The ABCs: P is for (Radical) Peace
May the Wholeness Be Upon You
In many spiritual traditions, there is a practice in which a selected scriptural passage becomes the theme for the week. At Radical Spirituality, we do the same thing, but in a radical way.
Each Sunday, I offer The ABC’s of Radical Spirituality, a single, simple word distilled from the common principles of all the world’s faith and wisdom teachings that serves as the exploration for the week. They are the roots of Radical Spirituality. And because I am that person, the words are in alphabetical order. We start with A and go to Z.
It’s a simple practice to get to the roots of what matters on our spiritual path. The best part is that you will get out of it what you put into it. If you just keep the word on a sticky-note on your computer, it will still work it’s magic. But to dig deeper, delve in, dive in, and see what you find.
P is for (Radical) Peace
“I got a peaceful easy feeling.
I know you won’t let me down.
‘Cuz I’m already standing
On the ground.” – The Eagles
Every faith and wisdom tradition has teachings on Peace. At their root, they all say that Peace is a quality or aspect of the Divine. “God is Peace.” But what does that mean?
Jewish philosopher, Baruch Spinoza, wrote: “Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.”
This is a good start. According to the etymological roots, benevolence means “goodwill,” confidence means “trust” and justice means “sincere, moral, ordered.” Peace, then, is an attitude or intention of trust, sincerity, moral order/harmony, and goodwill.
If we assume that definition of Peace to be correct, then the Divine Mystery, as described by every tradition, is the ultimate expression of benevolence, trust, and harmonious order. God/Source/Brahman/Dao simply is kind, generous, and trustworthy, and expresses a kind of universal moral balance or order that, at its core, nourishes life.
It may not always appear that way to us, but if we let go of our judgments about good/bad, right/wrong, our side/their side, we will see that Peace is the underlying nature of the Divine. Most spiritual teachers will also tell you that Peace is our underlying nature, too; we naturally lean towards goodwill, trust, and harmony.
Furthermore, if we think about what Peace feels like, it is the absence of any conflict, contention, desire, or fear. It’s calm and easy (cue the Eagles’ classic tune, “Peaceful, Easy Feeling”). Everything is OK. Nothing is lacking. This experience is what most spiritual practices try to cultivate: a sense of calm, easy freedom that comes when one stops fighting with life, reality, your own mind, or wanting things to be different than they are. When we feel peaceful, we are naturally kind, trusting, and good. We make more Peace.
Following Spinoza’s line of thought, Peace is not the opposite of war, but makes war impossible. How can one intentionally harm, destroy, or kill if one has an attitude of nourishing life --goodwill, trust, and harmonious or moral order? It’s simply not possible. It literally wouldn’t even cross your mind.
But this is just part of the radical understanding of Peace. There is an even deeper definition of Peace, in which nothing is separated from anything else, so there is no conflict of any kind.
But until we reach that Complete Perfection of Peace, we strive to cultivate an attitude of Peace – goodwill towards all, trust in the way things are or in the Divine, and living in sincere harmony with the natural order that nourishes life.
This week, we explore Peace: what would it take for us to cultivate an attitude of Peace – goodwill, trust, and sincere harmony or order? And how would that change our behavior?
Deeper Roots
The peace of God, which surpasses understanding (Phil 4:7)
Every tradition has teachings about Peace, instructing humans to strive for those behaviors that produce peace: kindness, trust, goodwill, forgiveness, mercy, generosity, sincerity, harmony, moral order. But the radical understanding of Peace comes from the word Shalom. More than just the absence of conflict, Shalom is the deepest root of what Peace really means.
In Judaism and Islam, the words Shalom/Salaam come from the same root, SH – L – M, which means “wholeness.” The word is used throughout both the Torah and the Qur’an in reference to the way in which God manifests in the world, as wholeness itself. In these traditions, Peace is only possible when we are in a state of completeness or wholeness, or when we are united with the wholeness that is the Divine.
That completion is explained in Jewish mystical teachings, Kabbalah, as the return of all the Divine sparks that were scattered in creation to their root/wholeness in God. Jewish sages say that the whole point of Torah and all the 613 Mitzvot or Commandments is to return the world to perfection, completeness, or wholeness, exemplified by trust, harmony and benevolence, or Peace. This is what is known as Tikkun Olam, or Completion of the World.
Christian teachings are based on the Hebrew understanding. In 1 Corinthians 14:33, it is said, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace,” implying that God is a cosmic order that both is Peace and leads to Peace. When we are in the flow of that order, or attuned to the wholeness that is God, Peace reigns. All the teachings of Jesus (known as “The Prince of Peace”) are designed to bring humans into that flow, into the whole Peace of God, and to treat each other and the world with benevolence, justice, and harmony.
The Eastern traditions have the same goal but focus more on aligning our inner wholeness with the Divine wholeness. Daoism, Buddhism and Hinduism define Peace as the wholeness of creation unified or in harmony with Dao, Brahman, Buddha-Mind, which are all described as a benevolent, harmonious, interconnected wholeness or Oneness. In other words, when we are whole and at Peace, the world is whole and at Peace.
In Daoism, Dao is described as an underlying unified natural order that is referred to as “Cosmic Goodness” or “Nourishing Life.” As such, Daoism stresses attunement to that Cosmic Goodness, and all the classical teachings and practices of Daoism help humans tune to the wholeness that is Dao through selflessness, desirelessness, non-contention, non-distinction, and allowing things to be as they are, or Peace.
Buddhist teachings also strive for Peace which is described as freedom from suffering. In Buddhism, when we let go of our desires and attachments, when we stop fighting with the way things are, we can be at one with the way things are, and discover Peace, or Nirvana. Buddhist practices help us align to the natural order (wholeness) and the compassion that arises from it. Compassion is another term for benevolence, trust, harmony, and sincerity…the attitudes and actions of Peace.
The common Hindu chant, “Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti” means “May Peace Be Upon You,” and the teachings of the Vedas establish shanti as the principles of synthesis and balance, or the wholeness of all things. Accordingly, shanti is a state of equilibrium needed for the proper existence of all in this universe. Vendantic Hindu practices such as meditation are designed to bring us to that wholeness/Peace, so that we can realize the wholeness/Peace of Brahman. Additionally, Hinduism teaches that a peaceful attitude - of benevolence, trust and harmony - is the foundation of all ethics.
So, the most radical root of Peace is a vision of wholeness or unity with the Divine natural order, which tends toward benevolence, trust, and harmony, and for which we have the capacity. We become whole with the whole and then there are no pieces to be in conflict, just Peace. This is what we call the Kingdom of God, Heaven, Nirvana, Mosksha, etc., and all spiritual practices teachings and practices lead us here…towards wholeness, towards Peace.
Shalom, Salaam, Shanti. “May Wholeness Be Upon You.”
Reflection Questions
What does Peace mean to you?
Where do you experience Peace in your life?
What prevents you from Peace?
How can you cultivate Peace?
Suggested Practice
If Peace is a disposition of benevolence, trust, and harmony that arises when we understand the wholeness of everything, explore what happens when you see yourself and everything else as whole and part of a whole. How does that change your attitude?
Peace requires everyone to be in the circle – wholeness, inclusion - Isabel Allende