A New Paradigm for Peace Leadership
Is there a path to lasting peace? And if so, where would we find it?
Having strived to be a peace leader for several decades (peace leader is a visionary, who envisions new possibilities and inspires individuals and peoples toward peace), I came to the conclusion it takes a certain “new” kind of leadership we don’t see very much represented in today’s world.
Some years ago, I asked a variety of people: What do you think should be the most important characteristics of a peace leader?
To my surprise, most people cited three qualities: moral standards, authenticity and transparency.
Coming from my own experience, I absolutely agree with these findings, as all three areas contain the seed to create trust and be sustainable, which are important keys to peace.
There is another characteristic or component related to those three, which I believe is the foundation for peace leaders to grow the above qualities: Connecting to the Creator, the higher inner self or the divine within.
Why? Because we hold ourselves accountable not only to human opinion, but to deeper truths and realities that lie within.
That truth, that all human beings are divine in nature and are spiritual in essence which is the deepest common denominator that connects us. Therefore to work from that space has the potential to override man made barriers and divides.
I believe that lasting peace starts from within and from the inside out, and from there can naturally manifest in our ways of thinking, our decision making, in our daily lives, relationships and careers.
Furthermore, as we look at the current state of affairs of dysfunction, violence, divides, etc in our families and societies, a peace leader who embodies the above qualities will be able to see beyond what meets the physical eye. He or she will then be able to identify the often undercurrent invisible issues, emotions and causes of problems and divides, and address them from a higher perspective. Higher perspective here refers to one that is not based on ego or preferring one party over the other, but seeking a win/win solution for both and for the highest common good.
How to access this higher perspective?
The most common and powerful ways to do so are through daily meditation, prayer, reading holy scriptures or other spiritual practices, all of which naturally activates our higher inner self and sharpens our consciousness and perception. During my many years of leading various projects, organizations, ministries and initiatives, besides practical leadership skills, my sincere, humble and passionate prayers—often together with others—allowed me to “see” better, and find solutions where there seemed to be none.
Prayer and selfless love, which is the true essence of communicating with the divine, also allowed me to see and go beyond man-made barriers and labels of race, denomination, nationality or ethnicity and embrace others for who they are in their divine essence. In addition these practices propelled me to establish deep bonds of heart and to enjoy our differences instead of seeing them as obstacles, or reasons for strife.
In fact when both of us, another person and myself, acknowledged that inner reality and lived from that space, we automatically felt a sense of deep connection and synergy, even without knowing each other personally. That is the beauty of spirituality.
Anyone can access and connect to their divinity within and choose to live by it, instead of buying into or being pushed around by our predominantly secular and humanistic society and environment which is far from being conducive for peace at this time.
The words of Andre Malraux, a French novelist of the 20th Century come to mind who predicted: “The 21st Century will be spiritual or it won’t be [at all].”
Therefore, may I challenge the reader to discover and experience your divinity or light within—already seeded in each human being by our loving Creator—the “NAMASTE,” the divine within me greets the divine in you!
Dr. Angelika Selle
By doing so, I believe without a doubt that you will become a peace leader wherever you are and wherever you go. Together we can do it!
Please, visit Dr. Selle's new website: https://www.transformative.vision/
Dr. Selle is also a contributor to the Empowering Humanity Magazine