TOS Guided Meditation for Peace

We Theosophists naturally want to help bring about global peace.  We realise that peace starts within each one of us because we cannot send peace to the world if we ourselves are not peaceful. Meditation is therefore a helpful element of our daily spiritual practice. This meditation can be used as an act of service and compassion for others.

We can also come together in groups to direct energy to places on the planet that need special support. A suggested outline for a guided meditation for peace follows. Feel free to select just a few elements from this outline to create the sequence that suits your group or your own individual meditation.  It is left to you to decide the length of the pauses between sentences. If you are doing a group meditation it is suggested that participants sit in a circle.

Today we are gathered to invoke peace – peace in our hearts, peace in our homes, in our nations and in our world.

Let us close our eyes and take a couple of minutes to relax and centre ourselves by taking a few gentle, deep breaths.

If we experience difficulty calming down and focusing, let’s not judge ourselves; there is no need to feel dissatisfied or unworthy. We just need to return to our breathing, relaxing into the quiet rhythm of the in-breath and the out-breath.

Let’s start by giving thanks for what peace we have in our lives. Let that gratitude fill our hearts.  Now let’s say this to ourselves silently as we breathe:

(Inhaling) "I am a channel for peace," (Exhaling) "I send peace to the world." (Inhaling) "I am a channel for peace," (Exhaling) "I send peace to the world."

As a channel for peace, let us send peace to the leaders of nations. May they carry out their duties with an open heart. We send peace to the United Nations and all its mediators. We send peace to countries in strife through war, corruption and natural disasters.  We send peace to the citizens of these countries.  We send peace to all sentient beings affected.

Now let us offer ourselves as a channel for peace to all who live within the bounds of our country that they may show love, mercy and justice:

May our elected officials govern with peace and compassion.

May our prisons become places of rehabilitation and our prisoners have the courage and strength to reconstruct their lives.

May peace be with those suffering oppression, exploitation or abuse in any form.

May peace be with them all.

We affirm our belief in a world of peace, a world where fear and greed will no longer reign. We put our trust in the power of good to overcome evil and the power of love to overcome hatred.  We renew our pledge of service to the human family and all creatures on the planet.

Please rise and face outward, maintaining our circle formation. Raise the arms parallel to shoulders in front of you, extending hands outward.

Holding an image of the earth in our minds, we ask that the love and strength of the Great Ones flow through the Theosophical Society and through us to the world. May there be peace on earth.

Please turn back to the centre. (Join hands)

As our meditation comes to a close, we ask that through the power of our hearts and minds, spiritual energy may continue to flow through us, bringing light and peace to all we meet.

Let us depart in peace.

END

Additional text

O Powers of Love!

An invocation by George S. Arundale

O Powers of Love!  We pledge to you our faithfulness, knowing that only love can redeem the world.

We invoke your blessing on all who strive to serve you.

We invoke your blessing on all who endure suffering, that they may discover their enfoldment in your love even in the midst of their affliction.

We invoke your blessing on all who inflict suffering that they may be moved to return to you and serve you.