Creating Peace In Iraq

My friend's sister's husband was the victim of a terrorist bomb blast about five weeks ago. He is a US soldier in Iraq. The injuries were critical. He is lucky to be alive.

When I first heard obout it my instant reaction was "he deserves it" because I had always been against the invasion of Iraq. However, in the next instant I realized that I was about to meet his wife, a real human being. All of a sudden this "concept" of a war in Iraq that I was against became real to me.

This young man is married. He has friends and family. He has lived a life among us for 22 years. Now, he is hurt, real bad. He is not a concept.

As soon as the injured "US soldier" became human, I felt moved by the situation. I was no longer thinking of the war. I started thinking of the person. Now, I wanted to help him, a fellow human being, who also happens to be a relative of my friend.

How many people have been injured in wars like this? How many people continue to die for "their country"? Their cause? It's not right.

Countless human beings have been injured, both physically and emotionally. What cause justifies this kind of pain and anguish?

It's not right.

This "US soldier" is not motivated by hate. He is motivated by honour. There are people who do bad things in this world. US soldiers like him are willing to take a stand and put their lives at risk to protect the rest of us. This man is a hero.

But that still does not justify the act of war. Time and again, people have faced the undeniable fact that it is not possible to force people to live in peace.

Recently, my two daughters have been fighting with each other. After letting them work it out and not succeeding my wife and I intervened. Still no resolution. What do I do now?

The only way to have real peace is when it is based on peace and satisfaction from within. But who in the world has that? There is always some issue: "She did this to me so I did that". People are always miscommunicating. People are always making mistakes. Nobody is perfect. As long as these statements are true, there is bound to be anger and hostility in the world.

A wise man once said "In order for a forest to be green, every tree must be green". In order for us to have a peaceful society, every person must be at peace.

Based on this understanding I have decided to encourage my kids to practice Transcendental Meditation regularly, twice a day. I have found in my own practice that this really helps keep me peaceful and happy. In addition, I have decided to play soccer with my kids every evening after work. It seems to be working. My daughters were laughing and joking with each other last night.

Perhaps this two-pronged approach would work in international politics as well. Scientific studies have shown that when large groups of people meditate together an influence of peace is generated which creates peace in the environment. Even people who don't meditate start to feel good. Fewer incidences of violent crime are reported. Accident rates fall and hospital admissions decline. Apparently this kind of study has been replicated many times.

Part two of this plan would involve some excuse or other for pleasant interactions, perhaps through trade, sports, cultural exchanges etc. A relationship based on friendship goes a long way toward "forgiving and forgetting" past offences.

Perhaps the way to peace is through peace. Perhaps the way to war is through war. History has shown that the approach of punishing people for undesireable behaviour is unsuccessful when it comes to preventing bad behavior. Perhaps it is time to try something else.

For this soldier, I offer my prayers.

As a Hindu, I believe that whatever good or bad that comes in our lives is a result of our own actions, coming back to us from many lifetimes of existence. There is no way to really know why something is happening to us. However, we believe that despite our faults in the past or present, if we appeal to God, He or She will forgive our sins and grant us freedom from suffering.

I was surprised by how moved I was by this soldier's plight. In my efforts to deliver something tangible to help this man, I decided to offer a "charged-up" Rudraksh seed.

Rudraksh is a tree found deep in the Himalayan jungles. It is considered sacred by many. Legend has it that Shiv, the creator of the Creator shed tears when his son (the Creator) Brahma committed suicide. The tears fell to the ground and became the Rudraksh tree. Brahma was unhappy because he was unable to fulfill his father's wishes in creating a good universe. Everything he created turned out to be evil. When he died, Shiv was very sad..."all he had to do was to come to me for help", he said. Brahma was given life again and the Rudraksh seeds became an embodiment of Shiv's love. Rudraksh seeds are known for their healing capabilities when charged up by prayer.

For all those who have been affected by this war, I wish for them peace and happiness. This includes soldiers, terrorists and the common people who suffer just because they happen to be there. Through peace we will build more peace. When every individual is happy, no one will be a terrorist. There will be no need for people to become soldiers and offer their lives as a sacrifice.

I am grateful for this young man's courage. I am thankful for his honourable intentions. I will do my best to support his efforts to create a peaceful and happy planet by helping individuals be at peace, within themselves.

May God bless you, my friend. I hope you heal quickly and fully. I hope you never have to go to war again.

Neeraj.