Turning to The Art of Peace on Veterans Day

All this Veterans Day, I wrestled with dark feelings about war. The rhetoric of the day, despite lofty intentions, all feed the mentality of war, killing and human sacrifice.

When do we speak of peace? How do we find it?

How can we break this war mentality, this plague that afflicts humanity?

At the end of the day I was drawn to and opened “The Art of Peace” by Morihei Ueshiba.

These words spoke to my condition:

“The Art of Peace is medicine for a sick world. There is evil and disorder in the world because people have forgotten that all things emanate from one source. Return to that source and leave behind all self-centered thoughts, petty desires and anger. Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything.”

And this…

“You are here for no other purpose than to realize your inner divinity and manifest your innate enlightenment. Foster peace in your own life and then apply the Art to all that you encounter.”

The character shown here stands for Ki, the energy of the universe. See it first as figure, then as ground, finally as both — as One.