“If every 8 year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation”. H H Dalai Lama.
Symbol of World Peace
I find this one of the most inspirational quotes around. Just imagine that, a world without violence.
I know you were expecting my next installment in my “Yoga for weight management” series of blogs, and I promise it is coming, but just wanted to take a brief interlude to let you know about Dru UK’s sister organisation The World Peace Flame and their fabulous new educational project for 8 – 12 year olds, “Peace in your hands”.
The World Peace Flame is a universal symbol of global peace and unity. Launched in 1999, 7 flames were lit in 5 continents and were flown by military and commercial aircraft to the UK, where they were united in Bangor, North Wales to create the World Peace Flame. Since then the flame has been taken to every country in the world, has been presented to world leaders and is housed in places dedicated to peace, such as The Peace Palace at The Hague in The Netherlands and at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, USA. If any of you have visited Dru Yoga’s centre in North Wales you’ll have seen it there too, a beautiful monument to peace that shines day and night (a really welcome sight when you drive down the Nant Ffrancon valley on a dark, drizzly night I can tell you!).
The Peace Flame is also lit daily by thousands of people, in their own environment, as a dedication to peace. Thinking of this reminds me of a lady I taught at one of my very first classes. At the end of the first term (Christmas) I gave each of the class a peace flame and told them all about the World Peace Flame project. More than a decade later, this student sadly passed away. I attended her funeral and was deeply moved when the vicar told the story of the Peace Flame and how it had been an important part of this lady’s faith. She had lit it every morning and prayed for peace. She had attended my classes every week since that very first term and had never said a word to me about the candle! It just goes to show that you never know where your words might land.
Back then to the “Peace in your hands” project. The project and peace pack originated from many requests for a standardised way to take the World Peace Flame into schools and other youth organisations to promote peace. Developed by the World Peace Flame Foundation, aimed at 8 – 12 year olds, the project can be incorporated into various school subjects and has been put together to support the National Curriculum in the UK. The pack consists of a teacher’s manual and a children’s workbook, which give fun and practical techniques, activities and assignments for the children to do, all aimed giving a better understanding of what peace is, how you can experience it within yourself and pass it on to others.
What’s even more amazing is that the World Peace Flame Foundation is a charitable organisation, so they just ask for a donation to cover printing costs at least (of course if you donate a little more, that’s more money spent on promoting peace) and they plant trees for all the books they publish.
I have some sample packs, so if you are interested in finding out more about this beautiful project or the work of the World Peace Flame, do speak to me or drop me a line.
I’ll leave you with this little snippet of information about Mother Theresa. Apparently, she was often asked to attend anti-war rallies, which, she always refused, giving the same reason each time, which, to paraphrase, was, invite me to a Pro Peace rally and I’ll attend. She would attend only when the focus was on peace and not on war, because she knew that what we focus on grows. Ix