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9/11 Tenth Anniversary: Why Peace Begins with Me and You

Arvind Devalia — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:02:25 +0000

This week is the 10th anniversary of 9/11, that fateful day when two planes demolished the World Trade Center in New York.

Everyone remembers just where they were when they heard the news. I was working in the City of London at the time and watched the world-changing events unfolding on a screen at a hairdressing salon. There was an eerie silence all around as we watched in shock, hardly comprehending just what was happening.

We had an American colleague working with us at the time, who only a year before had been on a work assignment at the top of one of the towers.

As the Twin Towers came down, it slowly dawned on her that some if not most of her ex-colleagues and friends were likely to have been involved. Shock set in and I found a taxi for her, making sure she got home okay as all the trains were temporarily suspended in fear of a London attack.

On the way home, I joined a small crowd outside a TV shop, looking in awe and shock at the repeated clips of the towers coming down.

I still recall those few hours as if it all happened only yesterday.

That night of 9/11, I sent out a heart felt message of peace, hope and harmony to all my friends and family. Ten years ago, I was just about to start my monthly newsletter, and how I wish I could find that message again.

And today, I am saddened that so much has happened since then and the opportunity for peace, reconciliation and genuine dialogue was not grasped in the years that followed.

The World Ten Years Later

Ten years later, the world is no safer or wiser and there seems no end to the troubles around the world. Indeed today the world is struggling more than ever with growing inequality, poverty, economic and global warming challenges.

Today there is more angst in the world than ever before. The world is a far more dangerous place and we are all more vulnerable to attack, uncertainty and upheaval. The saddest part of it all is that we are no nearer to resolving any of the disputes and grievances that let to the 9/11 attacks in the first place.

Schisms between nations are becoming wider and there seems to be an ideology standoff between Christianity and Islam. All terrorism is blamed on Islam, which is portrayed as an unyielding, fanatical religion out to conquer the world and impose itself.

However it’s time we all realised that multiculturalism does not lead to disintegration – we need to celebrate our differences, not ridicule them.

In our hearts, we are all people with the same aspirations, hopes and ambitions. We all strive to better ourselves and create a better and secure future for our children.

Islam is not a monolith – I believe it actually covers 53 nations in the world. The fight today seems to be not between religions, but between ideologies

We need to remember that being a Muslim is just one aspect of people’s identity. Yet, that identity seems to have become paramount and sadly militarily defined. Whether one admits it or not, there is certainly a lot of Islamophobia out there.

Remember – Muslims love their children too.

It is time that we saw people as just people rather than judge them on their religious ideology. Ultimately peace can only come if we put our selfish motives to one side and think about the future of our children.

This week, rather than looking back once again on the events of ten years ago, let us focus on how we can bring peace into our own lives and work from there for peace in the world. And then maybe the legacy of 9/11 will be to bring us all together for the greater good of all.

The onus on this 9/11 anniversary is really on us to take a step back and look at our own lives and see where and how we can bring more peace in our life and in the world on an ongoing basis. Ultimately, if we bring peace all around us, then it can spread from there.

Have you ever wondered how you could make the world a more peaceful place?

And how you yourself could feel greater peace of mind?

Well, I believe that peace has to come from within you and there are two key questions we all have to address in our lives:-

1. How can I find internal peace within myself?

2. How can I bring more peace into the world through my work and my being?

Here is a very timely and poignant quote from the Peace Pilgrim:-

“We can work on inner peace and world peace at the same time.

On one hand, people have found inner peace by losing themselves in a cause larger than themselves, like the cause of world peace, because finding inner peace means coming from the self-centered life into the life centered in the good of the whole.

On the other hand, one of the ways of working for world peace is to work for more inner peace, because world peace will never be stable until enough of us find inner peace to stabilize it.”

So the first key is to become more peaceful within ourselves.

Here are my key tips to start bringing more peace in our lives:-

1. Create Daily Peace Routines

As one begins to bring more peace into our lives, it is important to have some peace routines.

To me, early morning is the best part of the day. There is generally a feeling of peace and quietness then that you do not experience any other time. People are gradually getting into the day and there is none of the hustle and bustle you get later one.

I suggest that you create a space in your life so that you can spend a bit of time early in the morning in self nurturing, rejuvenation, meditation. Also, you can use this quiet time to review the day and plan for what is ahead.

You can start your day with some meditation, soothing music, gentle exercise, whatever works for you. Follow this with a healthy and leisurely breakfast with your partner, the family or on your own.

Get into the habit of waking up early – and going for a walk or run in the morning. Not only will you be exercising, but your day will be off to a great start and it will increase your productivity.

2. Clean up Your Space and Simplify your Life

A key for peace in your mind is to have a physical space that feels neat and tidy. Psychologically we all feel better in a pristine clean home than in one that is a mess and full of clutter.

So a prerequisite for inner peace is to get your space clutter free and tidy. Do whatever you need to do to get rid of the clutter.

As you begin to bring more peace in your world and hence the world in general, make the most of your early mornings – a precious and peaceful start to each day.

As well as creating a clutter free space, there is a lot to be said for simplicity and focusing on fewer things and commitments in your life. Just imagine how much more peaceful your life would be if you didn’t have to think or be concerned about too many things.

I remember listening to a Buddhist master who kept repeating – “Let go”. So let go of all things in your life that do not support you anymore.

That also includes letting go of people too, though that may sound harsh to some of you.

3. Look for Ways to Contribute to Others

As we reflect on 9/11 and the lessons learnt, the sad truth is the world isn’t working right now as we threaten to bomb each other into oblivion.

What’s truly missing is compassion. I sincerely believe that if more readers take this one thing to heart, the whole world will evolve.

Compassion is about putting yourself in the shoes of the other person and seeing the world from their perspective. It is about feeling their pain and empowering them to be their best. It is not about pity or patronizing.

“Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike – each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little.” – Buddha

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” – Dalai Lama

Just how can we learn to treat each other with more kindness, care, consideration and dare I say it with love?

Check out these 31 ways to carry out random acts of kindness and choose one or more methods to bring more kindness into the world every day for the rest of your life.

4. Celebrate our differences

When we see the world today in the state it is, we are left to ponder why we are even fighting each other.

At the end of the day all of us have the same hopes and dreams, the same challenges and issues.

Indeed we share the same planet, breath the same air and drink the same water.

Are we really that different? Somehow we just need to learn to get on with each other.

Wherever you go in the world there is a wonderful, common theme – people:

- Small, large, fat, thin.
- Loud, quiet, croaky.
- Brash, timid, aloof, cocky.
- Honest, innocent, mischievous.
- Black, white, brown, mixed.
- Anxious, laidback, schizophrenic.
- Colourful, drab, naked.

It takes all sorts of people to make our world so interesting and colourful. So let us celebrate our differences rather than fighting for a warped cause.

At the same time, searching for peace is also not about becoming a tree hugging hippy!

Though there is nothing wrong with this, and each to their own path, the majority of the people in the world just want to live “normal” fulfilling, happy lives in peace with enough for their daily needs.

Life is not really that complex, is it!?

5. Forgive and move on

We all hang on to petty grievances and misunderstandings amongst our friends, work colleagues and most sadly amongst our family members. It’s such disputes and simmering fights that ultimately energetically create bigger battles amongst communities and nations.

So ask yourself:

What grievances can I let go?
Whom can I forgive?
What toxic or negative habit can I let go of?

This is not to say that you let others trod all over you – it’s also about respecting your own needs and boundaries and creating your life as best you want it to be.

6. Desire less

A while ago a friend sent me a quote which really sums up very eloquently a key way of bringing more peace in our life. Though I am not sure who actually wrote these words, it seems to have some Buddhist connotations:-

“Desires cause peace to disappear. You think that acquiring things will make you feel secure, but the reality is that the more you have the more fear there usually is of losing it, and the further you are from peace.

Desires are the cause of all conflicts. When you want something and cannot get it you become frustrated. Learning to be free from desires is learning how to stay peaceful.”

So by curbing our lifestyles and aspirations, we would not only benefit the planet but also bring more peace in our lives.

Isn’t it amazing how all of these things are so intertwined?

7. Listen to your heart and follow your own path

Finally, it is all about getting clear about your own truth and following that truth.

Cut through all the media hype and determine for yourself just what’s really going on in the world around us today.

For your own peace of mind, get more information and insights into the conflicts around us, and with that knowledge support a just cause rather than being led along blindly with the rest of the masses.

On a micro level, to resolve any conflict, put yourself in the other person’s shoes and listen to the promptings of your heart.

Give up trying to control others and focus on your own life.

Here is another insightful Buddhist message which is very relevant:

Do not believe, just because wise men say so.

Do not believe, just because it has always been that way.

Do not believe, just because others may believe so.

Examine and experience yourself!

So for your own peace of mind, just remember to closely examine any situation and then let your heart rule rather than your head.

Start with more peace in your life today

To conclude, the main question to ask yourself on this tenth anniversary of 9/11 is:

How can I bring more peace into my life today?

To help you get started, reflect on these following questions and apply in your life:

What will YOU do to bring more peace into the world?
What will you NOT do?
What peace habit will you apply EVERY day?
WHO will you forgive and let go?
Who will you STOP trying to control?

Reflect on the answers to these questions. You may also want to come up with your own questions and reflections.

And remember that it’s not just about bringing peace in the world today – it has to be a daily and life long practice.

By bringing more peace within us and around us, we ultimately bring more peace to the world and we make it a better place.

On this 9/11 anniversary, surely that is not too much to ask for?!

“One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Please also check out this key post for 9/11 I wrote a year ago:-

9/11 Remembered: 11 Articles to Sow Peace and Healing

Please Help to Spread the Word

Please tell your friends about Make It Happen by using the share buttons below. Every Retweet and Facebook share helps me grow my blog. I look forward to seeing you here again soon. Thank you for reading! – Arvind

(Editorial note:- I previously published a version of this article on LifeHack)

Images courtesy of danny.hammontree, Eric Oebanda , Muslimpage, Munkey Assassin and Todd Huffman

2 Key Things to Drum About in 2011

Arvind Devalia — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 19:36:17 +0000

Happy New Year everyone!

As we gently get into 2011, I wish you all the best for this New Year – may this year bring all you wish and much more.

I wish you all a very peaceful, abundant and blissful New Year. May you have health, wealth and peace in your life.

And of course, as I said in my last post, may this year be when you become the sort of person you always wanted to be.

After a very enjoyable break of 10 days with family and friends, I am now back in full flow and have a number of key articles coming up shortly.

In the last few days, I have read a number of articles about making and keeping New Year resolutions and how to make 2011 a successful and happy year.

I have mixed thoughts about the value of making New Year resolutions. Though I do like the idea of setting goals at this time of the year, I also feel that a lot of people feel pressurised and then get upset when their resolutions soon fizzle out.

Having thought about what I think is really important, I would like to suggest 2 things for you to focus on this year and indeed any year.

1. Compassion

Compassion is about putting yourself in the shoes of the other person and seeing the world from their perspective.

It is about feeling their pain and empowering them to be their best. It is not about pity or patronizing.

“Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike – each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little.” – Buddha

I strongly feel that it is high time we really questioned how we are living our lives and treating our fellow human beings and the planet.

In 2011, just how can we learn to treat each other with more kindness, care, consideration and dare I say it with love?

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” – Dalai Lama

How can we learn from the events of the last few years to bring more compassion into the world?

We all have deep within us this calling and a capacity to help others, to make a difference in some way and to make ourselves count.

However, service is not just about doing charity work, or even “looking good”. It is about creating something sustainable and leaving a legacy for those to follow.

Service is about empowering people and giving them their dignity.

So what’s stopping you from doing even more for the world? Are you fearful of changing the world?

Then feel the fear and change the world anyway!

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

2. Gratitude

As we go into 2011, be aware of all the good things already in your life. Maybe you don’t even need to set any New Year resolutions!

Gratitude is all about appreciating the things you have in your life. Are you even aware of all the goodness in your life?

This year, make a promise to yourself to truly appreciate what you have in your life.

How often we take something for granted and then miss it as soon as it has gone. Many a time a loved one has left us, only for us to wish we had told them just how much they meant to us.

Gratitude is a way of reaching back to your natural state of happiness.

You get to notice what’s right instead of what’s wrong and begin to see every “problem” as an opportunity for growth and development.

Is your glass half full or half empty?

in 2011, I challenge you to begin to value all the goodness and beauty around you. This can be as majestic as a sunset or as simple as the feel of the clothes you wear.

Be thankful for a gift from a friend, a child’s smile, a stranger’s kindness, having got home safely today and simply to be alive.

The happiest people I know live with an attitude of gratitude.

So that’s it, my two key things for you to focus on in 2011 -

1. Compassion

2. Gratitude

Please share below your plans for 2011, and how you will bring these two qualities into your life.

As an early gift for 2011, I would like to end this post by sharing a beautiful YouTube video. I thank my friend Joy for sharing this with me last week. Do check out her blog which is all about unfolding your path to joy.

Email subscribers can click on here to view the video.

This video is a Hindu prayer and a wish for universal love, peace, prosperity and harmony for everyone irrespective of religion and location.

These are the words in English, translated from Sanskrit:-

Om.

May good befall all,
May there be peace for all,
May all be fit for perfection, and
May all experience that which is auspicious.
May all be happy.
May all be healthy.
May all experience what is good and
let no one suffer

On that note, happy New Year everyone.

Top image courtesy of tanakawho

Just Imagine a Peaceful World – It’s Easy if You Try

Arvind Devalia — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 23:51:09 +0000

30 years ago today, the world lost John Lennon. But his legacy and thoughts live on through his music and his words.

What better way to remember his legacy and mark his quest for a more peaceful world than to listen once again to possibly his most solo song – Imagine.

(If you are reading this as an email, then please click here)

As you listen to and read these words, reflect on your life and the world today and imagine what it would be like if you were a dreamer too:-

Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

Just Imagine a Peaceful World – It’s Easy if You Try

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Every Retweet and Facebook share helps me grow my blog. I look forward to seeing you here again soon. Thank you for reading! – Arvind

Image courtesy of -Marlith- and Peta-de-Astlan

Why Every Day and Every Moment is So Special

Arvind Devalia — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 12:42:19 +0000

In years to come, how will you remember 10/10/10?

Today is a very special day – 10th October 2010.

There has been much written about today’s date – 10/10/10.

Various cultures see the number ten as lucky – and today is one of the busiest days for weddings around the world.

Many couples are getting married and tying the knot today expecting this day to bring much love, happiness and prosperity.

Today also sees thousands of events around the world to remind people about the impact of global warming and the importance of doing something about it.

What are you doing today to mark this historic date?

This morning at ten o’clock, I did a special meditation – and 10.10.10 came and went in a state of calmness and bliss. And that’s how I will always remember it.

How will you remember this special day?

Later on this afternoon, I shall be off to Regents Park near my home in central London where like minded people are coming together for a peace meditation.

Even nature has obliged by giving us a clear sunny and warm day!

So that’s 10/10/10 – special memories of a special day.

How do you remember your special moments in your life?

We all have those life-defining moments in time which we will always remember – a bit like how everyone used to remember where they were and what they were doing when JFK was shot.

That was a long time ago – maybe the modern equivalent of our turbulent times is the moment when they first heard of 9/11 in the USA or 7/7 in the UK.

We also have those personal life-defining moments that impact us deeply or dramatically change the course of our lives.

Here are some of the moments in my life I shall always remember:-

1. Getting a phone call from my mother at 1am on a Sunday night telling me that my father had just passed away. Life was never the same again.

2. Being in the room next door when a friend’s son was born, hearing his first cry and seeing him twenty minutes later, looking as if he belonged in this world and had always been around.

3. Almost choking when my ex-wife told me in a Chinese restaurant that she no longer had the feelings for me that she thought she ought to have.

4. Watching the live TV images on 9/11 at a hairdresser in the City of London and seeing the twin towers come down in NYC.

5. And my favourite – experiencing unconditional love for the first time in an Indian orphanage which literally changed my life forever.

The point is that such memories and defining moments is what makes our life what it is.

On this special day of 10/10/10, which brings with it a timely reminder to all of us to cultivate and care for our planet, I would like to remind you once again that everyday and every moment is special.

Just look at all the miracles happening around you!

Always remember to live your life as if everything is a miracle.

There is much to love and admire in our world – you just have to be present to these things.

For instance, I have visited some amazing places, met some incredibly generous and loving people and experienced kindness and nobility beyond belief. And such experiences are always there for everyone.

Also, you don’t even need to have anything special happening for you to experience each moment in its fullness.

You can make every moment special just by being present to it and being mindful about what you are doing or not doing.

You too can get to experience life in its fullness – just be open to what each day and each moment brings.

To end this special post for 10/10/10, here are some ideas for you reflect on and apply in your life from today:-

1. We are all here only for a limited period of time so make the most of it.

2. There is more to life than accumulating more stuff so stop this mad drive towards having more.

3. Ultimately, we all want the same thing – happiness and contentment. Aim for that, rather than material and superficial success.

4. Global warming is happening, no matter what the cause and we have to do something about it. Do your own bit today and everyday.

5. If peace is to happen in the world, it’s up to each one of us. Do your bit to bring peace in your own world.

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed“ – Gandhi

Let this day be the day you begin to review your life and change your priorities. Make today an extra-special day in your life.

Let 10/10/10 be the day you begin to make each day extra-special:-)

Image courtesy of Greenpeace Finland

How to Get to Your Nirvana in Just a Few Minutes

Arvind Devalia — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:51:23 +0000

Have you ever been in Nirvana?

If so, wouldn’t it be wonderful to create Nirvana in your life all the time?

Before you let your imagination run riot, let’s be clear that I am not talking here about some drug-infused state of mind.

Nirvana means different things to different people.

For Buddhists, Nirvana is the perfect peace of the state of mind that is free from craving, anger and other afflicting states. For Hindus, it is the union with the Supreme Being.

For a lot of Westerners, the word probably just means the musical band.

Nirvana is also not about sitting cross-legged and meditating – though I am told it helps!

I would like to explore with you today is what Nirvana means to you and show you how you can experience it in your life

What I mean by Nirvana in this context is when:-

You are in a state of bliss and joy.

You are in the flow and everything is working really well in your life.

You are fulfilled, happy and content within yourself.

You are a sea of calmness and peace.

You feel healthy, energised and full of life.

Your heart is overflowing with love, gratitude and appreciation.

You have great relationships with everyone in your life.

You feel that you have found your calling and you love what you are doing

You are making a contribution to the world.

Just writing and reading that list gives me the goose bumps.

For me, Nirvana would be an exalted feeling of bliss, joy, love and peace.

Can you remember a time when you felt such bliss and joy?

I have been lucky that I felt like this once – during my visit to an orphanage in India.

Thankfully we can also get to Nirvana through the kindness of other people.

Here’s a simple exercise for you for you to experience Nirvana:-

Close your eyes right now. Breathe deeply 3 times and then visualise a time when you felt really blissful and joyous.

Remember what it was you were seeing, hearing and feeling at the time. Put yourself back in that time.

Make your feelings of bliss and joy as strong as possible. Relax your face and allow yourself to smile – it’s okay to be happy.

As you feel these wonderful feelings in your body, ask yourself what it would be like to be in this state most of the time.

There you are – Nirvana delivered via your computer:-)

No matter how you did this exercise, you will be feeling a lot better than you did a few minutes ago.

Now that you know how easily you can summon up your Nirvana, make a habit of doing so daily or even a few times each day.

A coaching friend asked me last week what it would it like for me to be living in Nirvana and I came up with 7 things covering all areas of my life:-

Feeling blissful, peaceful and joyous

Life of laughter and love

Fulfilling, soul work, making a difference

In a soul mate relationship

Healthy, fit and energised

Writing, coaching and speaking

Worldwide impact through my work

In summary, I would be living a life of contribution, connection and celebration.

Clearly, all I have to do now is to actually start living as if I am already in Nirvana.:-)

Now over to you.

Please spend a few minutes (or however long it takes) today to get clear about your Nirvana in life. Deep down you already know the answers.

What’s your vision of Nirvana?

And what one single thing will you do today to move towards your own Nirvana?

9/11 Remembered: 11 Articles to Sow Peace and Healing

Arvind Devalia — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:35:47 +0000

This is my special article for 9/11. Please share my message via Twitter

How has your life changed since 9/11?

More importantly, what have you done to bring more peace and healing to the world since that day?

As you look around today, the world is not a safer or more peaceful place than it was 9 years ago.

We find ourselves embroiled in a bitter war in Afghanistan and other places, and there seems no end to it all.

At the same time, the world struggles with growing inequality, poverty, recession and global warming challenges.

Today there is more angst in the world than ever before. The world seems to be a more dangerous place and we are all more vulnerable to attack, uncertainty and upheaval.

Even nature is more unforgiving nowadays with a string of natural catastrophes.

The saddest part of it all is that we are no nearer to resolving any of the disputes and grievances that led to the 9/11 attacks in the first place.

However on this anniversary, it is time we all realised that multiculturalism does not lead to disintegration – we need to celebrate our differences, not ridicule them or try to destroy them.

In our hearts, we are all people with the same aspirations, hopes and ambitions. We all strive to better ourselves and create a better and secure future for our children.

Remember that Muslims love their children too, just as much as you and I do.

It really is high time that we saw people as people, rather than through their religious ideology.

Ultimately peace can only come if we put our selfish motives to one side and think about the future of our children.

The majority of the people in the world just want to live “normal”, fulfilling and happy lives in peace, with enough for their daily needs.

So you can do you bit from today by being more caring towards all the people all around you.

What grievances can you let go?

Whom can you forgive?

What toxic or negative habit can you let go of?

This is not to say that you let others trod all over you – it is also about respecting your own needs and boundaries and creating your life as best you want it to be.

In the past, I have written a number of articles about inspirational peace figures from the past such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and others.

For the 9/11 anniversary, I have chosen 11 of my favourite articles about peace.

I invite you to look through all of these today or in your own time and apply the peace lessons in your life:-

1. Find peace today rather than one day some day

You can find peace in you today – why wait another day?

2. Let peace begin with me and you

Today is really about taking a step back. Look at your life and see where and how you can bring more peace on an ongoing basis.

Ultimately, if we bring peace around us then it can spread from there.

3. 6 key lessons for life and peace from Mahatma Gandhi

Who better to teach us about peace than Gandhi, the man who taught us the way of non-violence?

4. Lessons in peace from Sammy, also known as Gandhi

One can never have too much wisdom from our inspirational teachers and here are lessons in peace from Gandhi.

5. 6 key life lessons from Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa showed us how to make love and peace your calling. If she can do it, so can you and me.

6. Words of peace and wisdom from an evening with the Dalai Lama

Well, I didn’t quite meet His Holiness but it felt like he was there with me.

7. Dr Martin Luther King – “I have a Dream”

Dr King had a dream for peace – and look what he achieved. We too can dream big and dream about a peaceful and just world.

8. Lessons in leadership from Nelson Mandela.

Me Mandela – an inspiring world leader and human being for our time – and yet at one time reviled by his government as a “terrorist”.

You and I too can become leaders – that’s what the world needs more than ever before.

9. Let’s all have hope and “asha” for peace

We should never give up “asha” (hope) for peace. Check out this inspirational video and see how the children are our future.

(Readers receiving this article via email - please click here to see the video)

10. Let’s take the peace train to Iran and around the world

Instead of all the war-mongering, let’s take a peace train to Iran and the world.

If you can’t join the train ride, then please do your bit today by sharing this article via Twitter and also Facebook.

11. Feel the fear and change the world anyway

What’s stopping you from taking a stand for peace and unity?

No matter what, feel the fear and take a stand for peace anyway. You know it makes sense.

Just be one of the crazy ones.

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify and vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs, Apple

The way forward

Today, rather than looking back on the events of nine years ago, let us focus on how we can bring more peace into our own lives, and work from there for peace in the world.

And then maybe the legacy of 9/11 will be to bring us all together for the greater good of all.

So the question to ask yourself on this day is this:-

How can I bring more peace into my life and the world today?

To help you get started, reflect on the following questions and apply in your life:-

What will YOU do to bring more peace into the world?
What will you NOT do?
What peace habit will you apply EVERY day?
WHO will you forgive and let go?
Who or what will you STOP trying to control?

Reflect on the answers to these questions. You may also want to come up with your own questions and reflections.

Please share your answers and thoughts below.

To end, here are some words from Dr King which are more relevant than ever before today:-

“Through our scientific genius, we made of the world a neighbourhood, and now through our moral and ethical commitment, we must make of it a brotherhood.

We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will all perish together as fools. This is what we must learn.

It simply means that every nation must be concerned about every other nation; every individual must be concerned about every other individual.” – Dr Martin Luther King

And remember that it is not just about bringing peace in the world today – it is an everyday, life long practice.

PLEASE Join me.

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Top image courtesy of Muslimpage

Why it’s Okay to Sit Around and Do Nothing!

Arvind Devalia — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:12:25 +0000

Do you ever get the urge to simply sit around and do nothing?

Are you then able to give in to this urge and just sit around do nothing?

If so, I really envy you – since I usually can’t do so easily.

In my last post I wrote how anyone can be an energising bunny 24 hours a day.

Well if anything, for me the challenge is not about being energised, but more around being able to take some down time and simply do nothing.

Earlier this year, I visited my ancestral home India for 2 weeks and I found it really strange to see so many people just sitting around, apparently doing nothing.

My active mind ran riot with all sorts of scathing judgements and thoughts such as:-

Why are these people just sitting around?

Haven’t they got anything better to do?

India was supposed to be coming up rapidly but how is that possible with so many lazy people?

Is it any wonder there is also so much poverty in India with all these good for nothing layabouts?

As you can imagine, my thoughts ran riot and for a few days, I was the king of making unfounded judgements on others.

So this is my chance to redeem myself and send some well-overdue positive vibes to all those people who had the misfortune to cross my path in India a few months ago.

Of course, it was entirely up to them what they did with their time and how they chose to lead their lives.

The rather hot weather may also have had something to do with them just sitting around – I dread to think what a sight I must have been as I whizzed around in 40 degrees centigrade, (around 100 Fahrenheit) in the middle of the day, during the peak of the heat!

I learnt an amazing lesson from all these people who were apparently just being lazy and sitting around – and I am really grateful for their gift.

And the lesson was this – it’s okay to sit around and do nothing!

Now that is such a novel concept for me!

Don’t get me wrong – I am not going through life in a frenzy, but what with my zest for life, desire to fit in everything and make the most of my time here, sitting around doing nothing is really just an interesting idea.

Also, I do have a meditation practice which sets me up for the day. However once I “throw” myself into my day, I do generate a lot of energy and get things done.

But I am now learning that it’s also okay to sit down in the daytime and do nothing, and here’s why:-

1. Slow down and rest

Your body needs to slow down, rest and re-energise. What better way than to just sit and do nothing?

Lying down or sleeping is also an option but not really ideal when you are in public.

2. Reflect

Having a pause in your usually busy day will give you a chance to think about things and reflect on what’s really going on for you. Maybe a solution to that niggling problem will flash into your head.

3. Meditate

You could even simply sit down somewhere quiet and meditate in the middle of your day. After all, basic level meditation is all about sitting down somewhere quiet.

I am sure some of the people I saw in India were doing exactly that.

4. Get present and become more self-aware

Sitting down and just doing nothing gives you a chance to become more self-aware of what’s going on within you and around you – you will become more present and get moment by moment awareness.

Indeed, if you were to get into the habit of always doing things consciously, you will naturally become more present and aware of what going on in you and around you.

6. People-watch

You can learn so much from the many silent teachers around you in the form of the people you meet everyday.

People watching is my hobby and I can highly recommend this to you – look out for a future post coming soon where I will write more about how to become really proficient at this – and also share some amazing stories.

7. Appreciate what’s around you.

Slowing down and sitting down gives you the perfect opportunity of appreciating all the beauty around you. Prepare to be amazed as you observe for the first time all those things you had previously missed.

You might even see a wild foreigner whizzing around!

8. Energise yourself

Finally sitting down quietly for a while is perfect for recharging your batteries.

I am gradually learning to do this – the incentive of even more energy after a short rest is enough to get me to actually sit and do nothing for a while!

Emulate the Mexican fisherman, not the Harvard MBA:-

Coming back to my experience of everyone sitting around in India reminds me of this anecdotal story of the Mexican fisherman who meets a Harvard MBA.

In my story about visiting India, I was the smart alec guy who thought he knew better.

Right on that note, I am off to just find a quiet place to sit and watch the world go by:-)

Join me.

Photos courtesy of barry.pousman and therealbrute

Let Peace Begin with Me and You

Arvind Devalia — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:17:50 +0000

This is a guest post from Belinda Munoz

As a very young child, I cherished everything about the holidays that have just ended.

I relished the anticipation of Christmas day, the ritual of lighting candles, the thoughtful gifts, the feeling of community in sharing a banquet, the merrymaking revelry of the young and the no-so-young, and the seemingly endless kindness and generosity from everybody surrounding me.

I loved that it was a special time when everybody got along. In fact, I fully believed that everybody always got along and that the holidays were a special time when everyone not only got along but also brought gifts, great food and festive cheer to each other’s homes.

Predictably, over the years my views changed. My thoughts about getting along took sharp turns and veered away from idealistic.

My bubble of beliefs about peace became a balloon filled with doubt. Cautious suspicion replaced confident assumptions about neighborly warmth.

Regarding the holidays, I didn’t completely turn sour on them. Thankfully, I kept a window open.

And now, having the good fortune of having a loving family with a wonderful son who is almost three, I begin to see the holidays through my son’s eyes.

At his age, he sees only the good. He teaches me the beauty of believing, which for a long time was impossible to do. He teaches me so many things about the symbols of the holidays, the simplicity of just being, and the magic of this special time.

So once again, I see good, I begin to believe again, and I revel in simply being. And from this, I find inner peace.

As intractable as the concept of peace is, I believe inner peace is much easier to achieve than any other construct of it stemming beyond us as individuals.

Because of the very fact that each of us has very strong opinions relating to peace, it’s no surprise that we can’t achieve it just by the sheer act of discussing it as a concept, let alone achieve peace on matters that have political ramifications, national impact or global repercussions.

I believe it’s safe to assume that we all want peace. The bone of contention, as history shows, is always how we achieve it. It’s a question that inspires much debate, and sadly, sometimes more.

And so, why not start small? Why not let peace begin with me? With you? To let peace begin with us, how do we do this?

1. Give your inner cynic a break.

Over the holiday season that is just over , many of us will have taken some down time, perhaps a vacation.

Why not also give your inner cynic a vacation, too?

I’m quite capable of cynical thoughts myself, but I’ve found that it only leads me to much unhappiness. And apart from that, it’s exhausting.

That quizzical eye, always questioning someone’s motives, that takes a lot of energy. All the horsepower we invest in cynicism doesn’t necessarily make us wiser or better people.
Instead, it amounts to a whole lot of wasted human capital that we could have invested in something much more productive.

2. Pay no mind to the seemingly crass commercialism.

I’ve been there, too. I’ve wondered about the wide range of things that people manufacture, sell and buy. But I gave it a rest for the holidays.

Why? Because, at the heart of it all, we humans want to show love and affection. The trouble is, we don’t always know how and so we resort to buying trinkets for others we care about.

The intention is good and though the execution may be imperfect, at least it’s a start. We can espouse our declarations about our how-to’s and how-not-to’s when it comes to showing love and affection, but the truth is, these are very personal acts. And we do our best, don’t we?

3. Receive kindness, thoughtfulness, love and gifts from others freely.

It’s not always so easy to receive from others freely, as we are at times hard-wired to either feel guilty, unworthy or to feel the need to reciprocate. But the simple act of receiving freely can bring inner peace as well as joy to the giver.

Check out my post about receiving graciously.

4. Pay the kindness, thoughtfulness, love and gifts forward to others.

Paying forward an act of kindness or generosity to someone we don’t know brings an unmatched feeling of joy. It’s a tremendous feeling from the giving end, but think how you would feel to be on the receiving end!

It may seem like a strange concept, but more and more people have come to make this their way of living as its rewards are immense.

Check out my 50 simple ways to pay it forward

5. Remind ourselves that peace can begin with us regardless of the season.

Peace knows no seasons. If we’re willing and able, anytime’s a good time to cultivate it, harness its power, and share it with others.

Peace. Always a worthy cause. Such an economical word in number of letters; but its weight and heft is magnanimous.

Can we as a human race — with all our imperfections, idiosyncracies and insecurities — achieve it? I admit, I still have a long way to go in answering this question. But instead of discounting it as a myth, I ponder on our similar desires and needs, our collective good intentions, and what we can do to strengthen our common threads.

And the one thing that these thoughts lead me back to is the question of inner peace. To let peace begin with me from within? Yes, a much easier thought, and just as worthy.

Let us make today the day we let peace begin with me and you.

Read more from Belinda at her wonderful blog – The Halfway Point

How to do an Obama and Receive the Nobel Peace Prize!

Arvind Devalia — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:00:44 +0000

I am writing this quick post from a beautiful retreat place in Oxfordshire, England.

I am on a Peace Retreat for the weekend and as I was driving down from London, I listened to President Obama graciously acknowledging the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to him just one year into his presidency.

Already there have been some suggestions that this award is a bit premature and that he is yet to have achieved anything.

However as President Obama himself said, this award is a call for action and acknowledgement that he and his team are on the right track.

The world today more than ever needs leaders like President Obama to stand up and do the right thing. As he said, we continue to face huge challenges of global warming, economic meltdown and nuclear war catastrophe.

Unless we all work together to tackle the challenge of global warming, just what sort of world will we be leaving behind for our children?

And as President Obama said, the removal of the scourge of nuclear weapons may not happen in his lifetime, but it is something to aspire to.

It is simple really – the world has enough nuclear weapons to destroy the earth many times over – and there can never be a winner either in any nuclear war as the whole planet gets damaged. So why can’t we just get rid of them?

Maybe I am being a bit simplistic – but I have learnt that life is simple. In this case it actually simply about death all around – I die, you die, we all die.

So can we all do for our bit?

What does one need to do to win the Nobel Peace prize?

Firstly, start with the lessons from Gandhi, someone who strangely never received the Nobel Peace prize but was due to be nominated the year of his assassination.

My last post about Gandhi’s lessons really hit the spot with my readers and received the page viewsever on my blog within just 24 hours.

So start with Gandhi’s 6 lessons.

To add to Gandhi’s lessons here are a few more key steps:-

1. Believe in a sense of destiny

Many world leaders like Gandhi and Mandela had a sense of destiny from early in their life and President Obama is no different.

So believe in a huge and noble purpose for your life – and you are likely to live up to it.

2. Create your vision for the world

Believe in the bigger picture and the higher good.

President Obama has recognised the need for the world to work together to tackle the challenges we face today – no one person or country can do so on their own.

It is a win win situation all around.

What is your vision for the world?

3. Believe in yourself

Trust yourself and your own ability to follow your chosen life path. Once you are on your journey, people who can help you on your way will always show up.

So come what may, believe in yourself and yet be humble.

4. Find a great, supportive partner

You will need great people around you for what could be a challenging and long journey. So have a supportive partner who also believes in your journey and chosen path.

President Obama is very lucky to have a great team around him but most of all he relies on Michelle Obama as his confidant, life partner and sounding board.

So find someone like that in your life. And of course create a great team around you.

5. Get Started

As I said the world needs people like you to take a stand for what they believe in.

So do not hesitate any longer – the world needs more leaders – why waste another day?

Why should you even want to win the Nobel Peace prize?

To summarise, we all have within us the personal power and capacity to be also one day bestowed with the Noble Peace Prize.

And that brings me to the whole purpose of writing this post – it is not about winning or being nominated for such accolades. It is simply about living your life in such a way that one day the world may choose to honour you in such a manner.

The ultimate honour and recognition from the rest of the world is but just a small part of the picture – your actual journey is what really, really matters.

I remember watching a documentary drama about the life of Dr Martin Luther King. The day he was awarded the Nobel Peace prize, his wife Coretta Scott King answers the phone and receives the wonderful news. She conveys the news to Dr King and breaks down with emotion and utters some words to the effect – “This means we are right. Justice and the world is on our side!”

One can even argue that Dr King winning the Nobel Peace prize gave his cause a big push and world recognition – the days of racial segregation were cleared numbered after that award.

Now over 40 years later, Dr King would have been so proud not only to see someone like Barrack Obama as president, but also winning the Nobel Peace prize. The world has come a long way since that time.

And the world has to go a long way if we are to even see out the next 40 years.

As President Obama said today, this award of the Nobel Peace Prize is really a call for more action in the right direction from him, his team and of course the global community.

So to conclude, lets us first put aside the arguments about whether or not this prize was merited by President Obama as this stage in his presidency.

My point is that to be even considered for the Nobel Peace prize or indeed any other such accolade, means that you will have made such a significant contribution to the world and created such a legacy that millions around the world will have lived better lives because of you. Or indeed they would lived at all, period.

And that surely is the ultimate recognition and the greatest satisfaction.

What a gift to the world your life can be once you dedicate it to a higher cause – don’t waste another day in playing small.

Begin today.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5ugfyMaMHY[/youtube]

6 Key Lessons in Life from a 140 year Old Man

Arvind Devalia — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:24:32 +0000

On 2nd October 2009, it was the 140th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. So he would have been 140 years old now had he not been assassinated in 1948.

Gandhi may not be around anymore but his legacy and his message of non-violence lives on and he is indeed the light the world needs today.

He has always been one of my heroes from a young age and I remember crying after watching Richard Attenborough’s famous film Gandhi.

We had made a special trip to London and watched the film in Leicester Square just a few days after its release – watching it was a defining moment in my life.

I have watched this remarkable movie about a remarkable man many times since then.

“Generations to come will scarcely believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood.” – Einstein

I have read a lot about Gandhi since then and also been influenced by my late father who collected a huge library of Gandhi’s teachings.

It is now up to all of us to apply Gandhi’s teachings in our daily life – after all his message about peace and non-violence is more pertinent than ever before today.

On this 140th anniversary of his birth, here are 6 keys lessons for all of us to apply in our life from today

1. Be the change you wish to see in the world.

This is possibly Gandhi’s most famous phrase and tells us that before we can go and change the world, we have to change ourselves.

From the being, comes the doing and ultimately the having.

So we now have the message – “Do the change you wish to see in the world”.

Focus on changing yourself and being the change you wish – and soon we can begin to look at the bigger picture and solve the world’s challenges.

There is this anecdotal story about how a mother came with her son to see Gandhi. She wanted Gandhi to tell her son to stop eating too much sugar as it was harmful for his health. He asked her to come back a month later by which time he himself had cut down on his own sugar intake.

The point is that before you can get anyone to take on your own teachings, you have to apply them to your own life. There are various phrases to reflect this message such as “practise what you preach” and “walk the talk”.

“Let your life be your message” – Gandhi

Is your life the message you want to give the world?

When will you be the change you want the world to be?

2. Reduce, reuse and recycle

“There is enough in the world for everyone’s need, but not for everyone’s greed” – Gandhi

Even in Gandhi’s time there was vast disparity in the world between the rich and the poor. He could see how the world’s resources were being pilloried to satisfy the excessive demands of the West whilst most people in the rest of the world were barely surviving.

Today I would argue that the way we are all living in the West and elsewhere, there is not even enough for everyone’s needs. We must revisit how we live our lives and truly learn to reduce, reuse and recycle – the 3Rs.

The time has come when we cannot just rely on others – each one of us has to do our bit. Increasingly, more and more people and also businesses are waking up to their responsibilities to the environment, the larger community and the global implications of their activities.

Start today and apply the 3Rs in your life.

3. Live a simple, minimalist life.

Gandhi lived a very simple, frugal life. He died with very few possessions and he preached simplicity and minimalism in all areas of life.

He also dressed simply and even persisted with his simple Indian loin cloth when he visited England and met the King. When asked if he was under dressed for a meeting with the King, Gandhi replied that the King had enough clothes on for both of them!

Minimalism is something I am beginning to apply in my life too. To get you started, please check out this excellent “Minimalist Guide” from my blogging mentor and friend Leo Babauta of Zen Habits.

Leo is a man Gandhi would have approved off for his humility, sharing, compassion and also his hairstyle:-)

Please get your copy of Leo’s minimalist ebook here.

Start living a simpler minimalistic life from today – and you will release a lot of time and energy to bring more of Gandhi’s teachings into the world.

4. If no one walks with you, walk alone

Believe in your cause, follow your truth and stick to your journey even if you have to walk the path on your own.

Gandhi at the end of his life was said to be heart broken with the partition of India as millions were killed and displaced. Even then, he still had a message for the world – it takes just one man to make a difference.

If no one responds to your call, go forward alone.
If no one talks to you, oh luckless one,
If everyone turns away from you in fear,
Reveal your thoughts and express your ideas to yourself.
If everyone leaves you while you are travelling a dangerous road,
If no one wants to look after you,
Walk on alone, on the road strewn with thorns, trampling on them with bleeding feet.
If no one shows a light, if in the dark stormy night everyone shuts their doors,
Use your rib as a torch, lit from the fire of thunder. – Rabindranath Tagore

So anything and everything you do counts and will make a difference.

5. Get your power through humility

Gandhi was a very humble, down to earth, ordinary human-being but therein lay his power and authority. His power came from being very clear about who he was, his values and his mission.

So the clearer you are about who you are and what you stand for, the more power you will exert in the world, whilst remaining humble and as down to earth as you wish.

Of course, by power what I mean here is not the power that corrupts but one that changes the world and makes a positive contribution.

6. Start today

“The difference between what we do, and what we are capable of doing, would solve most of the world’s problems” – Gandhi

Believe that what you do matters, and that it will make a difference.

You can’t save the whole world single-handedly, and we can’t all be a Gandhi or a Mandela, but you can certainly make a difference to one person at a time. So look for ways to contribute.

Ask yourself what special skill or knowledge you have that can solve a problem or make the best of a situation and that will help or support others.

And actually, maybe we can all be a Gandhi or a Mandela

Start small – and get started no matter what. They too started small one day at the beginning of their own life journeys.

So fear not – you already have and know enough – new skills will come for sure as you progress on your journey. And whatever you choose to do, it will make a difference.

The point is that everything we do matters and makes either a positive or a negative impact on everything around us.

You can start today to apply Gandhi’s message in your life, simply by focussing on this one question:-

How can I bring more love and peace into my life today?

Just know that every little bit helps and by you being more loving and peaceful, the rest of the world becomes more loving and peaceful too.

After all, we all have a “Gandhi” inside of us, just waiting to emerge.

As for me, I too shall continue to work on letting my own Gandhi emerge, but perhaps not his dress sense!

The way forward – become crazy to change the world!

What makes one person a Gandhi or a Dr Martin Luther King? Is it pure coincidence or do such inspirational historic figures have some special powers?

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify and vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs, Apple

So just how crazy are you?

And how will YOU change the world?

To get you started right away, please check out this related post at once:-

Feel the Fear and Change the World Anyway!

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Find Peace Today rather than One Day, Some Day!

Arvind Devalia — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:54:37 +0000

Today, Monday 21st September, is the annual “Peace One Day”, a day of non-violence and ceasefire, a 24 hour-long initiative for life-saving activities around the world.

I wrote about this in more detail a couple of years ago.

It all started 10 years ago with one man’s vision and within just a decade it is amazing how one man’s dream has become a universal day of peace and non-violence.

I believe that the majority of the people in the world just want to live “normal” fulfilling, happy lives in peace with enough for their daily needs.

Today on this international day of peace, we all have an opportunity to take a step back and look at our own lives and see what we can do to bring more peace into the world.

It is even more important to bring more peace into our lives first – then the world will become more peaceful anyway.

We also need to begin doing this from today and continue the practice daily, rather than waiting for one day, some day.

So the question to ask yourself on this momentous day of peace is how can I bring more peace into my life today?

To help you get started, here are some questions for you to reflect and apply in your life:-

What will I do to bring more peace into the world?
What will I not do?
What peace habit will I apply every day?
Who will I forgive and let go?
What or who will I stop trying to control?
What toxic or negative habit can I let go of?
What grievance can I let go?

I suggest you pick one or two questions, sit somewhere quietly and reflect on your answers.

In practical terms, you can start behaving in more peaceful ways, no matter where you are. For example no petty arguments, no road rage, no shouting and definitely no backbiting or gossiping.

To get you started, here are some ideas from the “Peace One Day” website:-

• Make peace with someone you have fallen out with.
• Swim or cycle for your own peace of mind.
• Bring your family and friends together for a meal.
• Send peace cards and emails.
• Organise some lunch boxes for homeless people.
• Make peace with yourself.
• Create or visit a peace garden.
• Light a candle for peace.
• Hold a few minutes of silence.
• Write a prayer for world peace.

The key is to make peace with yourself and everyone that you have ever fallen out with. And of course, to continue to do these activities every day and not just today.

For my own day of peace, earlier this evening, I attended a book launch party hosted by Suzy Greaves for her latest book “The Big Peace”. Her book launch was nicely planned by a greater power to coincide with “Peace One Day” and was held at an amazingly cool place called Alchemy

Suzy’s new book is wonderful 90-day programme to find your missing peace. At her fabulous book launch party, she shared very passionately three simple practices to bring more peace into our life on a daily basis:-

1. Keep a gratitude journal

I have talked about this before and can highly recommend you keep a simple journal whereby you can jot down all the good things happening to you.

Just by doing this you will experience more gratitude and goodness – the very act of appreciation raises your energy, vibration and ultimately your inner peace.

2. Be compassionate to yourself and others

We can all be so hard on ourselves and the people around us. By showing more compassion rather than condemnation or judgement, we can rapidly raise our spirits, and also comfort others.

Just remember that everyone is doing the best they can, even though our inner voice so used to condemn others may find this hard to accept.

Tests conducted on Buddhist monks using brain scanners have proved that their positive energy and vibrations shot up whilst they meditated on compassion.

Intuitively, we already know this – just remember how wonderful you felt every time when you showed a stranger some small kindness – such as giving them some directions or letting a driver into traffic lane.

At the same time, remember that compassion begins with you – so always be wary of that inner voice berating you.

3. Focus on giving, not getting

By moving the focus onto others and away from us, we learn to connect with others rather than being aloof and distant.

Instead of coming from a small place of competition, fear and scarcity, come from a bigger place. In any situation where your inner and outer peace may be threatened, ask yourself:-

How can I have a loving response?
How can I stop looking for what I can get and focus on what I can give?
How can I come from a bigger place?

As I write this, we are almost at the end of this year’s “Peace One Day” and I am left wondering just how effective the day has been in reducing conflict, violence and fighting around the world.

The cynics may argue about the futility of such a day but I would counter that no matter how effective or not such a day hsa been, it is vital in bringing about more awareness and understanding of the challenges we face today.

Even if just for a day some child has had a more joyous day or some mother has heaved a sigh of relief over the safety of her child soldier, then today has been been worthwhile.

Even if just two quarrelling neighbours have made up today, then the world is a better place today than yesterday.

And even if just one person’s life has been positively impacted by the kindness show by a stranger, then there are at least two happier people in the world tonight.

The challenge now is for all us to make the world a better and more peaceful place day by day, and not just wait another year for an international day of peace. It is up to us to make every day more peaceful than yesterday and make tomorrow even better than today.

Let today be the first day of true peace in your life everyday. And believe me, it will get better day by day:-)

It is only by all of us working to get more peace in our own lives that the world can be a better place.

Please do share one or more of your own key tips for bringing peace into your life and the world as a result…

Hope for Peace, Asha for Peace :-)

Arvind Devalia — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:48:28 +0000

Isn’t it funny how the most casual of connections can lead to something major, and possibly life changing?!

About 6 months ago, at a fashion event, I met someone called Asha (which literally means hope).

Well, we became friends and today I am proud and honoured to announce a new peace song just launched for Christmas by Asha called “Asha for Peace”.

Please listen to the song and check out the moving video created to go with her inspirational words at Asha for Peace. Simply click on the image above.

Asha means “hope” in Hindi and other Indian languages. So Asha’s new peace song literally translates as “Hope for Peace”.

The song has the potential to become a massive hit with its heartfelt message to make the world a better place.

The moving video to go with the song focuses on children from Nirvana School and highlights their innocence as they go about their daily lives and as they pray for a better tomorrow.

My involvement with Nirvana School now goes back over 10 years and many of you have kindly supported this project over the years through your donations and sponsorship of the Nirvana children. Thank you.

If you are not aware of Nirvana school, then it all began for me all those years with my first true experience of unconditional love.

You can also check out other inspirational stories about Nirvana school by clicking on that category on the right here.

A couple of friends are shortly due to visit Nirvana school as volunteers. Does anyone else fancy visiting the school too?!