We will experience real and lasting world peace only when we have left behind separation consciousness and replaced it with unity consciousness. True and lasting peace is never possible when we are still trapped in the illusion of separation from our brothers and sisters.

Seeing ourselves as separate from other humans and life forms fosters competition and conflict. If we believe only the fittest, the strongest, the most powerful survive, we will of course feel we need to defend ourselves against others.

This is ironic, since in evolutionary terms, often the reason one species survived and another died out was because the latter did not cooperate as well in sharing food and other survival skills. Does this not clearly tell us something about the leap we need to take on the planet right now in order for our species to survive?

When coming from separation thinking, true and lasting peace is not possible. In this state, we can only experience temporary ceasefires, forced capitulation, surrender born out of fear or brute defeat, domination of the weaker, or spirit-crushing autocratic control.  Such are the possible outcomes of separate parties in conflict with each other.

We have experienced peace between conflicting parties, but this has generally been a false peace – only an interval in the conflict, which we erroneously thought was peace. There can be no lasting peace when peace is achieved by a means of coercion, or by any approach based on self-interest alone or that puts self-interest above the interests of the other. 

When we continue to live our lives from an “us” against “them” attitude, sooner or later some situation will arise that ignites the flame of conflict once again. This will continue until we have the collective will to stand up and say, “No more!” to this futile dance of attack and defense.