The First Peace

“The First Peace is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, and that this center is everywhere, and it is within each of us. 

This is the real peace, and others are but reflections of this.  The second peace is that which is made by two individuals, and the third is that which is made between two nations.  But above all you should understand that there can never be peace between nations until there is known that true peace, which, as I have often said, is within the souls of the people.”

Black Elk – Oglala Sioux

Dear Reader,

Sometimes we find that words of others are just perfect and can’t be read enough. Thus I have posted Alice Walker’s open letter to the president to be in the US.

I am honoured to share these wise words from a wise woman. May we all see that we are part of the solution, not the problem. We are the cause, not the effect – or at affect. May we all see that we have choice to make this a beautiful world to live in. May we all see that we are all needed to make this happen.

Thank you Alice Walker for these words. And thanks to each of you seeing yourself as a part of the big picture and knowing that you can cause change.

Open letter from Alice Walker to Barack Obama

Nov. 5, 2008

Dear Brother Obama,

You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done. We knew, through all the generations, that you were with us, in us, the best of the spirit of Africa and of the Americas. Knowing this, that you would actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. Seeing you take your rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, stamina and character, is a balm for the weary warriors of hope, previously only sung about.

I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on. One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.

I would further advise you not to take on other people’s enemies. Most damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us who profess a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are ourselves in disguise. It is understood by all that you are commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect our beloved country; this we understand, completely. However, as my mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought, “hate the sin, but love the sinner.” There must be no more crushing of whole communities, no more torture, no more dehumanizing as a means of ruling a people’s spirit. This has already happened to people of color, poor people, women, children. We see where this leads, where it has led.

A good model of how to “work with the enemy” internally is presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet. Because, finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to mountain ranges, purple and majestic, also dies. And your smile, with which we watch you do gracious battle with unjust characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our way and brightening the world.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

In Peace and Joy,

Alice Walker

The Earth is our Mother

All around the world, through all times, we the Humans have spoken about the beautiful planet we live on as our mother. Mother Earth. Did you ever contemplate this?

It is my intention to contemplate this as a grey day of drizzling covers me.

The Turn of the Red Lodge

The red, yellow and orange leaves are now turning brown. As the sap of the tree beings is leaving the stems the last leaves are readying themselves to leave their life givers and gently fall to the ground.

Allowing oneself to be with a leaf letting go of the twig is inspiring. This leave does not hold on. The leave does not look for ways to stretch the time. The leave can teach us to let go.

Imagine how many times in life we hold on to something. We hold things, we no longer use. We hold on to ideas, we are not in alignment with anymore. We hold on to people, with whom we have completed the cycle. We hold on to patterns, which do not serve who we truly are. We hold on to jobs, from which all inspiration has gone. We hold on to homes, which is not supporting our dream of who we are. Imagine how much energy we use to protect our belongings or habits.

Then imagine if all the energy we spend to resist the letting go was engaged in supporting the flow. The flow of life. Used to support each of us in blossoming into our fullest potential and serving the greater good.

The leaves let go when the cycle is complete and are fully ready to return to the Earth that has fed them so well. They merge with the earth and become nourishment of their life givers. Of the tree beings. If we let go of what is no longer needed, the energy of this will return to the ground and compost into new energy that will serve the former life givers. Us. The Human beings.

Be inspired, let go, release and be ready for what is in the now. Be ready to receive the gifts that may return in renewed energy.

The Beginning

In the Beginning all was dark. In the beginning all was possible. All potential. The Darkness waiting in her perfect condition. Yielding. The Darkness who contained all Light.