Season For Nonviolence

 

JOINT PRINCIPLES OF NONVIOLENCE

Nonviolence means honoring the dignity and inherent worth of every human being.

Nonviolence means believing that our lives are linked together, that what we do impacts the lives of other people. Therefore, we are responsible to and for one another.

Nonviolence means dedicating ourselves to guaranteeing the fundamental rights of every human being (justice, equity, equality). It means using our talents to empower others as well as ourselves.

Nonviolence is courageously choosing to practice compassion with our apparent adversaries. We oppose injustice, not people.

Nonviolence means recognizing love as the power of the human spirit to triumph over injustice, social inequity, and suffering. This is the hero’s journey.

 

Gandhian principles of Nonviolence

• TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS: Unconditional commitment to be truthful and authentic.
   
• TRUSTEESHIP: Each one of us has a unique talent; however, we do not own it but serve as trustee. Our talent must be used as much for the sake of others as for ourselves.
   
• RESPECT: We respect others and accept the interdependence and interconnectedness of all life.
   
• ACCEPTANCE: Out of respect and understanding, we can begin to accept one another’s differences.
   
• APPRECIATING DIFFERENCES: We move beyond acceptance into appreciation and celebration of differences.

 

Kingian principles of Nonviolence

• Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
   
• Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
   
• Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustices, not people.
   
• Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate.
   
• Nonviolence holds that the Universe is on the side of goodness and that right will prevail.

 

10 things you can do to contribute to internal, interpersonal and organizational peace

1. Spend some time each day quietly reflecting on how you would like to relate to yourself and others.
    
2. Remember that all human beings have the same needs.
    
3. Check your intention to see if you are as interested in others getting their needs met as your own.
    
4. When asking someone to do something, check first to see if you are making a request or a demand.
    
5. Instead of saying what you DON’T want someone to do, say what you DO want the person to do.
    
6. Instead of saying what you want someone to BE, say what action you’d like the person to take that you hope will help the person be that way.
    
7. Before agreeing or disagreeing with anyone’s opinions, try to tune in to what the person is feeling and needing.
    
8. Instead of saying NO, say what needs of yours prevents you from saying YES.
    
9. If you are feeling upset, think about what need of yours is not being met, and what you could do to meet it, instead of thinking about what’s wrong with others or yourself.
    
10. Instead of praising someone who did something you like, express your gratitude by telling the person what need of yours that action met.
     

 

Practicing Nonviolence

A HIGH REGARD FOR LIFE

• How do you treat people… as valuable and precious resources?
   
• How do you nurture the talents of everyone in your life?
   
• How do you promote healthy relationships based on mutual appreciation?
   

COMMUNICATION AND CONCILIATION

• In what ways do you encourage and facilitate the expression of the Principles of Nonviolence, which include respect, understanding, compassion and reconciliation?
   
• How do you resolve conflict?
   

A WAY OF LIFE

• How do you encourage commitment to nonviolence through personal, spiritual, philosophical, ethical or moral practices?
   
• In what ways do you support the “whole being” of yourself and others, including physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological well-being?
   

SERVICE

• In what ways do you help build community through service?
   

Source: Association for Global New Thought (www.AGNT.org)

 

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