Peace Ideas - Issue No. 76

No.

76

peace ideas

‘’If five percent of the people work for peace, there will be peace.’’

A Quarterly Publication of the Peace Center Theosophical Society in the Philippines, 1 Iba Street, Quezon City, Philippines

Tel. No. 741-5740; Fax: 740-3751; E-mail address: philtheos@gmail.com; Webpage: http://www.theosophy.ph

Interpersonal Relationships

Beginning Anew Being human, we all make mistakes. We harm ourselves and those around us with our unskillful thoughts, words, and actions.

Hence, renewing our relationships on a regular basis is well-advised. In his book, Creating True Peace, renowned peace writer Thich Nhat Hanh suggests the following practice of renewing rela tion ships called "Be gin ning Anew." Its three basic steps are: 1. Share appreciation. Recognize and acknowledge the positive at trib utes of the other person. When you do this, you give him the opportunity to recognize his positive qualities and you also water those very qualities in your own consciousness.

2. Express regret. Share with the other person your regrets for the things you have done or said that might have caused him pain.

This requires humility and the willingness to let go of your own pain and pride.

3. Express your own hurt with mindful loving speech, without blaming or criticizing. Speak in such a way that the other person can lis ten and re ceive your words. Be careful not to speak words of blame or condemnation lest he close his heart and ears.

Ask him to help you understand why he spoke or acted the way he did even though you love him.

Source: Thich Hhat Hanh, Creating True Peace. (New York: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 2003).

Peace Perspective______________________________

Why We Go to War "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed" is a wise UNESCO peace quote that accords with the timeless spiritual teaching and modern scientific discovery that all material reality emanates from consciousness, and we all co-create our reality as conscious beings. Interviewed by Tricycle magazine about his take on why we humans go to war, David Loy points out that-1. Our sense of a false, separate self is the root cause of war.

We experience our false self (or ego) as hollow or groundless because it is al ways chang ing, separate and incomplete. Consequently, life often becomes a futile quest to make ourselves more real. Individually, we seek symbolic being in our possessions or achievements, or through the eyes of our beloved. Unfortunately, these ultimately fail because of their transitory nature.

2. Our collective sense of lack feeds ideologies such as nationalism and group struggles such as war. In war, one of the things outside us that we think is lacking is personified in the enemy.

The fear that arises from our sense of separativeness and incompleteness leads to hatred and violent intention. We think we need to defeat the enemy to become whole and healed.We are unable to listen to and understand the enemy's suffering.

3. Ultimately, our individual and collective sense of lack can only be resolved spiritually because that is the only way we can realize our true being--our essential oneness with all that makes us whole and complete--or find "the Kingdom of God" within us.

Universal love, peace and compassion arise from an awakened unitive consciousness.

Source: "Peace: How Realistic is It?" -- interview by Tricycle magazine (Summer, 2003)

Inside ____________________________________ The Worldwide Scourge of Child Labor Are You Pushing Your Kid to Internet Addiction?

Using the Pen to Heal Three Things That Money Cannot Buy Dance Meditation Anyone?

Humor and Laughter Maximize Learning Caregiver's Bill of Rights

Timeless Wisdom Tips for Inner Peace Mind-Boggling Enviro-Facts and Stats Can Animals Tell Right From Wrong?

Parenting with Peace and Poise Doomsday Clock: Five Minutes Left And More…

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Peace Ideas, No. 76

Peace Advocacy _________ Outer Peace___________________________________

The Lone The Worldwide Scourge Nonhuman of Child Labor plantations in the Ivory Rights Group Instead of studying in school or coa Coast alone.

The Nonhuman Rights Project is unlike any other organization in the world because it is the only group fighting for actual legal rights for members of species other than our own.

Headed by Atty. Steven M. Wise, its mission is "to change the common law status of at least some nonhuman animals from mere 'things,' which lack the capacity to possess any legal right, to 'persons,' who possess such fundamental rights as bodily integrity and bodily liberty, and those other legal rights to which evolving standards of morality, scientific discovery, and human experience entitle them."

The Nonhuman Rights Project's first cases (involving chimps living in miserable and inhumane conditions) were filed in December 2013, and as many more as possible will be filed this year and the years to come.

Source: http://www.nonhumanrights.org/

oOo True benevolence or compassion, extends itself through the whole of existence and sympathizes with the distress of every creature capable of sensation.

JOSEPH ADDISON

peace ideas No. 76

A quarterly publication of the Peace Center of the Theosophical Society in the Philippines, 1 Iba Street, Quezon City, Philippines. The Theosophical Society is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization dedicated to the promotion of universal brotherhood without distinction of creed, caste, sex or color.

playing with their friends as part of normal childhood, millions of children around the world are exploited by being made to work in factories, brothels, mines, and even as young soldiers. Most of us would abhor supporting businesses that exploit children especially once we learn about the horrendous working conditions that they are forced to endure, the violence that meets them when they cannot work hard enough to satisfy their masters or when they try to escape their slavery, and so on, and yet there is always the chance we will do just that in our next shopping trip. The sad truth is that any of our purchases--a hand-crafted carpet, a chocolate bar, a leather bag, a shirt, a pack of coffee, or produce from the local grocery store--could be the product of child labor.

The International Labor Organization estimates that-· 211 million boys and girls (or nearly one in five children) between the ages of five and 14 around the world are exploited in hazardous working conditions. · 400,000 children work on cottonseed farms in India alone.

Many work 12 to 18 hours a day, seven days a week. · 200,000 children work on coPeace Ideas seeks to disseminate workable ideas that will promote lasting peace and universal brotherhood. Contributions from readers are welcome, whether their own or clipped from their readings. Previously published materials must include name and address of publication from where the materials were taken.

The views expressed herein do not necessarily express those of the editors or the publisher.

Subscriptions: In the Philippines: P120.00 per year. Foreign: US$8.00 per year (postpaid airmail). Single copies: P30.00 (Foreign: US$2.00). Bulk orders for redistribution are entitled to sub-

· $100 million in goods produced by bonded children are imported in the US alone each year. · $4.3 trillion (22% of the world's income) could be raised in 20 years if child labor is totally banned and all children are educated.

The following are just a few common-sense suggestions you may follow if you wish to help minimize the incidences of child labor: 1. Help alleviate poverty to prevent destitute parents from making their children work. You can act individually or with a humanitarian or spiritual group in helping the poor.

2. Help raise consumer awareness. Ask stores about how their goods are made. Call for labelling.

3. Support trade unions. They play a crucial role in preventing and eliminating child labor.

3. Urge your government to-· Do more for economic and social development · Prioritize primary education · Regulate global trade policies · Strictly implement anti-child labor laws.

Sources: http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Children/Casualties_Profit.html; http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/4884/scourge_of_child_labor_continues_around_worl d/

stantial discounts. For information please write to: Peace Ideas, 1 Iba Street, Quezon City, Philippines. Tel. No. 741-57-40. Fax No. (63-2) 740-3751.

E-mail address: philtheos@gmail.com Editor: Joselito B. Cendaña Editorial Staff: Vicente R. Hao Chin, Jr., Estrellita V. Gruenberg, Lea C. Mactal

© Copyright 2014 by The Theosophical Society in the Philippines. Permission to reprint is granted provided Peace Ideas is acknowledged.

ISSN 0118-9883

Peace Ideas, No. 76

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Parenting _____________________________________ Inner Peace ____________

Are You Pushing Your Kid Using the Pen to Internet Addiction? to Heal Are you a parent with a child addicted to the Internet, and looking for a cure for his affliction?

Don't look now but your parenting style may be a major cause of the problem and some drastic change in your parenting style may have to be part of the cure.

A Greek study has shown that young adults who recall their parents being tough or demanding without showing affection tend to be sad or to have trouble making friends--per son al ity traits that raise their risk of Internet addiction. Lead author Argyroula E. Kalaitzaki of the Technological Education Institute (TEI) of Crete in Heraklion, says that-· "Good parenting, including parental warmth and affection, that is caring and pro-

tective parents (sic), has been associated with lower risk for addiction." · "Bad parenting, including parental control and intrusion, that is authoritarian and neglectful parents (sic), has been associated with higher risk for addiction.”

For the study, more than 700 young adults at technical schools, all around age 20, filled out questionnaires during class time. They answered questions about their feelings of loneliness, sadness and anx i ety, and about their Internet use. They also answered questions about how they recalled being brought up during their first 16 years of life.

Source: Kathryn Doyle, "Parenting Style Linked to Kids' Internet Addiction (http://news.yahoo.com/parenting-style-linked-kids-39-internet-addiction-222041126.html;_ylt=A2oKmJtPlvhSu2oAc8yzRwx

Self-Development _______________________________

Three Things That Money Cannot Buy It is said that "money is the root of all evil." But money in itself is not bad. It is our attachment to it that causes problems. Material well-being is important and necessary but focusing too much on accumulating wealth is not wise because it distracts us from the things that matter most in life-things that money cannot buy.

Consider the following three examples: 1. Family unity. Money can-

not prevent old age and death.

The Christian sacred scriptures teach that genuine security comes from knowing God and life's divine purpose.

3. Personal contentment. The greatest satisfaction in life comes from answering important questions such as: · Who am I and why are we here? · How can I fulfill my spiritual needs? not buy family unity. That only · How can I help make this world a better place to live comes from spending time with in? your family and giving them ad...and then living in accorequate love and attention. dance with the answers.

2. Genuine security. There is Source: Marc Chernoff, “9 Things You Do Not Need to more to a secure future than be Happy” (http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/09/ stock pil ing money. Af ter all, 15/9-things-you-do-not-need-to-be-happy/) money can be stolen—and it can-

Dr. James W. Pennebaker is a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and author of several books, including Opening Up and Writing to Heal. For nearly two decades, he has been giving people this assignment: For the next four consecutive days, write down your deepest feelings about an emotional upheaval in your life for about 20 minutes a day. Most of those who followed his instructions experienced emotional healing. Many saw their immune systems strengthened. Many saw their grades improve. Even entire lives changed.

Dr. Pennebaker explains that writing heals because our minds work overtime to process the experience of a traumatic event, affecting our sleep, work, relationships, and so on, but when we translate the experience into language, we essentially make the experience graspable. He gives these "tips for writing to heal": · Find a time and place where you would not be disturbed. · Write continuously for about 20 minutes. · Do not worry about spelling or grammar. · Write only for yourself. · Write about what are extremely personal and important to you. · Deal only with events or situations you can handle now.

Source: Dr. James Pennebaker, "Writing to Heal" (http://www.utexas.edu/features/2005/writing/)

Peace Ideas Online Read entire issues of Peace Ideas plus outlines of essays on Self-Transformation in the Internet.

The webpage of the Theosophical Society in the Philippines can be found in: http://www.theosophy.ph/

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Peace Ideas, No. 76

Meditation_____________ Education ____________________________________

Dance Meditation Anyone?

If you like dancing and meditation, why not combine the two and do dance med i tation? In dance meditation, you use rhythm, attentiveness and an intuitive state--components of both meditation and dancing (especially religious dancing)--to reach a heightened state of awareness.

Here are its basic steps: 1. Focus on the dance, not the ego or any of its thoughts, desires, men tal im ages, etc. If thoughts wan der, bring back your focus on the dance.

2. Find the dance energy within yourself. Our body constantly generates energy. Perceive these energies and notice their movement throughout your body.

3. Ex press those energies.

Your meditation is to find that balanced point at which you are the intermediary between the impulses that arise and the body that expresses those impulses.

4. Allow ecstacy. Permit the body to express itself on its own until you reach the state wherein the ego's dysfunctional elements no longer control you.

Sources:http://www.trans4mind.com/jamesharveystout/ dancemed.htm

Bulk Copies of Peace Ideas Bulk quantities of Peace Ideas either in newsprint or standard paper may be ordered at very low prices. It is a very economical way of promoting inner and outer peace. Contact the Peace Center, 1 Iba St., Quezon City, Philippines, Tel. 741-5740; Fax No. (63-2) 740-3751.

Humor and Laughter Maximize Learning Many students will tell you that a good sense of humor is among the traits they like most in a teacher. More than just being a desirable trait because of the entertainment it gives, humor is, in fact, an important ingredient of both good education and effective teaching because it maximizes learning.

According to numerous studies, hu mor (together with laughter which it leads to)-1. Contributes to mind/body balance. Humor reduces stress and elevates mood, as well as makes the body release "feel-good" hormones called endorphins, relieves pain, protects the heart, and boosts the immune system, among other things.

2. Maximizes brain power. Humor has the ability to capture the attention of the brain. Emotion

drives attention and attention drives learning. It also enables the brain to store more information into long-term memory.

3. Enhances creativity. This is important because creativity is the ability of the brain to bring together diverse ideas that generate the thinking necessary for complex problem-solving. Humor allows the freedom to not only think "out of the box" but to have fun while doing so.

4. Creates an optimal environment for learning. Humor improves rapport and generates positive feelings among teachers and students. It maximizes their capacity for effective communication which is important in the process of education.

Source:http://iae-pedia.org/Using_Humor_to_Maximize_Learning

Edgar Dean Mitchell: Astronaut, Peacelover Following the footsteps of the mystically-minded scientists of the 20th century like Einstein, SchrĂśdinger, Heisenberg, Planck, and de Broglie, Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell has been silently working for peace by helping bridge science and spirituality.

In a letter to Love is the Solution, Inc. president Nasser Saghi, Mitchell wrote: "Your life’s essential dedication to promoting peace and love between all people is needed now more than ever. 41 years ago, as my spacecraft flew toward Earth following my Apollo 14 mission to the Moon, I went through a grand epiphany accompanied by exhilaration. It was nothing short of an overwhelming sense of universal connectedness. I actually felt what has been described as an ecstasy of unity. I perceived the universe as in some way conscious."

Among his silent works for peace inspired by his deep unitive experiences are co-founding the Institute of Noetic Sciences which conducts research on spirituality, meditation, consciousness, and other noetic subjects; being one of the initial supporters of the Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly – a first step towards a "world parliament"; writing articles and essays as well as two books one of which (The Way of the Explorer) is about his "journey through the material and mystical worlds" and a proposed dyadic and yet unitive view of reality; etc.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Mitchell; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_of_Noetic_Sciences

Peace Ideas, No. 76

Interpersonal Relationships _______________________

How to Live Happily Ever After Getting Married Because the broken family is the mother of many other social problems, entering the married life carries a huge social responsibility. Alas, divorce rates around the world remain at a high level.

This is because marital relationships are often based on changing worldly conditions (the partner's per son al ity, eco nomic sta tus, beauty, and so on) so that marital love is largely conditional. Here are key principles for a lasting, love-filled, happy marriage that every couple must know: 1. A spiritual attitude towards life and human relationships.

When we see and love God, rather than the form, in our loved one, our love never dies because it is anchored on the Eternal.

2. Compatibility of temperament. The better the chemistry, the lesser the conflicts.

3. A spiritual attitude towards parenthood with the intention of raising children to help them achieve life's spiritual purpose.

4. Regard of life as a school, with marriage and parenthood as two of its finest classes.

5. Readiness to correct character defects as life is seen as a journey of spiritual growth.

6. Recognition of responsibility for the spiritual welfare, prog ress and hap pi ness of spouse and children as marriage is seen as a sacred vocation -- one of returning to the Divine.

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Peace Quotes You have everything you need for complete peace and total happiness right now.

WAYNE DYER

As long as Man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings, he will never know health nor peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love.

PYTHAGORAS

Dad, how do soldiers killing each other solve the world's problems?

BILL WATTERSON

Source: Geoffrey Hodson, Sharing the Light Vol. II (Manila: Theosophical Publishing House, 2013)

Many people think excitement is happiness...But when you are Inner Peace ___________________________________ excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.

Timeless Wisdom Tips for Inner Peace Eckhart Tolle put a timeless teaching of our great spiritual teachers nicely when he wrote, "You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realizing who you are at the deepest level." Here are wisdom tips for finding inner peace based on this timeless truth: 1. Realize you have nothing to prove. You are whole and com-

plete at the deepest level of your being. We all reach the finish line even though we express our selves dif fer ently in this world of time, space and form.

2. Learn to be still. Meditation and contemplation are age-old spiritual techniques you can use to still the mind and just be.

3. Forgive. Deep down inside, we are Love and we want love.

The walls of separation we build only bring us suffering.

4. Master the art of allowing.

Allowing means letting a person to be as he is. Not the same as tolerating, allowing is respecting each person’s right to self-expression, but we do not have to be part of that expression.

5. Know that everything is perfect. There is something sacred about the state of the world and our lives. Everything happens for a reason. This does not mean, though, that we should do noth ing about the prob lems around us but that we should approach them from a place of love, of our true being, rather than a desire to control.

Source: Evita Ochel, “5 Practical Tips for Living in a State of Inner Peace” (http://sourcesofinsight.com/5practical-tips-for-living-in-a-state-of-inner-peace/)

THICH NHAT HANH

You'll never have a quiet world till you knock the patriotism out of the human race.

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

World peace must de velop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.

DALAI LAMA XIV

Let the ideas clash but not the hearts.

C. C. MEHTA

Returning violence for violence mul ti plies vi o lence, add ing deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

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Peace Ideas, No. 76

Health and Healing_______ Environment _________________________________

Home Mind-Boggling Remedies Enviro-Facts and Stats Mass extinction, rapidly-vansaves 17 trees, 2 barrels of for Snoring ishing oil, 4,100 kilowatts of energy, rainforests, the exploding Snoring disturbs the sleep of others, and strains or even ruins re la tion ships. Here are some home remedies for snoring you can try if you are a snorer: Throat weakness: Mouth exercises-1. Open the mouth as wide as you can for a few seconds and then close, making sure the lips are tightly closed. Do this twice a day.

2. Make an exaggerated smile with your mouth and hold this position for about five seconds and then relax.

3. Pretend that you are sipping some juice from a straw.

4. With your hand on the jaw, open the mouth wide and put as much pressure on the lower jaw as you can handle. Hold for a count of five and then relax. Repeat as many times as you can.

Tongue exercises-1. Put your tongue out and stretch as far as you can, making sure that it stays straight. Then move the tongue left and right touching the corners of the lips 2. Say the surprise expressions of "ah-oh" or "ahh" and prolong the vocalization time of those sounds.

3. Rotate the tongue around the teeth (over the teeth and under the lip) in a clockwise direction for 10-20 times. Do it several times a day to tone the tongue and to make it flexible.

Dispositional jaw: 1. Try to protrude the lower jaw over the upper jaw with your teeth showing. Count to 10 and then relax. Try to do this exercise 5-10 times a day.

Sources: Dr. Indu Arora, "Home Remedies for Snoring."

Tathaastu (November-December 2011 )

human population, and humongous carbon footprints are just a few of the incredible environmental quandaries we are facing today. The following are some mind-bog gling en vi ron men tal facts and stats that might spur you to some green action: · Oxygen-starved dead zones that cannot sustain life now cover an area roughly the size of the state of Oregon. · Only 1% of China’s 560 million city residents breathe air that is considered safe by the European Union. · Only less than 1% of the world’s freshwater is readily available for human use. · 20-50 million metric tons of electronic waste are generated worldwide every year. · Recycling one ton of paper

3.2 cubic yards of landfill space and 60 pounds of air pollution · The human population on earth has grown more in the last 50 years than it did in the previous 4 million years. · Average temperatures will increase by as much as 12 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the 21st century if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise at the current pace, and only a 7.2-degree increase is needed to create a catastrophic domino effect. · If the entire world lived like the average American, we would need 5 Earths to provide enough resources for everyone.

Source: Steph, "15 Mind-Boggling Green Facts & Enviro-Stats" (http://webecoist.momtastic.com/ 2008/11/26/amazing-frightening-green-facts-environmental-statistics/)

Animal Welfare _______________________________

Can Animals Tell Right From Wrong?

Animals possess a sense of morality that allows them to tell the difference between right and wrong, according to the new book, Wild Justice, written by ecologist Prof. Marc Bekoff and moral philosopher Jessica Pierce based on evidence they gathered from around the world that show how different species of animals-1. Have an innate sense of fairness. Among coyotes, for example, cubs who bite too hard are ostracized by the rest of the group and often end up having to leave entirely if they persist.

2. Display empathy and compassion. Chimpanzees with serious illnesses, for example, are treated differently by other chim-

panzees and are rarely, if ever, subjected to intimidating displays of aggression from older males.

3. Help other animals, even of other species, in distress. For example, there are numerous cases of dolphins helping humans to es cape from sharks and el ephants helping antelope escape from man-made enclosures.

The authors' ideas have met with some controversy in the scientific community, but many admit that animals do share many of the psychological qualities previously attributed only to humans and hence, deserve more respect.

Source: Richard Gray, "Animals Can Tell Right From Wrong" (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/5373379/Animals-can-tell-right-from-wrong.html)

Peace Ideas, No. 76

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Parenting ____________________________________ Self-Care_______________

Parenting with Peace and Poise Parents' negative emotional habits create feelings of insecurity, frustration, unhappiness, emotional stress, and pressure in children which usually lead to behavioral problems. Alas, a common mistake of parents is to react negatively to their children's misbehavior which only aggravates the problem. Here are practical tips for "parenting with peace and poise" in order to improve child behavior: 1. Start with yourself. To improve your child's behavior, you must first improve your own.

Some common ways parents produce or worsen child misbehavior include: · exposing the child to too much adult anger and other negative emotions. · not spending enough loving quality time with the child. · paying too little attention to the child before he misbehaves.

2. Take responsibility for how you act. Accept that when you react with anger and stress, you cause your child to react with anger and stress, which makes it harder for him to behave well.

3. Maintain a balanced life in body, mind and spirit. Be health-conscious. Avoid stress.

Practice some form of meditative centering or conscious relaxation.

Find inner peace. Love. Etc.

4. Control your reaction to child be hav ior. True parental con trol starts with controlling yourself.

5. Practice conscious parenting. Pay closer attention to what is happening in your parent-child relationship so you can recognize and overcome habitual emotional patterns more quickly.

6. Respond to the need your child expresses through the behavior he displays. Calm down and try to sense how your child feels. Then find out what your child needs from you to feel more calm, secure and happy.

7. Be mindful of the self-image you create in your child. Children fulfill the self-concept that parents and elders project upon them. Be careful about the verbal messages you give your child about himself. Avoid judgmental statements such as "You are lazy" or "You good for nothing."

8. Create a loving, peaceful and happy home environment.

This is essential in raising a loving, peaceful and happy child.

9. Remember that the key to rais ing your child is rais ing yourself. God sends a challenging child into your life if it is time for you to grow. Pursuing personal growth leads to better results.

Sources: http://www.boblancer.com/main/page_articles__links_9_practical_parenting_tips.html

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Caregiver's Bill of Rights "You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love," said the Buddha.

And yet, care givers--un sung heroes of our society--have such huge hearts of compassion for the ailing that they often forget about themselves. The following is a Caregiver's Bill of Rights that every caregiver deserves: It is my right to-1. Take care of myself. This is not an act of selfishness. It is necessary so I can take better care of my loved one.

2. Seek help from others. I recognize the limits of my own endurance and strength.

3. Maintain facets of my own life that do not include the person I care for. While I do everything that I reasonably can for my loved one, I also have the right to do things for myself.

4. Get angry, be depressed, and express other difficult feelings occasionally.

5. Reject any attempts by my rel a tive to ma n ip u la te me through guilt, and/or depression 6. Receive consideration, affection, forgiveness, and acceptance for what I do from others, for as long as I give the same.

7. Take pride in what I am accomplishing and to applaud the courage that it takes to meet the needs of my loved one.

8. Protect my individuality and my right to make a life for myself that will sustain me in the time when my loved one no longer needs my full-time help 9. Expect and demand that as new strides are made in finding resources to aid physically and mentally impaired persons, similar strides will be made towards aiding and supporting caregivers.

Source: Jo Horne, CareGiving: Helping an Aging Loved One. (Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman and Company.

Keith, C., 1995)

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Peace Ideas, No. 76

Ecospirituality __________ Outer Peace __________________________________

Universal Spirituality is Green In his book, The Mystic Heart, the late interspirituality advocate and Cath o lic lay monk Bro. Wayne Teasdale explains the power of universal spirituality for the causes of justice, peace and protecting creation. A sublime way of nurturing our planet is to put to practice the following eight elements of universal spirituality: 1. Actual moral capacity putting a rein on our desires so we can be more other-oriented and truly care for our world.

2. Solidarity with all living beings - feeling a deep sense of interconnectedness with everyone and everything.

3. Deep non-violence - recognizing the universal need of all sentient beings to avoid pain and be happy.

4. Humility - being aware that the Divine dwells not just in us but in all things and beings.

5. Spiritual practice - persevering to wake up from our illusion of sep a ra tion from each other and from our world.

6. Mature self-knowledge realizing that we -- humans, animals, the environment -- are all one in our true nature.

7. Simplicity of life - living according to the knowledge that the simple life is necessary to avoid the abuse of the earth's resources.

8. Selfless service and compas sio n ate ac tion - d o i n g something to help alleviate the suffering in our world -- not just of humans, but of our whole conscious ecosystem.

9. Prophetic voice - raising awareness of the suffering of our world and planet from a place of love and compassion.

Sources: Wayne Teasdale, The Mystic Heart.

(California: New World Library, 1999)

Doomsday Clock: Five Minutes Left Ever heard of the Doomsday Clock? If not, here is what it is: a visual metaphor first used in 1947 by atomic scientists forming the Science and Security Board of the educative publication, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, to warn the world of the dangers of nuclear weapons. Every year since then, the board analyzes international threats, particularly nu clear ar se nals and cli mate change, and decides where the minute hand on the Doomsday Clock should rest. The closer it is to midnight, the closer the world is to doom.

Here is a shortened timeline of Doomsday Clock rea dings through the decades: 1947 - 7 minutes to midnight The Clock symbolizes for the first time the urgency of the nuclear dangers that the bulletin’s founders—and the broader scientific community—are trying to convey to the public.

1953 - 2 minutes to midnight The US tests the hydrogen bomb.

1960 - 7 minutes to midnight the US and Soviet Union appear eager to avoid direct confrontation in regional conflicts.

1963 - 12 minutes to midnight The US and Soviet Union sign the Partial Test Ban Treaty, which ends all atmo spheric nu clear

testing.

1972 - 12 minutes. to midnight The US and Soviet Union attempt to curb the race for nuclear superiority by signing the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT).

1984 - 4 minutes to midnight US-Soviet relations reach their iciest point in decades after the Soviet Union invades Afghanistan.

1991 - 17 minutes to midnight The Soviet Union dissolves and the Cold War is over.

(1991 is the Doomsday Clock's best year. Since then, however, optimism has steadily waned because of the-· worsening of human-induced climate change--the greatest challenge humans are facing today as a species, · onset of our planet's sixth mass extinction as a result of climate change, and · danger of the malicious use of biotechnology and other emerging technologies, in addition to the · old problem of nuclear terror.)

2014 - 5 minutes to midnight Many scientists argue that we are in even graver danger than this because climate change, unlike nuclear threats, is virtually irreversible and will only worsen in time.

Sources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/ 18/doomsday-clock-2013-minutes-midnight-atomic_n_2498446.html); http://thebulletin.org/overview

The Peace Center The Peace Center of the Theosophical Society in the Philippines is open Tuesday to Sunday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Center is located at the National Headquarters of the Theosophical Society in the Philippines, 1 Iba Street,

Quezon City, Philippines.

Tel. No. 741-57-40. The Board of Trustees of the Center is composed of the following: Vicente R. Hao Chin, Jr. (Chairman), Rudy Rodil (Executive Director), Flerida Ruth P. Romero, Leticia R. Shahani, Concepcion L. Madarang, Luis Torres, Leonardo Salazar and Patricia G. Muñoz (Trustees).