Finding Peace When the World Is On Fire

My dear friends,

We are living in deeply painful and uncertain times, which is why staying fully present and anchored in our inner knowing is more important than ever.

As an Iranian American, who also happens to currently be based in Qatar, I am sure you can imagine how gut wrenching the events of the past weeks have been for my family and I.

Hearing the explosions from missiles being intercepted over Doha is also not an experience that I would ever wish on anyone.

Yet, through it all, my heart managed to remain calm. While I allowed the heavy waves of grief to move through, especially as I helplessly watched my family in Iran dodging missiles and sizzling in the hot pan of war, deep down, I had a knowing that they were being taken care of.

And through it all, I was able to stay anchored and trust my inner guidance, even as my phone was bombarded every single day with calls and texts from loved ones urging me to evacuate and leave the region.

This was not about my ego or my attachments to certain outcomes. In fact, a part of me really wanted to wake up and be back home with my family in Maryland.

But when I quieted my mind and listened more closely, I knew that I was brought here to specifically be in the region at this point in time, even if there was a war going on next door and overhead.

I knew that I was brought here to hold and elevate the next generation of women trailblazers in the Middle East so they can rise despite any and all instability (you can learn more about my work here).

And I knew that the same force that guided me out of the US, walked me through numerous transitions in multiple countries, to then land me here, was also keeping me and my path safe.

This clarity and peace that I felt internally, also helped soothe and bring peace to my family who were, understandably, in crisis mode.

I am sharing all of this with you in the hopes that you’ll always remember:

Even when the world is on fire all around you, the answers are still within you.

No matter what your external circumstances look like, there is a loving internal guidance system that is always on standby, ready to direct you to a path of safety, peace, and thriving.

You may not receive the whole plan right away, but all you need to keep moving forward in alignment is the next small step directly in front of you.

Each step will build on the last, and before you know it, you may find yourself blooming and building gardens in places where fires once burned.

While I pray for peace all around the world, I know it all starts from each and every one of us developing the capacity to go inward and find peace even in the midst of deep pain, fear, and chaos.

Otherwise, we’ll continue to fan the flames of hatred and war, push others into the line of fire, or even get ourselves engulfed in it without realizing.

So may we all cultivate peace in hearts and minds,

May you always remember to turn inward in our loud chaotic world,

And may you continue to thrive,

With love,

Maliheh