Ancient philosophers from China to Greece held that there was a tight connection between peace within the individual soul and the wider society. Confucius, for instance, argued that the best way to work toward a peaceful community was to first bring peace and harmony to one’s own soul, then one’s family, and outward toward the community. Today, in America, things are feeling less peaceful. When it comes to the peace of the individual person, we see soaring rates of depression, addiction, and loneliness, and our political culture is growing less peaceful too. This month, we’ll explore the relationship between personal cultivation and social peace.