Cracks in the Border Wall
The grave danger is to disown our neighbors. When we do so, we deny their humanity and our own without realizing it. — Pope Francis Immigration seems like a big fat litmus test. At the root of that test is the way immigration brings us face to face with “the other”...
What the World is Trying to Be / A Restorative Justice Vision
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” ― Theodore Parker It seems a long arc indeed, this movement toward peace and justice. I imagine it very much like a river flowing toward the sea, with varying strength but persistent, inexorable....
Practicing Peace in Times of War
I said to my heart, show me the way now. Help me to know what is mine to do amidst the great catastrophe — the death, suffering and ignorance that’s so much bigger than the latest war. Give me clarity and courage. Help me to see love and beauty amidst the destruction...
Shades of Innocence
Denali was a spiritual teacher and friend (now crossed over) whose teaching was all about truth, love, and innocence. This was his Holy Trinity and Innocence was the union of masculine and feminine and the very essence of being. As soon as I first heard that emphasis...
Pursuing Restorative Justice for Immigrants and Asylum Seekers
Part of the inspiration for this post is a recent CNN special report about the migration of people from South America through the treacherous Darién Gap at the Columbia/Panama border. It seems that nearly all of them are making their way to the U.S. border. It’s a...
Responding to Existential Threat
To the tune of Mr. Roger’s theme song: It’s a paradoxical day in the neighborhood, a paradoxical day in this neighborhood, the weather is fair but wounds are laid bare the leaves are pretty, some scrunchy, some quaking, but bullies and violence leave the whole world...
Aligning with Life in Challenging Times
I was on friendly terms with Wynn Bruce, the Boulder, CO man who burned himself to death as an act of climate protest in front of the Supreme Court on Earth Day this past April. I knew him as a kind hearted person with a passion for photography, whose empathy for...
Healing and Justice through Active Peace Circles
Strengthening Relationships/Healing Divisions A child dies in detention. A young, unarmed black man is killed by a white police officer, another is racially profiled and comes dangerously close to serious harm. A woman is sexually assaulted. And another. Many more...
How the Humans Remembered their Purpose
Welcome to Spring! As the energy started to build toward the Equinox I recalled a story I heard a long time ago about a council of all beings where the humans had forgotten their purpose. That’s all I remembered of the story and the freshness of spring inspired me to...
Tribute to Three Great Peacemakers
You may have already offered your own farewell to Thich Nhat Hanh and Desmond Tutu, and, if you’re a student of Nonviolent Communication perhaps Robert Gonzalez as well. I recently caught myself too caught up in myself to pay proper tribute to these great peacemakers....
Moving Beyond Blame into Empowerment
Suffering from the pain of divorce, separation, or communication challenges in any relationship? Want to move beyond blame? Here's a process that can help. By emphasizing respect, personal responsibility, and core human needs, this method is magic for letting go of...
Active Peace Book Group
Active Peace Book Group A Heartful Exploration Join Scott Brown for a deep dive into the foundations of inner peace, healthy relationships and regenerative activism at a time when we need them most. From pandemics to political animosity, climate disruption to new...