In thanksgiving for life, I pledge to overcome VIOLENCE, all of which is rooted in fear, by observing that fighting violence by violence leads to more violence and death and, thus, to foster life by acting NON-VIOLENTLY.
Let these words settle into your whole being. When you feel complete with your meditation on the pledge, deepen your exploration with the following reflections and practice suggestions.
- Reflect upon Br. David’s claim that “violence…is rooted in fear.” Can you find examples that support this claim? In your own life? In the lives of others? In the world?
- Blame, judgement, and domination are forms of violence. Can you see ways in which your behavior might be experienced as violent? Or do you see this behavior in those around you?
- Can you identify the fear behind such controlling behaviors? How might you address your fears with compassion rather than judgement?
- What are some other ways you can take a stand against violence in our world?
- Commit to overcoming violence through cultivating awareness and compassionate action.
Should you be inspired, please leave a reflection below…
Enjoy the full five-day In Thanksgiving for Life practice.
“Live Now As We Think Human Beings Should Live”, Zinn, Sartre, Rolling Over In His Grave Says, ‘Duh’
Exigency replacing humanity,
merchants, only for more
through to mercs for unending
unneccessary war.
C’est tres facile pour la machine,
addictive personality disorder
replacing human being,
c’est la unvie, no?
Oligarchic vacuum-up being almost
always on only leaves a trickle down,
only, when it’s accidentally turned off.
So the interlocking, laced economic
systems base, scarcity, that they think
they’ve replaced nature’s abundance with,
details violence in all hues of all colors
of the rainbow, not just choosing to not know.
An addiction, like any other,
that can be treated just so.
When one weeds the garden within,
turns the inside out, a ray of Thee’s Light
without, And within, it doubling,
doubles again outside, Bliss begins,
peace on wing sings, Soulshine
shared on and on, evolves life, echoing.
A twig of poetree also elucidates 🙂
Soul
As my breath is the one, prana,
And the life’s pulse, pala,
Reaching angelic source, sura,
So is this mind, manas,
A flowering unfoldment,
Unendingly touching
The eye that would it see,
Unbeckoning unto Thee.
As well, this Bodhi, a temple,
Of the four and fifth, nur,
So entered by Atma, a ray of Thy Sun,
Thus being winged
And as such with wind,
Flying only in Dharma’s dance,
Is returning to, Brahma, you.
For, there yet, by Thy Grace, go i.
And, if you’ll allow, a song of non-violence: ‘Harmony of Mother-Earth’ by Patrick Bernhard:
https://youtu.be/RlEl_Ti1cs0?list=PLbz4OXyEIydELA_Ysia0fkY88StMgC-ag
Thanx for all you do 🙂 reality
I so appreciate everything that people are saying… But I’m really struggling with this one. I have a college kid home for the holidays and just when I think we are beyond judgement and blame… Oh out rears its ugly little head. Lord hear my prayer!
This meditation brings home to me that violence isn’t just “out there” it’s in my judgements and critcisms of myself and others as well. Every increment of shifting toward awareness and compassion harbors that much more peace within myself, those around me, and so within the world. The felt sense of this is a gift I wish for all sentient beings. Thank you!
Exactly, even though violence is a delusional direction and more than exponentially worse than the illusion of non-violence’s illusory direction, “…we(e),…” must still struggle with the illusion of non-violence, whilst walking it’s path; no? Thanx for all you do; have a great eve’ ? reality
When I was pregnant I was a non smoker but in testing me there was medical evidence that supported me the need for tobacco based products til Kingdom Come but remained a non smoker and breastfed for 2 years on demand. I am a light smoker today.
This message is so striking to me that I have to repeat it. “Blame, judgement, and dominance are forms of violence, which is a reaction based in fear.” May we all see each other with God’s eyes, the way He sees us, so we react out of compassion rather than fear.
I left an emotionally violent marriage. I am reflecting about my own violence based on this meditation. I need to be accountable for my judgment of him and others as a form of violence as well.