It is time for the fury of conflicting beliefs to stop. Arguments over which views carry greater truth have not only proven to be futile, but have damaged too many lives, stolen too much of our peace, and created too great a divide in our society to continue. Given our history, conflict may seem inevitable, but with an open mind and a willingness to view life holistically, we could coexist as the peaceful beings we are born into. Nature, our precious purveyor of life, can show us the way.
Since the beginning of this century, it has been my mission to promote Peace using nature’s undeniable wisdom as a guide. The crux was derived from witnessing life’s natural impulse to maintain harmony (homeostasis) through an immensely intricate network of dynamic interplay. After all, if nature can achieve such greatness with ease, we should be capable of the same with little effort. Clearly, despite constant interference from mankind, nature THRIVES through collaboration, conservation, adaptation and by attracting everything it needs. Nature demonstrates in a relatable way how cooperation offers the perfect model for peace and abundance.
To clarify, the essence of nature’s teachings is that we are born peaceful and we learn to be otherwise. That is, even though our true nature is to connect, bond and live in harmony, we are often indoctrinated to judge, condemn and reject those who views differ from our own. These unfold as stories of separation, the stories of us versus them. As such, we may suppress a will to connect in order to defend a
derivative of truth that we have been taught. In turn, our contrived versions of “truth” can become reinforced with fear by those who stand to lose power over them.
Rather than thrive, it appears humans have “interfeared” with cooperation by fabricating many stories of separation and differences. Some tales have survived as long-held beliefs that not only divide, deplete, alienate and repel but ultimately, perpetuate a fear that threatens our survival as interdependent beings.
Too often, the perpetrators of conflict in the world have been lured by ideologies that are reinforced by fear – fear of losing possession of resources, fear of loss of power, fear of an
unknown power, fear of death, or even fear of being wrong about beliefs. As a result, this imposed fear ignites an internal conflict about who we truly are against what we have learned. It’s
a vicious cycle that originates from stories of different points of view.
Since the fundamental source of conflict is fear, induced by our stories of separation, I proposed in From Fear to Eternity: A Path to Peace to “Be Fearless!” This motto was imprinted on my shirt as I shared, lived, and trekked for 50 weeks spanning a nationwide, 2500 mile walk for Peace. As I walked mostly on nature trails, my intention was to show that being fearless is rooted in remembering that we are part of Nature—a force greater than resources, power, and limiting beliefs. Where fear generates conflict, being fearless can bring Peace.
The Path to Peace begins at the point where we remember our impulse to connect, when we understand that every individual has a unique perspective that can still encompass holism, and after we accept that the stories of separation are falsehoods created by fear. Ultimately, our need for each other in order to survive is greater than the need for our story to be right.
Even though we may be alarmed by fear-based atrocities that happen throughout the world, or feel helpless when conflict is portrayed in the media, we can find solace in the billions who
have not been seduced by false doctrines that create division and instill fear. If we choose to Be Fearless, we are free to embrace humanity’s capacity to Be the Peace that we are meant to be.
Cassandra “Cassie” Curley is the author of “From Fear to Eternity: A Path to Peace,” a local business owner, and Peace Messenger. She can be reached at [email protected].
