My day is definitely in need of Peace, as I strive to find a peaceful balance at home, today’s post in a bit jumbled. My next post will highlight pertinent Dona Nobis Pacem participants and a more coherent view of my own on the realistic possibility of peace.
We seek a world free of war and the threat of war
We seek a society with equity and justice for all
We seek a community where every person’s potential may be fulfilled
We seek an earth restored.
Friends Committee on National Legislation~A Quaker Lobby in the Public Interest
The Peace talks in Libya concerning the genocide in Darfur has thus far led no where, while the violence continues to escalate [Washington Post , Guardian Unlimited, and the violence is spreading to Ethiopia The Independent.
Urge Congress to fund Peace in Darfur.
More Information on Darfur:
- Darfur Genocide Information
- Genocide Intervention
- Darfur Day of Action
- Day of Action For Darfur- This is my Stand
- Repeating Rwanda: Hillary Clinton on Darfur
- Darfur
In Context: A quarterly of Human Sustainable Culture published “The Foundations of Peace”
“Primitive peoples seemed to have sensed this much better than we civilized ones. Dance, music and ritual have traditionally vented much of the feelings and frustrations of those fortunate enough to partake.”
“Further, ideological wars, it’s been argued, may be seen as another form of territorial struggle. In a sense they seek ownership of the minds of the populace.”
~Virginia Hoyte The Archetypal Roots of War
Joanna Macy, a Ph.D. in comparative religion, has developed meditation exercises to help people respond to the world’s pain. Describing an exercise called “Breathing Through,” she writes:
“…Now open your awareness to the suffering that is present in the world. Drop for now all defenses and open to your knowledge of that suffering. Let it come as concretely as you can… concrete images of your fellow beings in pain and need, in fear and isolation, in prisons, hospitals, tenements, hunger camps… no need to strain for these images, they are present to you by virtue of our interexistence… Breathe in that pain like a dark stream, up through your nose, down through your trachea, lungs and heart and out again into the world net… you are asked to do nothing for now, but let it pass through your heart… If you experience an ache in the chest, a pressure within the rib case, that is all right. The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe. Your heart is that large. Trust it. Keep breathing.”
“…peace requires a different perspective of life, it requires purification of perception: life not as a means to an end, but life as an end in itself. Life itself is divine, life is divinity, it is something sacred, and reverence for life is the perfume of religiosity. There is no other religion, but reverence for life that is self- generated and self- sustained.
So there cannot be peace unless there is this radically, qualitatively different perspective of life, and therefore a different approach to life, and a different attitude to human issues, challenges, problems. So peace is not only non- war, or non- aggression. It is moving from a fragmentary, partial, or compartmental perspective of life to a holistic perspective of life. It is moving from the dimension of the psychology of confrontation to the psychology of cooperation.”
Excerpt from:
Psychic Mutation and World Peace by Vimala Thakur
More Peacenik Links:
- Peaceful Early Humans
- Bonobos Peaceniks?
- Earliest evidence for large scale organized warfare
- Willie Nelson and the Peaceful Solution Movement
- Technorati Dona Nobis Pacem participants
on Nov 7th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Peace to you and yours on this wonderful Peace Globe Day!
Travis’s last blog post..Dona Nobis Pacem
on Nov 7th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Wow… there is much research here…thank you…
Searching For A Peaceful World on THE COUCH
SEE “BLOGBLAST FOR PEACE” IN WIKIPEDIA
Bond’s last blog post..Dona Nobis Pacem - 1st Anniversary
on Nov 8th, 2007 at 12:12 am
Happy Peace Day!!! Great post! as usual……..thanks!
Peace
odat’s last blog post..Dona Nobis Pacem
on Nov 8th, 2007 at 9:24 am
Hi Danielle,
Thank you for your visit. I appreciated your post, which like the great makority of your posts is making me think,consider and re-examine a lot of things.
As I read yesterday on Travis’ blog, the importance for an active role in peace.
You are welcome to use my “offerings ” for peace?. My additions to yesterday’s event.
See you very soon, dear friend.
XO
barbara’s last blog post..The wall for peace - Le mur pour la paix
on Nov 9th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
“Further, ideological wars, it’s been argued, may be seen as another form of territorial struggle. In a sense they seek ownership of the minds of the populace.”
~Virginia Hoyte The Archetypal Roots of War
Indeed.
I’ll have to look into getting this book. I think the best place to begin finding a solution to the roots of war mentality is in the archetypes, and myths that fuel the thirst for power (as well as justify it for those looking to avoid guilt) and find their way into modern symbolism/marketing.
on Nov 9th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Thanks for this great post, Danielle, and all the references and perspectives on that illusive thing called peace, so simple and profound yet so difficult to achieve. Thanks!
Mardé’s last blog post..We Lost….
on Nov 11th, 2007 at 7:40 am
WOW. What an incredible post this is. I just love it.
Mimi Lenox’s last blog post..Castle Chat Now Open Closed
on Nov 15th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Travis,
I really enjoyed your contribution and had to give you the ol’ spotlight.
Much love and of course Peace!
on Nov 15th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Hi Bond!
It’s so nice to see you made your way over to my humble spot.
Wishing you well.
on Nov 15th, 2007 at 11:02 am
Odat!
As always your warmest words of encouragement are greatly appreciate it.
Much love and Peace!
on Nov 15th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Barbara,
You surely give me faith that I am making strides. I strive to present a different view that is easily digestible and coherent.
Much Much Love!
on Nov 15th, 2007 at 11:06 am
Purple Zoe,
As usual you are so on point. It is indeed our archetype and symbols that further our cultural thinking and war is a part of human culture, FOR NOW.
Wishing you well and of course Peace!
on Nov 15th, 2007 at 11:07 am
Marde,
You and all my lovely readers saying thank you surely have my face red. I am so glad that my offerings are appreciated.
Much Love and of course Peace!
on Nov 15th, 2007 at 11:08 am
Mimi!
I cannot wait until the next blogblast. You really should be proud of your hard work!
Thank you for providing the springboard for bloggers to join together with one voice for such a valuable and illusive commodity, Peace!