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WELCOME TO THE GREEN PEN!

It's my personal soapbox, a place for me to express thoughts and feelings, musings and rants, reflections and recollections; to have fun with words -- about things spiritual, environmental, social, political, economic, and, from time to time, personal. And of course about peace. Soapboxes are in public places (as London's legendary Hyde Park) on purpose, and so I invite conversations with you, for it is through civil discourse that we can gain some perspective on the seeming chaos of these changing times and learn together how to shape a positive future for ourselves, our communities, and the generations to come.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Desert Silence on the International Day of Peace 2012

Friday, September 21, is the International Day of Peace. On that day each year, people all over the world observe a moment of silence at noon (local time wherever they are). See the Facebook Events invitation if you'd like to register your intention to join in, or just do it.

It's very meaningful for me this year in particular in that, at that very moment, noon Pacific Daylight Time, I'll be crossing the Tehachapis (mountain range east of Bakersfield) and entering the Mojave Desert on the way to Joshua Tree for Part 2 of the Nine Gates Mystery School course I'm enrolled in.

The desert holds a very special place in my heart and soul, particularly in relation to silence and peace. This IDP synchronicity brought to mind this poem I wrote during a 2005 visit to Death Valley:


DESERT WISDOM
Death Valley
December 2005

Here I am.
On a rock.
Just sitting.
And being.
And asking
the monkeys in my head to be
still as this place,
the fear in my heart open
vast as this place,
the spirit in my soul see
forever as this place,
so together we may listen to the
silence of this place
speak of the way to peace.

3 comments:

  1. Remarkable poem, Mike. Thanks so much for sharing. Be well, Kelly

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  2. Mike,

    'A moment of silence in the desert at noon on September 21, the International Day of Peace' BUT
    what is wrong with the remaining 365 days?

    How many years ahead do you plan to be silent on that and the other remaining days?

    Marek Zielinski a still small voice in the desert
    Initiator of www.peace365.org
    ;~)

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  3. Thank you Mike. I am so happy to find you at this website.
    I have a message for Marek. 24/7 their are people, world over, engaged in the concrete work to create departments and ministries of peace within their government structures. Here in the US Mike Abkin and thousands of other peace builders are engaged in cultivating peace through The Peace Alliance and the Global Peace Alliance. In 2007 Dot Maver, at our 3rd International Peace Alliance Summit in Japan, had a vision to create a National Academy For Peace in Ohio. So many known peace advocates, teachers, professor and visionaries, including her right hand man Mike Abkin, made this possible and the education involves increasing numbers of students to become peace ambassadors, true diplomats and peace professionals. I am not alone to condsider it to be smart security which is necessary for all thinking people to help foster in our violent culture. I visualize that this University will soon be on a par with the West Point Military Academy, as envisioned, because the concept of creating a culture of peace is expanding worldwide. The general populous is not aware because our media is not interested in reporting serious proactive movements for peace which for now remain just under the radar.
    Please join us. www.thepeacealliance.org ~ Maggi Koren Windsor CA.

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