In an earlier, pre-publication version of Breathing In Violence, Out Peace each chapter ended with a 'pause' between 'breaths', as is also the case with our own breathing. The pause represents a resolution, resolve and a final commentary (the crux of a 'new thought pattern') on issues discussed in each individual chapter.
Chapter I
Communism, utopia: The personal is political
Pause I: Peace manifesto
'Because [this moment] must be a new beginning, an opportunity to transform – all together – the culture of war and violence into a culture of peace and non-violence.
Because this transformation demands the participation of each and every one of us, and must offer young people and future generations the values that can inspire them to shape a world based on justice, solidarity, liberty, dignity, harmony and prosperity for all.
Because the culture of peace can underpin sustainable development, environmental protection and the well-being of each person.
Because I am aware of my share of responsibility for the future of humanity, in particular to the children of today and tomorrow.
I pledge in my daily life, in my family, my work, my community, my country and my region to:
Respect all life. Respect the life and dignity of each human being without discrimination or prejudice.
Reject violence. Practice active non-violence, rejecting violence in all its forms: physical, sexual, psychological, economical and social, in particular towards the most deprived and vulnerable such as children and adolescents.
Share with others. Share my time and material resources in a spirit of generosity to put an end to exclusion, injustice and political and economic oppression.
Listen to understand. Defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity, giving preference always to dialogue and listening without engaging in fanaticism, defamation and the rejection of others.
Preserve the planet. Promote consumer behaviour that is responsible and development practices that respect all forms of life and preserve the balance of nature on the planet.
Rediscover solidarity. Contribute to the development of my community, with the full participation of women and respect for democratic principles, in order to create together new forms of solidarity.’[i]
[i] Manifesto 2000 for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, produced by a group of Nobel Peace Prize Laureats with the help of UNESCO, www.unesco.org/bpi/eng/unescopress/99-38e.htm and www3.unesco.org/manifesto2000/pdf/anglais.pdf. The latter version is very slightly modified here.
Because this transformation demands the participation of each and every one of us, and must offer young people and future generations the values that can inspire them to shape a world based on justice, solidarity, liberty, dignity, harmony and prosperity for all.
Because the culture of peace can underpin sustainable development, environmental protection and the well-being of each person.
Because I am aware of my share of responsibility for the future of humanity, in particular to the children of today and tomorrow.
I pledge in my daily life, in my family, my work, my community, my country and my region to:
Respect all life. Respect the life and dignity of each human being without discrimination or prejudice.
Reject violence. Practice active non-violence, rejecting violence in all its forms: physical, sexual, psychological, economical and social, in particular towards the most deprived and vulnerable such as children and adolescents.
Share with others. Share my time and material resources in a spirit of generosity to put an end to exclusion, injustice and political and economic oppression.
Listen to understand. Defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity, giving preference always to dialogue and listening without engaging in fanaticism, defamation and the rejection of others.
Preserve the planet. Promote consumer behaviour that is responsible and development practices that respect all forms of life and preserve the balance of nature on the planet.
Rediscover solidarity. Contribute to the development of my community, with the full participation of women and respect for democratic principles, in order to create together new forms of solidarity.’[i]
[i] Manifesto 2000 for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, produced by a group of Nobel Peace Prize Laureats with the help of UNESCO, www.unesco.org/bpi/eng/unescopress/99-38e.htm and www3.unesco.org/manifesto2000/pdf/anglais.pdf. The latter version is very slightly modified here.
Chapter II
War, dystopia: The holy trinity of militarism, imperialism and nationalism
Pause II: Paradise nowhere to be found
Because no war can end all wars
Because the war cannot end a war
Because this war is no different than other wars
Because our war is as bad as their war
Because wars on other people’s soils are as awful as wars on ours
Because wars always take longer than initially thought
Because those that support war never envision it as it really is
Because there is no logic or fairness in random killings
Because innocents and vulnerable always suffer
Because soldiers suffer too
Because wars create more injustices even when ‘just’
Because wars cost and can rarely be afforded
Because after wars we are never the same
Because current weapons are too dangerous for the survival of us all
Because conflicts could be resolved via nonviolent means
Because we can focus on our similarities rather than on our differences
Because in wars family lives are disrupted
Because in wars it is harder to protect the children
Because during wars people die from preventable causes
Because during wars gentleness and kindness are hard to find
Because there are just too many unintended bad outcomes
Because there is always a myriad of short-term and long-term negative consequences
Because the negative consequences last for generations
Because in wars people sometimes lose their souls
Because every war is always worse than what comes before and after it
Because if we want peace we should prepare for and practice peace
Because we could always find alternatives to the war
Because wars take away hope and ruin dreams
Because wars are end states – ’the pits’ – in which people’s bodies and spirits are buried
Because we could do better
For all those and many more reasons, each and every war should be rejected
Because the war cannot end a war
Because this war is no different than other wars
Because our war is as bad as their war
Because wars on other people’s soils are as awful as wars on ours
Because wars always take longer than initially thought
Because those that support war never envision it as it really is
Because there is no logic or fairness in random killings
Because innocents and vulnerable always suffer
Because soldiers suffer too
Because wars create more injustices even when ‘just’
Because wars cost and can rarely be afforded
Because after wars we are never the same
Because current weapons are too dangerous for the survival of us all
Because conflicts could be resolved via nonviolent means
Because we can focus on our similarities rather than on our differences
Because in wars family lives are disrupted
Because in wars it is harder to protect the children
Because during wars people die from preventable causes
Because during wars gentleness and kindness are hard to find
Because there are just too many unintended bad outcomes
Because there is always a myriad of short-term and long-term negative consequences
Because the negative consequences last for generations
Because in wars people sometimes lose their souls
Because every war is always worse than what comes before and after it
Because if we want peace we should prepare for and practice peace
Because we could always find alternatives to the war
Because wars take away hope and ruin dreams
Because wars are end states – ’the pits’ – in which people’s bodies and spirits are buried
Because we could do better
For all those and many more reasons, each and every war should be rejected
Chapter III
Feminism, eutopia: Challenging patriarchy and androcratic masculinities
Pause III: Feminist eutopia
'We want a world where inequality based on class, gender, and race is absent from every country, and from the relationships among countries.
We want a world where basic needs become basic rights and where poverty and all forms of violence are eliminated.
Each person will have the opportunity to develop her or his full potential and creativity, and [human] values of nurturance and solidarity will characterize human relationships’[i].
We want a world in which all our voices would be heard.
We want a world where parenting would be highly valued, and we would all be proud of our mothers’ and fathers’ peace making roles. We also want a world where parenting would be a choice and not imposed on us by a society.
‘In such a world women’s reproductive role will be redefined: child care will be shared by men, women, and society as a whole. [ii]‘
In such a world men’s protective role will be redefined: instead of national security it will be human security – arising from the abandonment of all forms of direct and structural violence – that will become a main goal shared by men, women, and society as a whole.
This global human security will incorporate four basic visions: ‘the birthright vision . . . in which the basic human needs of the Earth’s people are met; the vision of women as equal partners which centres on the full equality of women and men in the public and the private spheres; the transcendence-of-violence vision which projects a world free of war and the physical abuse of women [and men], and the vision of an ecological community which perceives a world built on common interests and sharing, and respect and care for planet Earth. [iii]‘
Therefore, ‘we want a world where the massive resources now used in the production of the means of destruction will be diverted to areas where they will help to relieve oppression both inside and outside the home.
This technological revolution will eliminate disease and hunger, and give women the means for the safe control of their fertility. [iv]‘
This technological revolution will be re-channeled into global human security, giving humans means for the safe control of their lives within ever increasing environmental challenges.
We want the world to be seen as it truly is: ‘interconnected, interdependent and interrelated’[v], wherein the centrality of human relatedness is recognised; and so is our connection within broader planetary ecology.
‘We want a world where all institutions are open to participatory democratic processes, where women share in determining priorities and making decisions. [vi]‘
We want a world where societies and economies are transformed and restructured so to meet the objectives of equality, development and peace by improving employment, health and education.
We want a world where schools and hospitals will get all the money they need while destructive industries will have to hold a bake sale. [vii]
We want a world consisting of ‘gentle’ societies[viii] based on principles of ‘partnership[ix]‘ in all human affairs.
We want a world where not only negative aspects of ‘human nature’ are perceived as ‘realistic’, rather, we want a world where positive aspects of human nature – such as capacity for sharing, altruism, non-violence, peaceful conflict resolution, cooperation, caring, negotiation and constructive communication – are seen as equally, if not more, ‘real’.
We want a world in which willingness to negotiate with those we disagree with would not be seen as the sign of weakness but rather as that of strength.
We want a world where peace would not be seen as a state but rather as a continual process that needs to be enacted daily in all our affairs.
We want a world where not waging of wars but rather peace-building, peace-making and peace-keeping activities would be seen as the activities necessary for the maintenance of peace.
We want a world where we would ‘make heroes of those who demand peace’, where ‘bullying in all forms would be unacceptable’, and where ‘we dialogue more and argue less’. [x]
We want a world where ‘being happy would be a career [and life] goal’ and where we would ‘extend care and compassion to all members of our [global] community. [xi]‘
We want a world in which peace would be both men’s as well as women’s business.
In that world that we want, people will say: ‘peace begins with me’[xii].
[i]Sen & Grown, 1984, [ii]Sen & Grown, 1984, [iii]Reardon, 1993 [iv]Sen & Grown, 1984 [v]Boulding, 1990 [vi]Sen & Grown, 1984 [vii]Slogan by Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom [viii]Boulding, 1990 [ix]Eisler, 2002 [x]Ellison, 2004 [xi]Ellison, 2004 [xii]Ellison, 2004
Chapter IV
Living trauma, eupsychia: The political is personal
Pause IV: Conscious breathing
'Our breathing is the link between our body and our mind. [It is also the link between ourselves and the environment around us.]
By concentrating on our breathing, ‘In’ and ‘Out’, we bring body and mind back together, and become whole again.
I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with . . .poisons [of unconscious & violent living] is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations.
I will work to transform violence, fear, anger and confusion in myself and in society by practicing [nonviolence in all my affairs].
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.
We cannot support any act of killing; no killing can be justified.
But not to kill is not enough.
We must also learn ways to prevent others from killing.
We must be determined not to condone killing [and other forms of violence], even in our minds.
The only way out of violence and conflict is for us to embrace the practice of peace, to think and act with compassion, love, and understanding.
All of us can practice nonviolence.
We begin by recognizing that, in the depths of our consciousness, we have both the seeds of [peace] and the seeds of violence.
We realize that, at any given moment, we can behave with either violence or [peace].
Peace is every step. . . Each step we make should be peace.
If we cultivate the seeds of compassion, we nourish peace within us and around us.
We have to practice the cultivation of peace individually and in our relationships.
We need to practice peace with our partner, children, friends, neighbours, and society.
Even if what you said or did failed to stop the war [and violence], what is important is that you tried.
I understand that a proper [practice] . . . is crucial for self-transformation and for the transformation of society. . .
Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity.
We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.
This means that we can realize peace right in the present moment with our look, our smile, our words, and our actions.
When we are deeply in touch with the present moment, we can see that all our ancestors and all future generations are present in us.
Seeing this, we will know what to do and what not to do--for ourselves, our ancestors, our children, and their children.
Breathe, you are alive!
Are you planting seeds of joy and peace?
Remember, the practice of peace always begins right here, right now.
[In–Out, I–We Breathe.]
Shall we continue our journey?[i]'
[i] With the exception of the text in brackets which is the author's addition or replacement of the original wording, all other text are combined quotes from works by Thich Nhat Hanh (2003, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c, 2010)
By concentrating on our breathing, ‘In’ and ‘Out’, we bring body and mind back together, and become whole again.
I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with . . .poisons [of unconscious & violent living] is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations.
I will work to transform violence, fear, anger and confusion in myself and in society by practicing [nonviolence in all my affairs].
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.
We cannot support any act of killing; no killing can be justified.
But not to kill is not enough.
We must also learn ways to prevent others from killing.
We must be determined not to condone killing [and other forms of violence], even in our minds.
The only way out of violence and conflict is for us to embrace the practice of peace, to think and act with compassion, love, and understanding.
All of us can practice nonviolence.
We begin by recognizing that, in the depths of our consciousness, we have both the seeds of [peace] and the seeds of violence.
We realize that, at any given moment, we can behave with either violence or [peace].
Peace is every step. . . Each step we make should be peace.
If we cultivate the seeds of compassion, we nourish peace within us and around us.
We have to practice the cultivation of peace individually and in our relationships.
We need to practice peace with our partner, children, friends, neighbours, and society.
Even if what you said or did failed to stop the war [and violence], what is important is that you tried.
I understand that a proper [practice] . . . is crucial for self-transformation and for the transformation of society. . .
Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity.
We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.
This means that we can realize peace right in the present moment with our look, our smile, our words, and our actions.
When we are deeply in touch with the present moment, we can see that all our ancestors and all future generations are present in us.
Seeing this, we will know what to do and what not to do--for ourselves, our ancestors, our children, and their children.
Breathe, you are alive!
Are you planting seeds of joy and peace?
Remember, the practice of peace always begins right here, right now.
[In–Out, I–We Breathe.]
Shall we continue our journey?[i]'
[i] With the exception of the text in brackets which is the author's addition or replacement of the original wording, all other text are combined quotes from works by Thich Nhat Hanh (2003, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c, 2010)