I believe that what happens out in the world, what we see, read and hear from the daily news, is just the amplified projection of what occurs in certain aspects of our life.
Most news we hear and read is negative, filled with disasters, crime, wars, violence, corruption. This negative focus can deeply affect us, polluting our awareness with outer threats upon which we are basically helpless.
In order to protect themselves some people choose to withdraw their attention from news media. This may at times be a wise idea. Yet, as I see it, negative news simply reflects our shadow side, what happens to us, whether we are aware of it or not.
The main problem when we read or hear news is to believe that truly negative issues exist only out there in the world, blaming them on those who act them out on the social and political limelight.
I believe that one useful contribution we can give to world peace, rather than refusing to read or hear negative news, involves being aware of what most disturbs us in such news, so as to identify to what it corresponds in our own life.
I believe that all the wars and disasters we hear and read about are just the climax of the small wars and disasters that often go undetected in our personal life.
A first step towards world peace implies acknowledging our shadow sides and agenda, identifying the wars and crimes at work in our own psyche or in our close relationships.
The second step involves being open to understand why this is happening, so as to take healing measures, in order to pragmatically promote peace. And this peace, God’s willing, is bound to come at a certain stage.
Yet, there will never be peace unless we take the first step.
© Franco Santoro