The Golden Age of Peace Dawns Within

A wistful longing for better times

Without the dawn of individual awakening, our vision of a “golden age” will remain a figment of our imagination, a rose-tinted dream of bygone bliss. The past was always a better time, a simpler time, a more evolved time. It always was. But the truth is, as far as memory serves us, human suffering has been making its rounds forever, shifting its cold gaze from one civilisation to the next, demanding its pound of flesh. While some revelled atop their privileged perch, others were trampled and subject to unspeakable horrors. While some took for granted their freedom, safety and ample creature comforts, others were silenced and erased.

Who was the oppressor? Who was the oppressed?

We were.

The faces may change over time, and the script may have turned on its head more times than we can remember, but make no mistake — it was always us.

As it stands, this is our human legacy. It’s one that demands to be broken and then healed, not passed down indefinitely.

We have a choice though. We always do.

Some may feel called to fight against all that they find wrong with the world, ceaseless in their endeavour to conquer evil. This certainly takes herculean effort, but sadly doesn’t always grant us our idea of justice. Much like a revenant, evil finds a way to resurface in clever new disguises, relentless and inexhaustible. The more we look for it, the more it appears everywhere.

The most insidious enemies convince us that they alone have the right answers. We trust them a little too much, because we are so tired of fighting. They seize the reins, keeping us in a perpetual state of victimhood alongside them. They use fear to starve out love, and feed that emptiness with the poisons of shame and hatred.

Should we then give up all attempts to fix the problems in our world? Absolutely not. We couldn’t if we tried, as it’s in our highest nature to care about each other. Even through the veil of anger, a good parent still makes sure their child is safe.

Perhaps this is the quality that will save us in the end.

So, we must continue to care and we must take action, but those actions don’t always change the world or earn the outcomes we hope for. And there’s a real risk of our good intentions being derailed by those with ulterior motives.

Doesn’t that make us feel completely helpless? We try and we try, only to feel like our feet are glued to the ground.

But what if there were a way to empower ourselves? To claim back something that no one can ever steal away again? Something that is already within.

The role of spirituality

Here’s where spirituality makes a quiet entrance. There are innumerable definitions of what it means to “be spiritual” and it’s even become quite the fashionable lifestyle choice. For me, spirituality entails the evolution of our soul to expanded states of awareness and bliss. It’s neither dogmatic nor exclusive. It simply bridges the illusory gap between our humanity and our divinity. We are all spiritual, we are all divine — even if we can’t remember it yet.

In my experience, it’s our inner seeking and soul evolution that shapes our life. As we progress with our external goals and achievements, let us not neglect the universe that resides within us.

We look around and can’t make sense of what our planet has become, but how many of us can make sense of the circus going on in our own minds?

We yearn to see peace on every continent, and apparently we’ll do whatever it takes to enforce that peace on others. But what about the peace we instantly lose when a car cuts in front of us, when our plans get cancelled at the last minute, or when someone doesn’t behave in the way we expect them to?

If it takes so little to make us upset and irritated, if we can’t go through a single day without passing judgement on someone or condemning something or another, it’s worth asking the question: what part do I have to play in this golden vision of a peaceful world?

What may seem like trivial passing lapses actually add up considerably. Science shows that the state of our nervous systems affects those of others. Experientially this makes sense too. Being around people who make us feel stressed can raise our heart rate and blood pressure. Similarly, we find ourselves able to relax and feel safe around those who emanate a peaceful, calm energy.

As we grow spiritually, healing within and without, we uncover more and more of our own agency to choose which type of person we want to be. Are we someone who puts out endless judgement and harshness into the world, keeping ourselves and those around us on edge? Or are we someone who people see the best of themselves in?

Balancing spirit and matter

I’m not someone who believes that material progress is inferior, that earthly delights such as beauty and luxury are sinful, or that money and abundance are unspiritual and impure. If it weren’t for people’s worldly attainments, we would miss out on the full range of human experience. We wouldn’t have our exceptional artists and writers bringing their inspirations to life, or the brilliant scientific minds in pursuit of deeper understanding.

We also wouldn’t have businesses and structures that enable us to access goods and services that we need to survive, including our food and healthcare. And it’s not just about survival — we are entitled to have joy for the sake of joy, and celebrate life simply because we are meant to thrive!

We have been conditioned to believe in the inherent spiritual corruption of material life for so long that we forgot to question it. As a result, sincere spiritual seekers feel guilt, shame and unworthiness whenever their natural human inclinations emerge.

Of course, in every walk of life we may find selfish individuals who take far more from humanity than they ever give back. Things like kindness, courtesy and understanding are free to give, but some people even lack that generosity of spirit. Their indulgences spill over into greed, and their desires become ever-growing. This is the undeniable dark side of a life lived solely in pursuit of material gain.

However, rather than judging the whole, I’ve learnt that it’s best to become the type of person we would have loved to have on our side.

The answers are not at the top of a mountain

Renunciation has its draws. In fact, it was the path I wished to tread as a child, until my Divine Mother gently coaxed me into a householder life. I don’t regret it. Living as an ordinary person with a business to run, bills to pay — all while pursuing an undying love for the Divine — has shown me that it’s possible to do both. I won’t deny that some clear-cut choices have to be made regarding how we spend our time, our most valuable resource. We choose what to take forward and what to leave behind, but when we’re motivated by a deeper purpose, those choices feel naturally aligned. We each have to find our own balance and keep re-evaluating our choices as we grow.

That said, we needn’t run away from the world entirely. It’s futile, because the world will chase us down in the form of nagging thoughts and desires. Renunciation is a valid, powerful path for some, but it seems misguided to me to view it as a more noble, lofty brand of spirituality. Without care, such views could breed contempt, bolstering the very ego that renunciation is meant to subdue.

We can choose to go about our normal lives, pay attention to our own path and seek spiritual wisdom and support from wherever we feel deeply drawn. The right path or paths are the ones that lead us towards greater peace, expanded love for all, reduced judgement of others and a mind free from rigid thinking. The right teacher or teachers are the ones who facilitate the blossoming of our own divinity, which is simply a unique expression of the whole.

The more our mind can integrate all the experiences of life, the more peace we radiate out into the world, and the closer we are to the truth about our reality.

Many call this God, or Consciousness. Some simply call it Love. The kind of love that leaves no one out, dissolving all false divisions as it sweeps through creation.

Whatever you wish to name it, don’t settle for belief alone — get to know. _

Kiruthika Rajeswaran