So many of us believe that we have to do something. We have to take action in order to make a difference in the world. We must have a higher purpose, a mission, a profound calling. And while action certainly has its place, it's really *how we are* in the world that makes the difference.
Consider this: if you are at peace with yourself, you are already making a difference. We can donate money, or send aid, or volunteer at a shelter, but the first thing we must do is take responsibility and stock of our own path of consciousness. If we come into harmony with ourselves and vibrate from that out into the world, we are the de facto change.
It's not about the magnitude. It's not about the grand nature of the contribution externally. If we gather up all the parts of ourselves and love them, that love becomes contagious. The ripple effect of this kind of energy is tremendous -- in some ways more profound than all the external contributions that have ever been made. Because the more we are at peace with ourselves, the more our collective energy will shift, and anything that stands in the way of peace and tranquility will have no choice but to end or dissolve.
That's all there is left to do. Once we have embraced all that we are, once we've come into a place of peace, all we can do is share ourselves. Give ourselves away. Give ourselves to as many people as possible. We will no longer be seeking to become complete by rescuing others, because we will realize that we are already complete. Then, love is the only thing left.
Tonight, as we turn out the lights, let us know that a day will come when we will be called into contribution. We will know when it happens. We will recognize it. We won't wonder if we should or shouldn't, nor will we question our motives. We will simply -- with grace and dignity, and fullness of heart -- do what needs to be done.
Panache Desai is a contemporary thought leader whose shares messages of love and self acceptance. He is on the faculty at Omega Institute. The excerpt above is from his first book: Discovering Your Soul Signature
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What does 'sharing ourselves' mean to you? Can you share a personal experience of a time when you came to such a place of peace that you were moved to share yourself? How can we develop ourselves to find such a place of peace?