This talk is based upon teachings from the well known nun, Pema Chodron. When we think about the terrorist attacks of five years ago and we think about the individuals who flew those planes into the world trade center it may be difficult to think of those individuals as human beings just like ourselves. But it is true they had parents, and families they desired happiness just like us. But the other thing they have in common with us is that at times we become very attached to our view. Which is to say can become very self-righteous about own attitudes.

Right now, at this very moment there are no less than a dozen wars going on simultaneously around the world. So we should stop for a moment and think about where war and peace come from. What is the cause of war and peace? Where to they begin?

*   War & peace start from the same place

*  They both start from the heart

*  Both come from seeds in the human heart

All beings would like to live in peace, but the method for attaining peace is often out of sync with what real peace is. We often seek peace & happiness by going to war. I am not talking about just at the global level - although that is certainly true, but on the persona, individual l level as well.

For example we come home tired and frustrated and just wanting some peace. All hell is breaking loose. So you yell & scream - and what happens? Other people respond by yelling & getting upset. All of this because you want some ease - you want some peace. So in a sense we have unintentionally created “war”

It seems to me like war is a result of us “hardening our hearts.” We harden our hearts very easily. Sometimes in minor ways - and then sometimes in some quite serious major ways such as hatred & prejudice. We harden our hearts whenever we feel uncomfortable or threatened.

What is so sad - or - ironic is the motivation for hardening our hearts is because all we want is some kind of ease or freedom from the distress we are feeling because things are not going our way.

When what we truly need is a “change of heart.” We need to soften our heart. The well known Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron, defines war or seeds of war “hardening our heart.” And peace as “softening what is rigid in our heart.”

Sometimes we can go to war over something as seemingly small and insignificant as a mosquito buzzing around our head. Or it might be another person’s own hard heartedness and self-righteous attitude. Or someone cuts us off on the freeway and we don’t like it. We want to drive in peace. So what do we do? We roll down our window and yell and shake our fist at the other driver - all because we want some peace.

We talk about terrorists as being “fundamentalists” but what about our own fundamentalism?

When the heart hardens we become fundamentalists. It just begins with an uneasiness, and a tightening - and there is a shutting down - because we are ignorant or we feel justified - a chain reaction occurs and we become very self-righteous about killing the mosquito, or yelling at the other person. And our own fundamentalism has begun.

We feel justified with our anger We can hate this one, or that one - or a group of people because of how they look or how they dress. Each of us needs to take responsibility for when the chain reaction occurs we become fundamentalists - which is to say we become very self-righteous about our view.

VIII. You look at history - Protestants who are killing Catholics, who hate and kill Protestants - and it goes on year after year. You look at the middle-east and the Jews and Arabs - or any different religious group, ethic or racial groups who hate each other. Because you are not particularly invested you can see what is going on. And it will continue until someone softens what is rigid in their heart.

Think about how many times you are locked in conflict with another person and you feel self-righteous about your own fundamentalism - and we think we are in the right. Of course the other person feels they are right, and they are just as self-righteous and fundamentalist as you. And so the two of you become more and more polarized. Until eventually you end up with are two mirror images of each other. Like a negative and photograph.

The 8th century Indian Buddhist master, Shantideva said, “If these long lived ancient patterns of mind, which are the wellspring of only unceasing woe…….if these patterns can find their safe lodging within my heart, how can joy & peace in the world ever be found?”

So what I am trying to say is if each of us is dedicated to wanting peace in the world then we must take responsibility for when our own hearts & minds harden and close and we have to be brave enough to soften what is rigid in our hearts and find the soft spot and stay with the soft spot. We have to have that kind of courage and take that kind of responsibility and that is true spiritual warriorship. Otherwise it is just talking about them and their fundamentalism and not taking responsibility for ourselves.

When you practice this way - you begin to naturally have the ability to stand in other people’s shoes. They say if you stand in the other person’s shoes it is impossible to hate another human being.

When you can get even the slightest glimpse of where someone else is coming from - you realize it is not about who is right and who is wrong. It is about softening your heart.

So, remember peace & war start in the same place - they start in the human heart. If you want peace in the world it starts with you and how you treat other people. It is like a pebble thrown into a pond that creates ripples - with those ripples eventually touching every edge of the pond.

So, spread peace by softening your heart - if you start with your own heart just think how many people you can affect and it can have global implications.

So, when you leave here today, I want you to vow to become an agent of change. To vow to sow seeds of peace wherever you go by being mindful of when you begin to harden your heart. And when you notice that occurring to stop and instead soften what is rigid in your heart.

If we all do that then we will all become peacemakers and that can literally help change the world.