“I’ve always had the feeling that life loves the liver of it. You must live and life will be good to you, give you experiences. They may not all be that pleasant, but nobody promised you a rose garden. But more than likely if you do dare, what you get are the marvelous returns. Courage is probably the most important of the virtues, because without courage you cannot practice any of the other virtues, you can’t say against a murderous society, I oppose your murdering. You got to have courage to do so. I seem to have known that a long time and found great joy in it.” ~Maya Angelou

Stop the war

“Anything that annoys you is “for” teaching you patience. Anyone who abandons you is “for” teaching you how to stand up on your own two feet. Anything that angers you is “for” teaching you forgiveness and compassion. Anything that has power over you is “for” teaching you how to take your power back. Anything you hate is “for” teaching you unconditional love. Anything you fear is “for” teaching you courage to overcome your fear. Anything you can’t control is “for” teaching you how to let go and trust the Universe.” ~ Jackson Kiddard

When you really pay attention

“Justice cannot be achieved through bombing. The tears shed by Israeli mothers are the same as those of Palestinian mothers. By gathering those who are against the war we want to make visible the knowledge and vision which is more powerful than globalized violence. This could become a turning point for the peace movement.” ~ Sabine Lichtenfels, co-founder of the peace research center Tamera, Portugal & co-initiator of the Vision Camp.

“Justice cannot be achieved through bombing. The tears shed by Israeli mothers are the same as those of Palestinian mothers. By gathering those who are against the war we want to make visible the knowledge and vision which is more powerful than globalized violence. This could become a turning point for the peace movement.” ~ Sabine Lichtenfels, co-founder of the peace research center Tamera, Portugal & co-initiator of the Vision Camp.

We refuse

We Refuse to Be Enemies : Vision Camp in Israel/Palestine

The Middle East is exploding in violence. In the last two weeks the war has killed more than 1000 people, the vast majority of them in Gaza, with more than 100 children amongst them. Due to the extensive bombing of even schools, mosques, hospitals and private homes people can no longer find protection or shelter. Hatred, fear and anger are at a peak in the whole region.

In this turbulence, peace workers from Israel, Palestine and other countries are holding a five-day vision camp in the Westbank. In the middle of the war they hold a peace vigil and create a frequency of calmness in which mutual perception, sharing, deep listening, clear thinking and vision building is possible. They say, “We refuse to be enemies.” And, “Together we can give a clear sign to end the war.”

For its protection and success the vision camp needs international accompaniment and publicity. The war in Gaza and Israel is not a local conflict but another breakout of the global war system – just like Syria and Ukraine. War is the unavoidable result of a society which follows the hypnosis of fear and separation – on economical, ecological, social and spiritual levels. Let us leave the war system whereever it is possible. Stay online and accompany the vision camp with your thoughts and prayers. We invite people all over the world to join in meditation on Monday morning (sunrise) and Tuesday evening (sunset and the end of Ramadan).

Thanks to Occupy Love for this post. Let PEACE and FREEDOM ring!

“TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.” ~ Howard Zinn

paint the sun

“Everyone whose eyes are open knows the world is in an enormous crisis. As many of us as possible need to undergo a massive transformation of consciousness and to find the sacred passion to act from this consciousness in every arena and on every level of reality. It is my deepest belief that only Sacred Activism – the fusion of the deepest mystical knowledge, peace, strength, and stamina with calm, focused, and radical action – can possibly be of use now. A mysticism that is only private and self-absorbed leaves the evils of the world in tact and does little to halt the suicidal juggernaut of history. And any Activism that is not purified by a profound spiritual vision and psychological self-awareness and rooted in divine truth, wisdom, and compassion will only perpetuate the problem it is trying to solve, whatever it’s righteous intentions. When, however, the deepest and most grounded mystical vision is married to a practical and pragmatic drive to transform all existing political, economic, and social institutions, a holy force and power of wisdom in action is born, a force and power that can re-fashion all things and bring humanity, even at this late hour, into harmony with its self and original nature. This force of Sacred Activism I believe will be the source of the birthing power that humanity will need to create a new world from the smoking ashes of the one that is now passing away.” ~ Andrew Harvey

“Everyone whose eyes are open knows the world is in an enormous crisis. As many of us as possible need to undergo a massive transformation of consciousness and to find the sacred passion to act from this consciousness in every arena and on every level of reality. It is my deepest belief that only Sacred Activism – the fusion of the deepest mystical knowledge, peace, strength, and stamina with calm, focused, and radical action – can possibly be of use now. A mysticism that is only private and self-absorbed leaves the evils of the world in tact and does little to halt the suicidal juggernaut of history. And any Activism that is not purified by a profound spiritual vision and psychological self-awareness and rooted in divine truth, wisdom, and compassion will only perpetuate the problem it is trying to solve, whatever it’s righteous intentions. When, however, the deepest and most grounded mystical vision is married to a practical and pragmatic drive to transform all existing political, economic, and social institutions, a holy force and power of wisdom in action is born, a force and power that can re-fashion all things and bring humanity, even at this late hour, into harmony with its self and original nature. This force of Sacred Activism I believe will be the source of the birthing power that humanity will need to create a new world from the smoking ashes of the one that is now passing away.” ~ Andrew Harvey

Art by Hans Walør

Art by Hans Walor

“Sometimes I dream of social change. I get a streak of faith in Evolution and the good in humanity.  I paint a gradual slipping out of the now, to that beautiful then, where there are neither kings, presidents, landlords, national bankers, stockbrokers, railroad magnates, patentright monopolists, or tax and title collectors; where there are no over-stocked markets or hungry children, splendor and misery, waste and need. I am told this is farfetched idealism, to paint this happy, povertyless, crimeless, diseaseless world, and I have been told I ought to be behind bars for it.”   ~Voltairine de Cleyre (1866 – 1912),  American anarchist writer and feminist

“Sometimes I dream of social change. I get a streak of faith in Evolution and the good in humanity. I paint a gradual slipping out of the now, to that beautiful then, where there are neither kings, presidents, landlords, national bankers, stockbrokers, railroad magnates, patentright monopolists, or tax and title collectors; where there are no over-stocked markets or hungry children, splendor and misery, waste and need. I am told this is farfetched idealism, to paint this happy, povertyless, crimeless, diseaseless world, and I have been told I ought to be behind bars for it.” ~Voltairine de Cleyre (1866 – 1912), American anarchist writer and feminist

Voltairine de Cleyre

So inspired by the badass women throughout history who were brave enough to speak their truth in spite of heavy opposition from society.