Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Peace Ambassador Training #3
What is your understanding about moving from right versus wrong to wounding and healing?
I'm learning that relationship building is necessary to move from wounding to healing. I see this in particular in homeless populations. I've volunteered with homeless populations in several countries and one thing is generally consistent. Homeless individuals are, by and large, shunned by the mainstream society. External monologue, dirty, unsightly, unkempt, unshaved, withdrawn, asleep, different. Homeless people are treated like a disease contracted by urban culture.
And I can't decide whether people have a harder time looking homeless people in the eye or thinking about the fact that there are people who live on the streets without shelter every day of their lives. I think a lot of homeless people aren't treated like people at all and that makes me confused and sad. In terms of building relationships, I think that the cycle of homelessness for individuals has a greater likelihood of breaking if strong and supportive bonds can be developed. For society in general, if we can begin to build relationships with the reasons why homelessness can continue to exist in the 21st century and really explore the foundational limitations inherent in our current framework, then we can begin to understand how to move forward.
What is the relationship between truth, mercy, peace, and justice?
Its interesting because I immediately pictured a peace sign - with peace in the center, justice connected at the top point with mercy and truth along the left and right of the circle connecting them all. I recognize they are all connected, yet peace is at the center. Peace, for me, informs how I will interpret the others, i.e. without peace, my understanding of truth will not be the same as if I was at peace, etc. Justice, mercy and truth all revolve around peace because without peace at the center, those concepts will be skewed and unconnected.
Interestingly, also, is that these concepts all can mean something very different from person to person. I find this point to be the most difficult to reconcile when trying to be mindful of other people's values and perspectives when they differ from my own.
I'm learning that relationship building is necessary to move from wounding to healing. I see this in particular in homeless populations. I've volunteered with homeless populations in several countries and one thing is generally consistent. Homeless individuals are, by and large, shunned by the mainstream society. External monologue, dirty, unsightly, unkempt, unshaved, withdrawn, asleep, different. Homeless people are treated like a disease contracted by urban culture.
And I can't decide whether people have a harder time looking homeless people in the eye or thinking about the fact that there are people who live on the streets without shelter every day of their lives. I think a lot of homeless people aren't treated like people at all and that makes me confused and sad. In terms of building relationships, I think that the cycle of homelessness for individuals has a greater likelihood of breaking if strong and supportive bonds can be developed. For society in general, if we can begin to build relationships with the reasons why homelessness can continue to exist in the 21st century and really explore the foundational limitations inherent in our current framework, then we can begin to understand how to move forward.
What is the relationship between truth, mercy, peace, and justice?
Its interesting because I immediately pictured a peace sign - with peace in the center, justice connected at the top point with mercy and truth along the left and right of the circle connecting them all. I recognize they are all connected, yet peace is at the center. Peace, for me, informs how I will interpret the others, i.e. without peace, my understanding of truth will not be the same as if I was at peace, etc. Justice, mercy and truth all revolve around peace because without peace at the center, those concepts will be skewed and unconnected.
Interestingly, also, is that these concepts all can mean something very different from person to person. I find this point to be the most difficult to reconcile when trying to be mindful of other people's values and perspectives when they differ from my own.
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