Spirits In Peace Blog

In these times of world-wide upheaval and tumult, it seems more important than ever that we direct our focus to humanitarian issues, that we keep the ideals of freedom and social justice first and foremost in our minds.

As governments change, the economy flounders, and war rages on in many parts of the world, I feel the need to reiterate my often-expressed notion that we cannot continue to divide humanity into winners and losers. To do so is to keep someone in a hurt, angry, and upset frame of mind, and how can we achieve peace when such is the case?

As long as people feel discounted, disenfranchised, and voiceless, there will be problems in the world, and we cannot solve them by fighting, by perpetuating more of the same win/lose mentality. We must listen, and that lost art needs to be rediscovered.

Our Aboriginal Peoples have long understood the art and technique of dialogue and communication, and much could be learned from their practices. They have never walked away from their meetings until everyone has been heard. The traditional practice of passing the Talking Stick provides each with his or her opportunity to speak.

My work often reflects this idea. There is no greater poetic inspiration than love for one’s fellow human beings.

We need to adopt a similar practice is governing bodies world-wide and in the United Nations. The G8 cannot continue to run its agenda and expect the rest of the world to fall in line; it just doesn’t work that way. We need to pass the Talking Stick, and in that process omit no nation.

How often do we need to be retaught the same lesson?