United Nations International Day of Peace: September 21, 2022

 

“Let there be immediate peace on Earth through the power of the Spirit of the Living God."[1] OUR CALL TO ACTION During these unparalleled times of violence and war, new forces of division have emerged and crowd out our attempts for unity and harmony. Separatism, hatred and terrorism cause violent extremism and poison the experience of the vulnerable and young. There is a heightened risk of violence in the poorest and least developed parts of the world[2].  While the challenges of realizing peace may seem insurmountable, the call of Centers for Spiritual Living's Global Vision and its imperative for peace is essential for us to embrace in building a culture of peace. OUR GLOBAL VISION[3]. This is why the annual, global observance on September 21, 2022, of the International Day of Peace ("Peace Day”) has become an opportunity to focus on peace as CSL. Through spiritual mind treatment, meditation and other spiritual practices, we may proactively focus on peace as a quality of the Divine and evoke peace within ourselves. With peace at the center of our spiritual awareness, we can then extend peace into every relationship we encounter, one relationship at a time, and move toward greater realization and demonstration of peace on Earth.     One way to align with peacebuilding is by joining CSL as we participate in the United Nations International Day of Peace virtual event, One World, One Love, One Peace, on September 21. Join CSL on our Facebook page[4] for a 24-hour period of peace-centered spiritual practice starting at 12 a.m. GMT. Together, let’s create a vibration of unity that cascades out by reciting and declaring out loud this "Prayer for World Peace" by Dr. Ernest Holmes[5]. Our organization’s Global Vision calls us to see a world where there is peace, harmony and justice for all A PRAYER FOR WORLD PEACE I know there is but One Mind, which is the Mind of God, in which all people live and move and have their being. I know there is a Divine Pattern for humanity and within this pattern there is infinite harmony and peace, cooperation, unity and mutual helpfulness. I know that the mind of each person, being one with the Mind of God, shall discover the method, the way and the means best fitted to permit the flow of Divine Love between individuals and nations. I know there shall be a free interchange of ideas, of cultures, of spiritual concepts, of ethics, of educational systems and scientific discoveries, for all good belongs to all alike. I know that because the Divine Mind has created us all, we are bound together in one infinite and perfect unity. In bringing about world peace, I know that all people and all nations will remain individual but unified for the common purpose of promoting peace, happiness, harmony and prosperity. I know that deep within every person the Divine Pattern of perfect peace is already implanted. I now declare that in each person and in leaders of thought everywhere this Divine Pattern moves into action and form, to the end that all nations and all people shall live together in peace, harmony and prosperity forever. So it is now. — Dr. Ernest Holmes BACKGROUND: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE Founded by the United Nations in 1981, Peace Day encourages all people to commit to peace above all differences and contribute to a peaceful culture worldwide. Our founder, Dr. Ernest Holmes, wrote, “There is a Divine Pattern within humanity, and within this pattern, there is infinite harmony and peace, cooperation, unity and mutual helpfulness."[6] UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has noted we are indeed shifting from peacekeeping efforts to peacebuilding.[7] The concept of peace is moving from “the absence of war” toward positive peace, “embodying broader issues of development and social justice” and “the absence of structural violence.”[8]   We are evolving toward “just peace” that involves “approaches that reduce violence and destructive cycles of interaction and at the same time increase justice in any human relationship."[9] Audrey Azoulay, current Director-General of UNESCO, says, "Being responsible for peace means acting to overcome the flaws and injustices which continue to prevent us from achieving an egalitarian world. Because a planet eroded by division is a planet which knows no peace." The barriers to peace are complex and steep — no one country can solve them alone. Doing so requires new forms of solidarity and joint actions of engagement. Establishing a culture of peace and sustainable development is at the heart of UNESCO’s mandate.  We can join UNESCO’s call to establish a culture of peace by holding sacred vigils to honor those grieving the loss of loved ones due to violence, genocide, enslavement, exclusion and remembrance of those who suffered atrocities and lost scores of loved ones during tragic and violent times, past and present. Group prayer and spiritual worship ceremonies have been active methods of nonviolence for decades. UNESCO Resources: The Long Walk of Peace: Toward a Culture of Prevention, 2018 The Power of Empathy, 2017 Culture: The Bedrock of Peace, October - December 2017 Culture of Peace and Nonviolence (unesco.org) International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013-2022) (unesco.org) Intercultural Dialogue (unesco.org) The Spiritually Motivated Social Engagement (SMSE) Committee strives to look beyond personal opinion and instead to the broader context that represents important global issues while avoiding spiritual bypass, exclusion and blame. We understand that our response may not capture all views, and we appreciate people who share dissenting points of views with us.   There are many ways to view current affairs and topics of social significance in a spiritual context. We try to carefully research and look at as many angles and perspectives as possible given the global reach of our organization and the potential impacts on so many people, seeking always to link our statements to core Science of Mind teachings, our organization’s shared values and Global Vision. We trust that our readers understand how seriously we take our responses to these world issues. [1] "The American Spiritual Awakening," Ernest Holmes and Frank B. Robinson, Los Angeles, September 21 - 25, 1941 [2] Reducing Urban Violence in Developing Countries (brookings.edu) [3] Learn About Our Global Vision - Centers for Spiritual Living (CSL.org) [4]https://www.facebook.com/centersforspiritualliving [5] October 1950 and February 1963 issues of Science of Mind magazine [6] October 1950 and February 1963 issues of Science of Mind magazine [7] Long Walk of Peace: Toward a Culture of Prevention - UNESCO Digital Library [8] Long Walk of Peace: Toward a Culture of Prevention - UNESCO Digital Library, page 26 [9]  Lederach, 2005:182, as cited in UNESCO: The Long Walk, 2018, page 27