To preach Peace, you must first have Peace within you.
– Saint Francis of Assisi.
In the aphorisms of Patanjali, codifier of classical Yoga, we find as the first Yama, that is, as the practitioner's first commandment, an ethical prescription called ahimsa.
Ahimsa is simply non-violence, it is unconditional respect for all manifestations of life, whatever form it takes, including yourself.
Violence is an emotional response that reflects the still primitive state of the human being. It is rooted in the structure of the individual's character, it portrays the vulnerabilities of the human being through the evident affective contents that lie like powder kegs in the human soul; contents that keep unpleasant information from traumatic events that created an emotional program with the primary language of the being's defense instincts, so, in the face of borderline situations or specific events, the fuse is lit and all this stored material manifests itself aggressively and uncontrollable.
Often, we find peaceful, kind and deeply engaged people in the path of good, reacting in an untimely, uncontrolled way, showing a complete inability to deal with prosaic everyday situations and it is common to say: “Wow, I didn’t know you were like that! ”. In fact, the surprise is common for not knowing the dynamics of the repressive agents that work as a kind of valve in this pressure cooker; therefore, it is not uncommon for irascible people to develop archetypal masks that allow greater approval of the environment.
Many preach peace, but live inside an inner hell, victimized by mood swings, alternating personalities and suffering to deal with unconscious impulses.
As long as we don't look at our own shadow and seek a fraternal inner dialogue, these elements will continue to bother us.To accept the other, it will be necessary to accept yourself, to forgive the other, it will be necessary to have a discipline of self-forgiveness, to not judge the other, it will be necessary to train with yourself, because the great laboratory where we will create the necessary solutions for our transformation is the myself. Achievements will be quick and automatic, as everything is a matter of practice.
As necessary as loving your neighbor is loving yourself, this is the profound meaning of the Christian maxim.
Physical activities, the practice of Yoga, occupational therapies, volunteer work and many therapies available, act in the process of eliminating the affective burdens responsible for the aggressive temperament of those who cannot manage their own emotions.
Expecting the world to adjust to your inner demands is a mistake, you also need to develop equanimity, be more tolerant and develop greater acceptance, as we are all here for that.
Gandhi, perhaps the greatest reference for peace in recent centuries, preached Ahimsa as a solution to any dispute, said vehemently that there is no way to peace, peace is the way, with that, he managed to transform the reality of an entire nation. , in addition to serving as an example for humanity.
