Give Peace a Year posts are the notes from in person meetings aiming to transform the surprising levels of violence I found had crept into my everyday suburban life. I invited people to join me to Give Peace a Year. We started in February 2016 and ran for 3 years. Many surprising transformations to our stress levels, health and relationships were had. You can read the whole story of how it all began with my hair conditioner here.

 

With the aim of peace, everywhere, starting here, now, transforming violence and conflict of needs  in life, one word, thought or deed at a time.

And because

it’s not the slog that will get us there, it’s the joy

for balance, things that warmed our hearts.

 

Starting where transformation is needed.

Examples from the group of peace lovers this week on Thursday 11th August

 

1.Hearing about and seeing authorities arrest minors and not allow their parents access to them

In Palestine and the UK.

Those with connections who could investigate, clarify what was legally required and then insist upon access, eventually got access. Those without did not.

Feeling angry and a bit shocked, believing the standards of child protection were adhered to and having trust in that shattered. Wanting fairness and equality of treatment, and safety.

What to do when the issues are larger than any one person can have an impact on without giving over large amounts of time and energy?! How to be at peace with that.

Starting with the aim of coming to an answer that I can be at peace with or can reach that state with work. So that the energy I carry about and dispense into my environment is clean and not doing further damage. Some options…

• Let it go? With all that would be necessary to do that peacefully.
• Find someone who has or is willing to take it up and know that someone is on it?
• Support the person or group who is taking it up
• Take it up myself

These are the options for consideration so far. All of which are likely to make for cleaner energy than letting it fester and broil, and cook up into a hot volatile stew.

Knowing that there will always be much more to things than meets the eye and that it won’t be possible for me to see the whole picture, and so then not attempting to make the decision myself but seeking spiritual discernment about whether this is my issue to deal with.

Asking

(thanks to Mark Silver of Heart of Business for highlighting this way of discerning and for these questions)

Does this issue need help?

Am I to help it?

What help am I to give?

 

And then to follow the suggestion of a prominent public figure…

With so much going on in the world, we might do well to buoy ourselves

‘cultivate a garden, music, books and friends’.

 

Heartwarming

Divine beauty

There’s nothing, really nothing, that I find more heart warming, expanding my heart to bursting, than people finding their ‘thang’ and then doing that. 

It’s my reason for being and for getting out of bed… to help people get there…

the ultimate and first leadership question… where are you leading you.

Seeing people who’ve found their thing – a. may. zing

I’ve seen two people these past couple of weeks who have done exactly that, in heart bursting style.

And what they’re pouring out into the world is beautiful, with, in my opinion, a distinctly divine quality. You know you’ve found your ‘thang’ when it’s described as divine.

 

Pip Wilcox, Ceramicist, was profiled in ‘Handmade‘ the online magazine. Starts on pg 15.

The magazine is full of heart burstingly beautiful and divine creations. And handmade events where even more divine beauty can be found.

and

Elfin Bow,  Singer, Musician, Artist

Elizabeth, aka Elfin Bow, sang at Pete’s funeral, creating a liminal reflective space that really was was magical… divine

 

More heartwarming

Three people’s hearts warmed by noticing changes in themselves

What they’re contributing is more peaceful and it’s showing.

 

• Seeing family and friends after  some time and noticing that I was enjoying myself, and having a good time. And that there wasn’t any tension.

And catching myself at one point about to criticise someone and then just didn’t.

Thinking I’ve changed.

Nice.

Peaceful.

 

• Being with a group of people and just feeling curious and interested without interfering or poking my nose in, without judging and having a critical opinion that must be offered.

How enjoyable.

 

• Remembering the time I gave up criticising my colleague for lent and how the next day when I went in to work she had transformed miraculously!

 

Yet more heartwarming

Looking forward to a midnight stargaze for the Perseid Meteor Shower peaking on Thursday 11th August, following the Give Peace a Year meeting.