Instead of taking just a moment of silence for all the brave men and women who lost their lives defending freedom, I think it would be wonderful to honor them in our meditation practice. When we meditate, we cultivate a sense of peace and expanded consciousness that metaphysically ripples out into the world around us.
This was demonstrated when 4,000 monks descended upon Washington DC in 1993 to reduce crime by 20% through their own meditation practice. The police chief, who apparently was not a meditator himself, was understandably skeptical. He thought the only thing that could reduce crime by that much would be 20 inches of snow. Imagine his delight when the crime rate decreased by over 23% during the six week experiment! With no added costs, details, trainings, or outreach… just strangers meditating nearby.
Imagine if more people in our country meditated daily? The Dalai Lama asserted, “If every 8 year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.”
Perhaps one of the solutions to violent crime is not “thoughts and prayers” but “meditation and prayers”. My prayer is for humanity to recognize that we are co-inhabitants of a small planet, and every individual, group, race, and species has a right to peace, prosperity, and the pursuit of happiness.
“Imagine all the people
living life in peace, you
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one”
John Lennon
Image credit: Michael Levine-Clark
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