Prayers for Peace

Happy World Peace Day

2010-09-21T12:06:00.001-07:00

The International Day of Peace, also known as the World Peace Day, occurs annually on the 21st of September. It is dedicated to peace, or specifically the absence of war, such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone. It is observed by many nations, political groups, military groups, and peoples. The first year this holiday was celebrated was 1981.

To inaugurate the day, the "Peace Bell" is rung at UN Headquarters. The bell is cast from coins donated by children from all continents. It was given as a gift by the Diet of Japan, and is referred to as "a reminder of the human cost of war." The inscription on its side reads: "Long live absolute world peace."

Lladro Allegory to Peace

2010-08-21T20:00:00.000-07:00

Rare Lladro pottery Allegory to Peace

Satyagraha — Gandhi and the Art of Peaceful Protest

2010-08-11T01:24:00.000-07:00

Gandhi - Indomitable Will

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Satyagraha (Sanskrit: सत्याग्रह satyāgraha) is a philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance developed by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (also known as "Mahatma" Gandhi). Gandhi deployed satyagraha in the Indian independence movement and also during his earlier struggles in South Africa. Satyagraha theory influenced Nelson Mandela's struggle in South Africa under apartheid, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaigns during the civil rights movement in the United States, and many other social justice and similar movements. Someone who practices satyagraha is a satyagrahi.

Meaning of the Term

Satyagraha is a synthesis of the Sanskrit words satya (meaning "truth") and Agraha ("insistence", or "holding firmly to"). For Gandhi, satyagraha went far beyond mere "passive resistance" and became strength in practising non-violent methods. In his words:

Truth (satya) implies love, and firmness (agraha) engenders and therefore serves as a synonym for force. I thus began to call the Indian movement Satyagraha, that is to say, the Force which is born of Truth and Love or non-violence, and gave up the use of the phrase “passive resistance”, in connection with it, so much so that even in English writing we often avoided it and used instead the word “satyagraha”....

In a letter to P.K.Rao, Servants of India Society dated September 10, 1935, quoted in Louis Fischer's, The Life of Mahatma Gandhi, Part I, Chapter 11, pp. 87–88, Gandhi disputes that his idea of Civil Disobedience was adapted from the writings of Thoreau.

"The statement that I had derived my idea of Civil Disobedience phrase to explain our struggle to the English readers. But I found that even "Civil disobedience" failed to convey the full meaning of the struggle. I therefore adopted the phrase "Civil Resistance."

Gandhi described it as follows:

I have also called it love-force or soul-force. In the application of satyagraha, I discovered in the earliest stages that pursuit of truth did not admit of violence being inflicted on one’s opponent but that he must be weaned from error by patience and compassion. For what appears to be truth to the one may appear to be error to the other. And patience means self-suffering. So the doctrine came to mean vindication of truth, not by infliction of suffering on the opponent, but on oneself.

Contrast to “passive resistance”

Gandhi distinguished between satyagraha and passive resistance in the following letter:

"I have drawn the distinction between passive resistance as understood and practised in the West and satyagraha before I had evolved the doctrine of the latter to its full logical and spiritual extent. is a metaphor for non-violence. I often used “passive resistance” and “satyagraha” as synonymous terms: but as the doctrine of satyagraha developed, the expression “passive resistance” ceases even to be synonymous, as passive resistance has admitted of violence as in the case of suffragettes and has been universally acknowledged to be a weapon of the weak. Moreover, passive resistance does not necessarily involve complete adherence to truth under every circumstance. Therefore it is different from satyagraha in three essentials: Satyagraha is a weapon of the strong; it admits of no violence under any circumstance whatsoever; and it ever insists upon truth. I think I have now made the distinction perfectly clear."

Satyagraha theory

Defining success

In traditional violent and nonviolent conflict, the goal is to defeat the opponent or frustrate the opponent’s objectives, or to meet one’s own objectives despite the efforts of the opponent to obstruct these. In satyagraha, by contrast, these are not the goals. “The Satyagrahi’s object is to convert, not to coerce, the wrong-doer.” Success is defined as cooperating with the opponent to meet a just end that the opponent is unwittingly obstructing. The opponent must be converted, at least as far as to stop obstructing the just end, for this cooperation to take place.

Means and ends

The theory of satyagraha sees means and ends as inseparable. The means used to obtain an end are wrapped up in and attached to that end. Therefore, it is contradictory to try to use unjust means to obtain justice or to try to use violence to obtain peace. As Gandhi wrote: “They say, 'means are, after all, means'. I would say, 'means are, after all, everything'. As the means so the end...”

Gandhi used an example to explain this:

If I want to deprive you of your watch, I shall certainly have to fight for it; if I want to buy your watch, I shall have to pay for it; and if I want a gift, I shall have to plead for it; and, according to the means I employ, the watch is stolen property, my own property, or a donation.

Gandhi rejected the idea that injustice should, or even could, be fought against “by any means necessary” — if you use violent, coercive, unjust means, whatever ends you produce will necessarily embed that injustice. To those who preached violence and called nonviolent actionists cowards, he replied: “I do believe that, where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence....I would rather have India resort to arms in order to defend her honour than that she should, in a cowardly manner, become or remain a helpless witness to her own dishonour....But I believe that nonviolence is infinitely superior to violence, forgiveness is more manly than punishment.”

Satyagraha versus Duragraha

The essence of Satyagraha is that it seeks to eliminate antagonisms without harming the antagonists themselves, as opposed to violent resistance, which is meant to cause harm to the antagonist. A Satyagrahi therefore does not seek to end or destroy the relationship with the antagonist, but instead seeks to transform or “purify” it to a higher level. A euphemism sometimes used for Satyagraha is that it is a “silent force” or a “soul force” (a term also used by Martin Luther King Jr. during his famous “I Have a Dream” speech). It arms the individual with moral power rather than physical power. Satyagraha is also termed a “universal force,” as it essentially “makes no distinction between kinsmen and strangers, young and old, man and woman, friend and foe.”

Gandhi contrasted satyagraha (holding on to truth) with “duragraha” (holding on by force), as in protest meant more to harass than enlighten opponents. He wrote: “There must be no impatience, no barbarity, no insolence, no undue pressure. If we want to cultivate a true spirit of democracy, we cannot afford to be intolerant. Intolerance betrays want of faith in one's cause.”

Civil disobedience and non-cooperation as practised under Satyagraha are based on the “law of suffering”, a doctrine that the endurance of suffering is a means to an end. This end usually implies a moral upliftment or progress of an individual or society. Therefore, non-cooperation in Satyagraha is in fact a means to secure the cooperation of the opponent consistently with truth and justice.

Satyagraha in large-scale conflict

When using satyagraha in a large-scale political conflict involving civil disobedience, Gandhi believed that the satyagrahis must undergo training to ensure discipline. He wrote that it is “only when people have proved their active loyalty by obeying the many laws of the State that they acquire the right of Civil Disobedience.”

He therefore made part of the discipline that satyagrahis:

1. appreciate the other laws of the State and obey them voluntarily
2. tolerate these laws, even when they are inconvenient
3. be willing to undergo suffering, loss of property, and to endure the suffering that might be inflicted on family and friends

This obedience has to be not merely grudging, but extraordinary:

…an honest, respectable man will not suddenly take to stealing whether there is a law against stealing or not, but this very man will not feel any remorse for failure to observe the rule about carrying headlights on bicycles after dark.… But he would observe any obligatory rule of this kind, if only to escape the inconvenience of facing a prosecution for a breach of the rule. Such compliance is not, however, the willing and spontaneous obedience that is required of a Satyagrahi.

Principles for Satyagrahis

Gandhi envisioned satyagraha as not only a tactic to be used in acute political struggle, but as a universal solvent for injustice and harm. He felt that it was equally applicable to large-scale political struggle and to one-on-one interpersonal conflicts and that it should be taught to everyone.

He founded the Sabarmati Ashram to teach satyagraha. He asked satyagrahis to follow the following principles (Yamas described in Yoga Sutra):

1. Nonviolence (ahimsa)
2. Truth — this includes honesty, but goes beyond it to mean living fully in accord with and in devotion to that which is true
3. Non-stealing
4. Chastity (brahmacharya) — this includes sexual chastity, but also the subordination of other sensual desires to the primary devotion to truth
5. Non-possession (not the same as poverty)
6. Body-labor or bread-labor
7. Control of the palate
8. Fearlessness
9. Equal respect for all religions
10. Economic strategy such as boycotts (swadeshi)
11. Freedom from untouchability

On another occasion, he listed seven rules as “essential for every Satyagrahi in India”:

1. must have a living faith in God
2. must believe in truth and non-violence and have faith in the inherent goodness of human nature which he expects to evoke by suffering in the satyagraha effort
3. must be leading a chaste life, and be willing to die or lose all his possessions
4. must be a habitual khadi wearer and spinner
5. must abstain from alcohol and other intoxicants
6. must willingly carry out all the rules of discipline that are issued
7. must obey the jail rules unless they are specially devised to hurt his self respect

Rules for satyagraha campaigns

Gandhi proposed a series of rules for satyagrahis to follow in a resistance campaign:

1. harbour no anger
2. suffer the anger of the opponent
3. never retaliate to assaults or punishment; but do not submit, out of fear of punishment or assault, to an order given in anger
4. voluntarily submit to arrest or confiscation of your own property
5. if you are a trustee of property, defend that property (non-violently) from confiscation with your life
6. do not curse or swear
7. do not insult the opponent
8. neither salute nor insult the flag of your opponent or your opponent’s leaders
9. if anyone attempts to insult or assault your opponent, defend your opponent (non-violently) with your life
10. as a prisoner, behave courteously and obey prison regulations (except any that are contrary to self-respect)
11. as a prisoner, do not ask for special favourable treatment
12. as a prisoner, do not fast in an attempt to gain conveniences whose deprivation does not involve any injury to your self-respect
13. joyfully obey the orders of the leaders of the civil disobedience action
14. do not pick and choose amongst the orders you obey; if you find the action as a whole improper or immoral, sever your connection with the action entirely
15. do not make your participation conditional on your comrades taking care of your dependents while you are engaging in the campaign or are in prison; do not expect them to provide such support
16. do not become a cause of communal quarrels
17. do not take sides in such quarrels, but assist only that party which is demonstrably in the right; in the case of inter-religious conflict, give your life to protect (non-violently) those in danger on either side
18. avoid occasions that may give rise to communal quarrels
19. do not take part in processions that would wound the religious sensibilities of any community

Satyagraha and the civil rights movement in the United States

Satyagraha theory also influenced Martin Luther King, Jr. during the campaigns he led during the civil rights movement in the United States:

Like most people, I had heard of Gandhi, but I had never studied him seriously. As I read I became deeply fascinated by his campaigns of nonviolent resistance. I was particularly moved by his Salt March to the Sea and his numerous fasts. The whole concept of Satyagraha (Satya is truth which equals love, and agraha is force; Satyagraha, therefore, means truth force or love force) was profoundly significant to me. As I delved deeper into the philosophy of Gandhi, my skepticism concerning the power of love gradually diminished, and I came to see for the first time its potency in the area of social reform. ... It was in this Gandhian emphasis on love and nonviolence that I discovered the method for social reform that I had been seeking.

Satyagraha and the Jewish Holocaust

In view of the Nazi persecution of the Jews in Germany, Gandhi offered satyagraha as a method of combating oppression and genocide, stating:

If I were a Jew and were born in Germany and earned my livelihood there, I would claim Germany as my home even as the tallest Gentile German might, and challenge him to shoot me or cast me in the dungeon; I would refuse to be expelled or to submit to discriminating treatment. And for doing this I should not wait for the fellow Jews to join me in civil resistance, but would have confidence that in the end the rest were bound to follow my example. If one Jew or all the Jews were to accept the prescription here offered, he or they cannot be worse off than now. And suffering voluntarily undergone will bring them an inner strength and joy [...] the calculated violence of Hitler may even result in a general massacre of the Jews by way of his first answer to the declaration of such hostilities. But if the Jewish mind could be prepared for voluntary suffering, even the massacre I have imagined could be turned into a day of thanksgiving and joy that Jehovah had wrought deliverance of the race even at the hands of the tyrant. For to the God-fearing, death has no terror.

When Gandhi was criticized for these statements, he responded in another article entitled “Some Questions Answered”:

Friends have sent me two newspaper cuttings criticizing my appeal to the Jews. The two critics suggest that in presenting non-violence to the Jews as a remedy against the wrong done to them, I have suggested nothing new... What I have pleaded for is renunciation of violence of the heart and consequent active exercise of the force generated by the great renunciation.”

In a similar vein, anticipating a possible attack on India by Japan during World War II, Gandhi recommended satyagraha as a defense:

…there should be unadulterated non-violent non-cooperation, and if the whole of India responded and unanimously offered it, I should show that, without shedding a single drop of blood, Japanese arms – or any combination of arms – can be sterilized. That involves the determination of India not to give quarter on any point whatsoever and to be ready to risk loss of several million lives. But I would consider that cost very cheap and victory won at that cost glorious. That India may not be ready to pay that price may be true. I hope it is not true, but some such price must be paid by any country that wants to retain its independence. After all, the sacrifice made by the Russians and the Chinese is enormous, and they are ready to risk all. The same could be said of the other countries also, whether aggressors or defenders. The cost is enormous. Therefore, in the non-violent technique I am asking India to risk no more than other countries are risking and which India would have to risk even if she offered armed resistance.

Gandhi's combination of renunciation of violence with active acceptance of suffering also received support from Jewish thinkers. Psychiatrist Victor Frankl and psychologist Bruno Bettelheim, both Holocaust survivors, confirmed Gandhi's experience that individuals who neither submit passively nor retaliate to violence find in themselves a new sense of strength, dignity, and courage. Gandhi's approach has been compared with Frankl's.

Love and Peace

2010-08-11T01:03:00.001-07:00

Love

Louise Carey

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Peace Leaves

2010-07-11T01:05:00.000-07:00

Peace

Art Print

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What is Inner Peace?

2010-07-04T05:10:00.000-07:00

Inner peace (or peace of mind) refers to a state of being mentally and spiritually at peace, with enough knowledge and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of discord or stress. Being "at peace" is considered by many to be healthy (homeostasis) and the opposite of being stressed or anxious. Peace of mind is generally associated with bliss and happiness.

Peace of mind, serenity, and calmness are descriptions of a disposition free from the effects of stress. In some cultures, inner peace is considered a state of consciousness or enlightenment that may be cultivated by various forms of training, such as prayer, meditation, T'ai Chi Ch'uan, or yoga, for example. Many spiritual practices refer to this peace as an experience of knowing oneself. Finding inner peace is often associated with traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism.

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, emphasizes the importance of inner peace in the world:

The question of real, lasting world peace concerns human beings, so basic human feelings are also at its roots. Through inner peace, genuine world peace can be achieved. In this the importance of individual responsibility is quite clear; an atmosphere of peace must first be created within ourselves, then gradually expanded to include our families, our communities, and ultimately the whole planet.

Floral Peace

2010-06-11T01:02:00.000-07:00

Peace

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Peace, Joy, Love

2010-05-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

Peace Joy Love
Arist: Kim L ewis
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Peace with Flowers and Birds by Lynn Metcalf

2010-04-20T04:20:00.000-07:00

Peace
Arist: Lynn Metcalf
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Peace Unifies the Heart

2010-03-03T00:57:00.000-08:00

Peace

Artist: Melody Hogan

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Peace Card by Marilu Windvand

2010-02-02T00:56:00.000-08:00

Peace Card

Artist: Marilu Windvand

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Peace Poster

2010-01-01T00:54:00.000-08:00

Peace

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Golden Peace Magnet

2009-01-11T23:20:00.000-08:00

Peace Magnet

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Peace, Back By Popular Demand

2009-01-09T23:19:00.000-08:00

Peace, Back By Popular Demand

Peace Magnet

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Quilt Fabric Peace Symbol

2009-01-07T23:18:00.000-08:00

Peace Art Print

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Yoga Peace Poster

2009-01-05T23:16:00.000-08:00

Peace: Yoga

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Peace, Ralph Waldo Emerson

2009-01-03T23:14:00.000-08:00

Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
Peace Butterfly Bush Art Print
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Peace Magnet

2009-01-01T23:13:00.000-08:00

Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. --Author Unknown

Peace Magnet

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Peace, Love, and Hope

2008-12-31T23:10:00.000-08:00

Peace, love and hope.
Nurture love, cherish hope, and the earth will harvest peace.

Organics, Peace, Love and Hope Art Print

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Happy new year, everyone! And may 2009 find you at peace.

Peace Wood Sign

2008-12-28T23:08:00.000-08:00

Peace Wood Sign

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Peace Photographic Print

2008-12-26T23:07:00.000-08:00

Peace Photographic Print

Ralph Meeks, Photographer

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Dove of Peace by Pablo Picasso

2008-12-24T23:06:00.000-08:00

Dove of Peace Art Print

by Pablo Picasso

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Peace Around the World

2008-12-22T23:03:00.000-08:00

Here, the image of the dove is formed by the word "peace" in many of the world's languages.

Peace Dove

is available as a high-quality art print.

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Blacklight Peace Poster

2008-12-20T23:01:00.000-08:00

This visual peace prayer is great for the dorm or bedroom.

Peace Blacklight Poster

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Give Peace a Chance

2008-12-18T22:42:00.000-08:00

Peace

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Coexist Poster, Peace

2008-12-16T22:48:00.000-08:00

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Fractal Peace Poster

2008-12-14T22:49:00.000-08:00

Fractal Peace

Poster

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Buddhist Peace Poster

2008-12-10T22:51:00.000-08:00

Peace comes from within, do not seek it without.

Buddha: Peace

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Rainbow Peace

2008-12-08T22:52:00.000-08:00

Peace Rainbow Poster

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Black and Grey Peace Symbol

2008-12-06T22:53:00.000-08:00

Black and Grey Peace Sign

A lovely, basic image.

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Peace is the Way, Thich Nhat Hanh

2008-12-04T22:54:00.000-08:00

Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese: Nhất Hạnh; pronounced [tʰǐk ɲɜ̌t hɐ̂ʔɲ] (born October 11, 1926 in central Vietnam) is an expatriate Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist. He joined a Zen monastery at the age of 16, studied Buddhism as a novice, and was fully ordained as a monk in 1949. Commonly referred to as Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese: Thích Nhất Hạnh), the title Thích is used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan.

Peace Is the Way

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Golden Peace Symbols

2008-12-02T22:57:00.000-08:00

What happy, bouncy peace symbols.

Golden Peace

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Sioux Peace Proverb

2008-10-01T01:37:00.000-07:00

The blue skies, the warm sun, and the fruitful earth are gifts from the great spirit, but peace among men is the greatest gift of all.

-- Sioux Proverb

Sudanese Prayer for Peace

2008-09-30T01:30:00.000-07:00

A SUDANESE PRAYER
Oh dear Father, it is thy desire, thy will,
let us live in peace, let the people be at ease.
So it was in the beginning, so it will be again.

Ethiopian Prayer for Peace

2008-09-15T01:31:00.000-07:00

AN ETHIOPIAN PRAYER
Dear Lord, you have prepared the peaceful road
I am to follow this day.
Do not allow me to stray from this path.
When I speak, do not allow lies to fall from my lips.
If I am hungry, do not allow me to complain.
When I have plenty, do not allow pride to lodge in my heart.
May I walk this road with you always, my Lord,
and may I always know peace.

Hymn to Ahura Mazda

2008-09-05T01:32:00.000-07:00

HEALING WORDS
The following prayer is from the ancient Hymn to Ahura Mazda. It is thought that when you meditate upon the many different names of the creator it can restore health and bring peace to the world.

I am the Keeper; I am the Creator and the Maintainer;
I am the Discerner; I am the most beneficent Spirit.
My name is the bestower of health;
my name is the best bestower of health.
My name is Ahura (the Lord)
My name is Mazdau (the all-knowing).
My name is the Holy; my name is the most Holy.
My name is the Glorious; my name is the most Glorious.
My name is the Full-seeing; my name is the Fullest-seeing.
My name is the Far-seeing; my name is the Farthest-seeing.
My name is the Protector; my name is the Well-wisher;
my name is the Creator; my name is the Keeper;
my name is the Maintainer.
My name is the Discerner;
my name is the Best Discerner.
My name is the Prosperity-producer;
my name is the Word of Prosperity.
My name is the King who rules at his will;
my name is the King who rules most at his will.
My name is the liberal King;
my name is the most liberal King.
My name is He who does not deceive;
my name is He who is not deceived.
My name is the good Keeper;
my name is He who destroys malice;
my name is He Who conquers at once;
my name is He who conquers everything;
my name is He who has shaped everything.
My name is All weal; my name is full weal;
my name is the Master of weal.
My name is He who can benefit at his wish;
my name is He who can best benefit at his wish.
My name is the Beneficent One;
my name is the Energetic One;
my name is the most Beneficent.
My name is Holiness;
my name is the Great One;
my name is the good Sovereign;
my name is the Best of Sovereigns.
My name is the Wise One;
my name is the Wisest of the Wise;
my name is He who does good for a long time.
These are my names.

Peace by George Herbert

2008-09-01T01:22:00.000-07:00

PEACE
by George Herbert (1593-1633)

Sweet Peace, where dost thou dwell?
I humbly crave,
Let me once know.
I sought thee in a secret cave,
And ask'd, if Peace were there,
A hollow wind did seem to answer,
No:Go seek elsewhere.
I did; and going did a rainbow note:
Surely, thought I,
This is the lace of Peace's coat:
I will search out the matter.
But while I looked the clouds immediately
Did break and scatter.
Then went I to a garden and did spy
A gallant flower,
The crown-imperial: Sure, said I,
Peace at the root must dwell.
But when I digged, I saw a worm devour
What showed so well.
At length I met a rev'rend good old man;
Whom when for Peace
I did demand, he thus began:
There was a Prince of old
At Salem dwelt, who lived with good increase
Of flock and fold.
He sweetly lived; yet sweetness did not save
His life from foes.
But after death out of his grave
There sprang twelve stalks of wheat;
Which many wond'ring at,
got some of those
To plant and set.
It prospered strangely,
and did soon disperse
Through all the earth:
For they that taste it do rehearse
That virtue lies therein;
A secret virtue, bringing
peace and mirth
By flight of sin.
Take of this grain,
which in my garden grows,
And grows for you;
Make bread of it: and that repose
And peace, which ev'ry where
With so much earnestness
you do pursue,
Is only there.

Peace from Goddess Diana

2008-08-31T01:25:00.000-07:00

From PRAYER TO ROMAN GODDESS DIANA

Cast light into my soul,
That I may live my life in peace.

Egyptian Prayer for Peace

2008-08-30T01:26:00.000-07:00

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PRAYER

Let us rise up and greet the Sun
Let us wash our hearts with laughter
and rinse them with Peace
and dry them with Love

Yoruban Prayer for Peace

2008-08-29T01:28:00.000-07:00

YORUBAN PRAYER
I honor the creator, Olodumare, the Lord of Heaven and Earth!
To You I give thanks, You who created man and animals.
I thank you for allowing me to see the beginning of another day,
and for watching over me through the long, dark night.
Protect me, as always, for the dangers of the world
and the temptations of evil. Do not let me go astray and
help me to be kind to my neighbors.
I honor the creator, Olodumare, the Lord of Heaven!
Note: The Yoruban peoples of Western Africa call their Supreme Deity Olodumare.

Traditional Peace Prayer from Ghana

2008-08-28T01:29:00.001-07:00

TRADITIONAL PRAYER FROM GHANA
May Peace reign over the earth.
May the Gourd Cup agree with the Vessel.
May every Ill Word be driven out into the Wilderness.

In Salutation to the Eternal Peace

2008-08-25T01:21:00.000-07:00

IN SALUTATION TO THE ETERNAL PEACE

The following poem is from Sarojini Naidu’s book The Bird of Time: Songs of Life, Death, and the Spring, 1912. Naidu, the “Nightingale of India,“ was a poet, scholar, feminist, political activist, and freedom fighter.

Men say the world is full of fear and hate,
And all life’s ripening harvest-fields await
The restless sickle of relentless fate.
But I, sweet Soul, rejoice that I was born,
When from the climbing terraces of corn
I watch the golden orioles of Thy morn.
What care I for the world’s desire and pride,
Who know the silver wings that gleam and glide,
The homing pigeons of Thine eventide?
What care I for the world’s loud weariness,
Who dream in twilight granaries Thou dost bless
With delicate sheaves of mellow silences?
Say, shall I heed dull presages of doom,
Or dread the rumored loneliness and gloom,
The mute and mythic terror of the tomb?
For my glad heart is drunk and drenched with Thee,
O inmost wind of living ecstasy!
O intimate essence of eternity!

Prayer Over Daily Bread

2008-08-24T18:46:00.000-07:00

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Power of Prayer

2008-08-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

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About the Artwork
© AllPosters.com
Danny Hahlbohm is one of the most recognized contemporary creators of Christian inspirational art. Born in New York City, he completed his military service before pursuing a painting career. As his spiritually iconic artwork began to appear in galleries and auctions around the world, his reputation grew. Believed to now be in millions of homes throughout the world, his body of work also includes nautical scenes, which have a strong sense of realism, power and emotion, likely inspired by his own sailing experiences near his home in Florida.

Zoroastrian Prayers for Peace

2008-08-12T01:34:00.000-07:00

ZOROASTRIAN PRAYERS
Today, only 150,000 or so people follow Zoroastrianism, yet at one time it was the dominant world religion. Its origins stem from the religious expression of the peaceful, sedentary communities living in Northern Iran, and scholars believe it was the first monotheistic religion, predating Christianity. Zoroastrians believe in one God, Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord). Ahura Mazda is opposed by Anghra Mainya (Destructive Spirit), a being of pure evil which can be likened to Satan. There will be a great battle between good and evil, which will ultimately lead to the destruction of Anghra Mainya. Like Christianity, Zoroastrians believe in an immortal soul, a heaven, a savior, a resurrection and a final judgment.

WISH FOR PEACE
May kind rulers, and not evil men, rule over uswith actions that reflect stability and serenity.Giving peace and happiness in life is the best for a manwho works for the living world in order to increase its splendor.
***

A PEACEFUL LIFE
War and anger, violence, and the insolence of my enemies have oppressed me; none have I to protect me save Thee. Command for me then the blessings of a settled, peaceful life.
***

SPIRIT OF TRUTH
Dear Lord, grant to me and my people the authority of your truth,
that with a glad heart we may bring the world peace and happiness,
of which you, O Lord, were the creator.
***

THE PEACEMAKERS
When shall we live an idyllic life in peaceful pastures?
Who shall bring us peace and rescue us from cruel men?
To whom shall the wisdom of Your ways come?
Such are the saviors of the world,
who, inspired by your word, bring peace;
who, by their actions, bring truth and justice.
Let these people dispel the violence through your word, O Mazda!

The White Peace by William Sharp

2008-08-11T01:20:00.000-07:00

THE WHITE PEACE
By William Sharp
‌
It lies not on the sunlit hill
Nor on the sunlit plain
Nor ever on any running stream
Nor on the unclouded main --
But sometimes, through the Soul of Man
Slow moving o’er his pain
The moonlight of a perfect peace
Floods heart and brain.

Serenity Prayer with Waterfall

2008-08-10T18:40:00.000-07:00

Click image for a larger view or go to: Serenity.

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

The Divine Image by William Blake

2008-08-09T01:20:00.000-07:00

THE DIVINE IMAGE
By William Blake

To Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love
All pray in their distress;
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.

For Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love
Is God, our father dear,
And Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love
Is Man, his child and care.

For Mercy has a human heart,
Pity a human face,
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.

Then every man, of every clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine,
Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.

And all must love the human form,
In heathen, Turk, or Jew;
Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell
There God is dwelling too.

Peaceful Organizations

2008-08-07T01:18:00.000-07:00

PEACEFUL ORGANIZATIONS
What follows is a very brief list of the many hundreds of organizations and fellowships dedicated to the promotion of peace.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
A worldwide organization that works to promote human rights. AI campaigns to free all prisoners of conscience; ensure fair and prompt trials for political prisoners; abolish the death penalty, torture, and other cruel treatment of prisoners; end political killings; and oppose human rights abuses by opposition groups.
Address:
322 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10001
www.amnesty.org

FEMINIST MAJORITY FOUNDATION
The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) was created to develop bold, new strategies and programs to advance women's equality, non-violence, economic development, and, most importantly, empowerment of women and girls in all sectors of society
Address:
1600 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 801
Arlington, VA 22209
www.feminist.org

GRANDMOTHERS FOR PEACE
A non-profit organization dedicated to peace and non-violent solutions.
Address:
9444 Medstead WayElk Grove, CA 95758
www.grandmothersforpeace.org

INTERNATIONAL PEACE GARDEN
The IPG is located on the US/Canadian border between North Dakota and Manitoba. Each year, more than a quarter million people from around the world visit the park and its colorful gardens.
Address:
RR 1, Box 116 Dunseith, ND 58329
www.peacegarden.com

INTERNATIONAL WORLD PEACE ROSE GARDENS
The International World Peace Rose Gardens is a non-profit foundation dedicated to establishing symbolically designed rose gardens throughout the world for peace. The gardens grace some of the most cultural, historic and sacred grounds in the world, including the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City and The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta, Georgia. Each garden focuses on a different aspect of peace.
Address:
PO Box 15919
Sacramento, CA 95852
www.worldpeacerosegardens.org

NUCLEAR AGE PEACE FOUNDATION
The NAPF’s vision is a world at peace, free of the threat of war and free of weapons of mass destruction.
Address: PMB 121, 1187 Coast Village Road, Suite 1
Santa Barbara, CA 93108-2794
www.wagingpeace.org

PEACE BRIGADES INTERNATIONAL
A non-governmental organization which protects human rights and promotes nonviolent transformations of conflicts.
Address:
5 Caledonian Road
London N1 9DX, United Kingdom
www.peacebrigades.org

PEACE CORPS.
A federal government organization, set up in 1961, that trains and sends American volunteers abroad to work with people of developing countries on projects for technological, agricultural, and educational improvement
Address:
Peace CorpsThe Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters1111 20th Street NWWashington, D.C. 20526
PEACE LEARNING CENTER
The PLC provides a natural setting for students to explore how to deal with conflict positively.
Address:
6040 DeLong Rd.
Indianapolis, IN 46254
http://peacelearningcenter.org

THE PEACE MUSEUM
The Peace Museum is a non-profit cultural and educational institution located in the River North neighborhood of Chicago. The museum organizes four exhibits a year; past exhibits include Peace on Earth: Interfaith Approaches to Peace, The Annual Exhibition of Drive-By Peace, and Committed to Peace. Admission is free.
Address:
100 N. Central Park Ave
Chicago, IL
www.peacemuseum.org

PEACE WOMEN
PeaceWomen.org seeks to nurture communication among a diversity of women's organisations by providing an accessible and accurate information exchange between peace women around the world and the UN system. They have compiled a list of organizations working on women and peace issues.
Address:
www.peacewomen.org

RELIGIONS FOR PEACE
The World Conference for Religion and Peace is the largest international coalition of representatives from the world’s great religions who are dedicated to achieving peace.
Address:
777 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
www.wcrp.org

UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE
An independent, nonpartisan federal institution created and funded by Congress to strengthen the nation’s capacity to promote the peaceful resolution of international conflict.
Address:
1200 17th Street NW, Suite 200
Washington D.C. 20036-3011
www.usip.org

VETERANS FOR PEACE
VFP is a non-profit educational and humanitarian organization dedicated to the abolishment of war. It was founded by ex-service members committed to sharing the horrors they experienced.
World Community Center438 North SkinkerSt. Louis, MO 63130www.veteransforpeace.org

VOLUNTEERS FOR PEACE INTERNATIONAL WORKCAMPS
Over 2000 affordable ($200-$400) short-term international voluntary service programs in 70 countries.
Address:
1034 tiffany Road
Belmont, Vermont 05730
www.vfp.org

WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM
WILPF works to achieve through peaceful means world disarmament, full rights for women, racial and economic justice, an end to all forms of violence, and to establish those political, social, and psychological conditions which can assure peace, freedom, and justice for all.
Address:
1213 Race Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
www.wilpf.org

Peace Around the World

2008-08-06T01:17:00.000-07:00

“PEACE” AROUND THE WORLD
No matter where you go in the world, you’ll be able to hold out your hand and wish your neighbor good will.

Afrikaans Vrede
Algonquin Waki Qiwebis
Arabic Shalom or Salaam
Assyrian Shlama
Bengali Shanti
Blackfoot Innaaissttiiya
Bosnian Spokoj
Cherokee Dohiyi
Chinese Ping An
Dutch Vrede
Egyptian Hetep
Esperanto Paco
Farsi Solh
French Paix
German Frieden
Greek Eirini
Hawaiian Maluhia
Hebrew Shalom
Hindi Shanti
Indonesian Damai
Inuit Erkigsnek or Tutkium
Irish Sith
Italian Pace
Japanese Heiwa
Khmer Soksang
Korean Peoning Hwa
Kurdish Hasiti
Lakota Wolakota
Latin Pax
Latvian Miers
Lithuanian Taika
Malay Keamana
Maltese Paci
Mongolian Enh Taiwain
Nepali Shanti
Nigerian Udo
Norwegian Fred
Persian Sula
Polish Pokoj
Portuguese Paz
Romanian Pace
Russian Wostok or Mire
Sanskrit Namaste
Slovak Mier
Spanish Paz
Swahili Amani
Swedish Fred
Tibetan Sidi
Turkish Baris
Vietnamese Hoa Binh
Welsh Heddwich
Yiddish Sholem

Baby Names That Mean Peace

2008-08-05T01:12:00.000-07:00

Absalom (Male) Hebrew; Father of Peace

Aksel (Male) Danish; Father of Peace

Amani (Female) Swahili; PeaceAn (Female) Chinese; Peace

Aquene (Female) Native American; Peace

Arav (Male) Hindu; Peaceful

Axel (Male) Danish; Father of Peace

Bem (Male) Nigerian; Peace

Benjiro (Male) Japanese; He Love Peace

Bridget (Female) Celtic; Peaceful One

Carama (Male) African; Peace

Casimar (Male) Slavic; Peaceful Leader

Chesna (Female) Slavic: Peaceful

Demba (Male) Ugandan; Peace

Eirene (Female) Greek; Peace

Emma (Female) English: Peaceful, Loving

Farica (Female) Teutonic; Chief of Peace

Freda (Female) Teutonic; Peaceful or Placid

Frederica (Female) German; Peaceful Ruler

Frederick (Male) German; Peace

Friedelinde (Female) German; Gentle Peace

Godfrey (Male) English; Peace of God

Goiridh (Male) Scottish; Peace of God

Halfryta (Female) Old English; Peaceful Home

Humphrey (Male) Teutonic; Support of Peace

Inga (Female) Norse; Goddess of Peace and Love

Irene (Female) Greek; Messenger of Peace

Jawara (Male) African; Peaceful

Jeffrey (Male) Teutonic; Peaceful God or Bringer of Peace

Kazuo (Male) Japanese; Child of Peace

Kerensa (Female) Cornish; Peace and Love

Lenere (Female) Latin; Peacemaker

Linguah (Female) African; PeacefulLuam (Male) African; He Loves Peace

Malhuia (Male) Hawaiian; Peaceful

Manfred (Male) German; Man of Peace, Great Peace

Mirjana (Female) Slavic; Peaceful

Nisha (Male) African; Peaceful

Nishanth (Female) Hindu; Peaceful Dawn

Noe (Male) Hispanic; Peace

Oliver (Male) Latin; Peace and Joy

Onfroi (Male) French; Peaceful One

Patanisha (Male) African; Peace

Paxton (Male) Latin; Peaceful Village

Placido (Male) Spanish; Peaceful

Rebecca (Female) Hebrew; Peacemaker

Ringo (Male) Japanese; Peace Be With You

Salome (Female) Hebrew; Peace

Seafra (Female) Irish; Peace from God

Selig (Male) Gaelic; Peacemaker

Selima (Female) African; Peace

Shalom (Male) Hebrew; Peace

Shanta/Shanti (Female) Hindu; Peace

Shantiprakash (Male) Hindu; Peace of Life

Sheehan (Male) Irish; Peacemaker

Solomon (Male) Hebrew; Peaceful

Sukhjot (Male) Sikh; Peace of Light

Sulaiman (Male) African; Peace

Tangwystl (Female) Welsh; Pledge of Peace

Tusti (Female) Hindu; Peace of Happiness

Vladimira (Female) Slavic; Peaceful Ruler

Wadi (Male) Arabic; Peaceful

Wilfred (Male) Teutonic; Resolute Peace

Wilfreda (Female) Teutonic; Desiring peace

Yasahiro (Male) Japanese; Calm Peace

Yasu/Yasuko (Female) Japanese; Quiet Peace, Peaceful

Zalman (Male) Hebrew; Peace and Quiet

Zulema (Male) Arabic; Peace

Praying in India

2008-08-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

Click on image for a larger view or go to: India Prayer.

About the Artwork
© AllPosters.com
Globe-trekking British photographer Peter Adams’ stunning landscape and travel images evoke a sense of wonder and magnificence. His insatiable wanderlust keeps him on the go; to date, he’s shot in over 40 countries. A self-made success, Adams’ images are now widely found in advertising, newspapers, magazines, CD’s, books and other mediums.

Remember Your Humanity, Albert Einstein

2008-08-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

There lies before us, if we choose, continued progress in happiness, knowledge, and wisdom. Shall we, instead, choose death because we cannot forget our quarrels? We appeal, as human beings: Remember your humanity and forget the rest. —Albert Einstein

What is Peace?

2008-08-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

Peace ('pees): n. 1. The absence of war or other hostilities. 2. An agreement or a treaty to end hostilities. 3. Freedom from quarrels and disagreement; harmonious relations. 4. Public security and order. 5. Inner contentment; serenity.

From the American Heritage Dictionary.

Ojibway Prayer for Peace

2008-08-01T01:36:00.000-07:00

THE STRANGER, AN OJIBWAY PRAYER
If there comes to you a stranger
Who is weary, who is hungry,
Sore beset by Evil Spirits,
Seeking for a place to rest in --
Seeking for a place to shelter;
Give him of our food and garments,
Give him of your love and friendship,
Make a place within your wigwam
Where he, too, may find contentment:
Send him on his journey, happy;
Send him from, with strength and gladness
In his mind and in his body
That your life may be remembered
By the Father of Creation,
And your waking hours more pleasant,
And your sleeping hours more restful --
That your days shall be the longer
In the land of the Ojibway.

Universal Peace, from Antony and Cleopatra

2008-07-31T19:09:00.000-07:00

The time of universal peace is near. Prove this a prosp'rous day, the three-nooked world shall bear the olive freely.

--William Shakespeare, from Antony and Cleopatra

The Colors of Peace

2008-07-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

Whose white investments figure innocence,
the dove and very blessed spirit of peace.

—William Shakespeare, from Henry IV

White is the most common color used to represent peace because it symbolizes purity, innocense, and truth. That is why truce flags are simply a white banner—they are displayed to an enemy as a request to end hostilities, to signal a conference, or to surrender peacefully to end a batte or dispute.

Blue is also used to stand for peace, because it symbolizes the heavens.

Peace, from Numbers 6:26

2008-07-29T19:04:00.000-07:00

The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee,
and give thee peace.

Numbers 6:26

Jewish Prayer for Peace

2008-07-29T19:02:00.000-07:00

Peace be to you, oh ministering angels,
messengers of the Most High, the
supreme ruler of rulers, the Holy One,
the blessed One. Enter in peace, oh
messengers of peace, bless me with
peace, oh messengers of peace, depart
in peace, oh messengers of peace.

--from Shalom Aleichem

Peace Prayer from the Kathopanisada

2008-07-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

This prayer from the Kathopanisada was written in India more than 3000 years ago.

Oh Almighty One, may there be peace!
Oh Almighty One, may all creatures be happy!
May we all be free from ailments,
May we all see what is auspicious,
May no one suffer from misery!
Oh Almighty One! May there be Peace,
Peace, Peace everywhere.

May the almighty Lord protect us, may
He give us happiness
May mankind find reason to work with
one another.

May we never find cause to quarrel.
Peace, Peace, Bring us Peace!

May all creatures find their way to You;
May all beings attain peace.
Let there be prosperity and happiness
the world over;
May all be blessed. Peace, peace, peace!

May there be peace in the heavens
and in the starry spaces.
May there be peace on land
and in the watery oceans.
May the Lord bring us peace. May there
be peace throughout the world.
May the peace fill our hearts. May the
Lord grant me neverending peace.

May all of the Lord's Creatures be happy.
May all be free from disease.
May all have good luck. May none fall
on evil days.
Peace, peace, peace!

Buddhist Prayer

2008-07-28T18:54:00.000-07:00

I learned this short meditation while visiting a Tibetan community in Kathmandu, Nepal.

May all creatures be filled with lovingkindness.
May all creatures be well.
May all creatures be at peace.
May all creatures be happy.

Not to commit evils,
But to do all that is good,
And to keep one's thoughts pure—
This is the teaching of the Buddha.

Girl with Prayer Rock

2008-07-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

A girl contemplates a rock with the word "pray;" click on image for larger view or go to: Prayer Rock

Universal Golden Rule

2008-07-26T15:18:00.000-07:00

The Golden Rule is the biblical teaching that one should behave toward others as one would have others behave toward oneself. Each of the world's major religions has a similar Golden Rule that calls for peaceful relations among people.

Baha'i
Do not lay on any soul a load which you
would not wish to be laid upon yours;
and do not desire for anyone the thing
you would not desire for yourself.

Buddhism
Do not hurt others in a way that you
yourself would find hurtful.

Confucianism
Do not do to others what you would not
like yourself. Then there will be no
resentment against you, either in the
family or in the state.

Christianity
All things whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do ye so to them; for this
is the law.

Hinduism
Never do to others what would pain thyself.

Islam
Not one of you is a true believer until he wishes
for his brother what he wishes for himself.

Jainism
In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should
treat all creatures as we would wish to be treated.

Judaism
What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man.
That is the entire law; all the rest is commentary.

Native American
Respect for all life is the foundation.

Shinto
Do naught onto others what you would
not have them do unto you.

Sikhism
Do not make an enemy of anyone as
God is with everyone.

Taoism
Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain
and your neighbor's loss as your own loss.

Wicca
If it harms none, do what you will.
Alternative: In harm none.

Zoroastrianism
That nature alone is good which refrains
from doing onto another whatsoever is
not good for oneself.