The world's peacemakers praise Peace Is the Way

Dear Reader,

I am writing you as a friend, because friends can be completely honest with each other. Although we haven't met, I know you are a person of peace. You long ago gave up any belief that war and violence are needed in this world. Yet somehow your deep feelings on this issue haven't brought about peace. Society remains addicted to war. We reach for it the way a chain smoker reaches for the next cigarette, promising to quit tomorrow, yet never turning the corner.

I have written a new book to answer this frustration. It is called Peace Is the Way, and its purpose is to gather peaceful people into a force that can bring war to an end in our time. I was inspired by a profound truth uttered by Mahatma Gandhi: "There is no way to peace. Peace is the way."

What he meant is that peace has a power in and of itself. This power is greater than the power of war, just as life is more powerful than death, love more powerful than fear. At this moment you hold that power in your hands. I wrote this book to show you how to use it for the greatest good. The book doesn't ask you to protest in the streets or to become a selfless saint overnight.

What it asks you to do is to make a shift in your awareness. If you can focus on peace once a day, usually for as little as five minutes, you can help create a massive shift in the world. You aren't alone in your anguish about war. A majority of people in this country—and around the globe—want to end this pointless addiction to war. Peace is the next wave of human evolution, and there is no better way to live than by catching the next wave of change.

I urge you to read Peace Is the Way so that you can realize your own deepest wish to live in a world that reflects your own values. Peace isn't just an ideal. It is a way of being in the world. A joyful hope can replace the anguish that you and I share over war. We've shared it long enough. So please consider the first sentence of my book, which I believe in with all my heart.

"Today is a good day for war to come to an end."

—Deepak




"Deepak Chopra envisions a world within our reach where we are the instruments of peace instead of war.... The daily practices suggested in this book offer readers a way to become more fully human and actively engaged as peacemakers in their homes and communities." —Desmond Tutu

"I absolutely agree with Dr. Chopra's view that 'if we want to change the world, we have to begin by changing ourselves.'" —His Holiness the Dalai Lama

"Thinking about peace is already a powerful means to contribute to peace.... I recommend this book to all those who want to create peace." —Boutros Boutros-Ghali

"I am touched and delighted by Deepak's earnest and lucid message, in this timely and essentially useful book. I picked it up and couldn't put it aside. The great thing about it is how simply and clearly he presents the steps to profound personal transformation. He makes it possible-even enchanting-for us to live what we admire.... Use this book with loving care and you will break free from the drumbeat of desperation all around you!" —Robert Thurman



Practices for Peace

Seven Practices for Peace

Sunday: Being for Peace
Meditate on forgiveness

Monday: Thinking for Peace
Hold positive intentions for all

Tuesday: Feeling for Peace
Feel compassion and love

Wednesday: Speaking for Peace
Speak without complaint or criticism

Thursday: Acting for Peace
Help someone in need

Friday: Creating for Peace
Get ideas for resolving conflict

Saturday: Sharing for Peace
Invite two people to take up this practice

—adapted from Peace Is the Way