Cultivating Inner Peace: Small Steps Towards a Harmonious World December 14 2025
- rockbriarfarm
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
I have been less than inspired over the past few weeks. Between general sadness about the world and its conflicts, our domestic problems, and some family drama, it has been tough to find topics that I can write about and authentically provide wisdom or tools for. I am searching for tools myself! I know I need to lean into my personal practice more thoroughly, which I have been remiss in doing. In order to be the best version of a yogi to share with you, I must use my practice to support and nurture me.
I was rereading an old blog that I had written several years ago about peace. As I ruminated on the challenges of finding world peace, it got me thinking about what we can each do. In a world filled with strife, political discord, and violence, it is essential to recognize that promoting peace starts from within ourselves. In our own lives, we should try to live mindfully and provide peace for our thoughts through meditation. Hopefully, we will then respond to situations with calmness instead of reacting impulsively. I do believe that regular meditation can lead to a more peaceful mindset. Cultivating compassion and empathy for both ourselves and others is crucial. When we recognize and try to understand the struggles of those around us, we can foster empathy, which helps in bridging divides and promoting harmony.
Our own actions, our involvement in solutions to problems, and the gestures we make to our fellow man are so very important. Also important is how we treat ourselves. So this week I am taking small steps toward peace. This is one of those blogs in which I share what I am aiming for and hope that it may resonate with you.
Without making it a “to do” list or a must-do, I hope that each day over the next week I will: meditate for 5 minutes, not answer any texts or conversations with meanness—if I can’t say something nice, I will say nothing, practice one random act of kindness, have kind words for a family member, get on my mat for myself, take a walk outdoors, call, write, or visit someone I know that is suffering. I also pledge to find one small way to celebrate the season with prayer and appreciation for what the holiday season truly means to me. In this way, I hope to work for peace in small ways.
As a final thought, I express gratitude and love to all of you, my students, those of you who read the blog, and anyone who takes time to be part of my community.
Our Practice - Meditation – Peace Starts with Us
Peace starts with us, so if we are concerned about world peace, we should strive for peace within ourselves as well. Living our yoga off the mat.
"Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding." – Albert Einstein.
Peace starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us." – Dalai Lama.
"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." – Mother Teresa
I have been playing Turn, Turn, as a savasana song this week. Turn Turn Turn was written by Pete Seeger in 1959. The song, except for the title and the final two lines, is taken entirely from the Book of Ecclesiastes. The Byrds popularized the song in the mid-60s, and it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on 12/4/1965. The song, like many of its time, is so relevant today. It became a mantra or plea for world peace, the closing line being “a time for peace, I swear it’s not too late.”
Hope you enjoy it, link below
Another note on peace. From 1953 until 1981, a silver-haired woman calling herself only “Peace Pilgrim” walked more than 25,000 miles on a personal pilgrimage for peace. She carried only a few worldly possessions and shared her simple yet profound message in thousands of communities throughout the U.S. She said that “when enough of us find inner peace, our institutions will become peaceful and there will be no more occasion for war.”
For more on the Peace Pilgrim - which I found fascinating - follow link below:
See you on the mat!
Namaste,
Julia Anne
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