Crisis in The World, Peace in The Heart: Inner Calm During Global Turmoil
Have you ever put down your phone after scrolling through the news and felt a strange, cold knot in your chest?
We’re living through turbulent times, with constant updates on climate change, civil unrest, rising living costs, and the rapid development of technologies like AI. With information at our fingertips, we are continually bombarded by news of all kinds. The endless scroll makes it difficult to look away — and even more challenging to rest.
Did you know that the average person consumes about 74 gigabytes of data per day, which is equivalent to watching 16 movies? It’s a staggering figure that would have taken our ancestors 500 years ago — an entire lifetime — to achieve.
Doomscrolling isn’t just a bad habit; it’s a symptom of our fear of missing something important. The sad fact is, the more we consume distressing news, the more anxious we become.
Why do we do this to ourselves? We check for bad news because our brains believe that being prepared for danger is the same as feeling safe, turning fear into an addictive habit. In psychology, this is called negative bias. We confuse constant checking with self-care, not realising it actually makes us feel more stressed, not less.
This ongoing overwhelm takes a toll. It’s one reason stress, anxiety, and depression are increasing worldwide. Fear of the future affects everyone — from young people just starting out to parents worrying about their children. Even our Singapore government has been expanding mental wellness initiatives because it recognises that anxiety about global events is reshaping how we live and relate.
Why Do We Feel Anxious?
From a humanist and Buddhist perspective, anxiety arises when the mind cannot find stillness.
This mental restlessness is what Buddhists call the monkey mind. Imagine a monkey swinging wildly from one thought to the next — never still, never settled. This endless mental loop feeds on worry, fear, and every negative news update, leaving us totally drained even when we’re just sitting and scrolling.
When this lack of stillness intensifies, we replay old worries, imagine worst-case scenarios, and absorb the world’s pain. We experience duhkha — suffering or dissatisfaction. To escape this, we often reach for distractions like scrolling, bingeing, or shopping. Ironically, these distractions only fuel the monkey mind, deepening the cycle until we consciously choose to stop, look deeply, and address the cause with awareness.
The Path to Peace: Interbeing
To find peace in our hearts, we must first change how we see ourselves in relation to the world.
The late Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh taught that much of our anxiety comes from believing we are separate from each other and from the Earth itself. We think the world’s problems are “out there” while our peace should be “in here.” But this separation is an illusion. He called it interbeing — the understanding that everything is linked. Your peace and the world’s peace are connected; you can’t have one without the other.
The anxiety we feel about global issues is often linked to the choices that cause those issues. This means inner peace requires recognising our shared responsibility — we are all, in some way, part of the cause through our buying habits, unconscious choices, and what we mentally consume. Once we accept this, we know exactly what to do to calm the monkey mind.
This is the essence of interbeing: our inner work sustains our outer action. When we care for our inner state, we also care for the world.
Daily Actions to Bring More Calm into Our Lives
Peace doesn’t require complex philosophy. It begins with small, intentional actions. Here are some daily ways to ease anxiety and help you find peace in turbulent times:
1. Acknowledge and Process Your Feelings (Inner Work)
The first step is to recognise what you’re feeling —whether it is fear, grief, anger, or helplessness —and to allow it space. Sit quietly and breathe into any tightness you feel in your body. Gently label your emotion: “This is fear,” or “This is worry.” You could also express your feelings in a journal. This awareness moves you away from reactive survival mode into a more proactive, healing mindset.
2. Move the Body, Soothe the Mind (Physical Release)
When anxiety builds, our body holds the tension. Try mindful movement such as stretching, dancing, walking, or yoga to release it. Physical motion reminds the body that you are safe in this moment and helps discharge the anxious energy built up by the monkey mind.
3. Create a Spiritual Anchor or Ritual (Intentional Stillness)
In times of instability, rituals anchor us. Begin or end your day with a simple act of stillness and consistency. This might be lighting a candle, chanting a short mantra like “Om Mani Padme Hum,” or pausing to express gratitude. Consistency signals safety to the nervous system and trains the mind to return to relaxation more easily.
If you want more structure, our Thekchen Choling Temple offers accessible Buddhist classes that can help cultivate wisdom and calm.
4. Connect with Others (Community Healing)
Anxiety isolates. Community heals. Reach out to a friend, volunteer, or spend time with family. When we share our worries in a supportive space, their weight lessens. Making real-world connections counters the isolating influence of the digital world.
5. Turn Anxiety into Action (Empowered Contribution)
When the news feels too heavy, take one small action that aligns with your values. Reduce waste, donate, or support a cause you care about. Every compassionate act transforms helplessness into empowerment. You don’t have to fix the world overnight; tending your small corner with care already makes a difference.
Even the late primatologist Jane Goodall echoed this truth:
“Above all, I want you to think about the fact that we are part of Mother Nature… You have it in your power to make a difference. Don’t give up.”
Conclusion: Hope Through Action
Peace isn’t found when the world becomes quiet. It’s found when you do.
Buddhism teaches that external storms will always come and go, but inner calm can be cultivated. We do this not by turning away from suffering, but by facing it with understanding.
Understanding interbeing helps us realise that healing the world begins within. When we see that our peace and the world’s peace are intertwined, we stop feeling so alone in our anxiety. Every mindful breath, every ethical choice, every act of kindness contributes to a broader movement towards collective peace — the peace the world so desperately needs.
If you’re feeling anxious or uncertain, start where you are. Breathe. Acknowledge what’s within your control. And if you’re looking for community or guidance, visit our temple at Jalan Besar or join our Telegram channel for weekly teachings and practices that nurture stillness and compassion in everyday life.
Your peace matters. When you find calm within, you bring calm to the world, too.