Category: NonViolence

Establishing Healthy Conscious Moral Norms

Contemplative Interbeing

Establishing Healthy Conscious Moral Norms Violence often begins by making the “other” less-than, dehumanized, demoralized, or demonized in some way. The violence occurring in the United States, from the capital insurrection, Seattle, arrests of Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson (black men) at Starbucks, the ‘Muslim ban’, and other violence all occurred because an “other” was demonized in some way. You’re not white, you’re not Christian, you’re not a Democrat (or Republican), so you are less than human and I can harm you. One doesn’t have to spend much time on social media to read the plethora of demonizing comments, even Read More …

Pace e Bene Nonviolence Conference Aug 2020

Contemplative Interbeing
Pace e Bene Nonviolence Conference Aug 2020

Video 1 Online Zoom Webinar Conference (7 hrs) Video 2 Nonviolence Training Soul Force: From Spirit To Street (3 hrs) Click here to see other available training Video 3 Third Harmony extended trailer SPEAKERS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE Rev. Richard Rohr – one of the world’s best-known theologians and religious leaders and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation who shares his thoughts on the spirituality and practice of nonviolence.  Learn more about Richard Rohr here: https://cac.org/ Q & A with Richard Rohr facilitated by Sr. Andrea Koverman, a member of the Sisters of Charity community and currently working Read More …

The Philosophy of Nonviolence

Contemplative Interbeing

excerpted from “Stride Toward Freedom”, 1958 by Martin Luther King, Jr. The philosophy of nonviolence Since the philosophy of nonviolence played such a positive role in the Montgomery movement, it may be wise to turn to a brief discussion of some basic aspects of this philosophy. First, it must be emphasized that nonviolent resistance is not a method for cowards; it does resist. If one used this method because he is afraid, he is not truly nonviolent. That is why Gandhi often said that if cowardice is the only alternative to violence, it is better to fight. He made this Read More …

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Principles of Nonviolence

Contemplative Interbeing

1) Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people. It is active nonviolent resistance to evil. It is assertive spiritually, mentally and emotionally.   2) Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding. The end result of nonviolence is redemption and reconciliation. The purpose of nonviolence is the creation of the Beloved Community.   3) Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people. Nonviolence holds that evil doers are also victims. The nonviolent resister seeks to defeat evil, not people.   4) Nonviolence holds that voluntary suffering can educate and transform. Nonviolence accepts suffering without retaliation. Nonviolence accepts violence if necessary, Read More …

Nonviolent Climate Crisis Change

Contemplative Interbeing

Avi Kaplan sings “Change On The Rise” as Greta Thunberg organizes nonviolent change to the climate crisis “We don’t want you to be hope, we want you to panic!” ~Greta Thunberg Greta On The Rise “The symbolism of the school strike is that since you adults don’t give a damn about my future, I won’t either. Why should we care for our future? When we might not have one and why should we bother to learn facts when facts don’t matter in this society. It’s absurd that young people will have to skip school and risk their own education because, they Read More …

Nonviolence

Contemplative Interbeing

Non-violence doesn’t just mean not doing violence; it’s also a way of taking positive action to resist oppression or bring about change. The essence of non-violent technique is that it seeks to liquidate antagonisms but not the antagonists. Gandhi The aim of non-violent conflict is to convert your opponent; to win over their mind and heart and persuade them that your point of view is right. An important element is often to make sure that the opponent is given a face-saving way of changing their mind. Non-violent protest seeks a ‘win-win’ solution whenever possible. In non-violent conflict the participant does Read More …

Contemplative Interbeing for Nonviolent Activists

Contemplative Interbeing

Interbeing is a state of deep connectedness, a recognition that we are connected to all other beings, connected to the depths of our Beingness, and the ground of Being. When our state of consciousness is separate from the state of Interbeing, we tend toward some form of violence to solve our sense of lack; lack of dignity, lack of power, lack of recognition. Contemplation gradually teaches us not to make too much of the differences. Instead, contemplation teaches us to connect to the depths of who we are—our True Self—which is our Interbeing beyond nationality, religion, race, gender, sexuality or Read More …

NonViolence

Contemplative Interbeing

CHAPTER 13 THICH NHAT HANH Thich Nhat Hanh (1926 – ) was born and raised in Vietnam. As a young man, he became a Buddhist monk. When Vietnam was gripped by civil war, he remained neutral. Although he did not support the North Vietnamese effort to reunify the nation by force, he was deeply involved in protests against the South Vietnamese government. In 1966, while he was touring the U.S. promoting peace, the South Vietnamese authorities told him he would not be allowed back into his native country. Since then, he has been a citizen of the world, teaching and Read More …