Sometime last year there was a question posted in the Gaian Commons, “How can I possibly be a presence for peace?” This intrigued me. After all, it seems like a lofty and worthy aspiration. It reminds me of an experience I had when I lived in Oregon. There was a monastery I would go to when I needed a retreat–when my work life became difficult, when I needed a place to be quiet and still. It was a beautiful environment with an ambience of calm, love, serenity, and peace. I discovered a little hidden garden that became a favorite spot to sit and reflect. There I found a sweet homemade ceramic plaque attached to a tree which read:
Keep your heart open and free.
Make time to dwell in silence.
Become a peaceful presence in the world.
I loved this. Every time I read it, I felt a wash of joy flow through my body. My muscles relaxed, my heart expanded, and I could sense a rightness, a meaning to life, a raison d’être. I took this saying back to work with me and posted it above my desk. And I wondered how I could become this peaceful presence. How could I bring the calm and serenity from the monastery back? How could I find that space inside myself separate from that physical place? How could I remember the feeling I had when I was in the hidden garden?
Fast forward a few years to my discovery of Lorian and Incarnational Spirituality. I began taking classes and practicing the exercises. Sovereignty is a fundamental principle in IS; by diving into this concept and with practice I began to get a sense of the core of my Self. I found that if I became off balance, or if situations and forces outside of me exerted their pressures, if I remembered my Sovereignty, I was able to find my center again. Sovereignty is an integral part of my morning practice now.
I still wanted to find this presence outside of my sanctuary, however. I wanted a way to remember it always. One day, on my walk, as I was noticing the beauty of the trees, gardens, and waters that surround my town, I suddenly remembered Sovereignty. As soon as the word entered my mind, I noticed my spine straighten, my stride becoming more fluid, and my perception of what was around me gently shifting. Things became more clear, crisp and bright. I thought to myself, “this is Sovereignty Walking”. It was more than my body walking, or even my consciousness walking. It was Sovereignty walking. I felt equal with the plants, houses, and birds. I realized that we all share Sovereignty and we are all part of a unified Wholeness. So when I entered my own Sovereignty, I entered the Sovereignty of all. And in this way, I became a presence for peace.