OUR SHARED WISDOM

For the Campaign Nonviolence Action Days, Sept 21st - Oct 2nd, George Trippe in Perth, Australia, invited people in his circles to respond to two thought-provoking questions about nonviolence and nonviolent living. Twelve people sent him poetic, practical, and profound responses to these questions. How would you respond?

OUR TWO QUESTIONS:

What must I do to live nonviolently with myself?

What do I do, what can I do, what might I do, to support nonviolent living for the Common Good?

GDH, 80 years, Melbourne, Australia

What can I do to live nonviolently with myself?

Develop my inner life; live intentionally

What do/can/should I do to support nonviolent living for the common good?

Do what I can to support others.

 

DF, 28 years, Brisbane, Australia

What can I do to live nonviolently with myself?

I am reminded often of Jesus' words 'You will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free'. I believe it is my responsibility to, as much as I am able, know the truth of the goings-on inside of me so as to be free from them unconsciously running my life. Through a range of practices (journaling, time in nature, deep conversations, dream work, active imagination), I feel I am able to get closer to the truth of my life at any given moment. 

Why has that desire arisen? Why am I struggling so much with that person? What is it I am trying to gain in this pursuit? I feel it is my task to discover the truth of these things so that I can, to the best of my ability, live a more healthy, integrated, and whole life. Naturally, this is an ongoing task that will never be completed. I do not believe the mystery of myself is ever knowable in any concrete way. But when I am able to at least move closer to knowing the truth of my life, I have seen that it can free me from conflict with myself and subsequent conflict with others.

…to support nonviolent living for the Common Good

Creating spaces for conversations in which all involved can move a little closer to their truth is something I try to do to support the Common Good. Whether that is in a lounge room in a small group setting, on a walk in a one-on-one setting, or in a variety of larger groups, I hope to, through vulnerable sharing and honest questioning, open the space for myself and others to explore what is actually motivating us in the various aspects of our lives.

 If we are able to, both individually and collectively, create intentional spaces to see what wounds, needs, and beliefs are driving the actions and emotions of our lives, I believe we can live nonviolently with one another in a much deeper and more sustainable way.

 

PJK, 76-years, Victoria, Australia

What can I do to live nonviolently with myself?

My foundational conviction is that God/Holy Mystery is in all, and all are in God.

Thus I have positive regard for all Creation, including myself.

Early morning, 4 days per week, weather permitting. I walk and talk with a friend in a nearby beautiful park, where we say hi to other friends, gardeners, dogs, ducks and other birds. Often after this walk, I join a community Eucharist, and living opposite the Parish Church is highly convenient!!

Before walking I pray for 20 minutes in silence, a form of Centering prayer. I also repeat this form of prayer in the afternoon.

Parish volunteering enables me to educate parishioners about our Awesome First Nations peoples, and their rights, in a group called AWE. This is my passion.

Daily I read a brief meditation/reflection from Fr. Richard Rohr’s Center for Action and Contemplation, New Mexico. I find this very encouraging.

As a great aunt, I have the great joy/bliss of nursing a tiny baby, in the afternoon, whose parents, including my niece, may have had little night sleep. My three living sisters and I are in regular contact and dine together when we can.

 What do/can/should I do to support nonviolent living for the common good?

As one gets older and less active now, my appetite is less, and so I consume less food, and rarely eat red meat. My wardrobe has not been updated for years.

For many years I have travelled by public transport, having sold my car in 2020.

This year I am concentrating on spruiking for First Nations peoples, so that they might have an enshrined Voice in Our Constitutions, sooner rather than later.

This intention is permanently in my prayer jar, with petitions for the end of all War, peace in myself, Aboriginal friends, family and wider world, good government. and for other needs that concern me.  As petitions are answered the written card is moved to a Thanksgiving Jar!! I avoid watching all war movies, and violent films.

Where I am able, I make monetary contributions to needy causes….

GET, 80 years, Perth, Australia

What can I do to live nonviolently with myself?

Accept the limits and needs of my body

Accept the discipline of tablets, exercise, and diet with gratitude

Take the rest I need

Spend time in the garden

Initiate conversations of interest

Follow the dream trail, own up to my projections

Practices:  journal writing, times of devotions and prayers for others

Remember how much I need others and be grateful

Read novels, make art

What do/can/should I do to support nonviolent living for the common good?

Be communal; be individual – both

Listen to others with interest

Greet others when out walking – make people visible

Choose people over “convenient” technological systems (I now avoid self- checkout stations in order to engage people)

Watch how I speak of others with whom I differ; remember that words carry power        to influence and wound.

Support programs financially that help others

Love without apology, a bit recklessly

Speak when I can in favor of peace and nonviolent living

Offer published writings for the Common Good

 

AM, 60 years, Brisbane, Australia

What can I do to live nonviolently with myself?

being in nature, 

being creative in writing and art-making

moving, walking, stretching, dancing and exercising in ways that are life-giving

eating and sleeping well

being grateful

learning and trying new things

opening my heart to love and life - however it shows up

being kind and compassionate with myself so I can be kind and compassionate to others.

What do/can/should I do to support nonviolent living for the common good?

At this time my energy is dedicated to walking with First Nations Peoples of Australia to have voice, treaty and truth, constitutional recognition and equity of access to human rights as citizens of this country. 

I am using my skills to model, educate and train non-Indigenous Australians to become better allies for this change to become a reality. We will come to maturity as a nation in multiple ways we cannot yet imagine, if we embrace, listen to, respect and learn from the oldest living, surviving culture on the planet. In this way the Common Good will be served.

 

MAW, 55 years, Darwin, Australia

 What can I do to live nonviolently with myself?

Listen to my body

Acknowledge the aches, pains

Tensions and emotions that get caught in the muscles

As she responds to the world

Giver her attention

To let her know she is cared for

And sacred

Embrace the parts within

The lonely, scared, angry, sad, needy, and overwhelmed

The young and the old

The shadows who have been shut away

Disowned and pushed down

They have a voice

And want to be acknowledged

As part of my sacred story

They make me whole

And expand my capacity to care

For all that is

Within and without

What do/can/should I do to support nonviolent living for the common good?

It all starts with me… working with my dreams opens me up to the Sacred Other, the mystery we all are a part of.  Something I enjoy doing is creating artwork and poetry, I find it deeply satisfying and grounding – it is as if the creative process opens me up to be more receptive of the world around me.  I also feel grounded when I notice the plants and animals in my backyard. When I take the time to water the plants, or do some repotting, appreciate the birds, frogs, lizards, butterflies, and fishponds, take notice of the breeze on my skin, put vegetable matter in the compost, or say hello to a person passing by – I am taken out of the daily grind and into a sacred space shared with another. When I do what is necessary to keep well – I am drawn to being a part of something that is greater than myself.

 

CJS, 19, years Perth, Australia

What can I do to live nonviolently with myself?

I must recognise what gets me angry and ‘causes’ me to act violently. I use ‘causes’ in inverted commas because nothing can cause me to act violently, it is my self-control, more specifically lack thereof, which is the reason I act violently.

In situation where I am angry, I must try not to use result to violence or force as my first reaction.

Learn more about ways to live nonviolently through books, video talks and conversations that can give me different approaches to successfully live nonviolently.

What do/can/should I do to support nonviolent living for the common good?

What do I do:

Currently, I seek to remove myself from situations where I know that I am bound to get angry. When I am annoyed or about to snap, I take a deep breath and move away. This often works quite effectively because within a short time, my emotions are no longer raised, I am no longer angry, and I am thankful that I did not act out.

What can I do:

I must try to watch less or completely stop watching television shows, programs and YouTube and Instagram videos that promote and normalise violence. In today’s words, violence is publicized and promoted so much. I notice it in all almost most of the stuff I choose to watch and currently, I have started to challenge why I watch it, and honestly, why I like it. I believe this culture of violence is a real problem that only counters societal progression.

 What might I do:

I might try to implement more time for myself and engaging in more things that I enjoy. At this stage of my life, I feel a lot of stress (that I put upon myself) and I currently have minimum avenues which allow me to just chill out and let go. This is something that I truly need to work on in order to grow as a person.