1-26-10 Participate in the Season for Nonviolence (January 30 - April 4, 2010)
The Season for Nonviolence is an opportunity for each of us to contribute to peace by using the principles and practices of nonviolence in our daily interactions. With awareness and thoughtful actions, we can reduce our personal "wars" and help to promote nonviolence as a way of life for our world.
As Wayne Muller reminds us in his excellent book Sabbath: Restoring the Sacred Rhythm of Rest:
A "successful" life has become a violent enterprise.
We make war on our bodies, pushing them beyond their limits;
war on our children, because we cannot find enough time to be with them
when they are hurt and afraid, and need our company;
war on our spirit, because we are too preoccupied to listen to the quiet voices
that seek to nourish and refresh us;
war on our communities, because we are fearfully protecting what we have,
and do not feel safe enough to be kind and generous;
war on the earth, because we cannot take the time to place our feet on the ground
and allow it to feed us, to taste its blessings and give thanks.
Here are a few actions to consider for the 2010 Season for Nonviolence:
1. Say a prayer for peace every day from January 30 to April 4 and dedicate it to the people of Haiti. Hold in your heart the recognition of our common humanity.
May the outpouring of compassion, support, and critical aid
from the global community continue with such strength and good will that it will
overcome the forces that seek
to divert the aid away from those who need it, and
to exploit this tragedy for political gain.
May the power of goodness in human hearts prevail.
2. Join the Rhythm of Peace community meditations during the Season for Nonviolence on:
February 13
February 28
March 15
March 29
from 7:00 - 7:30 pm in your time zone
Affirm the power of community meditations and prayers,
uniting many of the world's traditions in a shared focus on peace,
to guide us in transforming violence, opening a path of healing in the face of disaster,
restoring hope, and reducing suffering.
3. Join us as we continue our commitment to a daily focus on peace throughout 2010. Use the daily themes at www.rhythmofpeace.org to help focus your attention on peace.
4. Practice nonviolence by reducing or eliminating gossip and destructive criticism from your social conversations, and see what results you notice.
5. Practice the skill of Deep Listening. Choose one person with whom you have conflict and tension, and make the effort to really listen to his or her needs and perceptions throughout the Season for Nonviolence.
Let's join together to make tangible progress for peace during this season...
