My Week at Metta Center for Nonviolence

Text by Annika Roes; Photo: Annika in down dog and Fancy the dog

On my first evening at Metta Center, I was asked about my journey to Petaluma, CA. My initial answer was limited, but after spending a week at Metta Center—reading, listening, meditation, reflecting, and engaging in various conversations with the people who are a part of Metta Center—I think I can give a better answer now.

I reflect on a couple of influential life experiences: the fairy tales about the vegetarian wolf and stories of my pacifist father that my mother used to tell me, and my service as a peace volunteer in France. But it was education about nonviolence and satyagraha that eventually brought me to Petaluma.

In September I took a class in Peace and Conflict studies at my University in Freiburg, Germany. My instructor, Dr. Marcel Baumann, covered a breadth of topics, among them a section of Michael Nagler’s Search for a Nonviolent Future. To be honest, at first I did not quite know how to contextualize nonviolence, but when the class traveled to Northern Ireland, I finally understood. The specific region of Northern Ireland we visited has been deeply affected by war-like conditions. The citizens there have experimented with peace and concepts of restorative justice. Being witness to this, I found myself thinking, What can one person do in a situation where so many citizens have been classified as criminals? Didn’t I want to be around most of these people?

One evening, I witnessed a protest camp where a marching band had been playing. The camp was made up of Protestant groups trying to overcome resistance to protests in a heavily Catholic area. Protestors incorporated symbols and flags in their efforts. The protesters and police clashed. It was during this exchange between protestors and police that my in-depth research in nonviolence began. At the time, I felt uneasy about watching the clash. I did not quite understand what was happening. In an effort to make sense of it, I chose to write my essay for the Peace and Conflict course on Gandhian nonviolence. In my research, I found that the protest I had witnessed was not in fact nonviolent. The protestors were filled with destructive anger and fear. Unfortunately, I have found that fear and anger existed in both sides of the conflict.

It was through my research on Gandhi and nonviolence that I found Metta Center. I completed an online course, studied Roadmap, and found myself, half a year later, sitting in the sun on Metta Center’s terrace.

So, what can I say?

I have learned so much at Metta Center in my week here. I have been able to practice what I have learned in a supportive environment.