Transcript Bob Stewart, Rotary Club of Okotoks, Alberta, Canada

► THE
EMERGING
CANADIAN
CULTURE OF PEACE
PROGRAM
And
► THE
CANADIAN
PEACE EDUCATION
EXPERIENCE
► LESSONS
LEARNED
How many of you:
►…
have had a personal experience of violence?
► …are concerned with current trends in violence?
► …doubt that governments (alone) will fix this?
► …are concerned about your children’s future?
► …believe you can help bring peace to the world?
► …believe that your respective organizations can
help bring peace to the world?
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
The most important life skills are not being taught in
schools or by parents (eg. Social intelligence, conflict
transformation, relationship building, communications,
peacebuilding, etc.)
► As a specialist in organizations, information and leadership
working in peace education for over a decade, it is clear
that, in the next twenty years, we’re going to get the
society we’re creating now. But, we have it in our power
to build a better world … a world with peace.
► As Leaders in our Communities and Families with a Peace
Vision, if we want to increase our success,
►
 Take the time to look at what we are doing now, and
 What will we do in the near future, to make it a saner and more
socially intelligent place to live for all of us?
►
What we must do is bring our leadership, management &
social acumen to bear on Peace.
The Context:
►
►
Historically, Canada has
been in the middle of the
pack when it comes to
Peace Education.
The bottom line = there is
a lot of opportunity for
improvement + there is a
lot of opportunity for us
and our respective
institutions to make a
difference.
►
Definition:
Peace Education, in simple
terms, is learning the
attitudes, skills and
behaviour to live together
successfully.
►
►
A major reason for the lack
of peace education
resources – there has been
a lack of motivation and
action.
To those who proclaim an
interest in peace, the
challenge is, “Show me
the money.” It is not
there in any significant
way.
Canadian Centres for Teaching
Peace:
►
►
►
►
I had difficulty getting the
information that I needed to do
something to contribute to
peace. So I created my own:
Canadian Centres for Teaching
Peace, a virtual centre at Since incorporation in 1998, we
have had over 3,000,000 visitors
to the site,
We are currently averaging
over 70,000 visitors per
month, from around the world,
We are the most active peace
web site in Canada and one of
the best in the world (in plain
language, suitable for all
readers),
►
http://www.peace.ca
Canadian Centres for Teaching
Peace:
► We
host National and several Provincial Peace
Education Conferences annually.
► We host several email listservers, to provide tools
for communication, networking, dialogue and
information dissemination.
► We have created a Canadian Peace Education
Foundation, to raise resources.
► We have opened the first Community Centre for
Teaching Peace and Peace Café
► The web site works for peace 24/7.
►
►
►
In the process, we have
developed some significant
expertise in peacebuilding,
peace education and
leadership.
We are pleased to offer
our service to others.
We try to model servant
leadership; we recommend
the book Servant
Leadership by Robert
Greenleaf
http://www.peace.ca/servantleadership.htm
PEACE EDUCATION CONFERENCES
►
►
►
►
►
Our peace education conferences are not like other conferences. They
fill a vital gap in building a Culture of Peace, by focusing on root
causes, systemic change, and a long term perspective with a bias for
action now.
We do not employ a lot of keynote speakers because we promote the
wisdom in all our varied participants – in other words, everyone is a
keynote speaker. We have a bias for ‘Open Space Conferencing’.
We believe we offer a lot of value to individuals and organizations,
while living within a shoe-string budget.
While we wish larger numbers would benefit from all the effort that
goes into the conference (our target is 500 participants this year), we
appreciate it even if we only get a smaller number of people who share
in a life changing experience, and seeds are planted that truly grow to
make a difference in building peace.
This is the only venue where people get together to work on a
Canadian Peace Education Strategy. I believe you know the need for a
Canadian Peace Education Strategy, to get peace education on the
Canadian Agenda, and to get peace education integrated into all
schools throughout Canada. We need your knowledge to help lead
peace education throughout Canada in a most significant way.
Canadian Peace Education Strategy:
At our First Annual Peace
Education Conference in
Canada, at McMaster University
in Hamilton, we developed a
Canadian Peace Education
Strategy:
►
Available online at
http://www.peace.ca/conference20
02summary.htm
1. to get peace education onto
the Canadian agenda in the
near term, and
►
This is consistent with the Hague
Appeal for Peace Global Campaign
for Peace Education, and United
Nations/UNESCO research.
Ultimately, all children need to learn
peaceful means to manage conflict
and prevent violence.
►
2. to get peace education
integrated into all schools
and curricula within the
decade.
Peace Education Target Tasks:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Peace Education material
on the Internet for selfstudy (fastest)
Distance Learning
Programs on Internet
Hidden Curricula
Formal Curricula (this
takes a long time)
University Chairs in Peace
funded
Provincial Conferencing
Community Centres
►
►
Carl Rogers, "The only
learning which significantly
influences behavior is selfdirected, self-appropriated
learning.“
Give teachers the tools
and they will get it in the
classroom.
In all Provinces.
► In all Communities.
►
Canadian Culture of Peace Program:
►
►
►
►
At our Third Annual Peace
Education Conference in Canada
this past November (2004), we
gave birth to a new Canadian
Culture of Peace Program.
Its mission is to advance a
Culture of Peace and Nonviolence, at home and abroad.
It is a National Culture of Peace
Program linked to the United
Nations’ International Culture of
Peace and Non-violence Program
for the Children of the World (we
are currently at the mid-point of the
Decade for a Culture of Peace).
We enjoy the benefit of UNESCO’s
valuable research.
►
www.cultureofpeace.ca
►
http://www3.unesco.org/iycp
Canadian Culture of Peace Program
(“CCOPP”):
►
►
►
The “CCOPP” is a Civil Society
initiative, open to everyone and all
institutions in Canada.
It is an institution gathering people
and organizations who have
accepted the common purpose
of building a Culture of Peace,
and a common discipline to
guide the pursuit of that purpose,
to the end that each involved
person reaches higher fulfillment as
a person, through serving and
being served by the common
venture, than would be achieved
alone or in a less committed
relationship.
You can get more information at
►
www.cultureofpeace.ca
VALUES, ATTITUDES AND
BEHAVIORS COMPARISON:
CULTURE OF WAR AND VIOLENCE
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
CULTURE OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE
Belief in power that is based on
force
Having an enemy
►
Education for a culture of peace
►
Authoritarian governance
Secrecy and propaganda
Armament
Exploitation of people
Exploitation of nature
Male domination
►
Tolerance, solidarity and
international understanding
Democratic participation
Free flow of information
Disarmament
Human rights
Sustainable development
Equality of women and men
►
►
►
►
►
Our Pledge (Manifesto 2000):
►
Because the year 2000 must be a new beginning, an opportunity to
transform - all together - the culture of war and violence into a culture
of peace and non-violence,
►
Because this transformation demands the participation of each and
every one of us, and must offer young people and future generations
the values that can inspire them to shape a world based on justice,
solidarity, liberty, dignity, harmony and prosperity for all,
►
Because the culture of peace can underpin sustainable development,
environmental protection and the well-being of each person,
►
Because I am aware of my share of responsibility for the future of
humanity, in particular to the children of today and tomorrow, …
Our Pledge (Manifesto 2000):
I pledge in my daily life, in my family, my work, my
community, my country and my region, to:
►
Respect the life and dignity of each human being without
discrimination or prejudice;
►
Practice active non-violence, rejecting violence in all its
forms: physical, sexual, psychological, economical and
social, in particular towards the most deprived and
vulnerable such as children and adolescents;
►
Share my time and material resources in a spirit of
generosity to put an end to exclusion, injustice and political
and economic oppression;
Our Pledge (Manifesto 2000):
Defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity,
giving preference always to dialogue and listening without
engaging in fanaticism, defamation and the rejection of
others;
► Promote consumer behavior that is responsible and
development practices that respect all forms of life and
preserve the balance of nature on the planet;
► Contribute to the development of my community, with the
full participation of women and respect for democratic
principles, in order to create together new forms of
solidarity.
► http://www3.unesco.org/manifesto2000
►
How to build a Culture of Peace:
► Principles
Protocol”)









for CCOPP Conversations (“CCOPP
Safety,
Consequences,
Acceptance,
Mutual purpose,
Patience,
Difference,
Empowerment,
Action,
Responsibility
www.peace.ca/CCOPPprotocol.htm
How to build a Culture of Peace:
► CCOPP
Stakeholder
Web – a network of
stakeholders that
scrutinizes and
attempts to influence
Canada’s behavior with
respect to peace and
violence.
► CCOPP’s role is one of
catalyst, facilitator and
gap filler.
► Refer
to
http://www.peace.ca/CCOPPorganizatio
n2004.htm
CCOPP Organizational Structure/
Stakeholder Groups:
► Core Working Group
► Action Planning
► Education
► Marketing & resource raising
► Government
► Media
► Business
► Religion
► Etc.
See
http://www.peace.ca/CCOPPmanaging.htm
Transformation:
►
The United Nations Culture of Peace Program tells us that
we need to transform all institutions from a Culture
of Violence to a Culture of Peace.
►
Stakeholder webs are a powerful force for transformation.
►
They actively investigate, evaluate, and seek to change the
behaviors of institutions (such as corporations,
governments, educational institutions, religious
organizations, NGOs, etc.) to achieve better alignment with
the values and interests of their participants – in this case,
a Culture of Peace.
Personal Transformation:
► “Be
the change you wish to see in others”
Gandhi
► “If
we want to change the world, we have to begin
by changing ourselves”
Dalai Lama
► “Your duty and mine is to bring about change by
personal transformation”
Deepak Chopra
► In
a sense, our old selves brought up in a Culture
of Violence must die in order that we may be
reborn to serve in a Culture of Peace, and find
peace within
BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE:
WHAT WE LEARN FROM FUTURISTS
►A
better future is a future with peace:
 "We need to adopt the mindset of most
professional futurists and become systemic
optimists - those who believe that life can get
better, but only if we fundamentally alter the
way we think and do things. We need to
embrace whole-system change."
THE INFORMATION REVOLUTION:
► Massive
forces are transforming the 21st
century, driven by technology and
innovation.
► Our task is to understand and redirect these
forces toward a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence (much like a judo expert redirects
the force of his/her opponent).
“E-PEACE” = CULTURE CHANGE:
► Our
new media (computers, internet, real
time television, cell phones, etc)







drive
drive
drive
drive
drive
drive
drive
new
new
new
new
new
new
new
perceptions
worldviews,
understandings,
psychology,
relationships,
institutions,
culture.
FUTURES STUDIES HIGHLIGHTS:
► The
new leader will be the collaborative catalyst
► Leadership will be shared
► Society will change
► We can’t change the past or the present, but we
can change the future
► The people who need the most peace education
are Peace Educators and Peacebuilders
► Infiltrating works better than revolutionizing
HIGHLIGHTS - The Prescription for
Change:
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
work smarter not harder
expose current paradigms (their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,
and threats)
cross pollinate new ideas and collaborations
develop new tools and language
craft a new narrative
infiltrate all institutions, everywhere
find opportunities for change
support communities of fans
recapture the spirit of the citizens and amateurs who are good citizens
rooted in amoré: love and passion.
Lever our power of information and social capital for the common good
– be entrepreneurial; developing sustainable action
Champion peace and all its elements
HIGHLIGHTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR
PEACE
► Understand the future of power and force
► Look at nature – stress creates evolution
► Dissatisfaction with the status quo is healthy
and
necessary – it is how we move to a higher level
► Civil society – the real and future superpower vs.
no government wants to recognize people power
because it threatens them
► The larger the network, the greater the value
► Transformational model – starting with the
transformation of individual Peacebuilders and the
Peace Institution for the 21st Century
HIGHLIGHTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR
PEACE (cont.)
► Organic
learning environments
► Internet/distance learning – the most
effective education is self-learning
► The greatest law enforcement challenge of
the information age: positive ID of
criminals/terrorists, before they act, while
preserving civil liberties
► Find solutions to the “bad guys’” problems
HIGHLIGHTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR
PEACE (cont.)
► Importance
of addressing systemic
problems
► It is relatively easy to deal with
technological change – the challenge is the
social and behavioural side
► The importance of Social Intelligence
► The importance of Spiritual Intelligence
► There is a lack of public discourse about
these vital things
Social Intelligence
Peace Education
Canadian Culture
of Peace Program
United Nations
Culture of Peace
Program
HIGHLIGHTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR
PEACE (cont.)
► Total
solutions and service (holistic)
► Transformation management vs. institutions that
do not know how to grapple with ‘cultural’ change
(starting with the Peace Institution and Peace
Practitioners)
► A new Social Contract: ethics, accountability,
citizen involvement, collaboration, flexibility,
patience with its citizens and civil society
organizations, educational institutions, business,
media, religions, etc.
How to build a Culture of Peace:
►
►
Filling in the Peace and
Education Gaps.
What we found in doing an
environmental scan of the
peace industry in Canada
and the world was an
information void, a
leadership void, a resource
void, and an educational
void preventing the
building of a Culture of
Peace and Non-violence.
► Refer
to
http://www.peace.ca/CCOPPpea
ceeducation.htm
►
Our purpose is:
1. to fill those key voids, and
2. to build Social Intelligence (a
simple definition of peace
education is teaching the
attitudes and skills for living
together)
3. to empower (knowledge is
power; lack of knowledge is
lack of power)
Course examples:
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
understanding macropeace, or
the ‘big peace picture’,
how to teach peace (peace
pedagogy),
peace leadership and servant
leadership,
peace psychology,
relationship building,
critical and creative thinking,
self-sufficiency, independence,
cooperation, competition,
community and citizenship,…
www.peace.ca/macropeace.htm
(see following diagram)
http://www.peace.ca/servantleadership.htm
http://www.peace.ca/peacepsychology.htm
Course examples (cont.):
►
►
►
►
►
conflict transformation,
open space technology (how to
make every conference and
classroom open to maximum
participation),
having difficult and crucial
conversations,
peace education at the family
level and good parenting, etc.
How many of these courses are
currently taught in your
schools?
www.transcend.org/tpu/courses.shtml
http://www.peace.ca/ost.htm
http://www.peace.ca/CCOPPprotocol.htm
A CONCEPTUAL MAP
► What
is a Conceptual Map? This is a question I'm
going to answer in more detail with specific peace
examples – to add to our big picture perspective.
► A conceptual map, broadly defined, presents the
relationships among a set of connected concepts
and ideas. It is a tangible way to display how your
mind "sees" a particular topic. By constructing a
concept map, you reflect on what you know and
what you don't know.
“BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE
IN OTHERS” Gandhi
► Note
1 – Peace Practitioners are “thwarted” when
they do not act on their values (eg. By being
perceived to act violently, damaging
relationships, etc.).
► The burden is on Peace Practitioners to dispel
confusion and communicate clearly.
► We do this through our behaviour. We are more
successful when we ‘walk the talk’, ‘be peace’ =
Peace starts with me.
► “Being Peace” by Thich Nhat Hanh
http://www.peace.ca/beingpeace.htm
► Spiritual Intelligence and empowering
THE LEADERSHIP CRISIS:
DANGER AND OPPORTUNITY
► Note
2 – We need a new leadership ideal:
 Corrupt, unjust, exploitative, lying, violent,
cowardly leaders are to be shunned;
 Replaced by honest, just, truthful, transparent,
non-violent, brave, competent, committed,
servant leaders = truly ‘public servants’ with a
social purpose.
 No more hypocrisy = ‘walk the talk’
► Our
responsibility for shared leadership.
THE ‘AHA’ MOMENT:
► EDUCATION
= EMPOWERMENT
► LEADERSHIP
= EMPOWERMENT
► EDUCATION
► This
= LEADERSHIP
is why it is so important to study leadership
and peace psychology.
LEADERSHIP AND PEACE
RECOMMENDED READING:
► The
Leadership
Bibliography
► Servant Leadership
► Self Leadership
► The Leader Within
► Leadership & Peace
Powerpoint
►
www.peace.ca/peaceleader.htm
►
www.peace.ca/servantleadership.
htm
www.peace.ca/selfleadership.htm
www.peace.ca/leaderwithin.htm
►
►
►
www.peace.ca/LEADERSHIP%20I
N%20TRANSFORMATION%20OF
%20THE%20PEACE%20PROFESSI
ON.ppt
Social Intelligence
Peace Education
Canadian Culture
of Peace Program
United Nations
Culture of Peace
Program
SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE:
►
►
►
These two words succinctly and clearly capture the
essence of the purpose of peace education and the Culture
of Peace Program
Social Intelligence by its nature works to change
behaviours, forge values and incite institutional
transformations from the current culture of war and
violence to a Culture of Peace and Non-violence.
Social Intelligence is readily understandable, acceptable
and supportable by most Canadians.
►
http://www.cultureofpeace.ca/CCOPPmarketingstrategy.htm
►
The Must Read Book: www.peace.ca/socialintelligence.htm
IMAGE: VALUES OF A HIGHLY
DESIRABLE FUTURE
CULTURE OF WAR AND VIOLENCE
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
CULTURE OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE
Belief in power that is based on
force
Having an enemy
►
Education for a culture of peace
►
Authoritarian governance
Secrecy and propaganda
Armament
Exploitation of people
Exploitation of nature
Male domination
►
Tolerance, solidarity and
international understanding
Democratic participation
Free flow of information
Disarmament
Human rights
Sustainable development
Equality of women and men
►
►
►
►
►
IMAGE: VALUES OF A HIGHLY
DESIRABLE FUTURE (cont.)
CULTURE OF WAR AND VIOLENCE
CULTURE OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE
Dysfunctional
► Unjust
► Illogical, irresponsible
► Cognitive dissonance
► No integration
► Unethical
► Inequity
► Uncompassionate/mean
► Disrespect
►
►
Functional
► Just
► Logical, responsible
► Inner congruence
► Integration of self with others
► Ethical
► Equity
► Compassionate
► Respect
IMAGE: VALUES OF A HIGHLY
DESIRABLE FUTURE (cont.)
CULTURE OF WAR AND VIOLENCE
CULTURE OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE
Harm
Selfish, individualistic
►
►
Greedy
Untrustworthy/paranoid
Culture of Fear
► Culture of silence
► W.M.D. and WAR
► Etc.
► Etc.
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
Good
Empathy, cooperative &
service to others
Generous
Trust
Safety and security
Culture of dialogue
No W.M.D. and NO WAR
Etc.
Etc.
IMAGE: PICTURE OF A HIGHLY
DESIRABLE FUTURE (cont.)
CULTURE OF WAR AND VIOLENCE
CULTURE OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE
SOURCE OF GROWTH
(Social Development):
► "Leaders
only change because they either
see the light or feel the heat." Martin Luther
King Jr.
► Emphasize the positive, asset building – not
the negative, criticism, divisive (needs
based)
► Balance personal growth, growth in others,
organizational growth, worldly growth (“Put
your mask on first before helping others.”)
PARETO’S LAW:
► The
80:20 Rule – 80% of the output (results or
ends) is achieved by 20% of the input (means).
Key to success of the high achievers.
► As it applies to the Image of a Highly Desirable
Future State, peace practitioners can significantly
improve their success by increasing their
leadership, educator, social and psychological
skills, attitudes and behaviours
Peace Movements have tried 3 ways
to end war:
1.
Activism
2.
Humanitarianism
3.
Personal
Transformation
► Fails
because
protestors are not
heard, outnumbered
and tend to violence
► Fails because
outnumbered,
outfinanced by war
makers & after the fact
► Fails because nobody
has really tried it
Conclusions:
►
The Bad News: it is not
that we do not know what
to do, it is that we do not
do it.
►
"The world is dangerous
not because of those who
do harm, but because of
those who look at it
without doing anything." -
►
Albert Einstein
Most people simply do not
know what to do – hence,
we can be the Guide.
►
The Good News: in
response, we have
developed a draft
Canadian Culture of Peace
Program Marketing
Strategy
www.cultureofpeace.ca/CCOPPmarketingstra
tegy.htm
►
We are also working with
the federal Department of
Peace Initiative to build a
new relationship with
Governments
www.departmentofpeace.ca
Conclusions:
The Good News:
► Since 9/11, the Iraq War
and the Bush Doctrine,
there has been more
Peace Education than ever
before in the history of
mankind.
► We have a map and are
working to transform
individual Peacebuilders
and the Peace Institution/
Collective.
The Good News:
► Your leadership is needed
to help build a better
world, a world with peace,
and you can make a big
difference.
► You can be more efficient
and effective by increasing
your leadership, educator,
social and psychological
skills, attitudes and
behaviours
SUMMARY
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
The Canadian Peace Initiative (“CPI”) is a process to simply provide the
venues, support and guidance to ‘Open Space to Open Minds and Hearts to
Peace’.
The CPI process is open, transparent, patient and committed, drawing people
from all walks of life, freeing them from their stasis and mobilizing them.
All members of the Culture of Peace movement have to be leaders in their own
right, drawing on their own potential and inner strengths, galvanizing, inspiring
and energizing the peace movement. Everyone is a peace leader and peace
educator.
Every day we must take ownership of ourselves and our relationships: we can
do anything we set our minds and hearts to; we do no harm, expect and
demand no harm be done to us or others; no one is better than another; we
are critical thinkers, finding our own truths; education is our best investment
Information and social contacts are our most important resources.
Building a healthy culture is about building healthy relationships – we can do
that.
As we take ownership of peace others will follow – because it will be uplifting
and empowering, it will be infectious, and lead to sudden, massive, cultural
change.
►I
hope that our
evolving Canadian
Model will provide you
with food for thought.
► It is being used to feed
into the development
of an International
Peace Education
Strategy
► Look for Peace Cafés
coming to your locale
www.cultureofpeace.ca/GPPAC2005.htm
www.peacecafe.ca
YOU SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE OF THE
FOLLOWING MAJOR UPCOMING
CANADIAN EVENTS:
April 4-6, 2008 - Annual Summit on Departments of Peace
(Toronto) http://www.departmentofpeace.ca
October 3-5, 2008 - Second Canadian Culture of Peace
Symposium
(Hamilton) www.cultureofpeace.ca
November 20, 2008 – Youth Peace Day (McMaster U.)
www.peace.ca
November 17-19, 2008 –Annual Leadership and Peace
Workshop (McMaster U.) www.peace.ca
November 21-24, 2008 - Annual Conference For Peace
Education In Canada (McMaster) www.peace.ca
Recommended Reading –
Peace in General
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
THE HUMAN RIGHT TO PEACE, by Doug Roche
http://www.peace.ca/humanrighttopeace.htm
Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology for the 21st
Century, APA http://www.peace.ca/peacepsychology.htm
Social Intelligence: The New Science of Success, by K.Albrecht
http://www.peace.ca/socialintelligence.htm
Servant Leadership http://www.peace.ca/servantleadership.htm
The Practice of Peace http://www.peace.ca/openspace.htm
Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most
http://www.peace.ca/difficultconversations.pdf
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High
http://www.peace.ca/crucialconversations.pdf
Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises
http://www.peace.ca/crucial_confrontations.htm
Peace Is The Way: Bringing War and Violence To An End, by
Deepak Chopra
Recommended Reading –
Personal Transformation:
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Being Peace, by Thich Nhat Hanh.
http://www.peace.ca/beingpeace.htm
The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your
Life, by Deepak Chopra http://www.peace.ca/bookofsecrets.htm
The Breakthrough Experience: A Revolutionary New Approach
to Personal Transformation, by John Demartini
http://www.peace.ca/breakthroughexperience.htm
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, by Deepak
Chopra http://www.peace.ca/spirituallaws.htm
I Need Your Love – Is That True?: How to Stop Seeking … and
Start Finding …, by Byron Katie http://www.peace.ca/isthattrue.htm
The Greatest Miracle in the World, by Og Mandino
http://www.peace.ca/greatestmiracle.htm
The Emotional Freedom Technique, by Gary Craig
http://www.mercola.com/forms/eftcourse.htm
Psych-K: For Accelerated Personal Growth, by Robert
Williams http://psych-k.com/home.php
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In the process of all this, I have been undergoing a
significant personal transformation – a journey that I am
pleased to share with you.
In the process of seeking peace, we are likely to give
ourselves anxiety, pain and even depression – your mind
can become a war zone. Stress is the signal that it’s time
to question your own thinking. Seeking peace is how you
lose the awareness of peace. But you can only lose the
awareness of it, not the state. That’s not an option,
because peace is what we all are. Look around you and
you will find peace in many ways, if you look hard enough
– celebrate them. The spiritual secret that applies here is
this: what you seek, you already are.
The U.N. Culture of Peace Program calls for the transformation
of all institutions from a culture of violence to a Culture of Peace
and Non-violence. The first ‘institution’ that must go through
this transformation is ourselves. As Gandhi instructed us, “be
the change you seek in the world”. In a sense, our old selves
(our selves raised in a culture of violence and reflecting it) must
die in order that our new selves - our selves living a Culture of
Peace and Non-violence – may be born. We must truly be
“Renaissance Men and Women”. I suspect many of you are also
labouring with your rebirth. Each of us has to find the actual
experience of peace and calmness on our own. The secret for
doing that is to free the mind. When it is free, the mind settles
down. It gives up its restlessness and becomes a channel for
peace. As the UNESCO motto proclaims, “Since wars begin in
the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of
peace must be constructed.” This applies to us as well as
“them”.
► I invite you to join me in this personal transformation. A major
goal over the next period will be to strengthen our section of the
www.peace.ca web site on Building Peace at the Individual
Level.
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I fully believe that the people who need the most peace
education are peace educators, peace leaders and
peacebuilders. One of our major goals at Canadian
Centres for Teaching Peace is to help with the necessary
personal transformations – to accelerate the personal
growth and wisdom of all peace educators, leaders and
builders, by supplying helpful information. Since everyone
is a potential peace educator, leader and builder – this
means engaging everyone. It truly takes an astronomical
vision to make a global difference.
I am very grateful that I have found my purpose in life:
peace education. We all have our own unique talents to
bring to peace education – I am pleased to bring my
unique leadership, management and business talents to
bear on this most worthwhile cause. By teaching peace
and wisdom, our students can transform their lives and
make a difference teaching peace and wisdom.
Today, start to act as if your influence extends everywhere
– you should know that it does.
THE WISDOM I AM LIVING
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Higher Purpose - work for the welfare of the whole world, by significantly reducing the human cost
of direct and indirect violence through peace education, raising social intelligence, true wisdom and
self actualization throughout the world.
Communion – communicate and develop relationships with everyone else in the world, to notify the
world’s farthest reaches of the purpose and intention (above).
Awareness – listen to understand, everything that impinges on the purpose (above). Meditate on it,
adapt, remain flexible, respond accordingly.
Acceptance – There are no enemies. Understand my values and others’ values, and communicate
with myself and others accordingly. I am a genius and they are also. Recognize every one as equally
important and interdependent.
Creativity – think thoughts never thought before, ‘dance’ in a way never seen before. Continue to
solve the peace ‘problem’ every day, in creative new ways.
Being – obey the universal cycle of rest and activity. Live a balanced life. Sleep on it. Meditate on
it. Develop routines and cycles. Live the Nature of Peace, and Peace of Nature.
Efficiency – work smarter, not harder. Prioritize. Seek value, including profit in what is
done. Benefits must significantly exceed all costs. Stop doing things that are not significant
contributors to the purpose.
Bonding – know that we are all fundamentally the same. There are no outcasts. Extend the hand
of friendship to all.
Giving – give and receive automatically, without expectation, without hoarding. Give students of
peace your time.
Immortality – pass on your knowledge, experience and talents to others – and become immortal by
leaving a legacy of peace education that will keep on giving when you pass on to another plain. Be
remembered.
Exercise: write your own "Wisdoms" page.
Questions?
► Thank
► Bob
you
Stewart
► [email protected]
► www.peace.ca
► A copy of this presentation is available at
http://www.peace.ca/EVOLVING_CANADIAN
_CULTURE_OF_PEACE_PROGRAM_2005.ppt