This is a crucially important time for spiritual practice - whatever our practice may be - and for us to pray and practice as strongly and as wholeheartedly as we can.

This is a time for wisdom and for courage. On one hand, we need to pray strongly for all those who have died, and all those who are suffering, shocked and traumatized around the world. On the other hand, we need to pray for the world, and what lies ahead.

Think of all the leaders of the world. Pray that they may have wisdom, discernment, foresight and guidance. Pray that the violence will not escalate; that it does not spiral into new areas of conflict, and that it does not aggravate the conflicts that already exist in the world.

Pray that innocent people do not suffer and that innocent people are not persecuted.

May these terrible events awaken us to the deeper causes and grievances that may have provoked them. Pray as strongly as you can; whatever the causes, may they be remedied, healed and removed.

Let us have the courage to look unwaveringly at the causes of the hatred and despair behind this violence, whatever they may be, and really to address them.

Pray strongly that we do not give in to the temptation to think only of the short-term. Pray that we will think in the long-term. For this is how history will judge us.

Sometimes a situation like this can make us go through a real change in our lives. Our day-to-day existence can often leave us slightly complacent, until suddenly one day something wakes us up. Suddenly we realize that life is precious, and that the life we have may not be too bad. The only thing is that we constantly forget to appreciate it.

For spiritual practitioners, we must let these events spur us on towards practice, towards living meaningful lives and becoming ever more authentic practitioners.

How can we begin to transform the feelings and emotions we are going through? Sometimes they are unbearable and overwhelming.

First and foremost, we all need refuge, protection and guidance. As strongly as possible, invoke whoever for you is the embodiment of wisdom, compassion and holiness, the source of spiritual inspiration and the object of your faith. It could be Buddha, God, Christ or Allah. Then pray first that refuge may be given to all those who have died and are suffering. Think of them, and think of their families and loved ones too. Bring them all, every one, within the embrace of the refuge. Then include all of us as well, as we all need the blessing and the protection this practice will bring.

Look into any spiritual teachings, any prayers and practices, that have been an inspiration to you in times of difficulty. Find the assistance and support that you need. Sometimes, even though we have help, we forget that it is there.

Above all, do not despair. When you are consumed by pain and sadness, feel and invoke your sources of refuge. Invoke them, with all their compassion, blessings and love. And ask for their strength.

And whenever you become afraid, let your fear itself serve to invoke these sources of refuge, so that fear transforms into confidence and blessing. When everything seems to fall apart, and all our old certainties are suddenly snatched away, we understand the purpose of spiritual practice. Because it is through spiritual practice that we can find an inner strength and inner refuge. We discover an aspect of ourselves that will never die or be destroyed, and this will bring us peace, joy and confidence.

Could this be an opportunity for the world to be united as never before, and for leaders to take wiser and more enlightened action? Could this tragedy be turned into a commitment by all countries to renounce violence and resolve their conflicts peacefully? Changes like these would give meaning to the loss of all those lives. If their deaths only incite more anger and more violence, more death, this is not the way to remember them, this is not going to help them. As Buddha said: "Anger is not destroyed by anger. But by love alone. This is the ancient and eternal law."

Pray that this may come to a good conclusion. Pray that the world finds the stability it craves. Pray strongly that all harm be transformed into good. It is important for the sake of all those who have died, to ensure that their deaths bring some good into the world.