Creating a just and peaceful society in a just and peaceful world

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Strength


Click here for another interpretation

This Tarot cards has evolved over many generations and contains much wisdom.

It depicts a maiden firmly but gently closing the mouth of a lion. The lion is submitting to her. Her clothes shows she is pure in spirit, the garland of flowers that she is connected with nature and the infinity symbol above her head that she is also connected with heaven or higher values.

She is calling on powerful feminine strength to take on this wild beast. She has to be very clear and direct and firm in her kindness and compassion or she could be torn to bits. Dealing with a raging lion in this way is not exactly a 'soft' option (easier to just shoot it!) However, now the power of the lion is at her disposal - its her friend and not her enemy.

The wild beast can represent both people who appear aggressive as well as our own aggressive impulses.

The strength card teaches us about the power of connection with our higher selves, our values, our compassion, as well as the goodness in nature as tools for dealing with internal and external aggression. It demonstrates the need for patience, determination and the need to tame our raging impulses so they work for us rather than against us.

In the heat of the moment, don't give into aggressive urges - do urge surfing, take a break, walk away. Come back when you've developed powerful compassion and deal with the issue using the lion energy in a constructive way.

Governments as well as individuals need to learn this lesson. We can no longer afford vengeance and revenge. The use of brutal strength to squash 'terrorism' seems to have resulted in more, not less terrorism. There is another way. We all need to embrace the wisdom of this card and develop the skills, policies, systems and structures which reflect this as the primary way of operating, of being 'strong'. 

A good first step would be for every governments with a Ministry of Defence (War) to also develop a Ministry for Peace (which could operate on as little as 1% of the war budget)..

(See also The Magic of Merlin and Peace Dragon)

Postcard picture from St Ives Group (Temprint)

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5 Big and Bold Plans to Transform the World into a More Peaceful Place

 

"The bigger the vision,
the greater the rewards
the more powerful the motivation" 

The initial task is to shape each of these into well developed, realistic business and political proposals to attract the considerable resources required to bring these world changing programs into being.

  1. Ministry of Peace

    While all nations have a Ministry of Defense (war) no nation has a Ministry of Defense.
    While the Department of Foreign affairs does some peace work, a separate Ministry in every nation would attract great ideas and resources to focus more on what we all want rather than don't want.
    Click here for more
     

  2. Consensus Democracy vs Adversarial Democracy by majority

    Current democratic systems are generally based on a two party system in opposition. Its characterized by division, exclusiveness and good guy/bad guy mentality with large proportions of the population unrepresented.

    Consensus Democracy works on proportional representation in a government which is inclusive, cooperative and collaborative.  The aim is to accommodate a broad cross-section of views and values using skills of mediation, negotiation, listening and conflict resolution to find consensus.

    The skills politicians will use in consensus government are the same as those required to promote peace.  Adversarial government uses the skills of conflict and division.

    Will require a Ministry of Governance, constitutional working parties, professional facilitators and educators for politicians for this to work.
    Click here for more
     

  3. Consumers for peace and justice

    This project targets consumers to use their buying power to only support products which are socially and environmental responsible.

    Criteria will be developed which will identify what it means to be "doing good" in the corporate world. 
    Business will pay an accreditation company to audit them in an effort to be rewarded with ESE branding (Ethically, Socially & Environmentally responsible).

    Strong social marketing methods will be used to promote:

    a. What it means for a company to be Ethically Socially & Environmentally responsible

    b. World impacts if all companies embrace ESE modeling

    c. The power of individual consumers in shaping the world if all consumers pull together

     

  4. Values centered individuals, businesses, governments and education which shifts from an individual to a community focus.

    This program aims to further develop individual, community, business, educational, spiritual and political values. In doing so, it aims to promote becoming more other vs self-focused and to develop life purpose which reflects this.

    Some specific areas to be targeted:
    a. The business community - values led businesses do better (eg see Building a Values Driven Organization )

    b. Review the development and teaching of values in schools, colleges and universities

    c. Target both new age philosophies and traditional religions to embrace community based values.  Subsequently, task orientated groups to be formed to progress values-based living.

    d. Develop educational and marketing tools to promote values and a sense of purpose.
     

  5. Tools for 'Pollification'

    More that ever, we are living in a pluralistic, multi-cultural, diverse world of difference. Its not enough to "tolerate" difference.  We need to better learn how to embrace and celebrate difference of all types.  Rather than UNIfication (bring together as one) we need to learn How to do 'POLLIfication' (bringing together as many).

    To do this, we can learn from situations where different cultures and people with different values have leaned to peacefully co-exist. We need to review the HOW of long-term peace between former nations and communities in conflict.

    For example, we hear a lot about the conflict between Jews and Arabs in the Middle East. Yet we hear so little about how Israel and Egypt and Jordan have maintained a lasting peace over the past 25 years.

    The "Tools for Pollification" project will identify features of a variety of situations with core similar elements and identify those processes which appeared to be most influential in bringing about lasting peace and harmonious resolutions.

    A system for coding conflict situations and then matching with various tools and key success factors from similar situations should be developed.  This system could then be used by organizations such as The International Crisis Group, the United Nations, governments and the new Ministry of Peace departments in various countries.
     

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