Practice of Peace in Sweden--A reflection on the Issue

[Judy D. Spady]

Chris and anyone else listening,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.  I find your comments interesting and I
agree with almost everything you wrote.

I apologize because I did not do a good job of communicating what I meant.
I certainly think that "peace" is possible and I live in a very peaceful
world as well.  What I meant to say was that I do not think "World Peace" is
possible.  As you said, "perhaps peace is not the absence of conflict, but
the
presence of constructive ways of dealing with conflict."  I agree100% .  I
think that "in theory"...."if" humans could learn to deal with conflict by
understanding each other's differences, then peace could be achieved.  I
also believe that peace is practiced a lot throughout the world.

On the other hand, I am a realist and I do not believe that there will ever
be 'World Peace' because not everyone is willing to use those constructive
ways to deal with conflict.  I recognize that conflict isn't necessarily a
bad thing......it's how each party handles the conflict.

Hope that clears things up a bit.  I was just responding to Paul's comments
and didn't spell everything out....sorry about that.

Thanks again for your concern and thoughts.
Judy Spady
Experiential Learning for Impact
Bayfield, Colorado


----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Corrigan" <chris.corrigan at gmail.com>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 3:56 PM
Subject: Re: Practice of Peace in Sweden--A reflection on the Issue


> Judy wrote::
>>
>> I wholeheartedly agree with Paul's thoughts at the end of his message.  I
>> do
>> not think peace is possible (realistically).  Whenver there are humans
>> involved, there will be personality differences and when those
>> differences
>> become so vastly opposite, war breaks out.  I believe that with a deeper
>> understanding of our personality differences and acknowledging that no
>> 'personality type' is truly 'right' will move us towards peacefulness.  I
>> completely agree with Paul's statement - "we'd best be focusing on
>> raising
>> our own individual consciousness, tolerance level and inner beingness and
>> forget about peace as a target."  If/when everyone begins focusing on
>> their
>> own choices in life instead of looking to blame others, we might get
>> somewhere........but unfortunately, I doubt that will ever happen.
>
> I think peace is possible.  I know it because I see it.  I live in a
> peaceful community, I am at peace in my family and in myself.  Do we
> have squabbles and conflicts?  Of course.  Do these things create
> vicious cycles of conflict and violence?  No.
>
> I think perhaps that peace is not the absence of conflict, but the
> presence of constructive ways of dealing with conflict.  In Canada for
> example, we certainly have no shortage of potential causes for civil
> war: the occasional separatist referendum in a province containing
> 30% of the population of the country, unresolved indigenous land
> rights, ethnic and cultural diversity.  In many other places in the
> world, these things trigger widespread violence, but not here.  I like
> to think it is because we are blessed with an overabundance of space.
> Somehow we exist peacefully together in a sparsely populated land with
> a broad political spectrum and an open democracy that embraces
> opposition rather than demonizing it.  Conflict, although it gets
> nerve racking at times, never seems to escalate out of this mushy hug
> of space.
>
> And I agree with Alex.  Peace is an inner art.  To see the Dalai Lama
> and many others who have sustained this art in oppressive conditions
> tells me that's it's not only possible, but highly achievable.  But I
> think that Harrison's point in the Practice of Peace is key: space and
> time need to be opened if conflict is to dissipate.  Whatever that
> means to you, it should be understood that it IS possible.  We can
> choose to be opening or closing.  We can choose our systems and our
> cultures.  Once in a while something like what is happening in the
> Ukraine takes place.  What is emerging on the streets of Kiev is not
> peace (in fact it might result in more conflict in the country, I
> don't know) but it IS an opening.  It is hundreds of thousands of
> people calling for opening.  And in that space, the tolerance for
> conflict wanes and peace grows.  Not tonight or even next year, but in
> the long term, on the scale of human change.
>
> Holding space is having peace.  Not easy, but possible.
>
> Chris
>
> -------------------------
> CHRIS CORRIGAN
> Consultation - Facilitation
> Open Space Technology
>
> Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
> Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
>
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