Be a Flea for Peace!

This from Marian Wright Edelman:" So often we think we need to make a difference and be a big dog. Let us just try to be little fleas biting. Enough fleas biting strategically can make a big dog very uncomfortable."

Be a flea for Peace!

Love,
Darlene

Gifting Peace

Love is a gift you get only when you are willing to give it away. You have to let go of it, leave it, in order to receive it. Same thing with Peace: Give it and you are more likely to get it!

Love,
Darlene

Nature and Peace

From Louie Schwartzberg, cinematographer, "Beauty and seduction are nature's tools for survival because we protect what we fall in love with; it opens our hearts so we realize we are a part of nature and not separate from it."

Being seduced and awed by beauty, opening our hearts, being connected! Sounds like Peace to me.

Love,
Darlene

Check out Louie's presentation on You Tube.

Peace is a Love Affair

Peace happens when you have a love affair with life...........regardless of circumstance; cold, hot, rich, poor, sick, well. Peace happens when we generate love for whatever is happening.

You can do this. It just take practice, practice, practice!

Love,
Darlene

Stumbling into Peace......

Yesterday I stumbled into a major Peace effort on my way to retrieve something from the local high school! I ran smack dab into a campus media campaign for Invisible Children - raising awareness of the heavy cost to children in the decade long war in Northern Uganda AND raising money to educate those children. There is an amazing video which you can get by going to invisiblechildren.com. And you can encourage your local school to connect to a school in Uganda to support Peace efforts there.

Peace, and the movement toward it, is everywhere!

Love,
Darlene

Peace is Empty Space

Now I truly get Haiku
Deeper than appreciation
For large meaning in small verse.

It is the space of no words that speaks.
Weightless weight.

Also with our body
Each atom more nothing
Than something.
More space than substance.

We are truly no thing!
Space held together by
lightest elements and mystery.

Paving the path for Peace

YOU pave the path to Peace!

How?

Well, you lay down only the stones with "love" written on them.

One stone at a time.

Really!

Love,
Darlene

I am ......the source of Peace!

Just saw the most amazing film titled "I Am" by Tom Shanyak, an Academy Award winning director of several well known comedies. Tom had an epiphany, realized that he was the source of what doesn't work in the world, sold his estates, his jet, his cars, his stuff and began a pilgrimage to discover if human beings were by nature selfish, greedy loners. His discoveries will astound you!

Look for the film "I Am" probably showing for FREE at an academic institution near you. He aims to inform and transform youth first! It will be out on DVD in December. You can google the title and see some clips! Don't miss this opportunity to discover who you, and your neighbors, really are!

Love,
Darlene

The Source of Peace is..............

Love! When we love ourselves enough to claim what brings us joy, filling our lives with deep satisfaction, we create personal Peace.

When we love others enough to be committed to their joy and satisfaction we create Peace in our relationships, communities and world.

To read about people with that much love, go to thepeacealliance.org and click on "Faces of Peace". Read about Peace Trailblazers, people who love themselves and the world enough to stand for the possibility of Peace. Allow them to inspire you!

Love,
Darlene

Getting Naked for Peace......and more!

Leymah Gbowee, a Liberian woman profiled in a recent Newsweek magazine story, created a Peace movement in the midst of a brutal civil war. Peace talks were going nowhere. In frustration she disrobed publicly, a form of spiritual emasculation in her culture. The act of getting naked, spurred the men involved in Peace negotiations forward. Peace has returned to Liberia.

There's more! In the Philippines wives of feuding villagers recently decided to withhold sex from their husbands until they created Peace. Of course it worked!

What bold and previously unthinkable action might you take for Peace?

Love,
Darlene

Peace and sticky hands

"Peace.....is the freedom of a love that does not have glue on its hands".

Iain Matthews

How might you remove the "glue from your hands", those places where you are literally too attached or stuck, so that you love without condition and know the Peace of that?

Love,
Darlene

Peace in a troubled world

If this is repetitious in bears repeating (thanks Karen Russell)!

"Ultimately, we have just one moral duty: to reclaim large areas of Peace in ourselves, more and more Peace, and to reflect it toward others. And the more Peace there is in us, the more Peace there will be in our troubled world."

Etty Hillesum from An Interrupted Life.

Love,
Darlene

Peace is tops!

Richard Rohr, in Falling Upward, offers that because we can't all get to the top, "far too many just stay at the bottom of their own lives and try to compensate in all kinds of futile and self-defeating ways." You know - that place where you experience self pity, resentment and addictions!

Peace isn't about getting to the top of someone else's ideal for your lives. It's about loving yourself fully into the top of your own idea of your life. You know - that place where you experience joy, love and satisfaction!

Your the tops!

Love,
Darlene

Peace Requires Action!

Eleanor Roosevelt said, "It isn't enough to talk about Peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it."

Check out James O'Dea's The Path of the Peacemaker if you need ideas on how. OR attend the Imagine Peace Conference at U.C. Berkeley 9/10-11. OR find a shang ha and practice meditation and mindfullness. OR Go 1/2 speed today. Or volunteer to be of service. Or practice forgiveness!

There are no shortage of ways to work at it!

Love,
Darlene

Trusting and letting go..........

I often hear that it's hard to let go and trust.
Yet humans are designed to do this automatically!

We do it as we breathe: we inhale and exhale trusting there will be a next breath.
And we can only inhale if we trust and exhale.

Trust and let go: It's what you are designed to do!

Now that you know you can, where else will you do this?

Love you lots!

Darlene

"Your one wild and precious life"

Mary Oliver asks, "What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life"?

Have you noticed that folks who die at Peace have often lived fully "their wild and precious life", and many who played it safe, die with regret.

It seems there may be no Peace without risk and that safety is an illusion. Or so it seems.


Love,
Darlene

Why not become the one?

With That Moon Language

Admit something: Everyone you see, you say to them, "Love me".
Of course you do not do this out loud;
Otherwise,
Someone would call the cops!
Still though, think about this,
this great pull in us to connect.

Why not become the one
Who lives with a full moon in each eye
That is always saying,
With that sweet moon language
What every other eye in this world
Is dying to
Hear?

Hafiz

Altitude is Peaceful

Any pilot (or bird) will tell you to face and race into the wind to take off! You create your own lift by doing this! So, the next time you feel a challenge blowing the best way to gain altitude is to face and race into it. Yeeee Haw!

Altitude is reeeeaaallly Peaceful.

Love,
Darlene

Peace in times of trouble

It's tempting to abandon a Peace commitment when things go awry, when other commit violence.

Willing to consider that these are the very times to practice one's commitment to Peace; to respond with compassion for the victims AND the perpetrators of violence, to be responsible for our complicity?

I guess that's why Peace is a practice and a path, rather than a destination!

Love,
Darlene

Catching and Throwing Peace

Maya Angelou said you "can't go through life with a catchers mitt on both hands. You have to throw something back." Peace requires both catching and throwing: a willingness to sit still and allow Peace to land in your mitt AND a willingness to throw yourself into actions that will create Peace. Both receive and give.

It's always both/and! Always!

Love,
Darlene

A Peace Investment

Fambul Tok is an stunning independent film about reconciliation in post conflict Sierra Leone. For a $1M investment thousands of people in villages all over the country have engaged in forgiveness projects and reconciled with murderers and rapists, making them partners in recreating communities. Their cultural context is that every human being matters and is salvageable; and hanging onto hate and revenge destroys the community.

Alternatively the world court has spent $20M trying the top 6 perpetrators of the conflict! They're not done.

Check it out at fambultok.org.

Peace!

"Peace is hard to be with..............."

From the brilliant AND beautiful Anna Meck, "Peace is hard to be with. Without all the drama and doubt it can feel like nothing!" And nothing can be scary!

If this is your experience (mine too), consider it an invitation to practice, instead of give up.

Cause you know what Winston Churchill said about giving up? Of course you do!

Love,
Darlene

O.K. He said "Never, ever give up"!

The Most Peaceful Nation!

I had the privilege of visiting the most Peaceful nation on earth recently.

Here's why: ranked #1 in health care, education, literacy and per capita income. A philosopher manages their oil reserves, there are few armed police, no death penalty, the longest prison sentence is 21 years! Their prisons focus on rehab and the power of positive expectation. Go to www.dopeace.us and check out the video on Peaceful (and drop dead gorgeous) Norway and its Bastoy Prison. It's amazing!

Oh yeah, the U.S. is ranked 82nd!


Love,
Darlene

Acquiring the spirit of Peace........

"Acquire the spirit of Peace and thousand of souls around you will be saved" said Seraphim. Belief in souls or the saving of them may be irrelevant. When you practice Peace, even briefly, it affects those around you. Whether you know it or not. I promise.

Get your Peace on!

Love,
Darlene

A singing man

A small man sings on Copenhagen's Ostergade; his body twisted, his face deformed. It's 4pm and thousands of people hurry by. He lifts his mouth, pursed as if to kiss the sky. And out comes the clearest, true, pure sound of a child. The crowd seems annoyed, upset at the contradiction; a beautiful voice from that wreck. He twitches as he sings. It doesn't fit.

Only a few of the equally odd looking stop to listen; smiles expand with each note. "Isn't that amazing" beams a skinny old woman all in lime green. A worn out man, perhaps a dock worker, red faced and grizzled, tosses several Krone into the singing man's hat, nodding in appreciation. A few others gather to listen quietly, reverently.

And the man sings. He throws his voice out to bounce off the nearby buildings and ricochet down the Ostergade to be heard for blocks.

Peace!

Peace Progress

My neighbor apologized profusely for her messy yard; a giant oak took out a retaining wall and everything was in the process of being demolished. "No worries," I said. "It's a work in progress just like me! Sometimes I feel like your yard looks. Mostly, though, I'm focused on how it looks when I've cleaned up the mess."

Peace is a work in progress. Focus on the result. It's waaaay more Peaceful!

Love,
Darlene

Pssst! Peace Tuesday is taking a 3 week hiatus. See you June 7th!

Its' never too late..................

Peace Tuesday may be a bit late today AND it's never too late to bring Peace into your life.

Now or later works.

And if not now, when?

Today at 5pm is good!Works for me.

Love,
Darlene

The Most Powerful Thing.................

Absolutely, positively, without exception, THE single MOST POWERFUL THING you can do for Peace is simple...............DECLARE THAT IT'S POSSIBLE and mean it! Works best if you do it daily. Kinda like a Peace vitamin.

I'll bet you thought the answer involved an advanced degree in nuclear physics. Silly you!



Love,
Darlene

A "to be" List!

Do you have a "to do" list? A long one?

How about a "to be" list? This would be a list of all the ways you are committed to being this day, this week, this year, this lifetime and could include...... joyous, focused, intentional, responsible, gracious, generous, appreciative, excited, curious, outrageous, supportive, sourcing, at cause, caring, energized, promising, empowered, empowering, in the moment, present, awake, aware, inspired, on fire, courageous, inviting, grounded, effortless, reinventing, straight, without limits, discovering, authentic, brilliant, connected, risking, accepting, in integrity, connected, playful, wise, accepting, allowing, satisfied, loving, peaceful, trusting, vulnerable, complete, unattached, extraordinary, expectant, fun, leader, spirit, listening, playful, bodacious, rock and roll, celebrating, beauty, committed, inspired, ready, open, of service and on and on.

I wonder which list is more useful? Fun? Inviting? Hmmmmmmm? I wonder which one might lead you to Peace? Hmmmmmm? I wonder?

Love,
Darlene

Nothing is lost

Energy is never lost; merely transformed. The energy of Newton's falling apple is transformed into kinetic energy shifting its molecules at impact, continuing to shift them long after.

So too with Peace! Peace is merely another form of energy. When you rest in this energy it transforms you, now and long after. When you bring Peace energy to others it can transform them, now and long after.

So use it! You can't lose it!

Love,
Darlene

To Serve Peace........................

When your own tummy rumbles for Peace, consider that it is a meal you need to serve another. Peace is a dish best served by service.

Be sure to add a dollop of love; tastes like butter, without the calories. Peace simply adores that. Yummmmmm!

Love,
Darlene

The Incredible Lightness of.........

What do light, love, amazement, joy, inspiration, possibility, curiosity, playfulness, spirit, laughter, trust, wisdom and miracles have in common?

No mass! Yet, life without them is heavy! Go figure.

Guess what else has no mass YET comes directly from these lighter than anything qualities of being?

PEACE!

And who says something from nothing is nothing?

Love,
Darlene

Salama!

In the ancient Arabic language "salama" means "to restore a thing to its original nature". And the route of this word, "salam", is Arabic for Peace. So, consider that personal Peace might mean being restored to your original nature. Peace is YOUR original nature. You are Peace!

Be original today. Be Peace!

Love,
Darlene

Peace is not a ceasefire!

Avoiding conflict does not lead to Peace! Rather it leads to the illusion of Peace or a ceasefire!

So, the next time you are tempted to squash, squelch or stifle in order to "keep the Peace" in the short term, consider making a loving request instead.

Fear may lead to temporary relief, a moment of quiet from the war; only love will lead to Peace.

Love,
Darlene

Play for Peace!

A poem by Rosemerry Trommer edited as an invitation.

"And there's plenty to be unhappy about
but first, run through dry leaves at the park,
roll down hills like drunken logs,
spin on the merry go round til
your stomachs spiral and lurch into stop.

Warmth comes when you play,
run through dry grass like white seeds in wind gusts,
pretend you are a kite.
This is the way to love the world."

Play today and love the world!

Love,
Darlene

"I sing the body electric.........."

Walt Whitman was wise to celebrate the human being, old, young, male, female, poor, laborer, each one a significant soul.

What does this have to do with Peace?

Well, imagine today celebrating EVERY human being you see as adding to life. Your life.

Peace.

Love,
Darlene

Peace like an airplane...............

Why is Peace like an airplane?

Because in order to fly there has to be a weight limit!

So too with Peace, one must let go of burdensome thoughts that keep us from gaining altitude and, oh yeah, a wider perspective.

Put down that heavy thought. Be Peace today!

Love,
Darlene

Food for Peace

Conflict Kitchen in Pittsburgh, Pa. is a restaurant with Peace as it's purpose. They offer food from parts of the world where there is conflict, changing the cuisine regularly, to start conversations about Peace! Check them out at conflictkitchen.com where you can participate in a Skype meal with folks in other countries! Now that's international dining and food for Peace!

Love,
Darlene

Be a Peace Balloon!

Peace is like a balloon. It requires empty inner space to stay afloat.

A Peace practice today: Exhale and empty your internal space of burdensome thought. Allow your internal space to remain empty. Slowly take in a few lighter than air thoughts of possibility.

Exhale burden, pause in Peace, inhale possibility.

Breathe Peace! Easy Peasy!

Love,
Darlene

On Melting

The Wicked Witch's epiphany as she lay melting: "This wouldn't be happening if I hadn't been so obsessed with those Ruby slip......pfffffffft!

Does something turn you green with envy. Don't wait for a bucket of cold water, or worse, to dissolve your attachment.

Peace practice: Let go of a pair of shoes you are attached to, your Ruby Slippers. Give them to charity. Help someone who needs shoes. Give and find Peace.

You're off to see the Wizard!


Love,
Darlene

A Stepping Stone to Peace

How do we bridge the gap between fear and love? One powerful stepping stone: silent inaction.

Note when you are afraid how a steady diet of fear has turned to hate, judgment and contempt urging you to react.

Step into compassion by simply sitting silently still. See the gracious step forward.

And change your diet! That steady diet of fear will kill ya! I goll-darn guarantee it.

Yummy Love,
Darlene

Choosing Compassion

Karen Armstrong, the author of "Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life" spoke on NPR yesterday. As a religious historian she has concrete and specific evidence that preceding the birth of religious fundamentalism, across religions, is a threat to the survival of a community. Hence her conclusion that fundamentalism, exemplified by rigid doctrine and rigid community boundaries, is fear based. And the fuel for fear is hate, hating the other, the unfamiliar, the unknown, as a way to keep it away.

My practice for you today, my challenge really, is to move toward compassion by removing the word "HATE" from your speaking. We build great things by beginning with simple steps. So, simply remove this word as you diminish your capacity to hate on the way to building your capacity for compassion.

Accept the challenge? I double dog dare you! Oh yeah, and read Karen Armstrong's book.

Love,
Darlene

Peace Vision

Jonathan Swift said (paraphrase)"Vision is the ability to see what others cannot". Vision is something we can generate and hold in the face of contradiction or adversity.

You are the source of Peace when you create and hold a vision of it.You are the visionary. Me too.

Love,
Darlene