Let’s talk about something we all see but rarely address: the violence simmering within us.
It’s not just the wars on the news or the arguments in the streets.
It’s the quiet battles—the ones we fight with ourselves, our families, our neighbors. Conflict is everywhere. But why?
The answer isn’t “out there.” It’s in here.
The Mirror of the World
Look around. Conflict is raging—between nations, communities, even within families. But here’s the truth: The world is a mirror. The violence you see outside is a reflection of the violence within.
If there’s no conflict inside you, can there be conflict outside? If there’s no violence in your heart, can violence exist in the world?
Think about it. If every person on this planet became truly peaceful—no inner turmoil, no hidden rage—would we need campaigns for peace? Would we need laws to enforce harmony? No. Peace would simply be.
So, the question isn’t how to fix the world. It’s how to fix ourselves.
Trap of Identification
Here’s the root of the problem: We’ve become identified with things we’re not.
Let me explain. Imagine you own a vase. It’s just a vase, right? But what if it belonged to your great-grandfather? Suddenly, it’s not just a vase. It’s you. If someone breaks it, your heart breaks. If someone takes it, you’re ready to fight.
Now, think bigger. Your clothes, your house, your job, your relationships—you’ve attached your identity to all of it. You’ve spread yourself so thin that you’re no longer you. You’re a collection of things, ideas, and labels.
And here’s the catch: When you’re identified with so much, every step you take gets tangled. Every doorway becomes a trap. Every interaction becomes a potential conflict.
Hallucination of the Mind
Your thoughts aren’t yours. Your emotions aren’t yours. They’re borrowed—picked up from the world and mistaken for you.
Think about it. Your body? It’s just something you picked up from the Earth. Your mind? A jumble of memories, opinions, and reactions. None of it is you.
But we’ve become so identified with these things that we’ve lost touch with reality. We’re living in a hallucination.
The End of Conflict
So, how do we end this? How do we stop the violence within and, by extension, the violence outside?
The answer is simple: Dis-identify.
Sit quietly. Watch your body. Notice your mind. See how they’re not you. Your body is here. Your mind is out there. But you—the real you—are somewhere else.
When you stop identifying with your body and mind, something extraordinary happens: Conflict vanishes.
All suffering enters through the body or the mind. Pain, anger, fear—they’re either physical or mental. But if you create a distance, if you realize you’re not your body or your mind, suffering can’t touch you.
The Invitation
The world doesn’t need more peace treaties. It needs more people who’ve made peace with themselves.
Start today:
- Notice Your Identifications. What have you mistaken for you? Your job? Your relationships? Your beliefs?
- Create Distance. Sit quietly. Watch your thoughts. Feel your body. Realize: This is not me.
- Be Still. When you’re no longer identified with the chaos, you become the calm.
Conflict begins within. So does peace.
P.S. The world is waiting for you to stop fighting—with yourself, with others, with life. When you do, the fighting stops everywhere.
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