Nov 27 Transformative Peace
When I was studying Peace and Conflict Studies at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok (Rotary program) I was exposed to traditional teachings of peace such as: concepts and values of peace, diagnosis and analysis of conflict, conflict resolution, conflict transformation and building a sustainable peace. I found myself returning to my room as I was feeling inspired to look in another direction. All the teaching has arisen out of conflict and focuses on the amelioration of conflict. However, my inner feeling was leading me to look for transformative peace. The feeling I had is to expand the peace that already exists. Peace is always present but we focus on the conflict and go through a long process of solving the problem. I couldn´t put my finger on what I was after but the sense was to find the power that transforms to the truth of peace as real. Peace is the reality beyond conflict, beyond negative beliefs that are believed. The feeling I had was inspired by love. So I Google searched transformative peace, thank god for Google, it has definitely accelerated my understanding. Anyway I found a person called Byron Katie, when I found her I looked over the website and I knew I found transformative peace, I cried and laughed at 3 am. Byron Katie was a person who was depressed for 10 years, one day she woke up and she found herself perceiving in a way that was one with all around her. She fell in love with herself (as all negative thoughts were no longer present) and she felt herself moved by a consciousness. She wrote a book called a Thousand Names for Joy which describes her transformed life, where she saw the world from a mindset of complete peace. She stated all war should be done on paper. She pointed out that you must find the peace within and take full responsibility for your thoughts and actions. To be peace is to not be at war with anything, it actually rests in total acceptance. The pacifists talk of this and I remember where Gandhi grew up in Porbandar in Gujurat, India, his family were influenced by Jainism which advocated non violence and purity. Peppered throughout history are religions proposing to be peace and not retaliate. Byron Katie has been awakened for around 25 years now and has not felt one moment of stress. Oprah Whinfrey interviewed her and was astounded to learn this. Each person in front of her she feels complete unconditional love, she is completely fearless. Funny how in our world fearlessness is seen as the warrior not the lover. She said in the moment of her awakening The Work was born inside her. The Work is simply examining negative beliefs to discover the truth, it is self inquiry, as follows –
(NEGATIVE BELIEF)
1. Is it true
2. Can you be absolutely sure it is true
3. How do you feel how do you react when you believe the thought
4. Who would you be without the thought
5 TURNAROUND the thought. eg. He is selfish. The turnaround is he is not selfish, or, I am selfish.
It is to try on the judgement you have projected onto someone else. The thought comes from you, therefore it is an issue within you, not them. If you are sincerely honest the negativity will break down as you find you really don´t know for sure what is true and that beneath all negativity is peace. This is the real war to tackle, the one we rage within.
If you want to know more just go to www.thework.com, have a go on some problem you are dealing with right now.
Peace is about you, no-one else. If you can feel peace in the midst of conflict, all your issues have been resolved, there is no more projection. This is the real peace work. Understanding comes from love and insight comes from awareness, peace is a thoughtless reality that is what it is.
I felt inspired to write a poem which is in the next blog.