Non-Violent Change
“I am quite aware of the fact that there are persons who believe firmly in nonviolence who do not believe in a personal God, but I think every person who believes in nonviolent resistance believes somehow that the universe in some form is on the side of justice. That there is something unfolding in the universe whether one speaks of it as a unconscious process, or whether one speaks of it as some unmoved mover, or whether someone speaks of it as a personal God. There is something in the universe that unfolds for justice and so in Montgomery we felt somehow that as we struggled we had cosmic companionship. And this was one of the things that kept the people together, the belief that the universe is on the side of justice.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
Expounding on the above quote, I have considered non-violent change for a while now. As Dr. King stated above, most people who believe in non-violent change also believe that there is something in the universe which unfolds for justice. I am no exception in this belief.
Currently in the world of humanity deep change is happening on many levels seen and unseen. Those who have been oppressed for a long time are beginning to sense some cosmic release even if they do not understand it or may even not be aware of it. Nonetheless, it is happening in the external world as well as within the inner world through beliefs being transformed and as higher sense of self emerges.
I listen to people talk often about what needs to be done on the levels of government, religion; education, crimes in the communities etc. in order to bring change but real change begins with thought.
The world, as it is perceived by the physical senses, are adaptable to thought focused on manifestation or recognizable change. When you think of real change the mind will be open to new ideas and you, the thinker, will accept the idea that nothing needs to be done in order to affect change. All actions are thought-based focused on the desired outcome. When you reach this level of co-creating the universe does rush in and become your companion for real change. It does so because you have joined it within the level of conscious thought and have chosen to allow it to unfold within a divine order, which you do not understand but trust.
“You who know not of justice still can ask, and learn the answer. Justice looks on all in the same way. It is not just that one should lack for what another has. For that is vengeance in whatever form it takes.”
~A Course in Miracles
The whole idea behind justice and freedom must be changed on the thought level in order for real change to be effected in the world. Each of us has our own unique perspective and experience in the world. Many times others complain about situations in which I personally perceive no problem at all. What I discovered is that it is perception that causes one experiences with the world to be fearful or happy. If you are not happy and content, you have within you the belief that you are a victim.
Victims are oppressed. Yet, you choose to be a victim because victimhood is not your natural state of being. When you choose victimhood you allow tyranny to rule over you. It is always a choice consciously or unconsciously.
At the base of victimhood belief is the sense of deprivation and lack. The reason you sense this feeling of less than wholeness is because you have not accepted the idea that you are a created being, created in love by love. This makes no sense if your identity is in a world where lack seems real and tyranny seems to rule. There is another reality and it is in you. The way to experience this reality is through thought and contemplation. What do you think about yourself? What do you know about your spiritual heritage? When you discover and accept this reality nothing in the world will rule over you again. You won’t see fault and blame as you do now because you will have taken responsibility for your ‘thought life’. You will understand the statement. “What is beyond God?” This idea frees you from the belief that anything outside of yourself can cause you harm or lack because the Source of your existence is All and All.
To begin the movements of non-violent change become the watcher of your thoughts. Thought creates. What you think about yourself will create a world to reflect that belief. Are you a victim or victor? Are you merely clay waiting to go back to the dust from whence you came or are you a soul being looking to go home to your Creator after a long senseless journey?
There is nothing that needs to be done to change the world. You only need to change your mind about the world. There is nothing in the world that has power over you unless you give it power over you and if you do it is still an illusion. Why live in illusions when you can choose to experience unlimited life in abundance by merely changing your mind about what the world is to you.
The world can become a place of peace and joy where beauty is reflected in everything you perceive. You can have this experience if you choose life and allow the Giver of Life to guide you gently down the path that leads you back to your authentic self.
Do you allow others to govern your mind by giving over the responsibility to think for yourself? No one can control your mind unless you choose to be a victim of circumstances. You are not your circumstances but are a perfectly created Child of God/Universe. Do you accept this as your true heritage knowing that you have the power to believe what you choose to believe? You can believe in the good and the idea that all life is interconnected in perfect order. To believe this is to free your mind so you may co-created the good to reflect in your world. Co-creation is merely allowing the good that is already there to manifest in the world and reflect light, love and divine harmony.
When you are angry or fearful of the injustices you perceive in the world you create resistance to what is. Things are never as they appear to be. There is goodness in everything but you will never discover that goodness if you do not love yourself enough to be at peace with yourself. In essence, this is all that matters. A peaceful mind in the world is not a little thing but a power that dispels darkness so that light might shine through you to others so they may accept their own light. What you believe in the light of understanding extends out to other minds because the light in you activates the light in others when you become aware of it and let it rest in your awareness.
In summary, non-violent change begins within an open-mind that is still and humbled before the light of understanding. It does not judge or make anything or anyone a tyrant or victim because it understands that only good is real and all else is illusion. Love is the only true reality. It is essential you believe this in order to have peace within and without.
©2012 Nazeelah Noorjahan
Peace and Adonai!
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