“Those who love peace must learn to organize as effectively as those who love war.” — Martin Luther King Jr. The opening ceremony of World Unity Week was the first time I dared to hope that this was possible. “World UNITY Week is an annual FREE, online 8-day event embracing the mid-year Solstice, Yoga Day, UN Refugee Day, World Peace & Prayer Day and a vast array of interconnected global content. This year World UNITY Week launches the 99 Days of Peace through Unity culminating in Peace Week in September.” (WUW Website 2023) Through a wonderful series of divine coincidence I found myself in this space as a room steward for the Healing for Rising convergence room. Every single person I met along the way volunteered their time and shared their expertise with love and kindness. The entire group dynamic was an unwavering focus on co-creating the best possible experiences together. The opening ceremony, plenary sessions and closing ceremony were run with as much efficiency as I experienced as a guest on commercial TV shows. There was even a virtual “Green Room” where we waited to be introduced as part of the opening ceremony. The technical staff there were patient, friendly, and accommodating while guests were helpful and supportive. This is what happens when people do things with passion and commitment. Nobody says, “That’s above my pay grade.” We taught what we knew and learned what we needed. tThere was a daily meditation in a space inspired by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. People from all over the world met to contemplate the themes for each day of the week, even if it meant waking up at 3AM to participate. Tex Albert’s warm, gentle spirit created an energy that inspired people to continue sharing insights for more than twice the allocated time. It set the tone for the interactions in each of our convergence rooms for the rest of the day. The picture above is my interpretation of the concept of milieu. It is meant to show how each of the daily themes have meaning as individual concepts, fit together into the definition of faith and form the backdrop of our lives, all at the same time. It is also an acknowledgement of the underlying principle of the Holo Movement that plays an important role in WUW. For more information about the content of these meditations, WUW presentations in the Healing For Rising room, and upcoming events, you can check out our Facebook Page. This year we have 99 Days of Peace linking World Unity Week in June and Peace Week in September. I've met too many beautiful people on this journey to list the individual impacts they have made in my life. Many of them have declared peace missions that will come to life in some form during this time. The mission that resonated most deeply with me was the New Moon and Full Moon Ceremonies for Inner World Peace. The first ADIEWA Full Moon ceremony with Kara Stonehouse completely blew my mind. I knew that I wanted to support this mission in any way I could. The possibility of hosting a New Moon ceremony crossed my mind a few times but the theme remained elusive for a while. The backstory of my mutual admiration club with the Patel sisters, Haseena and Shameema, is a tale for another day. For now, it’s enough to know that Haseena has been hosting weekly meetings to chat about the 99 Day Missions. During one of these meetings I found myself sharing the following story. We had been in Greece for more than two years before we could finally get the last of our possessions from South Africa shipped to us. By this time I could barely remember what I had decided to keep. One and a half cubic meters doesn’t sound like a lot until all those cardboard boxes, plastic crates, and one large wooden kist are spread out over every available floor space in the living area of a tiny Greek house. It was exciting, bittersweet, and overwhelming all at once. My hula hoop was the only thing that was easily accessible in the midst of the chaos. I picked it up, put on my headphones and went outside to dance for a while. The moment I started twirling my hoop, all my cares drifted away. I let go of all the fear and anxiety about needing to unpack boxes and became completely immersed in the joy of moving to the rhythm of the music. Shameema said something about how life becomes about the boxes. That moment defined my mission. My contribution to world peace is to remind adults to reconnect with the simple joys of our childhood, find our inner peace, and pour it out into the world. I invite you to step away from your boxes and play with me. Here's a link to the Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/904184887907210/
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KarmillaWhy can’t I be pretty and a feminist and a mother and a healer and an activist and an educator and a warrior? Archives
March 2024
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