April 1, 1996

• Prescription for peace

God unites all of you together as a single spiritual unit of which we have spoken. There is a sense of unity among you that we also recognize, a growth in your understanding of the common experience of spiritual life that is shared by all people everywhere.

At a time in the history of human life on this planet when there is such suffering and anger and territorial disputes, it is difficult to focus your sense of awareness on what peace really does mean. We have spoken to you about peace, personal as well as world peace, but there is much more to be said about this great blessing which is available to all, even in areas torn apart by war, separation, anger, or any other hostility.

Peace is really the affirmation of the unity of which we have spoken. Peace is the response to recognizing that unity, for you cannot affirm unity while being at war with another, regardless of the nature of that conflict, whether it is a personal argument or international or cultural struggle. There is no unity to experience outside the exercise of peace, for love is essential to the establishment of peace, but it cannot be exercised without the clear recognition of unity. Peace is the byproduct, but also really the goal, for when you are at peace with another human being, you are affirming the sacredness of that person, you are affirming another’s value. It is not always synonymous with agreement, for affirmation and agreement can often go in opposite directions. You can affirm, disagree, and still be at peace.

When another individual takes a point of view far different from your own, you can reject the individual, reject the idea, or embrace the idea and accept the individual. Rejecting the idea while accepting the individual is the whole reason for seeking peace. Peace does not presuppose agreement on everything. When you pray for peace, you cannot imply that all will agree. Rather it is more beneficial to acknowledge the validity of differences and the value of the holder of those opinions. Peace is then achieved, for peace is really the affirmation of another. It is the exercise of the perception of unity.

The diversity of which we spoke can be affirmed. Indeed it should be encouraged, for diversity reflects the obvious differences which must accompany human life. No individual has the same opinion, experiences the same feelings, has the same vision of the world as another. That kind of diversity is essential to life. The unity which you seek and the peace that you wish to experience embrace that diversity, recognizing that the differences of opinion, the differences in perspectives are important ingredients to the wholeness of creation.

If you look at nature, it becomes so easy to experience the recognition of differences—different animals, different flowers, the same flowers with different colors, the variety of birds, the variety of climates. All of these are a part of life. They are important for they bring richness to that life. They bring contrast and color and character to your perception of what life means. That diversity belongs to the unity of all that has been created. Recognizing and accepting that diversity, peace automatically follows.

You pray for peace, you may work for peace, you may devote enormous energies to the establishment of peace. But so often what you are seeking is a political peace or a financial peace or an interpersonal relationship kind of peace that avoids differences that you see daily. You should embrace those differences. You should allow one nation to proceed through life as it feels appropriate without trying to transform the nature of one national sense of individuality to your own sense.

Peace is like a great umbrella that is able to protect numerous people from the rain that falls. It does not require that people be the same height, the same color, have the same careers, have the same objectives in life, have the same religions. The umbrella works for all. The sense of peace, therefore, is a kind of umbrella that blankets humankind. It is a concept which can be brought to reality.

There are many, of course, who reject the notion of peace, for their response is issued out of fear, fear that somehow they will lose something of who they are. But if there is no threat, no danger, no sense of potential loss, there is no reason to break the peace. There is no reason to prevent it, for peace exists only within an environment that allows for mutual respect and mutual affirmation. If you have a relationship with another that is built on trust, there is no threat. If there is no threat, there are no grounds for real strife, for there is nothing to be lost.

The existence of peace therefore also implies the absence of a sense of loss. Treating others with respect, greeting another in love serves to eliminate a perception of possible loss, loss of dignity, loss of territory, whatever. There is nothing to fear and peace is achieved. When you pray for peace, pray for the maintenance of dignity, the maintenance of mutual respect, the maintenance of mutual affirmation, the recognition that all are equal. There are none who are really more important than others. There is no reason for jealousy, because jealousy implies a sense of inferiority. It emphasizes the differences between the one who is jealous and the other toward whom the jealousy is felt. Equality has no room for jealousy; equality has no room for impatience; equality has no room for territorial identity.

There may be reasons why borders exist, but borders exist only to identify common bonds that unite individuals in a political and economic sense. Territories that are created out of fear can never be the basis for the establishment of peace. First must come the elimination of fear. Peace cannot be bought. It cannot be sold or bartered. There is no way that you can bargain for peace. Peace is the end result.

If you are experiencing strife with another, praying for a peaceful relationship will not in itself provide you what it is you need. When there is strife, a prayer for peace means a prayer for a mutual affirmation of value, a recognition of the equality of another. Differences may of course remain—differences in opinion, differences in attitudes and cultures—and that is okay. One can recognize those differences and still have the peace that is really sought after. Efforts towards mutual understanding between nations are significant steps in developing a sense of trust, a sense of respect, indeed a feeling of equality between people. As those influences widen and spread across the globe, the opportunities for establishing a real peace are greatly enhanced.

Your experiences with other cultures are enormous stepping stones that bring you closer to the establishment of peace, for you are engaged in activities that recognize the equality of another. Out of that comes trust. As a result of trust, suspicion, jealousy, hatred are eliminated and you have in the end the peace you so dearly wanted.

Indeed human life as experienced throughout the world has much in common: the desire for respect, the desire to be listened to and heard, the need for being loved,and the desire to be loving, the need to understand one’s place in relationship to a god by whatever name that god may be called. All people wish to be valued, to be appreciated. All people wish to feel as if they can make a difference, they are important, they are not just numbers. These needs are shared by all, and it is on these common grounds that the development of peace is ultimately achieved.

You may not be aware that your guides work for peace. We don’t think so much about peace between country A and country B, but rather peace between individuals, for when that peace becomes established, the rest will follow. We work for your developing perception of the common experience of humankind. We work for your sense of equality with all that God has created. We work for your vision of a continuum we have spoken of. These are all efforts toward peace, peace within and peace that surrounds each of you in your daily activities, indeed peace throughout the world.

There will always be those who disagree with the value of peace, who are more concerned with territory, whether that be emotional or physical. There are those who want to dominate. That is part of the human condition. A total peace throughout the world where all sense their unity will never be fully achieved, but that is not to say that the efforts toward peace are fruitless, pointless, and without grounds for continued effort. The more you work toward mutual understanding and respect and love, the more you are reflecting God within the human experience. It is a worthy goal to seek understanding between people, between nations, between members of a family, even within your own sense of self. Recognizing the equality of all that God created and acting upon that recognition, you will be well on your way to recognizing the peace for which each of you prays.

You are blessed by God’s peace. That means you are blessed by your recognition of union with God. You are also blessed by the opportunity you have for recognizing the union between you and all that exists. You are blessed by the presence of your guides, for your guides are always engaged in the activity of unifying your spiritual lives with the ultimate union of God. You are each indeed blessed beyond measure. You are each blessed equally and in diverse ways. Celebrate that diversity, but keep your eyes focused on your equality. Reach out to one another with love that affirms that equality, and peace will be yours.

Amen.