A Small "Zone of Peace" Can Be Anywhere

With our first three pledges, we’ve laid down a foundation upon which to build our small “zones of peace.”

Pledges 1 -- 3

I Pledge –

1.To do my best everyday in everyway;

2.To take good care of myself;

3. To build zones of peace where violence and deceit won’t be used.

Now let's do some building to make that foundation strong and sturdy by digging more deeply into applications of these pledges.

Small “Zones Of Peace Action Step #3

I pledge to do my utmost, everyday in everyway, to keep my small “zones of peace” free of violence and deceit.

Tip of the day – "Subtle violence isn’t subtle when you are the target."

We’ve got to apply these action steps everyday in everyway. The BIG question is do we really know how?

Coming next, what is – “Subtle violence."

And, what does it mean to apply the principle that --

"Subtle violence isn’t subtle when you are the target."

Small "Zones Of Peace" Action Step #3

Small “Zones Of Peace Action Step (#3 0f 10):

I pledge to do my utmost, everyday in everyway, to keep my small “zones of peace” free of violence and deceit.

Mahatma Gandhi offered us the words below – “

We do best to begin by carving out territories or zones of peace in our personal relations where violence and deceit won’t be used.”

As far as our Small “Zones Of Peace” Project is concerned this is the “Peace Action Step” that is the centerfold, the essence of peace-building. There is much to say about it. I've got stories -- and -- more stories. I hope you do too that you will be willing to share here.

This step is a whopper!

Built into it is all about climbing the Mountain of Awe and snakey behaviors; the light and the dark side of peace action for real.

Hearing what your comments and thoughts are about this pledge can make a difference in the impact our discussion here can have for real time peace building. Please be generous and share your stories.

How have you applied this action step to your life?

How has this pledge (added to our #1 and #2 Peace Action Steps) brought you to “elegant solutions” peace building in your life?

More to come...

What is peace?

-- if it is not the serenity, the stillness, the quiet in me that flows from me to you?

-- if it is not that same still place in you? -- if it is not this that multiplies again and again with others?

 What is peace, then; this, essentially, human quality called peace?


This holiday season, please help support our elegant solution fundraising campaign, (see our holiday LED specials) -- seeking ways to spread our light from one to another in small community settings – striving to create small “zones of peace” everywhere.



10% of the purchase price of Pearl LEDs
are donated to New Horizons projects.



Merry Christmas all,

From Anastasia

See Anastasia's Commentary: Frederick News Post

Frederick News Post Sunday, December 19, 2010

"Now Be Thankful" by Anastasia

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_lte.htm?StoryID=113926

Small “Zones Of Peace Action Step #2

Pledge -- To make time, everyday, for personal renewal.

A common misperception about peace-building is the belief that peace action is all about “Doing.” That is not quite accurate!

Peace action is a lot about finding a healthy balance between action and non-action; between DOING and BEING.

Are you making room for a quiet time in your life each day?

Time for reflection, contemplation, introspection, prayer and or meditation?

Time to relax? Time to play? Time to just hang out with friends, family or other loved ones like a pet?

Look to leaders for role modeling such as Gandhi who devoted himself to non-action as an integral part of peace-action.

Have a happy, peaceful weekend wherever you are.

From Anastasia,
Temporarily snowed in up in the mountains

Be The Peace You Wish There To Be

How do YOU build a small "zone of peace"?

Small “Zones Of Peace Action Step #1: Create small “zones of peace” everyday in everyway.

Step 1: Tip #3 of the day --

Be The Peace You Wish There To Be.

Shine your light and pass that light on.

Coming tomorrow --- how you can do your part to help New Horizons' Small "Zones of Peace" Project create "elegant solutions," locally and globally.

Plan to get involved.

Next look for --

Small “Zones Of Peace Action Step #2 (of 10) --

Coming Friday!

How do YOU build small “zones of peace”?

Tip #2 of the day for -- Build your “zones of peace” from the inside out.

Remember our story about Brittany, the eleven year old (in 2006) who won our Small “Zones Of Peace” Essay Contest? Brittany was responding to our invitation to write an essay that would describe the meaning -- to her -- of the following quote Mahatma Gandhi from which our project, the Small “Zones of Peace” Project takes its name. “

We do best to begin by carving out territories or zones of peace in our personal relations where violence and deceit won’t be used.”

Brittany told us that -- to her -- Gandhi’s quote suggested the following --

"I believe this quote to mean metaphorically that if you are angry, you could find a quiet place in (your) mind. In reality, it could mean that if two friends live near each other, and there was a park that was close to both of them, they could call the park a zone of peace."

What’s your plan for creating small "zones of peace" everyday, everywhere you go? And, how do you carry that plan out, day-by-day?

Soon we are going to be collecting your "Elegant Solution" stories for creating small "zones of peace" for our next essay contest -- to be posted on this blog.

Plan to get involved!

Pledge to consciously, actively build your small "zones of peace" (or keep on doing that) and tell us your stories about how you do it, successfully.