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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Yoga for World Peace


yoga for peace
By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

In a peaceful world, diverse societies would recognize and respect the needs, values, and responsibilities of others. People would put their selves in the shoes of others to solve important issues. Men, women, and children would learn how to sacrifice from time to time, in order to do what is best for society as a whole. Conflict has been thriving around the globe since the beginning of time, making world peace seem nearly unattainable. The idea of world peace has to start with each individual. Every person must find an inner peace that allows him or her to feel calm and centered. Every person would need to operate from a place within that is not egocentric, but rather empathetic, loving, and compassionate.

Inner Peace

Those who practice Yoga know that it is a powerful tool for creating inner peace, one individual at a time. Yoga is a tool to release daily stress, worry, and annoyance. It urges you to focus on your body and breathing, as opposed to letting your thoughts run away, creating more stress and worry. The meditative portion of Yoga practice helps you live mindfully, or within the present moment. It helps you be thankful for the little moments in life, that we often let pass by because we are thinking about something in the past or future. When you are thankful and present in the current moment, you are able to bring peace to yourself.

Empathy

As inner peace begins to wash over you, it is much easier to start considering the needs and feelings of others. When you start using empathy to impact the decisions in your life, people start seeing you as a compassionate person. Compassionate people resolve conflicts by putting the needs of others before their own, resulting in a more peaceful situation for everyone. If everyone in the world acted with compassion and empathy, conflicts would be reduced and we would be on the path to world peace.

Encourage Service

Another basic principle of Yoga involves service to others. Helping others while asking for nothing in return makes people feel good on the inside, increases self-confidence, and improves interpersonal relationships. Yoga encourages you to help others in a way that is meaningful to you. When people act in the interest of others, instead of constantly pursuing selfish goals, the world becomes a more peaceful place.

Yoga can indeed bring world peace, if everyone gets on board. Regardless of our differences, if everyone follows a path to total enlightenment, the world will be affected in a positive way.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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