If you have Ukraine in your prayers, pray for Compassion and Peace for all involved, not the destruction of one side
By Jim Hatton
I missed the draft for the Vietnam war by a year. I saw the news but really did not understand what was going on and why. Other skirmishes around the world seemed so small and far away that they did not draw my attention. However, the Russian aggression toward Ukraine, which was reignited in February 2022, has touched me. Like most Westerners, I find myself on the side of Ukraine and deplore the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin and all the atrocities committed against the Ukrainians as well as the suffering endured by Putin’s own army. It turns my stomach.
Many people around the globe are praying for the Ukrainians. No matter what type of prayer practice one may subscribe to, prayers usually favor one side or another in a war or conflict. Some may even pray for the opposite side and against their own leader! Many Russians are openly against Putin’s attempts to take over Ukraine.
Whatever spiritual or religious path you have chosen, most people will agree that we all come from the same Source. Some may say that “we are all God’s children,” while others may say “we are all One,” or that we are “emanations of the Divine.” Some may simply say that there is “good” in all people.
My personal spiritual path is one in which I must look for the common beingness that exists in all people. Seeing everyone as emanating from the same Source certainly does not condone the actions of people who do harm or hurt or kill others. I believe that the vile deeds we witness are the result of a “mis-wired” neuro-net. The misguided beliefs of this neuro-net form our ego-personality. Our actions are a result of our internal beliefs about ourselves and a personal sense of self separate and apart from the Whole. We, as individuals, may be known to the world by our personalities. Our actions result from our personalities and beliefs. But that is not who we really are.
Who we really are is much deeper. If we are to achieve a sense of the One or Oneness, we must look beyond the personalities and deeds of others.
The first reason not to just pray for, or send intentions to, only one side of any conflict is that we cannot pray effectively from a place of “againstness” or resistance to evil. Our thoughts, prayers, and actions affect the whole, and praying for one side creates only more division. If we are truly connected to the Spirit of Oneness, then our thoughts, prayers and actions will have a beneficial impact for all involved in the conflict.
The second reason is the law of attraction: Praying for one side to be victorious in the conflict is inherently saying that the other side should be destroyed or defeated. The law of attraction operates in such a way that if we are against something or someone, we shall inadvertently create the same effect as promoting exactly what we do not want and bringing forth more of that undesired result.
So, who do we pray for? I suggest that our prayers include Compassion and Peace for all involved. The wonderful side effect is that we will experience Compassion and Peace ourselves.
The World is not broken, Be in Peace …
Jim Hatton is an author, spiritual teacher and speaker. He makes his home in the Rogue Valley, Southern Oregon. Contact him at jim@jimhatton.com.
Want to contribute? Send 600- to 700-word articles on all aspects of inner peace to Richard Carey (rcarey009@gmail.com).
