PAUSE FOR PEACE NOW - How to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East By John McConnel

The situation in the Middle East is dire and a cause for great concern. It is part of a cycle of violence that has been escalating over many years and it seems to be reaching a climax. How do we avoid a blood bath, which will engulf the people of Israel, as well as Palestine and beyond?

We need to take a step back and see things from another angle. We need to take a pause for peace and find another way.

War is the ultimate expression of accumulated individual and collective ‘negative’ emotions such as anger, fear, bitterness, resentment, rage, revenge, anxiety and insecurity. Such emotions trigger the well-known ‘fight or flight’ reaction, which we are currently witnessing on our screens at this historic moment in time.

In this state, reason goes out the window and we say and do things which, in a calmer state of mind, we would never dream of. The primitive survival mechanism from the past rules our head and heart and all the accumulated wisdom and lessons learned by different civilisations go out the window, too.

No one in their right mind would want to kidnap and brutally kill people in their own homes, or bomb children, women and men, destroy homes and communities, cut off electricity, water and fuel supplies and create a tidal wave of refugees and misery.

This is, of course, not a new story. In the last century alone, over 200 million deaths were caused by war and oppression.[1] However, the stakes are so much higher today due to nuclear proliferation and other weapons of mass destruction and the ever-greater interdependence of us all living in a global economy.

As we stand on the precipice of, potentially, another major war, it feels like we have entered the last chance saloon. Fate, or the drama of life, is giving us an opportunity to stop, reflect and find other ways of resolving this conflict before it is too late.

We cannot afford to carry on behaving in the ways that we have always done. Meeting violence with violence just increases the intensity of the flames of anger and the desire for revenge and retaliation. So what do we do and where do we go?

It is time to retreat from the well-trodden path of death and destruction and choose another path.

In life, we cannot always control what is happening but we can choose our response because there is always more than one way of handling any situation. So, following this premise, if one country is threatened, or attacked by another, all-out war is not inevitable. There are other choices that can be made.

Being aware of this possibility opens up the path to empowerment and peace, both collectively and personally.

While some speak of a fight to defend, others talk about the need to achieve peace. However, the word ‘peace’ can create a feeling of ennui because it has been talked about for millennia but rarely practiced. It can be seen as an impossible ideal for the religiously inclined, or a na?ve, Pollyanna option for old hippies and new age types. Yet, peace is what is really, actually and urgently required.

It is time to dust down peace and look at it again with fresh eyes and a renewed interest as an urgent and practical alternative to war.

Peace is one of the innate qualities of the human spirit. It is a powerful and positive energy. It makes us feel good; it calms down the mind and body; it enables us to think clearly and take a step back to see the bigger picture and, therefore, make better decisions. It does not seek to judge, blame, criticise or take sides in any dispute. It accepts things as they are, that is neither good nor bad, but looks for win-win outcomes, which take account of the needs of all. Based on respect and compassion, it wins the hearts and minds of people and creates lasting solutions which all can own.

Peace is not a soft option. It has nothing to do with giving in, or giving up, or being a doormat for others to walk over. It requires courage, patience, optimism and a deep faith in the goodness of humanity. It does not suppress or coerce. Rather it empowers and encourages the natural love of peace that lies within us all.

Peace is more than a theory or an ideal. It is a personal and collective practice - the practice of non-violence. It has a long and respectable history both in the East, where it is a key principle in both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, and in the West, notably amongst the Quakers.

Two well-known, powerful examples of non-violence, among many, are Gandhi, who brought about the defeat and withdrawal of the British from India and Nelson Mandela who chose the path of peace in South Africa that helped put an end to the apartheid regime. Both men were great leaders. They had a dream and walked their talk with great self-discipline and courage. They have a lot to teach us, if we are willing to learn.

So, how do we move towards peace in this very pressured cauldron of the Middle East right now … and in the world more generally?

The foundation of peace lies in the consciousness of each one of us. When we tap into our original peace-loving nature and become the change we want to see, the collective consciousness will change automatically and together we will be able to de-escalate this conflict and ultimately put an end to war.

Here are some suggestions, which we can practice, individually and collectively, if we choose.

Individually we can:

1.??? Regularly connect with our own inner peace through mindfulness, meditation, reflection, contemplation, prayer, or whatever practice makes us feel good. In this way, we raise the energy of our vibrations, which not only calms us down but also has an impact on our behaviour and the atmosphere we create around us

2.??? Monitor the quality of our thoughts and words. Words are an expression of our thoughts; they are very powerful. As the saying goes ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’. Words carry an energy, which can either uplift and inspire, or incite hatred and violence. So, at this time, do we revert to traditional jingoistic and patriotic language that hardens hearts and closes minds, or do we create a quiet healing space, which allows more productive solutions to emerge?

3.??? Send powerful, peaceful vibrations and good wishes to everyone involved in the conflict. This suggestion may seem fanciful, or even outrageous to some, but there is research, which shows that collective meditation by a large group of people can, at least temporarily, reduce crime and murder rates and other forms of societal dysfunction through its impact on the energy field of others[2]

4.??? Heal our heart by releasing any emotions associated with past trauma and pain. Unresolved childhood trauma has a profound impact on our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing for the rest of our life until we are able to face and overcome the feelings and coping strategies we created in order to survive. According to Gabor Mate, it is the underlying cause of most violence in the world. Free of such feelings, no one will be able to manipulate and use our suffering for their own purposes.[3]

5.??? Take a step back and see the bigger picture. We are all subject to many internal and external influences, both past and present, which we need to understand and overcome through the practice of compassion and forgiveness.

6.??? Respect and love ourselves. The resultant inner confidence and self esteem will enable us to respect and love others and stop the ‘people-pleasing’ that makes us follow the crowd. We are able to refuse to do the bidding of others unless we are happy with their requests. Being able to say ‘no’ in an assertive way, rather than an aggressive or defiant way, is an important aspect of non-violence

7.??? Learn the language of non-violent communication;[4] listen to ourselves and others with compassion; know and express clearly our feelings, needs, wants, desires, ideas and opinions; set down boundaries and, at the same time, be prepared to compromise (not capitulate) for the greater good. Listening without judgement is one of the greatest gifts we can give to others.

Such practices, along with many others, give us the inner strength and resilience to face adversity and make a positive difference in the world.

Collectively, if we choose, we can do our best to create peace now by actively supporting initiatives that help to de-escalate the situation and offer support and hope to all the parties involved, such as:

●???? Recognition and acceptance of the genuine fear, pain, grief and suffering endured by both sides in this conflict

●???? Intense diplomacy with the aim of organising an immediate ceasefire and the safe return of all hostages

●???? Dialogue and mediation to find an enduring solution based on a 'no blame' culture

●???? The restoration of essential human rights and values

●???? Massive aid relief

●???? Rallies for peace

●???? Strict and immediate sanctions for any infringement of the international rules of war

●???? Arms embargoes to stop the continuation and escalation of the conflict

●???? Mass passive resistance.

All wars eventually come to an end through negotiation, so why not take a shortcut, negotiate now and save the world a lot of suffering?

In the longer term we can, if we choose,

1.??? Create a global vision and culture of peace and non-violence in which everyone is encouraged to focus on making a better world for human beings, animals and nature; a world based on peace and love, compassion and cooperation where there is no desire to fight and kill each other and, therefore, no need for the armed forces that consume and misuse so many of the Earth’s resources.

2.??? Organise a world-wide movement for peace (not against war), encouraging everyone regardless of country, religion or race to regularly come together on the streets of every nation to hold hands, sing, dance, celebrate and enjoy the power of peace.

At the end of the day, as members of the human race, we collectively and individually need to make a choice between:

●???? Peace or war

●???? Love or fear

●???? Happiness or sorrow

●???? Cooperation or competition

●???? Caring and sharing or indifference and greed.

Which do you choose? Which do you practice?

Note: this is an updated version of an article originally published on LinkedIn in February 2022

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[1] See article by Roberto Muchlenkamp on the internet

[2] See the work of Lynne MacTaggart on the power of intention and the Field

[3] See Gabor Mate? ‘The Myth Of Normal’

[4] See the work of Marshall Rosenberg