Sunday, December 11, 2011

Why Political Freedom is Important for Women

When I read the following article I thought about Jane Addams and the Peace Convention in 1915 that she led to try to end the brutal "war to end all wars." Jane Addams, as the ladies mentioned in this article, understood that until women have full political rights to depose the corrupt military run male governments all over the world - and yes, still in the United States, will we really have peace.

OSLO, Norway (AP) — Three women who fought injustice, dictatorship and sexual violence in Liberia and Yemen accepted the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday, calling on repressed women worldwide to rise up against male supremacy.
"My sisters, my daughters, my friends — find your voice," Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said after collecting her Nobel diploma and medal at a ceremony in Oslo.
Sirleaf, Africa's first democratically elected female president, shared the award with women's rights campaigner Leymah Gbowee, also from Liberia, and Tawakkul Karman, a female icon of the protest movement in Yemen.
The peace prize was announced in October, along with the Nobel awards for medicine, physics, chemistry, literature and economics. Worth 10 million kronor ($1.5 million) each, the Nobel Prizes are always handed out on the anniversary of award founder Alfred Nobel's death on Dec. 10, 1896.
By selecting Karman, the prize committee recognized the Arab Spring movement that has toppled autocratic leaders in North Africa and the Middle East. Praising Karman's struggle against Yemen's regime, Nobel committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland also sent a message to Syria's leader Bashar Assad, whose crackdown on rebels has killed more than 4,000 people according to U.N. estimates.
"President Assad in Syria will not be able to resist the people's demand for freedom of human rights," Jagland said.
Karman is the first Arab woman to win the prize and at 32 the youngest peace laureate ever. A journalist and founder of the human rights group Women Journalists without Chains, she also is a member of the Islamic party Islah.
Wearing headphones over her Islamic headscarf, she clapped and smiled as she listened to a translation of Jagland's introductory remarks.
In her acceptance speech, Karman paid tribute to Arab women and their struggles "in a society dominated by the supremacy of men."
According to an English translation of her speech, delivered in Arabic, she criticized the "repressive, militarized, corrupt" regime of outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh. She also lamented that the revolution in Yemen hasn't gained as much international attention as the revolts in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria.
"This should haunt the world's conscience because it challenges the very idea of fairness and justice," Karman said.
No woman or sub-Saharan African had won the prize since 2004, when the committee honored Wangari Maathai of Kenya, who mobilized poor women to fight deforestation by planting trees.
Sirleaf, 73, was elected president of Liberia in 2005 and won re-election in October. She is widely credited with helping her country emerge from an especially brutal civil war.
The Nobel chairman noted that she initially supported Charles Taylor but later dissociated herself from the former rebel leader who is now awaiting judgment from the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes in Sierra Leone.
Gbowee, 39, challenged Liberia's warlords as she campaigned for women's rights and against rape. In 2003, she led hundreds of female protesters through Monrovia to demand swift disarmament of fighters, who continued to prey on women, despite a peace deal.
"We used our pains, broken bodies and scarred emotions to confront the injustices and terror of our nation," she told the Nobel audience in Oslo's City Hall.
She called the peace prize a recognition of the struggle for women's rights not only in Yemen and Liberia, but anywhere that women face oppression.
"We must continue to unite in sisterhood to turn our tears into triumph," Gbowee said. "There is no time to rest until our world achieves wholeness and balance, where all men and women are considered equal and free."
This year's prize generated less controversy than the 2010 award, which went to imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, infuriating China's leadership. Xiaobo was represented by an empty chair at the award ceremony.
The other Nobel Prizes — in medicine, chemistry, physics and literature, and the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences — were presented by Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf at a separate ceremony Saturday in Stockholm.
In an emotional moment, Claudia Steinman accepted the Nobel diploma and medal on behalf of her husband, Canadian-born Ralph Steinman, who died of cancer just days before the medicine prize was announced on Oct. 3. Before sitting down, she blew a kiss toward the ceiling of Stockholm's Concert Hall.
An exception was made to Nobel rules against posthumous awards because the jury wasn't aware of Steinman's death when it tapped him to share the award with American Bruce Beutler and French scientist Jules Hoffman for discoveries about the immune system.
The typically stiff white-tie crowd erupted in cheers when wheelchair-bound Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer, partially paralyzed by a stroke two decades ago, received the Nobel Prize in literature. The 80-year-old had figured in Nobel speculation for so many years that even his countrymen had started to doubt whether he would ever win.
U.S.-born scientists Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt and Adam Riess collected the physics prize for discovering that the universe is expanding at an accelerating pace.
The chemistry award went to Israel's Dan Shechtman for his discovery of quasicrystals, a mosaic-like chemical structure that researchers previously thought was impossible.
Americans Christopher Sims and Thomas Sargent won the economics prize for describing the cause-and-effect relationship between the economy and government policy.
___
Louise Nordstrom reported from Stockholm.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Dances for Universal Peace

South Beach Community Center -Newport, Oregon

December 9, 2011
7:00 pm
 Contact Naomi@newportnet.com or call 541-961-2446 for more information

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Monday, November 28, 2011

Global Prayer for Peace

Global Prayer Project

Prayer, Meditation & Discussion

with James & Salle Redfield

via Live Teleconference, Webcast & Skype

_______



Tuesday, November 29

8-9 pm Eastern/US



PLEASE NOTE!

Our dial-in teleconference number has changed,
and you can now connect via Skype!



If you can't join us, please hold a supportive prayer vision for the world at that time...

This week's prayer visualization

A prayer for bridging conflicts in families and across nations. At this Holiday time of year, when individuals find themselves back home with their families, discussing political and spiritual issues, let's hold a vision for everyone in the world that old conflicts and new disagreements will move toward resolution. Join us as we come together in connection with Divine intention to help inspire the world toward conscious conversation, reduced ego conflict, and a search for a higher truth about every global problem.

Follow-up discussion

Spiritual tips for resolving conflict.
You may join in one of 3 ways: 
Teleconference

Call 941/926-6155  /  Conference ID: 608434#

Note: Other local numbers are now available in the US, Canada, UK & Australia. Check here to see if a local number is available in your area:

www.celestinevision.com/globalprayer_local.html



The phone line will open 5 minutes before the call starts. Participants will be responsible for their own long-distance or international phone charges. Once connected, enter the Conference ID. Please greet everyone with your name and location, then press *6 to mute yourself so the noise level will be kept to a minimum as others greet the group. After the call, press *7 to be unmuted, and then say good bye!



Live Webcast @ www.celestinevision.com



Skype

Skype ID joinconference / Conference ID 608434#

Launch Skype. Display the Skype dial pad. Enter the Skype ID joinconference and click CALL. When the call connects, re-display the dial pad and enter 608434#. Once connected, please greet everyone with your name and location, then press *6 to mute yourself so the noise level will be kept to a minimum as others greet the group. After the call, press *7 to be unmuted, and then say good bye!

Our twice-monthly gatherings have been making a powerful difference, both in people's individual lives and the world at large. Many of you have written us saying that the energy generated from this network of spiritually-minded participants is "indescribable," and we look forward to continuing this healing circle of focused prayer. Like all prayer experience devoted to helping others, many participants have felt the results in their own bodies and received guidance for their own lives.



Research tells us that the more people praying together, the more powerful the prayer and the greater the level of energy felt by the participants. We invite you to join the largest regular prayer network in the world. If you would like to take an active role in maintaining a circle of positive intention across the globe, while going deeper and heightening your own spirituality, join us on Tuesday, November 29.



We suggest you secure a quiet and comfortable place for yourself for an hour, so you can best share your prayerful energy, and give and receive the healing energies offered. Many enjoy inviting friends and family to join them, amplifying the power of the group.



Blessings,

James Redfield

Salle Merrill Redfield

James and Salle Redfield

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Real Purpose of Veteran's Day

November 11th was not made a holiday in order to celebrate war, “support the troops” or cheer the 11th year of occupying Afghanistan. 


Originally called “Armistice Day,” the holiday began in 1918, celebrating the end of World War I and the idea of ending all war.  A 10-year campaign launched that year and by 1928 had legally banned all war making.

We aren't told this in school, but in January 1929 the U.S. Senate ratified by a vote of 85 to 1 a treaty that is still on the books, still upheld by most of the world, still listed on the U.S. State Department's website — a treaty that under Article VI of the U.S. Constitution is the "supreme law of the land."

This treaty, the Kellogg-Briand Pact, bans all war.  Bad wars and "good wars," aggressive wars and "humanitarian wars" — they are all illegal, having been legally abolished like dueling, blood feuds, and slavery before them.


Thursday, November 10, 2011

A Lesson in Peacemaking

In 1942 the Allied forces in the Pacific led by the American military were poised and ready to strike to regain control of the South Pacific islands now under Japanese control. There was one problem. Every code developed by the American army designed to protect communications about troop movements, etc., had been broken by the Japanese. History books are full of the story of the Navajo Code Talkers and how the use of their ancient language by "code talkers" stymied the Japanese and led the way for the eventual reclamation of those islands under the control of the Japanese Empire in 1941. In fact, Major Howard Connor of the 5th Marine Division's Signal Officers' Corps stated, "were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima. Were it not for the decision of the United States government to restore sovereignty to the Navajo Nation to their lands taken by the United States in 1864, the outcome in World War II's Pacific Theater might have been entirely different.

Americans started pushing into Apache and Navajo lands after the United States defeated New Mexico in the Mexican-American War. In the 1850's more and more lands inhabited by the Mescalero Apache and Navajo for centuries were being taken by the United States military for forts and American settlers moving west to make their fortunes. Problems escalated as the Navajo and Apache took up arms to fight to maintain control of their traditions and culture. A cycle of raids and counter-raids began when the moderately pro-Navajo U.S. Army leader and Indian agent was replaced in the latter part of that decade. A peace treaty was signed with the Navajo represented by Chief Manuelito on April 30, 1860 to bring an end to the hostilities. A dispute over a horse race on February 15, 1861 led to the massacre of 30 Native Americans violating the terms of the Treaty.

After the massacre the American military leaders set plans in motion to remove the Navajo from their homelands in northeast Arizona, western New Mexico, Utah and Colorado and relocate them to a 40 mile square tract of land called Bosque Redondo in a barren area of northwestern New Mexico on the Pecos River. This was to be the first Indian Reservation west of the Oklahoma Indian territory. Plans were to turn the Apache and Navajo into farmers and "civilize" them by sending them to school and making them Christians.

U.S. army leader Kit Carson made war on the Navajo in order to accomplish the plan. He ordered U.S. soldiers to march onto Navajo property and destroy their fields, orchards, houses and livestock. Those Navajo who survived the attacks were starved into submission and in January 1864 they surrendered at Canyon de Chelly. Carson promptly organized what became known as the Long Walk. Eight thousand five-hundred men, women and children marched 300 miles in the dead of winter from their lands in Arizona and New Mexico to Bosque Redondo. Two hundred people died of cold and starvation on the walk. More died after reaching what was no more than a prison camp where the Mescalero Apache were already interred.

There was constant fighting between the Apache and Navajo who were natural enemies. In addition, the brackish water led to intestinal problems and rampant disease. As more and more Navajo died, escaped or killed each other, the United States finally deemed this attempt a failure and negotiated the Treaty of 1868 that acknowledged Navajo sovereignty and returned the land on the Arizona/New Mexico border to the Navajo who returned in rags to rebuild their homelands on the rations and sheep given to them by the United States. (Legends of America at http://legendsofamerica.com/na-navajolongwalk.html )
They prospered and rebuilt their culture, maintaining their religion, economy and language. If the United States government had succeeded in "killing the Indian but not the man" on the Bosque Redondo Reservation in the 1860's, there would have been no thriving Navajo Nation 50,000 strong to offer 500 of its sons, brothers and fathers in service to the American military in 1942. Of the 500 Navajo men who served the United States military in World War II, 375 to 420 served in the capacity of Code Talkers at one time or another. Without their service, the campaign in the Pacific to restore sovereignty of land to the people of the South Pacific islands from the grips of the Japanese war machine might have had a different outcome or at least been even more costly in terms of human life. These Code Talkers deserve all the honors and medals bestowed upon them. In addition, the Navajo Nation deserves our nation's gratitude for honoring a 19th Century Peace Treaty in order to rebuild their culture and way of life.
Navajo Code Talkers: WW II Fact Sheet http://www.history.navy.mil
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brenda_Duffey

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6334748

Thursday, November 3, 2011

A Thrifty Mrs | Totally addicted to thrift: What every girl needs - A Shoe Mirror

A Thrifty Mrs | Totally addicted to thrift: What every girl needs - A Shoe Mirror: The way our flat and furniture are laid out means I can't see myself all at once in one mirror without some hardcore acrobatics. Plus my bo...

Sustainable living is the key to peace.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Women Who Fought for My Freedom in Democracy

This is an article I wrote for EzineArticles some time ago but in light of current circumstances I believe it requires re posting. The article explains the historical reasons that I, as a female, feel so strongly about protecting the rights the Founding Fathers guaranteed in the Constitution over two hundred years ago. When those rights were put into the Constitution, the Founding Fathers intended them only for a small group of people that held the power in the new "republic" - white men over the age of 21 who owned property. If those rights had not been put into the Constitution and courageous females had not stood up in protest despite despicable treatment by men and women alike, we might still be disenfranchised and dis empowered. Democracy cannot exist if those who pretend to serve "the people" abuse the rights that insure the democracy, whether you agree with all of it or not, continues to exist. 

Women Who Fought for My Freedom

My family history is filled with men who served this country in the name of freedom, beginning with an ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War and was scalped. I don't remember him but I do remember my grandfather and uncle. My grandfather fought for freedom in the trenches of Europe during the Great War to return home to a country that abandoned him during the Great Depression. My uncle returned to Europe to fight to free Europe from the control of Adolph Hitler and his ungodly extermination camps. I honor my ancestors who have served in the name of freedom. In school, I learned how important their service was because of the safeguard to my freedom. I learned about George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and the Sons of Liberty. As an adult, however, when I think about my personal freedoms that I enjoy each day, I think about the women who fought peacefully until those freedoms that were written about in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution became a reality for me.

I loved my grandfather and uncle and remember the personal stories of how they suffered in the two Great Wars. Sometimes, however, freedoms can be attained without resorting to war when a person lives in a democracy. I would like to mention a few of the women who fought peacefully from 1776 until 1920 to insure that the precious freedoms so important to the Founding Fathers become a reality for the Founding Mothers also. These are: freedom to own property, receive a first class education, work in my chosen profession and receive equal pay for equal work, protect my children from child labor and domestic violence, make decisions about sending our sons to war and to have no taxation without representation. I have all these freedoms because a group of women were willing to be harassed, jailed and tortured, ridiculed and put on a Red List and even risk their own personal safety without retaliation to secure freedom from enslavement and the right to vote.
Therefore, I would like to honor a few of the women listed in the Timeline of Women's Suffrage at http://dpsinfo.com.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton-worked in the Underground Railroad and cofounded the Women's Suffrage Organization.
Susan B. Anthony- Co-founder of Women's Suffrage Movement. She was arrested for voting in the 1872 election and had bail of $1000. Despite an eloquent plea she was denied a trial by jury and convicted of the crime of voting. She was fined $100.
Harriet Tubman- Also known as Moses of her people. Risked her life and was severely beaten many times for leading her fellow slaves into the Promised Land. After slavery ended, she lived in New York and continued to work for civil rights and women's suffrage.
Jane Addams- Founder of Hull House, Peace Activist and served as Vice President of the Women's Suffrage Organization. She was put on the Red List in the 1920's because of her efforts to alleviate starvation in Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Soviet Union. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1933.
Alice Paul and Lucy Burns were suffragettes who were arrested for protesting in front of the White House on the Night of Terror in November, 1917. They were jailed and tortured for two weeks until a journalist wrote about their plight and they were released.
Margaret Sanger was a sex education author and female advocate for birth control. She opened the 1st women's birth-control clinic in Brooklyn, NY in Oct. 1916. The clinic was shut down ten days later, but Ms. Sanger kept the case in front of the courts until a federal court decision in her favor allowed her to open the second clinic in New York City in 1917.
These women were left out of the history books I studied when I went to school in the 1960's. I always took my freedoms to vote, own property, receive an education, work in the career of my choice for granted. Like many others I was taught that these freedoms were earned by the bravery of those men who wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as well as the hundreds of thousands of others who died on the battlefields in all of the wars fought since 1776. I am grateful to all these men for protecting the democratic government that we do have in this country, but I am grateful there were those who really understood the meaning of democracy which is rule by the people and were willing to risk "their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor" in peaceful protest to insure all the people have a part in that government.
Brenda Duffey Author and Peace Activist
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brenda_Duffey

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6307736

Monday, October 24, 2011

James Redfield Global Unity Prayer October 25th

Global Prayer Project

Prayer, Meditation & Discussion

with James & Salle Redfield

via Live Teleconference, Webcast & Skype

_______



Tuesday, October 25

8-9 pm Eastern/US



PLEASE NOTE!

Our dial-in teleconference number has changed,
and you can now connect via Skype!



If you can't join us, please hold a supportive prayer vision for the world at that time...

This week's prayer visualization

Let's come together for another prayer-visualization that we may recognize Unity Consciousness in our own inner lives around the world. According the best scholar on the Mayan Calendar, the completion of the Calendar -- from an internal point of view (Unity Consciousness) -- will be fully available to us this Friday, October 28, 2011. And while this consciousness is not fully imposed, seemingly this internal shift is being felt by many people in very similar ways, based on many anecdotal reports.

Part of this inner recognition has been building since the spring, beginning with the rising sense by young people that they must do something about the state of the world, and the amazing response by communities as they dealt with recent natural disasters, coming together as never before seen, in an effort to help each other. Now this sense of openness to helping is extending, we believe, in a growing inner knowing, or intuitive guidance, that feels a certain way that people can recognize.  

First, we seem to be losing the stressful left brain preoccupation with manipulating, lying, or otherwise trying to get ahead with our egos at someones else's expense. Somehow we can't seem to concentrate on those obsessions as before. And delightfully, we seem to be experiencing a rebalancing, confusing at first, to listen to our intuitive thoughts to do something helpful for the world -- thoughts that miraculously lead to helpful deeds and information coming back to us at just the right time, so that our our security needs are filled by listening to guidance, synchronically. 

The point is, we must recognize these shifts in our inner thought patterns, and begin to intentionally practice this new ability with a more enlightened ego. And again, this may be the only way to prosper in a world changing so quickly around us. 

Join us in a Prayer Visualization aimed at uplifting others as they make sense of these inner changes and realize their own experience of Unity Consciousness.  

Follow-up discussion

How to practice following intuition.
You may join in one of 3 ways:  
Teleconference

Call 941/926-6155  /  Conference ID: 608434#

Note: Other local numbers are now available in the US, Canada, UK & Australia. Check here to see if a local number is available in your area:

www.celestinevision.com/globalprayer_local.html



The phone line will open 5 minutes before the call starts. Participants will be responsible for their own long-distance or international phone charges. Once connected, enter the Conference ID. Please greet everyone with your name and location, then press *6 to mute yourself so the noise level will be kept to a minimum as others greet the group. After the call, press *7 to be unmuted, and then say good bye!



Live Webcast @ www.celestinevision.com



Skype

Skype ID joinconference / Conference ID 608434#

Launch Skype. Display the Skype dial pad. Enter the Skype ID joinconference and click CALL. When the call connects, re-display the dial pad and enter 608434#. Once connected, please greet everyone with your name and location, then press *6 to mute yourself so the noise level will be kept to a minimum as others greet the group. After the call, press *7 to be unmuted, and then say good bye!

Our twice-monthly gatherings have been making a powerful difference, both in people's individual lives and the world at large. Many of you have written us saying that the energy generated from this network of spiritually-minded participants is "indescribable," and we look forward to continuing this healing circle of focused prayer. Like all prayer experience devoted to helping others, many participants have felt the results in their own bodies and received guidance for their own lives.



Research tells us that the more people praying together, the more powerful the prayer and the greater the level of energy felt by the participants. We invite you to join the largest regular prayer network in the world. If you would like to take an active role in maintaining a circle of positive intention across the globe, while going deeper and heightening your own spirituality, join us on Tuesday, October 25.



We suggest you secure a quiet and comfortable place for yourself for an hour, so you can best share your prayerful energy, and give and receive the healing energies offered. Many enjoy inviting friends and family to join them, amplifying the power of the group.



Blessings,

James Redfield

Salle Merrill Redfield

James and Salle Redfield

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Monday, October 17, 2011

Message from the Peace Troubadour

Message from James Twyman – Peace Troubadour
Beloved Friends...

There are two extremely important things I want to share with you. I hope you'll take just a couple of minutes to read this, and perhaps even share it with your friends. The first message involves a concert I'll be performing live from Assisi, Italy on October 26th, and the second involves one of my dearest friends and mentors, Neale Donald Walsch.
Assisi Live Concert ~ Live Online October 26th, Noon Eastern US Time

As many of you know, I am currently leading nearly 50 people on a walk through the countryside of Italy, arriving soon in Assisi, the home of Saint Francis, for a very important spiritual event. The leaders of the 12 major religions of the world are coming to Assisi to commemorate the first "World Day of Prayer" which took place 25 years ago. There is only one thing mission from this prayer event - Prayer! Though the event 25 years ago focused on the leaders praying the peace prayers from each of their traditions, this year they will not be allowed to pray, either publicly or privately - only give speeches.

Did you read that? They are commemorating the "World Day of Prayer," but won't be allowed to pray!

When I first heard this I was sad and worried. Now I feel a very different emotion - hope and great joy. I am hopeful because there are so many people who are responding to this call to allow the leaders to pray together, and I feel joy because I know that we will be the ones to make sure it happens. On October 25th I will be performing a concert in Assisi and will share the 12 peace prayers with people from around the world. Then on the 26th, I will perform that concert again, from Assisi, live online for the world to watch and share. I ask that you not only join me, but also pass this message to everyone you know, helping them understand the importance of this event. The concert will only be around 45 minutes, but in that time you'll feel the energy of Assisi, and of this important peace gathering.
Please join us! Simply go to: www.livestream.com/jamestwyman

This could very well be a pivotal moment in creating peace. I hope you'll be there with us!

Neale Donald Walsch The Storm Before the Calm

I was recently sent a great deal of promotional material, asking me to let people know about Neale's new book called "The Storm Before the Calm." I thought about sharing it all, but then a different idea came to me. I decided to simply share my own personal experience with Neale, and why I think this book is so important. Then, I hope you'll click on the link I've provided and check it out for yourself.

Neale is not only one of my dearest friends, but one of the greatest mentors in my life. He has shown me what it means to be a true spiritual leader, and I am forever in his debt for that. He has also shown me what it means to be a fully activated human being, and it's this energy he put into his new book which I know you will love.

"The Storm Before the Calm" explains what is happening in the world today and how you can be part of a creative solution. I remember when Neale first started writing it. He was more excited than I've seen him in years, and I know why. This is an IMPORTANT book! That's why I felt it was better to simply tell it to you straight. Check this out! Just go to this link and you'll understand for yourself why everyone is so excited.
Click HERE for more information.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Thougts from a Nobel Peace Prize Winner

"As I walked toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison."

These words from Nelson Mandela remind us all of the simple truth of what it is to be a Peacemaker. Peacemakers are not rich, powerful or full of physical strength. They have the inner fortitude and strength to do what is needed to break free from the prison chains we all have that keep us in the trenches of warfare everyday - whether in South Africa, Afghanistan or even Hometown USA - the inability to forgive those who have caused us either great bodily or emotional trauma or simply cut in front of us in the line at the supermarket.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Prayers for Peace from Assisi

Special Online Concert: Live in Assisi

Dear Friends...

I have just arrived in Rome to prepare for one of the most important events of my life. As many of you know, my ministry as The Peace Troubadour began when the leaders of the 12 major religions came to Assisi, Italy in 1986 to pray the peace prayers from each of their traditions. I ultimately put them to music and have been traveling the world sharing their energy ever since, often in countries like Iraq, Israel and Bosnia while wars raged around me.

In a few weeks I will be in Assisi again with thousands of people to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that original gathering. Leaders like the Pope and the Dalai Lama will be on hand, and I will initiate the event with a major concert on October 25th. On the 26th, I will share the Peace Concert again, live online for people anywhere around the world who want to be part of this historic event.

I hope you'll join me. Here are the details:

Date: October 26th
Time: 2PM US Eastern
Where: livestream.com/jamestwyman

There is no cost to this concert. In fact I want to give you a gift that will help get you ready. Last year I re-recorded the peace prayers and will offer this CD as a gift to everyone on my list. If you would like to download the 12 prayers and listen to them as we prepare for this incredible event, simply go to:

JamesTwyman.com/12_Peace_CD_download.html

I'll send out another email closer to the concert to remind you, but put it on your calendar today, so you won't miss the chance to share in the energy of Assisi.



Awakening Academy
Last chance to Activate

I just heard that Christian Pankhurst is closing down registration for his Accelerated Awakening Academy deep dive coach training program TONIGHT, 11:59pm Pacific time. This is your last chance to get in and learn from one of the best Heart Centered facilitators out there:

Christian Pankhurst's Awakening Academy

Christian is a good friend of mine, and I highly recommend this program. Right now he is offering the course at half price for TODAY ONLY, so if you have any desire to take your coaching and facilitator skills to the next level (or if you want to begin the journey), then I recommend you give this program a thorough look over.

You simply won't find a year long coach training program at ANYWHERE close to this price.

And, registration only requires a deposit which won't even be charged for 7 days giving you a chance to ask him questions PERSONALLY, to ensure it's the right decision for you.

If you are a coach, facilitator, healer, therapist or trainer (or want to be), then you need to check out Christian's video, as he's the best in the industry at what he does:

Christian Pankhurst's Awakening Academy

The course includes powerful case studies, step-by-step training videos, unlimited personal Q&A blog access to Christian for a year, live Q&A broadcast sessions each month, THREE live events (that are recorded and DVDs sent to you in the mail) as well as certification for those who pass the assessment.

And, Christian told me this morning that he's throwing in a special $2000 surprise bonus for those who register today. Looks like a great opportunity, so check it out now before registration closes.

See you for the concert on the 26th,

James

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Breaking Bread Together Globally

This is a way to bring all religious groups in communties all over the world and in the United States to come together and break holy bread together in peace. This project will be done in November of this year in honor of gratitude that this month of Thanksgiving brings.

https://mail.google.com/mail/h/2hj7v13i36b7/?&v=c&th=1327f9abbcc3740c

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Song of the Rain Crow: Those wide, soft wings

Song of the Rain Crow: Those wide, soft wings: W alking through steeply angled afternoon light in a rural hillside cemetery in early autumn is almost a pleasant jaunt, even if the...

Friday, September 16, 2011

Condolence

This beautiful story comes from the oral traditions of the Oneida - the indigineous people who were part of the Iroquois Confederacy. This tradition was shattered in 1776, but brave, peaceful first Americans have revived it and they are sharing their tradition of condolence and forgiveness that was an integral part of the success of the Iroquois Nation that existed in peace and prosperity for over 300 years in America. We have a lot to learn from these people in the 21st Century. http://youtu.be/vbvtsMATorI 

For a fictional account of the story of the Peacemaker and its contribution to America's story read "The Peacemaker" by Brenda Duffey - available at http://kentuckywoman.net/.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Where Does The Cycle of Hate Begin?

When you teach a man to hate and fear his brother, when you teach that he is a lesser man because of his color or his beliefs or the policies he pursues, when you teach that those who differ from you threaten your freedom or your job or your family, then you also learn to confront others not as fellow citizens but as enemies - to be met not with cooperation but with conquest, to be subjugated and mastered. - Robert F. Kennedy.

Friday, September 9, 2011

FDNY

I would like to dedicate this blog to the Fire Department of New York. Most everyone remembers their heroism on 9-11, but I think there's more to this story. This fire department, like all those in the nation, grew from the spirit of community service and volunteering to help neighbors in time of need. The FDNY was there in New York in 1863 to keep the city from being burned down due to the Civil War Draft Riots. The department was there again in 1911 trying heroically to save over 126 young women being burned alive in the sweat shop that was the Triangle Shirt Waist Factory. There are stories like this all over the country where local volunteers come together to support one another in times of tragedy whether man made or an "act of God." On this Patriot Weekend, I salute the FDNY and this song's for you

http://youtu.be/Vg84L84uop8  Peace on Earth

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Happy Helmet

In these hard economic times with all the global wars, this invention would probably make someone rich and help to heal the world in spite of our gloomy gus attitudes.

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Saturday, September 3, 2011

Apache Blessing

May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being. May you walk through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life. 

When we look for the beauty in the same world that we all see each day, we will know peace.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Do Good Deeds and Forgive

Verses from the Qur'an

3:136 For such people their reward is forgiveness from their Rabb, gardents with rivers flow underneath (paradise) and they will abide forever in it. How excellent is the reward for those who do good deeds.

3:134 Those who spend (in the way of Allah) in prosperity and in adversity, who control their anger, who forgive people; Allah loves such righteous people.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Benazir Bhutto's Thoughts on Peace

  • To make peace, one must be an uncompromising leader. To make peace, one must also embody compromise.
    Throughout the ages, leadership and courage have often been synonymous. Ultimately, leadership requires action: daring to take steps that are necessary but unpopular, challenging the status quo in order to reach a brighter future.
    And to push for peace is ultimately personal sacrifice, for leadership is not easy. It is born of a passion, and it is a commitment. Leadership is a commitment to an idea, to a dream, and to a vision of what can be. And my dream is for my land and my people to cease fighting and allow our children to reach their full potential regardless of sex, status, or belief.
  • Leadership is to do what is right by educating and inspiring an electorate, empathizing with the moods, needs, wants, and aspirations of humanity.
    Making peace is about bringing the teeming conflicts of society to a minimal point of consensus. It is about painting a new vision on the canvas of a nation's political history. Ultimately, leadership is about the strength of one's convictions, the ability to endure the punches, and the energy to promote an idea.
    And I have found that those who do achieve peace never acquiesce to obstacles, especially those constructed of bigotry, intolerance, and inflexible tradition.
    • "Reflections on Working Towards Peace" in Architects of Peace: Visions of Hope in Words and Images (2000) edited by Michael Collopy


"You see, they think they're saving you, and you think you're saving them. That's where the trouble starts. Someone says, 'I saved you, now here's what I want.' And its the same with big countries and little ones, religious leaders and their followers, even husbands and wives. When things really work, though, it's because people realize that this is a lie, that, really, we all save one another. It's the way of the world. Things work out for the best when everyone makes it, together, when we manage to save each other. (from The Way of the World)"
Benazir Bhutto







Thursday, August 25, 2011

Song of the Rain Crow: Epitaph...

Song of the Rain Crow: Epitaph...: Here lies Creativity Stillborn After a long, hard struggle Buried beside Old Dreams By the hand of Responsibility Aided by Selfishness And... We can learn a lot about living in harmony by being in tune with nature.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Sunday Evening Peace Service

For those of you living along the south central Oregon Coast there will be a peace service on Sunday, August 28th at 6:30 pm in the Bromley Room of the Siuslaw Public Library. The library is at the corner of 9th and Maple Streets in Florence. There will be music, meditation, a brief message, light refreshments and fellowship. Contact coastalnewthought@yahoo.com for more information.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Let Us Know Peace

Native American Prayer for Peace

Let Us Know Peace
Let us know peace.
For as long as the moon shall rise,
For as long as the rivers shall flow,
For as long as the sun will shine,
For as long as the grass shall grow,
Let us know peace.
O Great Spirit of our Ancestors, I raise my pipe to you, to your messengers the four winds, and to Mother Earth who provides for your children. Give us the wisdom to teach our children to love, to respect, and to be kind to each other so that they may grow with peace in mind. Let us learn to share all the good things that you provide for us on this Earth.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Random Act of Peace

I was watching a very inspirational story on the news this week about the coming together of the community of Tuscaloosa, Alabama to make sure their schools opened this fall. The way these rural communities have shown what can be done when neighbors help neighbors instead of expecting help to come from the federal government has made me so proud of the region where I was born and spent my formative years. There was, however, one part of the story that I wish had gotten a little bigger coverage from the press. I don't recall seeing much positive coverage of anything coming from Middle Eastern part of the globe - especially in regard to the Muslim faith. I think this particular positive random act of kindness from the United Arab Emirates toward the people of Alabama deserved more than three seconds of news coverage. If I would have blinked I would have missed it. All the students at Tuscaloosa High School got brand new lap top computers. These computers were donated by the United Arab Emirates. I say thank you to these Muslim nations for your kindness and thoughtful gifts to the students of America.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Dances for Universal Peace

If you live near the wonderful Oregon Coast, there is an opportunity to participate in circle dances to promote universal peace. These dances teach participants to focus on eliciting qualities of compassion, understanding and acceptance of self as the primary basis of starting the ripple of universal peace from within all of us. The dances will be taught at the South Beach Community Center, 3024 Ferry Slip Road in South Beach, Oregon (near Newport). The date is September 9, 2011 from 7-9 p.m. There is a $5 donation at the door. For more information contact Naomi Josiah at 541-961-2441 or naomi@newportnet.com. Can't be there? Check to see if there's something like this near you!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Freedom Song

I had the opportunity to watch a movie called "Freedom Song" recently. It wasn't a movie blockbuster hyped by Hollywoood, but it was one of the most powerful movies I have seen in a long time. It was a movie full of violence - a true story, but the heroes of the story were young men and women who put themselves "in harm's way" without AK-47's (don't know for sure if that's the name of that weapon), bazookas, suicide bombs or even handguns or knives. In fact, their leaders told them specifically to drop their weapons before entering the fray and even resist hitting back if hit. They were instructed take the blows if they fell. Those still standing were to cover ones taking blows instead of trying to strike at the perpetrators. Courage came not from alcohol, pot or drugs but from musice -music whose lyrics reminded them what they were "fighting" for-freedom.

I had chills being taken back to that time when I was a young girl - just "coming of age" and living in a southern state and watching these ugly scenes unfold on my black and white television set. I remember cheering loudly for these "mobs" being arrested for disturbing the peace as they modeled the power of non-violence. The setting of this movie was not South Africa, Germany during the Holocaust or even Afghanistan. It was Mississippi in the early days of the burgeoning civil rights movement. How were these young people disturbing the peace? They were trying to go to the library, eat a hamburger at a local hamburger place, things most teenagers in America take for granted. They even had the audacity to try and help their parents register to vote.

There was one scene in the movie that caused me to reflect about war as a way of promoting human rights. A long line of students forms as they march from their all black school toward city hall to demand school improvements. Just before they appraoch the front steps leading into the building protected by sheriffs and men with guns and dogs, they pass an alabaster stature of a Confederate soldier. In 1865 those young people's ancestors were "freed" from slavery after a brutal Civil War that annihilated Dixie and bankrupted the United States Federal Government (Union). More Americans died in the Civil War than all other wars this country has fought combined (including World War II). What was the result of that war that "freed" the slaves and the greedy reconstruction period of hatred resulting from waving the "bloody flag of victory?" - One hundred more years of slavery until the chains of bondage were broken by leaders having the courage and faith in humankind to demand their rights as fellow human beings protected by the same government that was founded under the principle that "all men (people) are created equal with the hope that the nation would live up to the expectations of the Founding Fathers who wrote those words.

Because of this non-violent movement the chains of slavery and the Jim Crow system of laws in the south were finally severed without the tragedy of another brutal "civil war" in this country. Those who lost their lives in this war were the very ones who started it. They died not because they carried guns; they died because they believed in the power of non-violence as the best way to find a permanent solution to injustice. I am grateful to those who gave their lives in this cause. So, I express my gratitude to the following: Some are named, some names I can't remember and I'm sure there are others, but these are my heroes from the war I remember best in my lifetime with the highest cause (human rights and dignity) obtained in a way that allowed me to continue to live in a country where the human right to live peacefully is honored and respected.

Thank you
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Medger Evers
Emmet Till
Three Civil Rights Workers (two white) whose names I can't remember
Two little girls who died in a Birmingham church and any others you may recall who are not mentioned here.


Ghandi - Be the Change

Th<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4d_WEqwPfko" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>     This was too good not to post here. Hope it resonates with you. The music is great!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Hindsight 20/20?

     Today, I'm reflecting on the situation in Washington, D.C. over the past few months and it makes me wonder. Am I a hopeless romantic or Pollyana? Can peace exist if I don't get my way? Can I put aside my opinions formulated over the years about what I believe is the "right" course of action and be open minded enough to look at other options that might turn out better than mine?
      "Hindsight is 20/20." We've heard that phrase over and over again when trying not to judge actions leaders have made in the past without the help of seeing into the future. Since hindsight is 20/20, maybe we should start not judging the people who did what they did because they were "wrong," or defending the programs they put into place that turned out to be flawed instead of looking at the flaws and trying to correct them. Isn't this the best way to move forward? With this in mind, when I find myself in conflict and stuck in judgment and one up-man-ship, I challenge myself to look at what is good about the different idea that could help me move forward if I will open my mind to that idea. If this resonates with you, challenge yourself to do the same.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Concensus

In a recent blog I stated "peace begins with concensus - not rule by the majority or levels of authority. This majority rule system in place in the United States since 1776 has led us to a path of endless cycles of conflict - whether among ourselves or with other nations. There is no better example than the gridlock that exits in Washington, D.C. today. The entire government that controls the livelihood of millions of Americans is on the brink of falling apart because of the headstrong and stubborn refusal of people sent to represent so many different views to find a way that can work for everyone instead of having "their way" or no way. This happened in 1914 when the entire continent of Europe was in a stalemate of endless slaughter and the debilitation of national economies so that over 25 million died from famine after the "cease fire." The famines and starvation in African countries resulting from years of civil war and political unrest are other examples. Isn't it time the people in our country opened up their minds to find solutions that would be in the best interests of everyone in this country to continue to provide "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," or food and water (in ample quantities and quality for everyone), freedom from fear that we will not have the basic necessities of clothing and shelter, and the pursuit of happiness - living life to the fullest according to the choices each individual makes."

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Time to End the Cycle?

A young Palestinian man was found in Israel; he had a bomb strapped to him. And when it detonated, it didn't detonate properly and he was wounded. But he did not get the triumphant results that he was seeking; he did not blow himself up and the people that were around him. And so he was captured. And when the newsman was asking him, why did you do this? He said, "They killed my friend and I wanted to die." In other words, it was that simple: "They killed my friend and I wanted to die." We think that those pure and simple words speak to this (Middle East Crisis) more clearly than all other words that have been spoken. It is that feeling that you've done this to me, so I'll do this to you, then you'll do this to me, and then I'll do this to you. And what happens in that is: It just gets bigger and bigger, and bigger. And no one ever wins. There is no triumph that ever comes from any of that.

This was sent to me in an email and I thought it spoke volumes about how things keep spiraling.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Choosing Peace

My little corner of the world is more joyful when I choose peace. I am not always successful, but when I am I realize how much I prefer choosing peace. There are several ways that I choose peace. The more I choose peace, the easier it is to do this. I choose peace whe:

1. I stop judging and show compassion.
2. I seek friends instead of enemies.
3. I forgive instead of getting even.
4. I bless instead of condemn.
5. I am thankful instead of resentful.
6, I stop to smell the roses.
7. I allow someone else to be right.
8. I refuse to listen to or spread gossip (hard one for me).
9. I move aside for someone obviously in a hurry.
10. I respond instead of react.

I am never 100 percent successful at this, but the more I practice, the more peaceful my world becomes. I am also a lot healthier!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Let Them Eat Cake!

I had occasion to be somewhere when a person came with an offer of left over cookies from an event to give for the less fortunate. I will not mention the group because it doesn't matter and I'm not making judgements. This act reminded me of the famous quotation from Marie Antoinette who "lost her head" during the bloody French Revolution. When the queen was told that the masses were hungry without bread to eat, her response was "Let Them Eat Cake." I am not putting this generous person in the same category as Marie Antoinette but I believe when massive numbers of people are hungry and hopeless, society needs to address the problem with more than a band aid for everyone's benefit.There's a lot of unused land in the inner cities that could be cleared by the unemployed and used for a community garden to serve anyone willing to go into it and work and take the food and cook it, can it, freeze it whatever. We have the resources to feed the hungry and it doesn't have to be "cake."

Monday, July 11, 2011

Peace and Human Rights

Peace is most prevalent in those countries where human rights are most respected. Aside from natural disasters violence in the United States that has disrupted internal peace has been connected to groups pursuing human rights. The Civil War and the violence during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960's are two examples that come to mind. Dr. Martin Luther King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 because of his determined stance to honor passive resistance and avoid use of violence while promoting the cause of human rights for African Americans in this country. Therefore, I believe that the person or group that can be instrumental in affecting change and bring stability to Afghanistan is not some outside military force but those people within the country who are working at great risk to their own safety to advocate for human rights. One such person is Dr. Sima Samar, Chairwoman of the Afghanistan Independent Rights Commission. Read about her work as an Afghan rights advocate at http://www.theadvocatesforhumanrights.org/.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

A Time for Peace: Is Peace a Choice?

A Time for Peace: Is Peace a Choice?: "http://youtu.be/p05E_ohaQGk If soldiers can make peace for one day, would it be possible to decide to stop the fighting for good?"

Is Peace a Choice?

http://youtu.be/p05E_ohaQGk  If soldiers can make peace for one day, would it be possible to decide to stop the fighting for good?

Is Peace a Choice?

Would it be possible to do this today? What if all the soldiers fighting all over the world decided to stop fighting? Click on the link to preview.

http://youtu.be/p05E_ohaQGk

Monday, June 20, 2011

A Time for Peace: Children Live What They Learn

A Time for Peace: Children Live What They Learn: "Parents are the primary teachers of language. By the time a child enters the first grade the foundation of his/her spoken language is in pla..."

Children Live What They Learn

Parents are the primary teachers of language. By the time a child enters the first grade the foundation of his/her spoken language is in place. The language she hears from day to day is the language she will use to communicate and develop relationships with society as a whole. I spent the last week listening to common, everyday language to find common phrases that either reflected a peaceful attitude about human relationships or those that we might reconsider. What do you think small children just learning to communicate might learn from hearing the following: "Those are fighting words, man." "You idiot, that's not how you do it." "Somebody needs to take him out to the woodshed and teach him a lesson." "Stoning's too good for her!" "I'd kill for a juicy hamburger!" You might think I'm crazy but what if we used the following substitutes, respectively. "I have to respectfully disagree with you." "Where did you learn to do that that way?" "That person's behavior is not something I would like for you to repeat. It is disrespectful and harmful." "People who commit crimes like that are detrimental to society." "I'd pay a million dollars for a juicy hamburger." Do you think making these changes would have any impact at all on choices our children make when they enter adolescence and adulthood?  

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

A Time for Peace: Peace and Concensus

A Time for Peace: Peace and Concensus: "Peace begins with concensus - not rule by the majority or levels of authority. In a school for peace the foundation should be based on decis..."

Peace and Concensus

Peace begins with concensus - not rule by the majority or levels of authority. In a school for peace the foundation should be based on decision making by a team of individuals who rule by concensus. When everyone is satisfied with a decision before it is implemented, the project will have true support. In rule by the majority only fifty-one percent of those voting are invested in the outcome of the decision. They have been "forced" to accept a path they don't believe in or support so the conflict continues.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

A Time for Peace: Make Peace Not War

A Time for Peace: Make Peace Not War: "When I thought about what to write on this title, I suddenly realized I had no information about how to make peace. I am a retired educator ..."

Make Peace Not War

When I thought about what to write on this title, I suddenly realized I had no information about how to make peace. I am a retired educator so I naturally thought about what I would do if I wanted to learn how to do anything. I would research and learn from "the experts." I then wondered where are the schools for peace? I could only think of one and that was the work of Clyde Bellecourt at his Peacemaking Center in Minneapolis. Perhaps there are more, but I didn't begin a search because I realized that I could name at least three well-known military academies where war was taught and then I thought about the biggest educator of war in this country - the military itself. Then, like Blair Warner from "The Facts of Life," I had another of my "brilliant ideas." What if the government pulled our troops out of Afghanistan within the next six months and took the money saved and established schools of peace all over the country? Teachers would benefit because it would create lots of new jobs in education. Construction industry would benefit as well as all the support services for educational facilities.Could this be an economic stimulus package? In my crazy imagination I am now envisioning what the curriculum of these schools would be and jobs for students graduating with a degree in "peace." I would like to open my blog to a brainstorming session about this idea and will be publishing my ideas about these schools for peace in the next few months. Feel free to join the brainstorm. Remember the rules in brainstorming, don't qualify the idea, just put it out on the table first.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Advice from Two Peacemakers

Mahatma Gandhi said, "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind." It's time to rethink the endless cycle of blind man's bluff being played out all over the world. This blight of tit for tat and might makes right is a "log" in our eyes that prevents us from doing as Jesus said in Matthew 7:5, "First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye."  

Monday, June 6, 2011

Let Peace Begin with Me

These words are great reminders of who's really responsible for peace. It's not the diplomats, world leaders or even the military, it is each one of us. There can be no peace if we are not peaceful. Remember these words the next time you want to lash out either with words of violence, violent gestures or physical attacks toward someone who has cut you off in traffic or expressed very firmly an opinion that is directly opposed to your opionion that is just as firm. How can we expect anyone to choose love and tolerance over anger and retaliation, if we can't?

Friday, June 3, 2011

A Time for Peace: Nothing to Kill or Die For

A Time for Peace: Nothing to Kill or Die For: "The sun came out on the Oregon Coast this morning and its beauty drew me to the peaceful, idlylic setting of my backyard 'park.' I took my m..."

Nothing to Kill or Die For

The sun came out on the Oregon Coast this morning and its beauty drew me to the peaceful, idlylic setting of my backyard "park." I took my morning coffee and sat on the bench at the perimeter of my patio that is surrounded by tall Oregon firs, Waxmyrtle trees, wild rhodies, huckleberry and salal. I sat down and opened my robe to embrace the warm rays of the sun shining brightly in a cloudless blue sky. I felt the fresh Oregon breeze whose chill was moderated by the sun's warm rays. I closed my eyes and listened to the wind, the birds, the chipmunks and squirrels singing and chatting. I was filled with such gratitude, peace, love and joy and I knew at that moment that I had truly "nothing to kill or die for." In that moment I said the following prayer: "God, Allah, Great Spirit, Great Mystery, Heavenly Father, Mother Earth, Sister Sky, Creator of All whose wisdom, peace, love and joy is expressed in the words of Jesus, the Prophet Muhammed, Buddah and all the living creatures of the Natural World, at this time in this present moment may all those who turn to you for peace, love and joy truly know that there is "nothing to kill or die for." And so it is.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The Great Law of Peace

A peace consciousness has to exist in societies in order for peace to exist. Peace cannot exist when there is an imbalance in this consciousness. The natural world is raging because there is imbalance that has been created by centuries of abuse of the earth's natural resources that were created in balance in order to sustain us. Recent weather related disasters are evidence of a natural world seeking balance. In addition, the whole world is "at war" and the world's leaders seem to be at a loss to find how to stop the spreading wildfire. I believe the first step in making peace is to reach back into history and follow the Great Law of Peace established by the Onondaga chief who brought the six warring nations of the Iroquois Confederacy together in peace when their societies were facing the same challenge. That peace and prosperity lasted for 400 years and the Confederacy dominated the entire region around the Great Lakes area of North America until English colonists destroyed that peace and established the "democracy" known as the United States of America and violated the principles of The Great Law of Peace that would keep that country strong and peaceful.  These are:
  • empowering women with political and economic power that would keep restraints on the testosterone driven impluses of the male nature - 1. power of appointment of chiefs to represent the tribe at the Grand Council and remove the chiefs if they violated any part of the Covenant Chain. 2. controlling all the property and passing all propery through the female line of the clan. 3. absolute veto over decisions to go to war.
  • conflict mediation at yearly councils with perceived insults settled by group concensus
  • stewardship of the earth and its resources rather than control because of being bought or "won" in war
The time has come to recognize that by violating these principles at the start of our "democratic" government in 1776, we have been charting a course of unending seasons of war and economic recessions. The time has come to restore these principles of peace in our country and lead the rest of the world in recognition of their importance to preserve peace and prosperity for the "seventh generation."

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

To everything there is a season

Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast. I have always believed this and turned to music for inspiration and guidance in time of need, whether it be to lift my sadness, inspire me to action or simply release negative thoughts. At this chaotic time at the dawn of the 21st Century, I am strengthend by these words from Proverbs. I believe the season of greed and war is coming to an end and we are slowly awakening to the dawn of a consciousness for peace. Share this message if you agree.