Dear Beloveds,
My soul craves peace. Perhaps you can relate? My heart wants quietude and a gentle, sacred joy. I'll leave my spiritual practice feeling content and grounded in good. And then I look at the news, or overhear a conversation in the grocery line, or see tears on the face of one of my daughters, and my semblance of peace is shattered. It makes me want to turn away from the conflict, to close my heart to the "other" that brings disquiet and hurt. I think, at times, we all want to hole up in a safe, tidy space and forget that "out there" even exists. But if I make that choice, to isolate and only include my precious few beloveds, what will I be losing? Peace, for me, is only real when it makes space for everyone and everything. Even when it is deeply uncomfortable, opening my heart to all is making the move from peace (a human construct) to Peace (a quality of the Divine.)
When I'm honest with myself, it's clear that my Highest Sacred Self is calling me to be a bridge, an invitation into loving-kindness and true Peace. That requires me to open up like never before and invite challenging conversations. It beckons me into relationships and perspectives I have never considered. The great Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, "When we are able to listen deeply to another person, we understand more about ourselves and the other person. We can find common ground and resolve conflicts more easily.” Perhaps this is the path of real, true Peace. Please join me this Sunday as we explore "Negotiating Peace: Conflict Reconciliation and Transformation." The world has never needed us more.
Much Love,
Rev. Lezli
