Just-Peace Making - Reflections
Here's a brief summary of my talk last Sunday for those who were out of town, wrestling with a virus, working or traveling. Since many of us are involved in the work of making peace and justice, I'm hopeful that these reflections might prove useful to you.
1. Peace + Justice = Shalom, Salaam, P'ing
The goal of creative non-violence is "justice + peace".
As Dr. King remarked "peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the presence of justice." The Hebrew word "Shalom" and the Arabic "Salaam" mean peace AND justice. It expresses a covenant to treat one another with mutual respect. It seeks win/win solutions in a win/lose world. It aims at reciprocity by preserving the integrity and well-being of all parties. The Chinese character, "P'ing" (or "peace") mimics the scales used in market-places to guarantee a "fair measure".
The strong vertical line can also represent a shield placed between two fires (the two slanting lines). If you are creating peace and justice, you're going to feel some heat and you'll need to preserve a sense of impartiality or fairness.
2. Just Peace in the interdependent web of all existence
(UU (Principle #7)
Our UU Reader's Theater shared a lovely text from Lao Tzu, the founder of philosophical Taoism:
If there is to be peace in the world,
there must be peace in nations.
If there is to be peace in nations,
there must be peace in states.
If there is to be peace in states,
there must be peace in villages and cities.
If there is to be peace in villages and cities there must be peace in the family.
If there is to be peace in the family
there must be peace in our hearts-and-minds.
This text is often read by introverts to sanction the special value of seeking peace in our heart-and-mind. But it can also be read as a celebration of how a cardinal virtue like just-peace, operates at many interlocking levels of our lives. The good news is that we can begin anywhere and, if we do our work well, it will resonate at many different levels. We don't have to choose between or argue about meditating vs demonstrating. We can begin where we choose trusting that in the web of life, good works will change patterns of inter-action at many levels.
3. Robin Kimmerer's story of Star Woman
Rather than re-telling the story of Star Woman creating "Turtle Island" (North America) hear Dr. Robin Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass, retell this important creation story.
4. Lessons for Peace-and-Justice Makers from Star Woman's Story
Star Woman's Fall: not every downward move or fall is punishment for being bad.
Sometimes it’s just a shift of location and an invitation to be helpful and creative. The Community of Geese: working together with our own flock can multiply our capacity when we act "as one body". We can practice this art by reading, singing, speaking, listening and eating together.
Steadfast Turtle: Real change takes time. Sometimes it may feel like we're making no progress and that we carry the whole weight of the world on our backs.
Little Muskrat: Peace-making may require great personal sacrifice. Sometimes “the least
among us” with good hearts hold the key to victory.
Star Woman Dancing: Sometimes we may need to dance on the back of turtle to create something new. Keeping our balance takes practice. Poetry, painting, music and dance all mobilize energy for creating a better world.
In this new year, how will you make peace-and-justice in your self, your family, your community, our nation and our world?
shalom, salaam, p'ing