So much is going on in the world. We are just coming out of two years of stress from a global pandemic, and now we have heightened concerns about the war between Russia and Ukraine. There is an underlying tension in our collective psyche—most people feel this undercurrent of fear, anxiety, and anger.

What can we do about it? How do we move forward positively when it may feel impossible to have any sense of control over what is happening? How can we be at peace when the world is not at peace? The wisdom from one of Buddha’s messages makes the most sense to me.

“Only when we have achieved inner peace

can we hope to achieve world peace.”

What might happen if we shifted our focus from what is happening “out there” and set our gaze on what is going on within ourselves instead? Using this wisdom, we create peace from the inside out. Our inner peace can’t help but ripple out into the world, creating a powerful wave of peace for all.

Inner Peace

What does inner peace feel like? Imagine the waves at the surface of the ocean—crashing, colliding, and pounding the shore. Inner peace is the water well below those tumultuous waves—tranquil, still, serene. It is inner calm, steadiness, and clarity. When we are in a peaceful state, we are balanced. We can think more clearly and make better decisions. We make more meaningful connections with others in a kinder, more compassionate way. Living in a peaceful state allows us to navigate our day-to-day affairs without getting caught up in stressors, negativity, or drama. 

We might think of peacefulness as the absence of stress. But with practice, we can feel inner peace even amid chaos. To accomplish this, we must sink below the turmoil of the waves and observe from the peaceful space beneath them. When we learn to operate from this higher frequency state, we feel centered in life, and we also set into motion a surge of harmonious energy that floods everyone around us.

Some of the Obstacles to Inner Peace

There are some ways of being that can stop us from living in a place of steady calm. Do any of these obstacles live in your mind? See if you can make the subtle shift of perception to move through any of these obstacles.

• Holding onto the past. Our negative thoughts about past experiences can pollute our present. We can’t change the past. It already happened. Take action to shift your perception: Identify the lessons learned from the past but release the rest.

• Fears about the future. This is a big one. Remember that our power lies only in the present moment—that’s when we are connected to the wisdom of our Higher Power. Take action to shift your perception: Let go of thoughts of “what if?” and keep your focus on what’s happening right here, right now. Have faith that you will be able to cross any bridge when you come to it.

• Needing others’ approval. We can’t control what others think or say about us. If you make all your choices based on pleasing others, you aren’t being your authentic self. Take action to shift your perception: Recognize the peace and freedom that being your true self brings. It’s okay to express yourself uniquely. The world needs the reflection of your one-of-a-kind facets.

• Trying to control things/perfectionism/fixed mindset. This is a constant burden and will steal away any hope of peace. Take action to shift your perception: Let go of the need to always be at the helm or do everything perfectly. Be flexible. Allow life to unfold and know that you can meet circumstances head-on from a peaceful state and make the best decisions. You’ll also deepen in harmonious relationship with those around you by relinquishing the need to control or be perfect.

• Overwhelm. Sometimes we have way too much on our plate, and it quickly spirals us into anxiety. Take action to shift your perception: Affirm that there is plenty of time to complete all that needs your attention. Taking time to nurture a peaceful state of mind will literally warp time and allow you to accomplish all that needs to be done. It will sharpen your focus and reveal tasks that can be let go or delegated to someone else. 

Tools for Cultivating Inner Peace

One of the most powerful ways to cultivate inner peace is to understand that our own thoughts are to blame for the lack of it. When we feel stressed, anxious, fearful, or angry, our thoughts keep us stuck in those feelings, not the circumstances we find ourselves in. Ever feel a constant loop of stressful thoughts in your mind? That repetitious fearful thinking does absolutely nothing to improve the outcome of any situation. But how do you keep your thoughts from becoming a runaway train? Simply by noticing them. Remember that your feelings are a barometer of your thinking. Try saying to yourself, “I’m feeling stressed. What am I thinking about?” Identifying the loop of scary thinking is often all that is needed to dismantle it.

There are many other tools to calm your nervous system, and a few are listed below. Utilizing some of these tools on a regular basis will strengthen and support your body’s stress response, laying a foundation for inner peace to rest upon. Give these a try and experience the ensuing peace and tranquility.

• Turn off the television, especially the news, and limit social media.

• Eliminate, or at least limit, caffeine, sugar, and alcohol from your diet.

• Drink a daily cup or two of calming herbal teas: Lemon balm and peppermint are soothing herbs for the nervous system.

• Rub a drop of one of these calming essential oils between your hands, then cup your hands around your nose and breathe in some peace: lavender, orange, or lemon.

• Connect to nature. Go for a walk or do a sit spot for a few minutes, observing the birds, plants, trees, and other aspects of Mother Nature.

• Exercise. Yoga, tai chi, or qigong, especially help develop mindfulness and present moment awareness where peace of mind resides.

• Develop a daily meditation practice to stay centered and calm.

• Breathwork is a powerful way to release stress and cultivate peace. Try the following breathing technique to calm your state of mind quickly.

      1.  Sit or lie down and close your eyes.

      2.  Inhale slowly for the count of 4.

      3.  Exhale slowly for the count of 6.

      4.  Continue for a minute or two and feel any stress dissipate.

• A movement technique called Calming Cross-Overs can immediately shift stressful energy to a peaceful state. (From Chloe Faith Wordsworth's book Spiral Up!)

      1.  Cross one ankle over the other.

      2.  Place your hands in front of you, with the backs of your hands touching.

      3.  With your hands back to back, place one wrist on top of the other so your   

          palms now face each other. Palms facing, interlock your fingers. Bring the two

          clasped hands down and in a half circle towards your chest so your

          interlocked hands rest on your chest and your elbows are relaxed against

          your ribs.

      4.  Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, close your eyes and breathe

          slowly. Relax deeply and feel the layers of tension let go. Often within fifteen

          seconds, you will feel a profound sense of release.

               5.  The final part of the Calming Cross-overs is to uncross both your ankles and

                   wrists and place your fingertips together. Allow your fingertips and hands to                     move in any way they are drawn to: up-down, left-right, and out-and-in. These

                   movements have a synchronizing effect on your brain.

• Practice using the Adi Mudra to help you dive into a deeper state of calm and stillness. A mudra is a specific position of the body, often involving only a gesture of the hands or fingers, that channels the body’s energy flow. Use this mudra by itself or during meditation.

               1.  Make two soft fists with your thumbs tucked into your palms.

               2.  Rest both hands on top of your thighs or on the ground and breathe deeply.

                   (This is very helpful for calming stress and anxiety, but don’t use this mudra                     for anger because of the form you make with your hands.)

• Use a calming mantra. This is helpful any time of day, but especially if you wake up in the middle of the night or in the morning with anxiety. Try using this quote from A Course in Miracles: “Peace to my mind. Let all my thoughts be still,” or another one of my favorite mantras, “All is well in my world.”

Cultivate peace in your own life and avoid letting it unravel because of circumstances you cannot control. You will be able to stay centered and calm, and your balanced energy will flow outward toward others, gracing the world with a blanket of peace.

“Peace to my mind. Let all my thoughts be still.”

~ A Course in Miracles