In the first article of this three-part series, The Commitments of Peace, I gave a brief introductory overview to three of the seven commitments we need to make in order to create and experience peace in our lives. The first three commitments were to Peace, Love and Forgiveness. Two weeks ago, I supplemented that article with The Commitments of Peace – Part II, which discussed the need to be committed to the principles of Truth and Creation as a path towards creating peace in our lives. This week, I conclude this three-part series by discussing Connection and Unity, the sixth and seventh commitments we need to make in order to create and experience peace in our lives.

The Sixth Commitment: Connection

The sixth commitment we must make in order to create and experience peace in our lives is to Connection. Perhaps the single biggest challenge humankind faces is the false collective belief in the idea of separation. Separation from God, from nature, from one another, and even from our own selves. Holding thoughts of separation in consciousness inevitably stirs up a sense of fear. When fear is present in any form, peace is impossible.  

In order to create and experience peace in our lives, we must become willing to release and heal the false belief in separation. We must surrender the illusion of separation in order to embrace the reality of the foundational connection we share together. We must be willing to release the sense of separation we still yet harbor in our consciousness, both individually and collectively. We must say ‘no’ to the separation, so that we can say ‘yes’ to the peace that connection brings.

Creating an experience of peace is impossible, while still believing in separation as a reality. Thoughts of separation can never create peace because they are not in alignment with truth principles. To believe in separation is to deny reality. It is to see something that is not real. It is to attempt to replace truth with what is, by definition, an illusion. Peace can never be the result of a belief in separation. By releasing the illusion of separation and making a commitment to the reality of connection, we prepare the way to create and experience peace in our lives.

The Seventh Commitment: Unity

The seventh commitment we must make in order to create and experience peace in our lives is to Unity.  Although I believe Unity teachings are excellent sources for learning the principles of truth that help to create peace, I am not saying that one must be committed to Unity teachings in order to create and experience peace. Certainly there are many spiritual traditions that may foster an experience of peace in their own fashion. In this context, I am not referring to the worldwide ministry of Unity churches, but rather, to the principle of unity, or the divine idea of oneness.

There can be no meaningful experience of lasting peace in our lives, unless we realize in consciousness the fundamental unity that underlies all of Creation. Notwithstanding my disclaimer above about Unity teachings, Unity’s first principle states: There is only One Power and One Presence active in the Universe and in my life, God, the Good. This is as good a statement of the principle of unity as any from any other tradition.

If this be the truth, then there can be no opposing power vying with God for the fate of the Universe. If there is, in reality, no opposing power, then there is no need for duality to explain the workings of the Universe. However, not realizing the reality of our unity with all that is, we instead see the world through the eyes of duality, which inevitably leads to paradoxical thoughts that prevent peace from prevailing in our consciousness.

Peace can only emerge when reality is seen as a unified whole, an eternal state of oneness. As long as humankind sees duality, instead of unity, there can be no peace in the world. We must surrender “us and them” thinking. We must release all thoughts of differences and instead cultivate thoughts of connection, commonality and oneness.

As long as we see differences first, we will continue to fan the flames of fear that separate us from an experience of peace. Until we realize, that we are one with God, nature and one another, we will still experience a sense of separation that blocks us from realizing our fundamental unity with everything that is. It is the divine idea of oneness and unity that we must commit ourselves to in order to create and experience peace in our lives.

The Seven Commitments Summary

There are seven commitments we must make in order to create and experience peace in our lives. As it is with all spiritual gifts, we do not experience peace unless we actively cultivate it. The work we must do to create the experience of peace is done within the realm of our consciousness. No one can do it for us, and we cannot do it for another. Peace is not found in the world, it is created from within and can only be experienced within the activity of your own consciousness. Peace is the result of the seven commitments we make to be proactive creators of peace. They are simple to understand, but not necessarily easy to implement consistently in our lives.

We do not experience peace unless we are committed to live in accordance with the principles of peace. So, the first commitment we must make in order to create and experience peace is to peace itself. We must be willing to live in alignment with the principles of peace. After having made that commitment first, we make similar commitments to align our lives with the principles of truth, creation, love, forgiveness, connection and unity.

It is helpful to remember that our current definitions of peace treat peace as a noun, generally describing peace as a state of mind that is serene, silent or still; or as the opposite of war. However, for the purpose of creating an experience of peace, it is more helpful to see peace as a verb, an activity, an experience that we are in the active process of creating by living in accordance with the principles of peace. If peace is going to be my experience, it is up to me to create it. You cannot do it for me, and I cannot do it for you. But, we can help each other along the way by being willing to model our lives in such a way that it inspires others to make their own commitments to be the peace we wish to see in the world.

Source: Soul Diving