Conference hydra::dejavu

    One perspective is that individuals, by first creating
    a congruent state within themself, can [*lead by example*] others
    who will tend to follow their lead because it is has the
    force of sincerity, unity of purpose, and some commonality with
    aspects of the experience of many others.  An example of the wrong
    way to create peace (under this concept) would be to *violently*
    protest for it. ;-)
    
    In creating a "congruent" peaceful state within an individual,
    several approaches are known to me.  One involves understanding
    each aspect of your own intentions, and engaging in something
    resembling a negotiation process to create a single focused intention.
    
    Another approach is to follow the psychological chain from
    Wishing ---> Wanting ---> Being ---> Planning ---> Doing ---> Having.
    
    Wishing and Wanting.
    Wishing for something is simply formuating a vague goal and feeling
    that it would be desireable.  Wishes almost never manifest into
    reality, except by coincidence.  Nearly all, if not all of us wish for 
    peace.  Wanting is establishing a focused, directed, congruent desire for 
    a more specific outcome.  This is done by visualization, ritual, and 
    various other tools.  Death and sleep are forms of peace. Clearly,
    more specific outcomes need to be envisioned at this point to create it
    in reality.
    
    Wanting and Being.
    The natural result of formulating a congruent intention is that your
    personality begins to display that intention in many subtle and
    perhaps not so subtle ways.  This is being.  It is recognized as
    part of the roles we play and the way we play them.
    
    Being and Planning.
    Part of being is formulating general and then more detailed plans for 
    achieving specific aspects of your goal.  Another part is the planning
    and achieving done by our more intuitive and less conscious aspects,
    which may not be linear as we normally think of planning.  Short and
    long term outcomes involve planning, but of different types or orders.
    
    Planning and Doing.
    As plans are formulated, from a congruent, focused intention, they are 
    carried out partly 'unconsciously' and partly by force of will.   Those
    who choose to believe in direct manipulation of reality through thought 
    would, in this approach, be actually changing things toward their goal at 
    this point.  Those who choose to believe that their will must be
    chanelled through physical action of their body would at this point
    begin to set the motions into place to achieve their result (rallies,
    letters, etc.).
    
    Doing and Having.
    As the result of being of congruent, focused intention, and leading by
    example (or contagion ;-)), and creating and executing plans to 
    achieve the result, it begins to occur.  
    
    If many people wish to implement this process, it seems they would
    need to be of the same or at least very similar intentions, using
    visions with some degree of commonality.  Peace through Superior
    Firepower, for example, is a different vision than Peace through
    Disarmament, and although both visions call the result the same,
    their image, and thus their 'being' are very different.
    
    	Todd

    Todd,
    
    A couple of thoughts that came up for me:
    
    Peace is not necessarily the absence of conflict, but rather the
    absence of hostility.  So looking at the ways in which we deal with 
    conflict can be extremely insightful.  To resolve conflicts, openness 
    and a true willingness to listen to the other (or other part(s) of 
    ourself) is necessary.  How well do I listen?  Am I truly receptive
    to what the other is saying?  Or is it feigned interest?  What do I do
    with what I hear?  Do I welcome honesty in communications - both giving
    and receiving?
    
    One of the best things each person can do to create world peace is
    to heal the war within themselves. (paraphrased from a author whose
    name escapes me at the moment.)
    
    Btw, _How Can I Help?_ is a book that has a great chapter devoted to
    social activism that ties in real closely to this topic.
    
    Karen

re:          <<< Note 1417.2 by CARTUN::BERGGREN "Caretaker of Wonder" >>>
                        -< Living a compassionate life >-
    
    Those were great thoughts, Karen.  I think what you describe as
    an attitude of compassion is essential to what I was calling
    negotiation of our own intentions, if our intentions are truly
    oriented toward ending unnecessary violence, individually and
    collectively.  Personal compassion is absolutely at the heart of the 
    Peace intention, as far as I can tell, and if it is not, Peace
    a "wish".	
    	toddy

    Creating peace within and outward thru the universal  "Golden Rule"
    
    Brahmanism: This is the sum of duty:do naught unto others which would
    cause you pain if done to you.
    BUDDHISM: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.
    CONFUCIANISM: Surely it is the maxim of loving kindness: do not unto
    others what you would not have them do unto you.
    TAOISM: Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain and your
    neighbor's loss as your own loss.
    ZOROASTRIANISM: That nature alone is good which  refrains from doing
    unto another whatsoever is not good for itself.
    JUDAISM:What is  hateful to you, do not to your fellowman.That is the
    entire Law:all the rest is commentary.
    CHRISTIANITY:All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,
    do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
    ISLAM: No one  of you is a believer until he desires for his brother
    that which he desires for himself.
    
    (Courtesy of Farmers Almanac)
    
    

    WICCA: An' it harm none, do what thou wilt.
    
    Blessed be,
    Serenity

  It's hard to believe it's that simple. If it were, how come people are
  so darned ornery behind the wheel of a car at rush hour?