Are you listening? Working for Peace - how yoga helps us to respond rather than react.
Just over 20 years ago I was sitting in a room, talking with with Jo Berry and Patrick Magee. Jo’s father – Anthony Berry MP was killed in the IRA Brighton Bomb of 1984 and Patrick is the man who planted the bomb.
I’m talking with them because the theatre company* I worked for was creating a piece of theatre for secondary school pupils based on the extraordinary story of Jo and Pat and how they came to meet, talk, listen and campaign for peace. The play went on to tour theatres in the UK and in Belfast reaching many young people (and adults).
It was for me, and many of us working on the play, life changing.
Why am I sharing this with you? Because October is the anniversary of the Brighton Bombing and I see that Jo and Pat, 20 years on from when I met them, are still standing on platforms together, sharing their stories, asking people to explore their own thoughts and feelings about violence, war, victims, perpetrators, forgiveness, peace and hope. Asking people to LISTEN to each other. And 20 years on we need this just as much, if not more.
“I passionately believe that there is humanity in everyone, and every time we demonise the “other” we are delaying the onset of peace in this world.”
image www.planforpeace.org
“It was important for me as part of the peace process in the North of Ireland to recognise that now we should engage with former enemies and political opponents, addressing the needs and grievances of victims, helping to break down differences by explaining ourselves to the other.”
Exploring their stories, their journey and campaigning has become Jo and Pat’s life’s purpose. Their dharma in yogic terms.
Their courage is amazing. And there are many others around the world doing similar work – a couple of places to take a look at are:
Jo’s organisation Building Bridges for Peace. https://buildingbridgesforpeace.org
and The Forgiveness Project https://www.theforgivenessproject.com/
There’s also a new 45 minute documentary you can watch here: https://stayhumane.film/films/hardest-bridge
So my question to myself and to you is: Are you listening?
When there is conflict of any kind – global, national, local, personal – we tend to think of two sides. One right and one wrong. But it is never that simple. The stories are always human – they involve fear, experience and world view, vulnerability, judgement, habit, ego, they are complicated, not black and white, sometimes not what we expect.
There is no place for violence in our world at any level. But we have to acknowledge that it has always, and sadly is almost certain to continue to be, part of our world.
I am not suggesting we condone, or accept violence and conflict, I am not suggesting anything is wholly forgivable. But I am suggesting that we need to listen first, judge second.
If we listen, we may not change our mind or our ‘side’ but we may just understand a little bit more about the other. I do believe that if the world took a step back a little more, listened and then responded there would be a lot less violence.
Yoga teaches us to take a moment to pause, breathe, and respond from the present moment, not react from our thoughts, judgements and habits. If we all did this just 1% more of the time that could change the world.
Imagine a world where national leaders did this more – modelled this behaviour more? Imagine if we did this more on a personal level – took a breath next time we clashed with a family member or friend, listened and then responded rather than reacted – how different the outcomes might be? We’d model response over reaction for our children, or others around us. Maybe you could try it.
Let’s do it together.
I am so very grateful to Jo and Pat (and others like them) for their conversations, their work for peace, and for the time 20 years ago when their story changed my viewpoint from black and white to multi-colour.
We all have the right to our views and our voice – listening is where we learn to at least hear and maybe understand, to find hope and sometimes peace.
Two books you might like to look at to help you on your journey of more peaceful relations:
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships (Nonviolent Communication Guides) by Marshall B. Rosenberg
And from a Yoga Perspective: What We Say Matters: Practicing Nonviolent Communication by Judith Hanson Lasater and Ike Lasater
*I worked for Action Transport Theatre (now Theatre Porto) in Ellesmere Port, Northw West England. A young people’s theatre company in the North West of England. The play we produced was called The Bomb and was written by Kevin Dyer and directed by Joe Sumsion.
About Sarah
I’m Sarah Clover, a certified yoga teacher in Cheshire, England, specializing in hatha yoga, gentle yoga for all, yoga nidra and mindfulness practices. This blog is a space where I share yoga and wellness tips, and reflections to support your personal growth on and off the mat.
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If you enjoyed this post there’s more like it here
https://www.breathingspace-yoga.com/occasionalthoughtsblog/yogaandmeditationfortimesofworry
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