How We Can Help Heal the World
Since mid-February, we have all been confronted, every day, with the horrifying images of destruction and lives upended in Ukraine. The loss of human life, the magnitude of disruption for those who survive, the fear of “what happens next,” and the dreadful uncertainty of when it will end are all utterly staggering.
Like people everywhere, I am distraught and brokenhearted by the devastation. I wake up in the morning and hope that the news was all a dream. Then the day begins, and I realize how real it is.
That’s when I begin asking myself the question that’s constantly on my mind: isn’t there anything that I can do? From where I sit oceans away, how can I help heal our world?
It might sound like an impossible task. But, like each of you, I am barely a spec in the universe. I can support charities addressing humanitarian needs, attend protests, support Ukrainian journalism, and open my doors to Ukrainian refugees settling in my community yet. It feels so insignificant compared to the scope of this crisis.
That’s why there’s something else I have chosen to do—something straightforward but profound that I believe truly can help heal our world:
Pray.
By prayer, I don’t mean head to the church, the synagogue, or mosque and repeat the Lord’s prayer. As I’ve said before, I don’t associate prayer with religious practice. But, of course, if this is the form of prayer that resonates with you, I encourage it. We must each choose the format that feels most natural and in sync with who we are.
Personally, I see prayer not as ritual or dogma but as a state of mind and a state of the heart: one of stillness, awareness, of peace. Far more than an action, I see prayer as a place of inner rest, receptiveness, and love.
When we are in that place, magic can happen:
We are better equipped to be an instrument for peace and harmony within our own sphere of interaction: our family and community.
We are in giving mode. Yet, the energy and the vibes we send out are filled with peace and compassion—the peace and compassion that I, for one, wish for the world. By cultivating that sentiment within, we can be sources of light and silent advocates for peaceful outcomes.
We can speak gently to our children, infusing them with respect for peace and compassion so that they, too, can be silent advocates and sources of light.
We are filled with gratitude, including for the simplest of things such as having food on our plates. We can instill this in our children, too. Like light, gratitude spreads.
We are reminded that we’re not alone. We are part of something much bigger than ourselves and can control only our actions and choices, one minute at a time.
The act of prayer does not need to be complicated. We can pray anytime, anywhere. It can be as simple as shutting our eyes, shutting out the noise around us and within us, and entering a serene, meditative state. Or we can use visualization, imagining the scenario we hope for. I have created various spiritual rituals, including devoting a special place in my home that has special spiritual meaning where I can relax, meditate, set intentions or simply breathe. I’ve also written my own affirmations and repeated them like prayers.
Use your heart and your imagination. Then, the sky’s the limit. Prayer is the most personal, intimate expression of our faith in whatever force(s) we believe in.
Now more than ever, join me in prayer. Close your eyes. Breathe. Let’s set the intention together for peace and healing in our world.
Lorena Junco Margain is an author, art collector, philanthropist, and advocate for forgiveness and compassion. After surviving a surgeon’s error in 2012 that left her with a lifetime of medical issues, she penned a memoir about the experience, On the Way to Casa Lotus, promoting forgiveness as a force for personal and universal change. A USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller, On the Way to Casa Lotus won the American BookFest’s 2021 Best Book Award for narrative nonfiction.
Born and raised in Mexico (Monterrey and Mexico City), Lorena studied visual arts and has co-founded galleries and exhibitions in Mexico and London. In addition, she co-founded and curated the Margain-Junco Collection with her husband, Eduardo Margain, to support emerging artists, foster the art scene in Mexico, and promote awareness of Mexican art internationally.
You can learn more at www.LorenaJuncoMargain.comhttp://www.LorenaJuncoMargain.com