Imagine the peace symbol. The peace symbol has three pieces in

Hear, O seeker of harmony, the strange yet shining words of Gary Busey: “Imagine the peace symbol. The peace symbol has three pieces in it. One piece is emotion, that’s your body. Another piece has spirit in it, that’s your fuel. Another piece has intellect in it and that’s your steering wheel. You can never overdo the fuel that goes into the body, which is the emotions and the steering wheel to drive it.” At first, these words may seem scattered, but like fragments of an oracle, they reveal a hidden unity: the truth that a life of balance—body, spirit, and mind—is the true shape of peace.

The origin of this wisdom lies in the deep human need to unite the different parts of the self. Since the dawn of thought, philosophers have asked: what makes a person whole? Some exalted the body, seeking strength and vitality. Others honored the spirit, the unseen flame that gives life meaning. Still others placed their faith in intellect, the rational power that guides action. Busey, in his peculiar way, reminds us that none can stand alone. Just as the peace symbol is incomplete if one line is missing, so too is the human being incomplete if one part is neglected.

The ancients themselves declared this truth. Plato spoke of the tripartite soul: desire, spirit, and reason, each needing harmony with the others. In the East, the sages of India taught of body, mind, and soul as three strands woven into one fabric. And even in Christian thought, man is seen as body, soul, and spirit—distinct yet inseparable. Thus Busey’s symbol, though clothed in modern speech, is but an echo of the oldest wisdom: peace within leads to peace without.

Consider the tale of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor of Rome. Though burdened by war and the weight of empire, he sought to rule not by might alone, but by balance. He trained his body with discipline, his intellect with philosophy, and his spirit with devotion to duty and the divine. In his writings, The Meditations, he showed how these three—body, intellect, and spirit—must work together, like the three lines of the peace symbol. His reign, though tested by turmoil, stands as proof that a man who unites his parts in balance can bring order to the world around him.

Yet beware, O listener, for imbalance leads to ruin. If one exalts only emotion, the body becomes a slave to passion. If one exalts only intellect, the soul becomes cold and lifeless. If one exalts only spirit, without grounding in action or reason, the self drifts into chaos. Peace cannot be found in extremes; it dwells only in harmony. Just as a chariot needs both the horses, the reins, and the driver, so too does the human being need emotion, spirit, and intellect working as one.

The meaning of Busey’s teaching is clear: the spirit is the fuel, the fire that drives us; the intellect is the steering wheel, the wisdom to guide our path; and the body, with its emotions, is the vessel in which we travel. Together, they form a living symbol of peace, one that is not painted on banners but written in flesh and blood. To neglect one is to weaken the whole; to balance them is to walk in strength and serenity.

Practical wisdom flows from this. Nourish your body with care, for it houses your emotions and gives you strength. Feed your spirit with prayer, meditation, or reflection, for it is the flame that fuels your journey. Sharpen your intellect with study and reflection, for it is the wheel that keeps you on the right road. Each day, tend to all three, and you will find not only inner peace, but also the power to bring peace to those around you.

So remember the teaching of the symbol: emotion, spirit, and intellect—body, fuel, and steering wheel—woven together as one. This is the true peace, not given by the world, but cultivated within. And when you live this way, your very life becomes a peace symbol, a sign to others that wholeness is possible, and that harmony, once built within the soul, can spread outward to heal the nations.