Peace be with you

“There is a lot that needs to be done in society–work against war, social injustice, and so on. But first we have to come back to our own territory and make sure that peace and harmony are reigning there. Until we do that, we cannot do anything for society. Let us begin immediately.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh

Peace be with you on this election day and in the days to come, as we seek common ground to begin healing as a nation no matter the results in our cities, states, and country.

A week ago I found myself triggered by some election-related news. Struggling to bring myself back to a state of peace, I noticed a copy of a prayer card emailed to me a few months ago. I added three words to the beginning of this Tibetan Buddhist Prayer and repeated it about 10 times.

The shift within was profound. Imagining the prayer rippling out and having a positive impact on people in our country also uplifts me. I will be repeating this prayer often tonight and in the coming days. I invite you to join me or to add these three words to any prayer you love.

My fellow Americans,
May you be at peace.
May your heart remain open.
May you awaken to the light of your own true nature.
May you be healed.
May you be a source of healing for all beings.

I hope you feel the peace of this prayer right now. May we all be at peace, trusting the way will be shown to healing and peace for our country no matter how the election turns out and the coming days unfold.

P.S. The Thich Nhat Hanh quote above begins a chapter in Rhonda Magee’s book, The Inner Work of Racial Justice. We complete the last of our 4 book groups this week. Universally loved and appreciated by participants, we highly recommend her book as part of your journey to awareness of the necessary inner and outer work to bring about racial justice.