http://www.openheart.com/peace/peace.html World Peace Experiment Become a Catalyst for Peace Join the World Peace Experiment (NOTE: Click here to download a one page pdf document of this information) We are seeking 80,000 people who are willing to be part of an experiment to see if we can shift the world's perception of "good and evil" to a perception of love. It won't cost you any money and will take only seconds a day. We believe we are all one mind and that if enough people (critical mass) could shift their own personal perception—change their minds—about the existence of evil, then the whole planet could shift into a perception of love. We also believe that world peace begins with each individual achieving a state of peace within themselves. We can begin to do that for ourselves by becoming aware of the "negative" influences in our lives and choosing consciously to eliminate or shift those influences. What we propose is a two step process as follows: STEP 1: Whenever you perceive that a negative event is occurring say the words "ONLY LOVE PREVAILS." This phrase sends "positive" energy to the perceived negative event as you stand as an observer in non-judgment. It will also help shift the perception that for good to exist, evil must also exist (polarity theory). As your perception shifts, you will perceive less and less negativity. This process therefore acts as a barometer to measure your own sense of inner peace. The less negativity you perceive, the less you will find yourself needing to affirm "Only Love Prevails". STEP 2: Become aware that the news media has a profound impact on your perception. Do whatever you need to do to protect yourself from exposure to "negative" or fear based stories in the media. This might mean giving up watching or listening to newscasts or reading newspapers, or it might mean that you filter your exposure to the news media and become very selective about what you do read or watch or listen to. Just bringing your awareness to the negativity that permeates the news media will help shift your consciousness. The media feeds us with negative reports of world events and therefore we personally get pulled into the negative energy. Very seldom does the media report "positive news" events. If we only had the media as our benchmark of what was happening on our planet, it would be easy to believe that only evil exists. The truth is, the reports of so-called negative occurrences that permeate newscasts are in most cases isolated incidences. Most of what happens on this planet falls into the "good" news area, but positive news is rarely reported because it doesn't sell newspapers. We have become conditioned to want to hear about the horror stories that the media has become so good at reporting. Many of us have become addicted to it. Click here to listen to Carol's funny story about how she attempted to eliminate sources of negativity in her life. We feel that if enough people (critical mass) stopped exposing themselves to the "negative energy" generated by the news media and repeated "ONLY LOVE PREVAILS" whenever exposed to a report of an incident that appeared to be negative that we could shift the consciousness of the planet to a perception that ONLY LOVE PREVAILS. This would be a giant step toward achieving a state of peace. If you would like to participate in this experiment, we would love to hear from you. You can contact us in one of two ways: Fill out our online form, or Send us a postcard with your name, city, state and country to: [size=+1][/size] In order for us to know when we reach our goal of 80,000, we are keeping track of number of people who are participating as well as the demographics (how many in each country). We invite you to share this idea with your friends and acquaintances— with anyone and everyone. You can make a difference! You can be a catalyst for world peace!! This experiment began in December 1997. For the most current participant numbers, see our participants page. We encourage you to join in this world changing experiment and to tell your friends. Together we will create a world of peace where ONLY LOVE PREVAILS. Click here to find out how we came up with the number 80,000.
World peace begins with inner peace. What is reflected on the outer is merely a mirror of what is on the inner. Trying to change the world without working to change consciousness is like trying to change the image in a mirror without changing the object that is being reflected. The physical environment and circumstances we experience, are merely a reflection of our consciousness. Our consciousness is created by our thoughts -- the true creative force. To change our consciousness we must transform all our limiting thoughts. This can be done effectively by using the Free Yourself process. — Carol Hansen Grey, 1999 "We are not victims of the world we see; we are victims of the way we see the world." — Dennis Kucinich US Congressperson (Ohio), 2003 recipient of the Gandhi Peace Award The only safe way to overcome an enemy is to make of the enemy a friend. —Gandhi We lose our freedoms at the altar of fear. —Kahlil Gibran "I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content. Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness. When soldiers of the world draw their swords to kill, soldiers of God clasp each other's hands! So may all the savagery of man disappear by the Mercy of God, working through the pure in heart and the sincere of soul. Do not think the peace of the world an ideal impossible to attain! Nothing is impossible to the Divine Benevolence of God. If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men. Do not despair! Work steadily. Sincerity and love will conquer hate. How many seemingly impossible events are coming to pass in these days! Set your faces steadily towards the Light of the World. Show love to all; `Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit in the heart of Man'. Take courage! God never forsakes His children who strive and work and pray! Let your hearts be filled with the strenuous desire that tranquillity and harmony may encircle all this warring world. So will success crown your efforts, and with the universal brotherhood will come the Kingdom of God in peace and goodwill." --Baha'i: Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks, Written in 1912 (pp 29-30) What kind of peace do I mean? What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children -- not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women -- not merely peace in our time but peace for all time. ~ President John F. Kennedy at American University, 10 June 1963 Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who are hungry and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed. — Dwight D. Eisenhower If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart? —Alexander Solzhenitsyn There never was a good war or a bad peace. — Benjamin Franklin
Wars can be prevented just as surely as they can be provoked, and we who fail to prevent them must share in the guilt for the dead. — General Omar Bradley I have known war as few men now living know it. Its very destructiveness on both friend and foe has rendered it useless as a means of settling international disputes. — General Douglas MacArthur The pioneers of a warless world are the young men who refuse military service. — Albert Einstein (from the book Peacemaking by Conrad G. Brunk) War is only a cowardly escape from the problem of peace. —Thomas Mann When we see God in each other we will be able to live in peace. —Mother Teresa The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy... Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. —Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In this world, hate never dispelled hate. Only love dispels hate. This is the law, ancient and inexhaustible. —The Buddha The only enemy is injustice. The only death is death of the conscience. — Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy book) "Terror is in the human heart. We must remove this from the heart. Destroying the human heart, both physically and psychologically, is what we should avoid. The root of terrorism is misunderstanding, hatred and violence. This root cannot be located by the military. Bombs and missiles cannot reach it, let alone destroy it. Only with the practice of calming and looking deeply can our insight reveal and identify this root. Only with the practice of deep listening and compassion can it be transformed and removed. Darkness cannot be dissipated with more darkness. More darkness will only make darkness thicker. Only light can dissipate darkness. Those of us who have the light should display the light and offer it so that the world will not sink into total darkness." — Thich Nhat Hanh in Shanghai, October 19, 2002 Kids can't see us bombing, and then listen to us talking about getting guns out of the schools. How can we tell them to solve problems without violence, if, in fact, we can't show an ability to solve problems without violence? — Representative Barbara Lee I know there is anger. I feel it myself. But I don't want my son used as a pawn to justify the killing of others. We as a nation should not use the same means as the people who attacked us. — Oscar Rodriguez, (whose son died in the attack on the World Trade Center) To do evil, a human being must first of all believe that what he's doing is good... Ideology — that is what gives devildoing its long-sought justification and gives the evildoer the necessary steadfastness and determination. That is the social theory which helps to make his acts seem good instead of bad in his own and others' eyes, so that he won't hear reproaches and curses but will receive praise and honors. — Alexander Solzhenitsyn That there are men in all countries who get their living by war, and by keeping up the quarrels of nations, is as shocking as it is true; but when those who are concerned in the government of a country, make it their study to sow discord, and cultivate prejudices between nations, it becomes the more unpardonable. — Thomas Paine, "The Rights of Man," circa 1792 Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar. — Julius Caesar The first step is to penetrate the clouds of deceit and distortion and learn the truth about the world, then to organize and act to change it. That's never been impossible and never been easy. — Noam Chomsky In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. — George Orwell Our nation will become truly great only when we learn to love our children more than we yearn to control the Earth. The world we risk with war is that of our children. --Rafael J. González A time comes when silence is betrayal. — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming." — Goethe Evil is the absence of love just as darkness is the absence of light. The way to dispel darkness is to shine light into it. The way to dispel evil is to "shine" love into it. If we change the perception that evil is something to be struggled against to a perception that it is merely the absence of love, it becomes our goal to respond to EVERYTHING with love. We can help put ourselves into that mindset by saying the words Only Love Prevails every time we perceive evil. —Carol Hansen Grey [Return to Top] Inspired Writings (Stories, Poems, Articles and Songs) contributed by World Peace Experiment Participants Click on the links below and enjoy the inspirational stories, poems and writings that have been contributed to us by World Peace Participants from around the world. Only Love Prevails (World Peace Experiment Theme Song) written and recorded by Carole Isis (Manchester, England) Energy Waves by Barbara Wolf of Global Meditations Network Thank you, Mr. Terrorist by James Paul Rabiola All attempts to bring order to the world through force, destruction, and fear of punishment are unacceptable. The only way is to bring the peace from within yourself into the world. The only enemy worth conquering is your own fear. Gradually, as this fear is reduced, you will seriously recognize your inner reality as being completely at peace. This peace only wants one thing. It wants to recognize itself in everyone. So how can the World not end up being peaceful? It's up to you. (from a World Peace Participant and published on www.self-and-body.dk Reprinted here with permission) Thy True Name by Catherine Garland Keep Hope Alive by Carol and Edward Suchecki How to Make Peace by Don Beckett A Positive Outlook on Life by Jan Gosen (The Netherlands) I Am, a poem by Dorothy Rumble (England) The Core of Peace, a poem by Jane M. Hamilton Merlin's View, A Peace Story by Montana Gray The Gentle Art of Blessing by Pierre Pradervand (Switzerland) Good Earthkeeping by Tasha Halpert Only Love Prevails, a poem by The Lady Michal Media Power, a poem by Marlaina Kreinin Out of Balance in the Middle East, a poem by Marlaina Kreinin New Horizons by Devin Mikles, MD A Prayer by Robin Silverman Good Friday Meditation by Betty Lue Lieber Age of Empowerment by Matthew Webb Peace of Mind by Robert M. Hensel Will You Follow Me by Karen Winston Wilson of Florida [Return to Top]
Prayers Prayer for World Leaders by Carol Hansen Grey Baha'i Prayer submitted by Eric Hellicar Prayer for a New America by Will Wilkinson A Prayer by Margot Wolff from The Netherlands There is One Life, That Life is God by Carol Hanson There is No Order of Difficulty in Miracles by Marianne Williamson [Return to Top] Writings Inspired by the Events of September 11, 2001 One, a poem by Cheryl Sawyer A Better Form of Security by Chris Corrigan Bomb Them with Butter by Kent Madin Cultivating Compassion to Respond to Violence, Thich Nhat Hanh The Family by Jack Barnard An Afgan American Speaks by Tamim Ansary A New Holy War Against Evil: A Buddhist Response by David Loy Whispers on the Wind by Melissa Phillippe & Kayla Gold I Have a Vision by Joyce Moskowitz Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch Revenge is Not the Answer by Joanie Misrack We Are in Truth All Vulnerable by Rabbi Arthur Waskow America's Broken Heart by Bill Douglas A Muslim Woman Speaks by Saraji The Bigger Picture by Patricia Diane Cota-Robles Through the Valley of Darkness by Michael Gaeta A Great Wakeup Call by Michael Lightweaver Our War with "the Other" by Sharif M. Abdullah Feeling the Outrage by Jean Houston We Are All New Yorkers by Jean Houston A Turning Point by Soleira Green Where Does the Answer Lie? by Kevin York We Are All Connected by Alicia Rodriguez Day the World Changed by Paul Von Ward The Deeper Wound by Deepak Chopra Responding to the Events of the Day by Gary Baran An Opening for Change by John L. Petersen Create a "Heart Field" Environment by Doc Childre Tower Struck by Lightning by Dan Furst Opening Up the Conversation by Diana Morley From the Ashes by Danna Beal 9-11 A Blessing??? by Laura Duksta Cataract Americans by Marcene Larkin It Begins in the Mirror by Robert Kamm World Peace Letter by Michael Robins Excerpt from Prime Minister Tony Blair's Speech (not reported in the US media) 9-11: The Astrology of a Tragedy by Roxanne Carol An Ode to America, Published in Romanian Newspaper First Do No Harm by Jane Brundage Timely Words from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. [Return to Top] Letters A Message to President Bush from His Holiness The Dalai Lama A Letter to the Survivors: A Letter to Us All by Jane Brundage Letter to GW Bush by Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchú Letter to President Bush from Former Marine Greg Nees A Letter to the Editor by Susan Strong An Open Letter to George W. Bush by Alan Levin An Open Letter to the People of the World by Patrice Brymner [Return to Top] Positive Actions You Can Take Print out a complimentary copy of the text of the Free Yourself from Fear booklet by Carol Hansen Grey & Victor Grey Join the Only Love Prevails World Peace Experiment Wear RED on Fridays to Protest Bush Policies Take the Pledge of Resistance Sign the Women United for Peace Petition Call to be a Celebrant: A New Order of Human by Arleen Lorrance Write your Representative to urge his or her support of the establishment of a Department of Peace Join a Worldwide Campaign to Pray for Peace and Justice Sign a Win-Win Petition to President Bush Seven Days of Prayer by Marianne Williamson, et al. Participate in the Angel Project Join in the World's Biggest Cyber Hug Take the "Stop the Hate Pledge" Join James Twyman's Prayer's of Peace Project Join James & Salle Redfield's World Prayer Project Read Mark Mulligen's idea for creating a Peace World Sign Barbara Kaufman's two Petitions: Internet Peace Plan and Bridge to Peace Join Women of Vision and Action [Return to Top] Self Help Suggestions What We Already Know by Jane Brundage How to Protect Yourself from Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear Attack by Red Thomas Keeping Your Balance by Kay Snow-Davis 7 Days After the Trauma by Kay Snow-Davis Coping With Tragedy Responds To Recovery Issues Methods of Non-Violent Action by Gene Sharp Coping During Crisis by Paula Leslie [Return to Top]
Direct Links to Other Inspiring and Thought-Provoking Articles Common Way After the War by Howard Zinn One American's Apology to the World, Mark Landau 9-11 Web Archive The Vigilance Voice by Cliff and Lori McKenzie Steps Toward Inner Peace by Peace Pilgrim The Evolution of Consciousness by Leigh Tremaine Reflections on 9-11 from State of the World Forum Ending Terrorism Article by National Peace Corps Assoc. The Waldman Report: Bush and Ben Laden Terrorism and Non-Violence by Arun Gandhi A Message from Drunvalo to All Americans Alan Cohen's Comments on the Events of 9/11 Compassion and Revenge by Gary Zukav Universal Principles about the 9/11 Attack An Impatient Letter from God (humor) God Angrily Clarifies Don't Kill Rule (humor) Attack On America: A Personal Perspective by Gregg Braden The Challenge of Terror by John Paul Lederach Justice as a Constructive, Healing Activity by Denise Breton and Stephen Lehman How Could They Do this to Us by Vidya Ishaya Tears Down the Westside Highway by Michael Moore Rep. Barbara Lee's Statement in Opposition to the Use of Force Interview with Rep. Barbara Lee (Mother Jones) A List of Memorials & Remembrances related to 9-11 New Dimensions World Broadcasting Network Global Meditations, Barbara Wolf's Website Common Dreams News Center What Are We Swallowing Connect: Search for Deeper Meaning, Big Mind Media The Nation ZNet Magazine FAIR CounterPunch Archive (articles) CounterPunch 9-11 Resources (links) Coming to Grips with Jihad (The Atlantic Unbound) The Triumph of Terrorism (The Atlantic Unbound) Extra Ordinary Days a poem written by Tom Atlee What Should We Do in this Crisis? by Tom Atlee Solutions Not Slogans by Geov Parrish Selected Quotes from 9-11 Writings compiled by Suzanne Taylor Starhawk's Activism Page Buddhist Peace Fellowship Writings Articles from The Shalom Center Women from Around the World Respond to Tragedy, Letters from Global Fund for Women Critical Choices at the Crossroads by William Thomas [Return to Top] Image by Tony Scheving scheving@home.com Direct Links to Other Inspirational Visual Images Reaction from people around the world www.plur.net/thankyou A Visual Remembrance from the residents of Mill Valley, California A visual message in the light of loss Break the Cycle of Violence Kodak Photo Quilt Project Santa Cruz Peace March from Peace Portal Fascinating Grafts of the 9-11 Impact on Random-Number-Generating Computers The Miniature Earth Big Picture: Small World [Return to Top] Hear messages from spiritual leaders around the world at Harmony Net Radio [Return to Top] Native American Wisdom Peace ...comes within the souls of men when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the Universe and all its powers, and when they realize that...the center of the Universe... is really everywhere, it is within each of us. —Black Elk, Oglala Lakota, 1947 A grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt. He said, "I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, violent one. The other wolf is the loving, compassionate one." The grandson asked him, "Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?" The grandfather answered, "The one I feed." —A Native American Metaphor Each of us is put here in this time and this place to personally decide the future of humankind. Did you think the Creator would create unnecessary people in a time of such terrible danger? Know that you yourself are essential to this World. — Chief Arvol Looking Horse of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Nation, 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Every part of this earth is sacred. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy. The rocky crest, the meadow, the beasts and all the people, all belong to the same family. Teach your children that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth. We are part of the earth, and the earth is a part of us. The rivers are our brothers; they quench our thirst. The perfumed flowers are our sisters. The air is precious, for all of us share the same breath. The wind that gave our grandparents breath also receives their last sigh. The wind gave our children the spirit of life. This we know, the earth does not belong to us. We belong to the earth. This we know, all things are connected. Like the blood which unites one family, all things are connected. Our God is the same God, whose compassion is equal for all. For we did not weave the web of life. We are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. Let us give thanks for the web and the circle that connects us. Thanks be to god, the God of all. —From an oration of Chief Seattle, Native American, U.S.A., 19th Century [Return to Top]