Metta’s Opinion

Recap: Politics of Love & Justice

by

Politics of Love Justice

Toward the end of last month, Stephanie Van Hook and Michael Nagler participated in The Shift Network‘s Politics of Love & Justice Summit, which was a free online event integrating spirituality and activism.

Over the course of a few days, 25 of the world’s most visionary spiritual leaders convened online and shared their wisdom, offering guideposts for building a sustainable, caring world. Presenters included such prominent voices as Marianne Williamson, David Korten, and Rabbi Michael Lerner. Stephanie and Michael spoke about nonviolence as an act of love.

Hear what Stephanie and Michael brought to the discussion in this recording of their session. Please note that while we are offering the recording here, it is ultimately a copyright of The Shift Network.

Please feel free to share the link to this web page with anyone who may appreciate the discussion.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Man From the North: Story 16

The Man From the North is a fictional writer in Rivera Sun’s novel, The Dandelion Insurrection. The novel takes place in the near future, in “a time that looms around the corner of today,” when a rising police state controlled by the corporate-political elite have plunged the nation into the grip of a hidden dictatorship. In spite of severe surveillance and repression, the Man From the North’s banned articles circulate through the American populace, reporting on resistance and fomenting nonviolent revolution.

The story below is one of several written by the Man From the North. The article series is not included in the novel and was originally published on Dandelion Salad. We will feature a Man From the North story on a weekly basis through June 3, 2015. You can read the entire series at Dandelion Salad. The Dandelion Insurrection and a companion study guide can be purchased on Rivera’s website.

The Dawn of Tomorrow is Today!

Look beyond this night of darkness to the dawn of tomorrow. There is a world beyond the apocalypse, a world beyond war, a world of music and dance; a world where the children are laughing and time stretches slowly; where the Earth lives in the hearts, minds, and souls of our people.

There is a world where the gaping wounds of today close into scars, and then those scars heal over and vanish. The crying of the Earth returns to a love song. Lamentations give way to rejoicing. The wealth of the people breaks through the dam of the elite. Fallow fields burst with life. The deserts bloom, fertile. The concrete cracks into green. The roar of destruction falls silent.

(more…)

Peace Is Every Laugh

by

I just returned from Philadelphia, where I was invited to talk about peace at the Humor Academy lunch at the Association for Applied Therapeutic Humor (AATH) annual conference.

Calligraphy by Thich Nhat Hanh

The AATH is an organization of professionals from various fields who integrate humor into their lives and work to promote health and well-being. My talk was entitled “Peace Is Every Laugh: The Role of Laughter and Humor on the Path to Peace.” It is a play on title of Thich Nhat Hanh’s book Peace Is Every Step, in which he explains how all of our actions can contribute to peace in ourselves and in the world. This book was extremely influential on my own path (as I discussed in an earlier post) and sent me on a life-long quest to contribute to peace in every aspect of my life. Thich Nhat Hanh also says that “peace begins with your lovely smile,” when I asked the audience to smile, I said we were already starting to promote peace together! (more…)

The World’s Most Person-Powerful Women

by

Earlier this week, Forbes published it’s 2015 list of the world’s most powerful women—”most powerful” as defined, of course, by Forbes. The magazine’s criteria:

This is FORBES’ definitive annual audit of the foremost heads of state, iconic entrepreneurs and CEOS, celebrity role models, billionaire activists, and pioneer philanthropists, all ranked by money, media momentum, spheres of influence and impact (full methodology here).

These narrow criteria lead to a narrow understanding of power. While the 100 women on the list, from Angela Merkel (“No. 1”) to Lee Boo-Jin (“No. 100”), undoubtedly achieved much material success, what about criteria that highlight a person’s inner power? I’ve just finished reading Thich Nhat Hanh’s The Art of Power, which offers much deeper food for thought: (more…)

Occupy Radio: Constructive Program

Yesterday, Michael Nagler and Stephanie Van Hook joined Rivera Sun and David Geitgey Sierralupe on Occupy Radio for an exciting conversation about building alternatives and healthy communities.

What if we recreate society from the bottom up, from within the culture we know? How can we loosen our dependencies on corporate structures and strive for self-sufficiency within our communities?

It can be done. And peacefully so, for the benefit of all. Listen to the inspiring, practical discussion at Occupy Radio.

Occupy Radio_Meade quote

The Man From the North: Story 15

The Man From the North is a fictional writer in Rivera Sun’s novel, The Dandelion Insurrection. The novel takes place in the near future, in “a time that looms around the corner of today,” when a rising police state controlled by the corporate-political elite have plunged the nation into the grip of a hidden dictatorship. In spite of severe surveillance and repression, the Man From the North’s banned articles circulate through the American populace, reporting on resistance and fomenting nonviolent revolution.

The story below is one of several written by the Man From the North. The article series is not included in the novel and was originally published on Dandelion Salad. We will feature a Man From the North story on a weekly basis through June 3, 2015. You can read the entire series at Dandelion Salad. The Dandelion Insurrection and a companion study guide can be purchased on Rivera’s website.

The Sabotage of Division

Enough! Enough of this senseless criticizing of one another. A Dandelion Insurrectionist who is imprisoned and beaten by the police is no more revolutionary than the mother who gets up in the morning and feeds her child. We all have tasks that are imperatives of our times and we must do them with humility. Those of us trying to make change through civil resistance are no nobler than the plumber trying to clear the shit out of the pipes.

So, enough of this criticizing one another about who is or is not a revolutionary, a radical, a cop-out, or who isn’t sacrificing enough to the cause, or who is playing it safe, or who lacks courage, or who is too middle of the road, or too extreme, or too cautious, or too colonized, or too oppressed, or who isn’t enough like you to be worthy of your respect.

We will criticize ourselves to death.

(more…)

Restorative Practices in Schools: Misconceptions Addressed

by

Metta Center note: Restorative Solutions is holding a training on restorative practices in schools in mid-June. The training will be held over 3–5 days in Arizona. Applications due by June 8. Learn more and apply.

As I wrote previously, Restorative practices (RPS) are increasingly employed in schools to address discipline in ways that keep students engaged with their learning.

To keep students engaged, RPS develop person power to bring about democracy and social justice in schools. They shift disciplinary foci (see table below). By doing so, they represent a fundamental change towards discipline that may engender discomfort and resistance among educators asked to embrace RPS. Among many concerns raised during consultation with educators, two seem to re-emerge.  (more…)

The Man From the North: Story 14

The Man From the North is a fictional writer in Rivera Sun’s novel, The Dandelion Insurrection. The novel takes place in the near future, in “a time that looms around the corner of today,” when a rising police state controlled by the corporate-political elite have plunged the nation into the grip of a hidden dictatorship. In spite of severe surveillance and repression, the Man From the North’s banned articles circulate through the American populace, reporting on resistance and fomenting nonviolent revolution.

The story below is one of several written by the Man From the North. The article series is not included in the novel and was originally published on Dandelion Salad. We will feature a Man From the North story on a weekly basis through June 3, 2015. You can read the entire series at Dandelion Salad. The Dandelion Insurrection and a companion study guide can be purchased on Rivera’s website.

Police State Blues

Another citizen was shot dead by the cops.

He reached inside his coat. The officer pulled the trigger. But it was his ID – not a gun – that the man’s fingers sought.

The Chief of Police says it was unfortunate, but it happens. His officers are trained to look for dangers, to stop threats in their tracks, and what if the man had been a terrorist headed toward a school?

(more…)