Shift Movement

WOW!!! The Summer of Peace 2012 has started with many incredibly wonderful performers, speakers, and interviews! I have listened to almost the entire program, from the Voices for Peace festival and conference the first weekend (June 22-23), through the first week of interviews (until June 29). All I missed were parts of the festival and conference.
Besides the comments concerning the Voices for Peace event (and some from Facebook), I have not seen any discussion posts pertaining to the SoP interviews! Wow, again! So, I have taken it upon myself to start us all up. Whether I continue to keep up with the many interviews (and this forum topic thread) or not, at least I am making this contribution.
Although there are many discussable issues, the one that leaped up for me near the beginning of the presentations on Saturday, is that of responsibility. Specifically, one’s responsibility to oneself and to others (at various levels, including smaller communities of people, all the way up to the national and planetary-wide levels).
In fact, it was an interaction and surrounding comments between Marianne Williamson and a questioner that catalyzed my thinking. To the extent that my memory and notes are accurate, the questioner wondered if the wealth of a few individuals would be enough to solve immense problems, hinting (to me) that a redistributing of wealth would be something to consider. Marianne said that the amassing of wealth is not the problem. She also said that (a redistribution of wealth) was against some spiritual principles.
To that I ask: Do those spiritual principles really argue against a more extremely graduated (or progressive) tax policy? Might there also be some spiritual principles on the other side of the ledger?
By the way, I was not the only listener with such a thought. Georgia Kelly (Praxis Peace Institute) said that she disagreed with Marianne on this topic. There also seemed to be additional support for this “social activism” cause among other speakers in the afternoon session.
Perhaps it was the incompleteness of my notes and attention, but I did not find a whole lot of direct discussion of this subject among the teleseminar participants (during the following week), but certainly Adam Bucko and Matthew Fox would likely also be in the “social” camp.
WAIT A MINUTE! What is this talk of “camps?” This is the Summer of Peace! Peace, as in harmony, reconciliation, bridges, and that kind of good stuff! And to think that today I posted an even more one-sided commentary (elsewhere on the web). At least this time, I can attempt to create more peace and harmony!
So, while I am not going to “take back” my opinion, I can emphasize that I may be wrong or not adequately aware of all of the relevant dynamics in this situation. Will you assist me, you good people reading this?
THANKS AND PEACE!!!
Warren Freedlund

warren, the spiritual principles “on the other side”, is really interesting and important.

and by the other side i do mean the other side of the arguement… i remember going into a radical bookshop in london and reading a poster on the wall about how crime was good for the ecomomy, creating jobs for law enforcers.. that sort of thing.

and theres the idea of somehow there can be good wars, “just war”, and that then it follows other wars are bad… which is odd given the damage by design! now of course this isnt the last word on the topic, but suffice to say somehow we have to better repaeting, especially repeating errors of the past which are then compounded and legitimised as national defense…has always failed  the annals of history a littered the evidences of that.. that belief.

Marrianne belief was showing apparently! or maybe not?

and as youve said wait, minute… what are we really saying?

we are aware and yes its easy, to get distracted.

best, Trine

Trine, thanks for your post on the forum topic thread that I started! You pointed out some complexities in the thinking and claims of different people and groups of people. Indeed! I will post a follow-up about some complexities, and also better clarify what I said at the end of my first post.
By the way, I feel a bit conflicted about my role here. I started this thread with the possibility that my role may be complete at that point. I am still thinking that I may not attempt to respond to the future potential posters, at least as a matter of course. Not that I mind all that much (perhaps a bit of humor is present), but I really don’t want this forum topic thread to be “all about me!”
So, I would like to encourage people to feel free to post about their reflections and comments on the Summer of Peace 2012, whether in response to another poster, or not.
THANKS AND PEACE!!!
Warren Freedlund

This is a follow-up to my first post on this Summer of Peace 2012 Reflections and Comments forum topic thread (maybe I did not include enough words to describe this!).
In that post, I brought up a quandary of mine. On the one hand, I took a position on a disagreement among different peacemakers on the role of taxes to somewhat smooth out the great income disparities among the people (in the USA, and other countries, presumably).
Yet, I also questioned the peacemaking value of “taking sides” on such a central point of contention (at least it seems to me to be such). As a (wannabe) peacemaker, I want to bring people together, not separate us. After all, isn’t it dogma and other strongly held opinions, in general, that is one of the biggest barriers to peace?
That is not to say that all advocates of (political, spiritual, social, etc.) positions are necessarily enemies of peace, or anything as ridiculous as that. Besides, people will do what they do, and be who they are.
At the same time, I believe that that is one of the “entry points” for peacemakers and others who want to make peace (and even if that is a redundant statement!). Maybe I am wrong about something. Maybe I am missing something. Maybe I need more information about something in order to even have an informed opinion (there I go again, with the redundancy!).
THANKS AND PEACE!!!
Warren Freedlund

Perhaps we can shift our consciousness from the idea of opposing viewpoints to the concept of a continuum of viewpoints along the evolutionary path of wisdom and growth.  Where someone is calling us into our growth edges in that evolutionary continuum, we may oppose them, even when a higher aspect of ourselves is aware of a greater truth.  I think for the most evolved spiritual leaders in the full blossoming of that lotus, giving is the natural fruit of enlightenment.  

• I discovered a beautiful world peace meditation on you tube that I am sharing at my Summer of Peace events in Woodstock,NY…is there a way to share you tube stuff here?

I guess that I just can’t stay away from this forum, at least for long! Violet, that post of yours is wonderful! Now, let this be an exception, everyone, in that I do not foresee myself continuing to “evaluate” or “appraise” the posts as if I am someone “on high” or something.
Sylvia, I do not know anymore than you, likely, in the ability to share YouTube videos here. So, perhaps we can learn together! I made a YT video last December that actually fits in quite well with my posts here (in my opinion, anyway).
There is one caveat, though. I somehow got into this habit of making (the vast majority of) my videos (to date) after drinking a few (or more) glasses of wine. It was particularly true on that day. So, if you don’t mind listening to a slow talking, intoxicated man, you just might resonate with my message.
By the way, from the video on YT, I clicked on the “Share” button and copied and pasted the URL. Let’s see, now!
THANKS AND PEACE!!!
Warren Freedlund

Well, Sylvia, I seem to have encountered the same situation as you likely did! Maybe I will try again using the “editor” tools. If it doesn’t work, perhaps someone else has a solution.
THANKS AND PEACE!!!
Warren Freedlund