Cultivating a Culture of Peace: Thoughts Along the Way

Starting this course again has rekindled my spark of creativity in regards to what I am working towards. I'm aware that what I do and how I think is radical.  I'm ok with that.  In fact, I think it is necessary, as to paraphrase Einstein, we can't solve problems with the same thinking that created them.  We are deeply disconnected from ourselves, each other, and nature.  I truly don't believe that healthy humans do the harm that we do on all these levels.  I am deeply aware of the ways language got us into this mess and the ways it supports its perpetuation.  I'm always clarifying my wording and thoughts, looking for ways to use language to express what is in my heart and align my living with my vision.  But more so, I truly believe that to change our thinking, we need to change our language.  Our language both reflects and initiates individual and social transformation, much like art and music, I suppose. So, I'm looking for language that both reflects my vision and shapes my living.

The phrase Culture of Peace is something that I've used, but I haven't quite clarified for myself what that means.  I've also been looking to rename the work I do because I don't think that the words Peacemaking, Peacebuilding, or Restorative Justice quiet say it; they are also very loaded terms that have come to mean many things to many people--none of which define for me what I'm after.  What I'm after is more radical; more wholistic.  I'm playing with the idea of cultivation; of growing; seed by seed--connection by connection--a culture of peace.  What does that mean?

Upon first consideration, to me it means a culture deeply connected to nature such that nature is central to systems design in all forms.  It is a culture that holds empathy, caring, respect, love, and connection with and for all life as the primary goals for all interaction, including interaction with ourselves, others, nature, and life.  It is the idea that tending to small moments and opportunities with these principles in mind adds up to changes in the greater system.  It involves a total and radical paradigm shift that places these values at the core and forefront of all thought and action. It involves taking inventory of how our language, our actions, our feelings, and thoughts play out in the various arenas of relationship: with ourselves, others, nature, and life.  It involves learning and implementing new tools with humility and diligence. It involves caring enough to do the work necessary to make the changes needed.  It involves clarifying our truth, speaking up, taking a stand, not giving up.  It involves believing in others and ourselves and the possibility of radical transformation and a peaceful, regenerative human culture in harmony with nature--not a singular culture, mind you, but a culture of cultures that holds love, peace, and nature as their central orientation.

What is a language of peace?

Seeds of Peace: Peacemaking with Children (New and Updated Version)

Seeds of Peace: Peacemaking with Children

What?

An  Arts, Nature, and Story-based course designed for adults to help cultivate, nurture and support peaceful relationships with and between children. 

Why?

What if we could teach our children a new way to experience their emotions and express themselves fully and authentically, without causing harm to themselves or others? What if we could cultivate in our children the capacities to navigate life in a powerful, open, joyful, regenerative, thoughtful, peaceful way? Can we help them develop individually, to find and follow their own personal vision, AS WELL as to become conscious, respectful, and caring members of a community? Can we teach them to respond to and resolve conflicts in a peaceful way? Yes, we can, and it comes down to two points:

•  If we want a peaceful world, we have to teach our children peace. 
• “What we are, teaches the child far more than what we say, so we must be what we want our children to become” Joseph Chilton Pearce.

     This means that cultivating peaceful relationships with and between children begins with each and every one of us. Through arts, nature and stories, we will examine our own habits, patterns, and practices and gather new tools to both embody and share with our children in an effort to sow seeds of peace through our thoughts, feelings, words and actions.   

Who?

Generally, this course is for people who believe that peace is not only possible but essential and who hold a vision of peaceful human cultures in harmony with nature.  Specifically, Teachers, Administrators, Grandparents, Parents, Camp Staff, Aunties, Uncles or anyone else in a position to influence the lives and development of children. 

4 Ways to Participate:

Online Self-Study Track includes recommended option of participation in facilitated online group experience ($150)

a.       8 months (October to May, 2018) 

b.      Email materials for month, including readings, activities and resources

c.       Optional: participation in online group reflection and sharing (highly recommended)

d.      Details will be provided in the orientation package.

2.        Online Personally Facilitated Track  ($300)

a.     8 months (October to May, 2018)

b.     Email materials for month, including readings, activities and resources and optional participation in facilitated online group forum. Plus....

c.     Monthly personal correspondence with Tamara through phone, email, Skype, mail, or other preferred method of communication to share and reflect on insights.

3.        In-Person Full Course  ($150)

a.       Meets 1 evening per month (October to May)

b.      Locations: TBA

c.       Dates: TBA
d.    Contact Tamara to discuss organizing a course in your area. 

4.  In-Person Workshops 

a.       Full or Partial Weekends  

b.      Tailored to meet the needs of your community. 

c.       Dates and locations flexible.  
d.    Contact Tamara to discuss bringing a PWC workshop to your community.

Course Outline:

Upon Registration, you will receive a Welcome/Orientation package, which will include:  Introduction, Orientation, Overview, Specific Instructions and Things to consider. 

·         Session 1: The Big Picture: The Ecosystem Paradigm (Vision, Beliefs and Cosmology)

·         Session 2: The Container: Values, Rights and Responsibilities

·         Session 3: The Heart-Mind-Body Connection

·         Session 4: Sensual Intelligence: Integrating the Language of Nature

·         Session 5: Peace with Self

·         Session 6: Peace with Others 

·         Session 7: Peace with Life (Resiliency)

·         Session 8: Restoring Peace and Conflict Resolution

·         Session 9: Final Thoughts, Harvest and Celebration of the journey

How?

For more information please contact pilustudies@gmail.com

To register in Canada please e-transfer to pilustudies@gmail.com 
To register from outside Canada please use paypal to send payment to: pilustudies@gmail.com 
Thank you! 

Welcome to PILU

PILU stands for Peace I Love You.  

• PILU is a place for all things having to do with making the world a better place for this and future generations of the human and other-than-human communities.  
• We aim to create a space in which we can explore ideas and share individual, global, and local arts, nature, healing, and peace-based projects, resources, courses, studies, and initiatives that contribute to a peaceful, regenerative, healthy human culture in harmony with nature.  
• This is a space in which we value respect, courage, honesty, integrity, love, peace, health, abundance and joy.  Please uphold these values in your presence and contributions here.  Intolerance and/or violence in any form will not be accepted.  

Enjoy.  

With love and peace, Tamara.