Seeking peace outside while losing it within
We inhabit a world that has been shaped, trained, and educated in the logic of war rather than the wisdom of peace. Our very patterns of thinking reflect this conditioning — argument and counterargument, victory and defeat, domination and resistance. Language itself carries the imprint of conflict. And yet, this is the most intellectually advanced, materially prosperous, and globally connected generation in human history. Paradoxically, it is also a generation deeply at war — with itself, with others, and with nature. The question that confronts us is unavoidable: why, despite unprecedented progress, are we more desperate than ever for peace? Why does peace seem to retreat further as our comforts and capabilities expand? The truth is that peace in the world cannot be separated from peace within individual lives. As inner harmony erodes, external conflict multiplies. The steady rise of wars, crime, violence, environmental destruction, and moral decay signals that humanity is drifting away from living peace and edging closer to a silence found only in graveyards. Perhaps most alarming is that even nations once known for their pacifist traditions are now drawn into relentless arms races.
As repeated attempts to secure peace through treaties, power balances, and social reforms fail, despair grows about the possibility of a harmonious human future. Yet, even in this bleak landscape, there are signs of hope. But before we can grasp them, we must confront a fundamental error that has plagued humanity for centuries. We have consistently misunderstood peace. Many assume peace is merely the absence of war or conflict, or that it will automatically arise once social justice is achieved. These conditions, however, are not causes but consequences. They are outward expressions of an inner state. The real mistake lies in searching for peace outside ourselves instead of within.
The roots of unrest do not lie in systems or structures alone; they lie in the human mind. Greed, ego, anger, lust and attachment steadily drain our spiritual strength. When these vices dominate consciousness, they distort thought and action, leading inevitably to suffering. True and lasting peace can return only when these inner enemies are confronted and overcome. When attention turns inward and awareness reconnects with the deeper self, a profound realisation emerges: peace is not something to be acquired — it is our natural state. We may sustain anger or hatred for a while, but peace alone has the power to endure. Few recognise that we are born with this inner harmony. Yet, as we engage with the physical world — identifying with the body, possessions and relationships — we lose touch with our original energy. Negativity takes root, manifests in action and culminates in pain. Trapped in cycles of karmic bondage, we long to
return to peace but lack the inner power. Restoration begins by reconnecting the soul to a supreme source of strength and purity.
Peace follows purity, just as light follows the removal of darkness. It is not isolated; it is collective. One cannot live in peace while denying it to others. Only actions that nurture harmony within oneself, society and the environment can sustain universal peace. This transformation becomes possible when we understand our relationship with the Supreme — an inexhaustible source of peace, love and wisdom. Ultimately, unless we make peace within, we cannot hope to restore peace on Earth.
The writer is a spiritual teacher and popular columnist; views are personal
