A Letter from Deepak
It’s a good day for all of these wars to come to an end. But is it possible? War has dominated human history for so long that it’s easy to believe that violence is an innate response and that warfare is inevitable. In truth, violence is not the essence of human nature. It is prevalent, yes, and it is innate. But so is the opposite of violence: love.
To end war, I believe at the core of my being that only a consciousness-based approach will work. You have to think of ending not just one conflict, and not just 41. We have to end the idea of war, which has become a habit of war. With increasingly deadly weaponry, the habit of war has brought us to a pivotal point for humanity’s future. Now, perhaps more than ever, we have reason to unite in peace. Put simply: war must end, or we will.
How can we overcome the habit of war? By overcoming hatred. How can we overcome hatred? By releasing love. How can we release love? By growing in consciousness, which means consideration, forgiveness, understanding . . . an awareness of our common being. And this applies to collective, social, family, and individual conflicts.
Peace can only be created by those who are peaceful
Societies get caught in the grip of their own national and tribal stories, which are limited, self-serving, based on the past, reinforced by orthodoxy, and therefore opposed to real change. Wars are fueled by these stories, which can be incredibly persuasive. A prime example is the 
story of victimization, used countless times to justify revenge and violence.
It is helpful to realize that we can choose not to participate in the story. It is also important not to try to change anyone’s story. We need to simply notice and observe ourselves when we start to buy into it, then back away from participating in it.
Keep in mind that engagement and detachment aren't opposites; the more engaged we become, the more detached we will have to be. Otherwise, we will lose ourselves in conflict, obsessiveness, anxiety over the future, and feelings of guilt and inadequacy. Realize that we are pioneers into the unknown, and uncertainty is our ally. When our minds crave closure and certainty, we need to remind ourselves that these are fictions.
The global shift in consciousness may not come easily, but it is possible. One person at a time, we can release the habit of war and find new ways to respond when we are very afraid or very angry. The way of peace has to become a new habit. And there is reason for optimism. Humanity has evolved to transcend many things that once seemed innate. We have learned to use reason triumphantly and have overcome many superstitions and diseases. We have deepened our understanding of nature, consciousness, and ourselves. These successes lead naturally to the next step, which is the realization that human beings have outgrown war and are ready for peace.
Love,
Deepak
About Us | Programs | Deepak Central | Community | Shop | Teacher's Path