Inner Unity and Outer Peace

Inner unity is the integration of all dimensions of ourselves, both loved and unloved, with our higher consciousness.

The experience of inner conflict can be a draining and disempowering experience that leads to self-doubt. According to psychiatrist Carl Jung, our unconscious mind, also known as the shadow self, holds within it repressed or suppressed traits, desires, instincts, and emotions. Failure to address these hidden aspects in our psyche can lead to issues in our relationships, self-sabotage, and unhealthy choices.

HOW TO ACHIEVE INNER UNITY

Achieving inner unity can lead to a state of inner and outer peace; it requires a daily practice of mindfulness and self-awareness to continually identify any unconscious aspects of ourselves that need to come to light.

We may realize through regular self-observation that we have unhealthy perspectives, habits, or thought patterns that are manifesting unwanted chaos in our lives.

By staying present, as opposed to acting on autopilot, we can become the observer of our own beliefs, thoughts, words, and actions, some of which may be acting as a barrier to personal growth.

The pursuit of inner unity is essentially the pursuit of truth—the truth of who we are, both consciously and unconsciously; it requires honest, nonjudgmental self-exploration.

Personal transformation is as much a process of unlearning as it is learning, where we must transcend old conditioning and negative beliefs about ourselves that act as a barrier to self-love and self-acceptance.

True wisdom comes from aligning our higher awareness with our everyday behaviour.¹ Just as our physical health can suffer from consuming unhealthy or toxic food, we cannot reach our full potential mentally, emotionally, and spiritually unless our thoughts, words, and actions are in harmony with our values.

Achieving inner peace and unity helps us to become more grounded and secure in who we are; we become far less threatened by the negative behaviour of others which allows us to respond instead of react during conflict or criticism.

Inner peace leads to outer peace.

HOW THE UNHEALED SELF CAN ACT AS A BARRIER TO UNITY CONSCIOUSNESS

To have a unity mindset is to reach the pinnacle of human development; it means recognizing the interconnectedness of all things and understanding our interdependence with one another.

Picture a world in which everyone has a mindset of unity; people would understand that whatever we do to others or to the planet, we ultimately do to ourselves. Violence, indifference, greed, and exploitation would give way to peace, empathy, generosity, and empowerment.

As a species, we must learn to integrate our animal instincts, ego, and intellect with our higher consciousness, self-awareness, and values.

While it may be easy to comprehend the positive impact of having a unity mindset, it can be challenging to develop and sustain healthy relationships if we are haunted by unresolved emotions.

An unhealed shadow can act as a major barrier to making authentic connections with others. Often, relationship conflicts happen because we project our own fears, insecurities, or negative traits onto others without realizing it.

Honest, nonjudgmental self-exploration based in unconditional love can lead to profound healing. In addition, self-help resources or seeking professional therapy can help us to transcend our personal challenges.

By transforming our relationship with ourselves, we can gain a deeper understanding of the world and cultivate relationships grounded in forgiveness, unconditional love, and acceptance.

It’s not our darkness that defines us, but our ability to shine the light of truth on our illusions.

In Jungian psychology, the shadow is thought to include positive qualities as well. These aspects of our psyche may have been repressed or suppressed due to negative and oppressive experiences growing up. By silencing our critical inner voice, we can uncover our true selves and access a reservoir of creativity and healthy self-expression. This transformation can also benefit those around us, inspiring them to embark on their own journeys of self-discovery.

Developing a higher consciousness on an individual level can advance our collective consciousness.

The individual and collective shadow are hemmed together in such a way that healing one helps to set the other free.

Inspired by P.D. Ouspensky, “The Psychology of Man’s Possible Evolution”, Vintage Books, November 1973