as a documentary filmmaker I had the profound privilege of twice interviewing
profound privilege of twice interviewing
profound privilege of twice interviewing his holiness the dalai lama and a couple
his holiness the dalai lama and a couple
his holiness the dalai lama and a couple of things that he said to me have really
of things that he said to me have really
of things that he said to me have really stuck with me one of them is when you
stuck with me one of them is when you
stuck with me one of them is when you give in to anger you lose your
give in to anger you lose your
give in to anger you lose your intelligence and then the second thing
intelligence and then the second thing
intelligence and then the second thing is we tend to put peace into different
is we tend to put peace into different
is we tend to put peace into different frameworks peace toward animals peace
frameworks peace toward animals peace
frameworks peace toward animals peace toward the environment p stored fellow
toward the environment p stored fellow
toward the environment p stored fellow man and all of that is external peace
man and all of that is external peace
man and all of that is external peace and before we can have external peace we
and before we can have external peace we
and before we can have external peace we must have a zone of peace in our hearts
must have a zone of peace in our hearts
must have a zone of peace in our hearts that really struck me I was very angry
that really struck me I was very angry
that really struck me I was very angry at that time no zone of peace in this
at that time no zone of peace in this
at that time no zone of peace in this heart I was having problems in my
heart I was having problems in my
heart I was having problems in my marriage I was warring with a neighbor
marriage I was warring with a neighbor
marriage I was warring with a neighbor and I was convinced that a business
and I was convinced that a business
and I was convinced that a business associate was taking advantage of me and
associate was taking advantage of me and
associate was taking advantage of me and I realized that I was the common
I realized that I was the common
I realized that I was the common denominator of all that anger so I went
denominator of all that anger so I went
denominator of all that anger so I went on a quest to find out what a song of
on a quest to find out what a song of
on a quest to find out what a song of peace might mean for me and being a good
peace might mean for me and being a good
peace might mean for me and being a good westerner of course I sought out
westerner of course I sought out
westerner of course I sought out external resources first other people’s
external resources first other people’s
external resources first other people’s role models piece landmarks around the
role models piece landmarks around the
role models piece landmarks around the world and the internet what I found out
world and the internet what I found out
world and the internet what I found out was this people generally have
was this people generally have
was this people generally have historical role models for peace Mahatma
historical role models for peace Mahatma
historical role models for peace Mahatma Gandhi Martin Luther King Mother Teresa
Gandhi Martin Luther King Mother Teresa
Gandhi Martin Luther King Mother Teresa not people in their actual lives and
not people in their actual lives and
not people in their actual lives and peace landmarks around the world are
peace landmarks around the world are
peace landmarks around the world are really memorials to dead soldiers and
really memorials to dead soldiers and
really memorials to dead soldiers and great battle strategists they really
great battle strategists they really
great battle strategists they really teach us nothing about peace and we have
teach us nothing about peace and we have
teach us nothing about peace and we have no great overarching universal idea of
no great overarching universal idea of
no great overarching universal idea of what peace is or how to create it it’s
what peace is or how to create it it’s
what peace is or how to create it it’s abstract it’s out there
abstract it’s out there
abstract it’s out there it’s in here it’s when we don’t fight
it’s in here it’s when we don’t fight
it’s in here it’s when we don’t fight it’s how I feel when I’m watching the
it’s how I feel when I’m watching the
it’s how I feel when I’m watching the sunset everyone asked me to please come
sunset everyone asked me to please come
sunset everyone asked me to please come back and let them know what I had
back and let them know what I had
back and let them know what I had learned as I was going on this quest it
learned as I was going on this quest it
learned as I was going on this quest it seems like all of us as human beings
seems like all of us as human beings
seems like all of us as human beings want to know that zone of peace in our
want to know that zone of peace in our
want to know that zone of peace in our hearts so in my research I found some
hearts so in my research I found some
hearts so in my research I found some Nobel laureates from different countries
Nobel laureates from different countries
Nobel laureates from different countries who were average citizens at the time
who were average citizens at the time
who were average citizens at the time they stood up for peace in their area of
they stood up for peace in their area of
they stood up for peace in their area of conflict a secretary a waitress an
conflict a secretary a waitress an
conflict a secretary a waitress an attorney a professor and a homemaker
attorney a professor and a homemaker
attorney a professor and a homemaker these were individuals that actually
these were individuals that actually
these were individuals that actually mitigated violence that was inflicted on
mitigated violence that was inflicted on
mitigated violence that was inflicted on them in their communities and I
them in their communities and I
them in their communities and I interviewed former violent offenders
interviewed former violent offenders
interviewed former violent offenders former gang leaders who would come back
former gang leaders who would come back
former gang leaders who would come back to their neighborhood in Chicago these
to their neighborhood in Chicago these
to their neighborhood in Chicago these individuals had perpetrated violence on
individuals had perpetrated violence on
individuals had perpetrated violence on individuals in their communities and
individuals in their communities and
individuals in their communities and amazingly what they had to say about
amazingly what they had to say about
amazingly what they had to say about peace mirrored each other I came to
peace mirrored each other I came to
peace mirrored each other I came to understand peace not as something out
understand peace not as something out
understand peace not as something out there or even a state of mind or being
there or even a state of mind or being
there or even a state of mind or being rather it is a skill we can all learn
rather it is a skill we can all learn
rather it is a skill we can all learn and it is a created at that we do now
and it is a created at that we do now
and it is a created at that we do now and now and now in every moment and that
and now and now in every moment and that
and now and now in every moment and that led me to take a look at conflict our
led me to take a look at conflict our
led me to take a look at conflict our peace and Conflict opposites peace good
peace and Conflict opposites peace good
peace and Conflict opposites peace good conflict bad we tend two feet to think
conflict bad we tend two feet to think
conflict bad we tend two feet to think of conflict as leading to hatred
of conflict as leading to hatred
of conflict as leading to hatred violence and retaliation but isn’t it
violence and retaliation but isn’t it
violence and retaliation but isn’t it actually a reaction to conflict that
actually a reaction to conflict that
actually a reaction to conflict that leads to hatred retaliation and violence
leads to hatred retaliation and violence
leads to hatred retaliation and violence we look at conflict in polarity good bad
we look at conflict in polarity good bad
we look at conflict in polarity good bad win-lose right wrong and how many of us
win-lose right wrong and how many of us
win-lose right wrong and how many of us really hate to concede something in a
really hate to concede something in a
really hate to concede something in a conflict because we’ll be considered the
conflict because we’ll be considered the
conflict because we’ll be considered the loser there is another definition of the
loser there is another definition of the
loser there is another definition of the word concede though and that is granting
word concede though and that is granting
word concede though and that is granting validity what does that mean to grant
validity what does that mean to grant
validity what does that mean to grant validity well it means that we honor
validity well it means that we honor
validity well it means that we honor someone else’s perspective not as the
someone else’s perspective not as the
someone else’s perspective not as the right one not as a better one although
right one not as a better one although
right one not as a better one although it might be a more workable one but we
it might be a more workable one but we
it might be a more workable one but we accept it as a legitimate point of view
accept it as a legitimate point of view
accept it as a legitimate point of view for that person let’s do a little
for that person let’s do a little
for that person let’s do a little experiment imagine that you’re holding
experiment imagine that you’re holding
experiment imagine that you’re holding in your hand a flexible metal everyday
in your hand a flexible metal everyday
in your hand a flexible metal everyday paperclip it’s designed to hold two or
paperclip it’s designed to hold two or
paperclip it’s designed to hold two or more pieces of paper together right okay
more pieces of paper together right okay
more pieces of paper together right okay and if you didn’t know that that’s what
and if you didn’t know that that’s what
and if you didn’t know that that’s what this flexible piece of metal was what
this flexible piece of metal was what
this flexible piece of metal was what could it be it’s really interesting to
could it be it’s really interesting to
could it be it’s really interesting to watch people change except even delight
watch people change except even delight
watch people change except even delight in perspectives of other people of what
in perspectives of other people of what
in perspectives of other people of what this metal could be my personal favorite
this metal could be my personal favorite
this metal could be my personal favorite is a photo stand currency it can be
is a photo stand currency it can be
is a photo stand currency it can be traded for something and a coffee
traded for something and a coffee
traded for something and a coffee stirrer
the nobles universally said dialogue is
the nobles universally said dialogue is key to creating peace face-to-face
key to creating peace face-to-face
key to creating peace face-to-face real-time dialogue sorry guys not
real-time dialogue sorry guys not
real-time dialogue sorry guys not snapchatting not facebooking not
snapchatting not facebooking not
snapchatting not facebooking not emailing not texting not facebooking but
emailing not texting not facebooking but
emailing not texting not facebooking but real face-to-face dialogue we must
real face-to-face dialogue we must
real face-to-face dialogue we must listen to each other and talk to one
listen to each other and talk to one
listen to each other and talk to one another and speak and listen from a
another and speak and listen from a
another and speak and listen from a generous place that allows us to create
generous place that allows us to create
generous place that allows us to create and connect with one another hand in
and connect with one another hand in
and connect with one another hand in hand with dialogue is process peace can
hand with dialogue is process peace can
hand with dialogue is process peace can occur in a single conversation but more
occur in a single conversation but more
occur in a single conversation but more often than not it takes a series of
often than not it takes a series of
often than not it takes a series of conversations those dialogues that are
conversations those dialogues that are
conversations those dialogues that are listening and speaking for possibility
listening and speaking for possibility
listening and speaking for possibility and sometimes it can be really
and sometimes it can be really
and sometimes it can be really uncomfortable to actually talk
uncomfortable to actually talk
uncomfortable to actually talk face-to-face real time with someone
face-to-face real time with someone
face-to-face real time with someone however one of the former gang leaders
however one of the former gang leaders
however one of the former gang leaders former violent offenders that I
former violent offenders that I
former violent offenders that I interviewed shared a story about
interviewed shared a story about
interviewed shared a story about something that happened in prison he was
something that happened in prison he was
something that happened in prison he was imprisoned because of gang activities he
imprisoned because of gang activities he
imprisoned because of gang activities he looked around and almost every other man
looked around and almost every other man
looked around and almost every other man in there was in there for gang
in there was in there for gang
in there was in there for gang activities and they were still warring
activities and they were still warring
activities and they were still warring with each other as gangs in the prison
with each other as gangs in the prison
with each other as gangs in the prison they had to watch their back every day
they had to watch their back every day
they had to watch their back every day but he saw something else was possible
but he saw something else was possible
but he saw something else was possible and he called representatives of the
and he called representatives of the
and he called representatives of the gangs together and he said look I think
gangs together and he said look I think
gangs together and he said look I think we have more in common than we have
we have more in common than we have
we have more in common than we have differences let’s call a truce and let
differences let’s call a truce and let
differences let’s call a truce and let create peace to a man they walked away
create peace to a man they walked away
create peace to a man they walked away from him and Max thought I’m going to
from him and Max thought I’m going to
from him and Max thought I’m going to have to watch my back even more
have to watch my back even more
have to watch my back even more carefully now but over the next few days
carefully now but over the next few days
carefully now but over the next few days individuals walked up to him and said
individuals walked up to him and said
individuals walked up to him and said tell me more and a coalition was born
tell me more and a coalition was born
tell me more and a coalition was born and a movement started and peace was
and a movement started and peace was
and a movement started and peace was actually brought to the prison and when
actually brought to the prison and when
actually brought to the prison and when those guys got out and went back to
those guys got out and went back to
those guys got out and went back to their neighborhoods they took that
their neighborhoods they took that
their neighborhoods they took that knowledge with them that started with
knowledge with them that started with
knowledge with them that started with max speaking and listening in to what he
max speaking and listening in to what he
max speaking and listening in to what he felt was possible Betty Williams Nobel
felt was possible Betty Williams Nobel
felt was possible Betty Williams Nobel laureate from Northern Ireland she was a
laureate from Northern Ireland she was a
laureate from Northern Ireland she was a waitress at the time she stood up for
waitress at the time she stood up for
waitress at the time she stood up for peace in the troubles in Northern
peace in the troubles in Northern
peace in the troubles in Northern Ireland and she says every morning she
Ireland and she says every morning she
Ireland and she says every morning she wakes up and by golly there’s something
wakes up and by golly there’s something
wakes up and by golly there’s something to be angry about and she says we have
to be angry about and she says we have
to be angry about and she says we have to make our own selves responsible for
to make our own selves responsible for
to make our own selves responsible for doing the work that pulls us away from
doing the work that pulls us away from
doing the work that pulls us away from that anger and she puts herself number
that anger and she puts herself number
that anger and she puts herself number one on that list it the individual
one on that list it the individual
one on that list it the individual responsibility takes courage to say I’m
responsibility takes courage to say I’m
responsibility takes courage to say I’m the one it starts with me and individual
the one it starts with me and individual
the one it starts with me and individual responsibility takes commitment and it’s
responsibility takes commitment and it’s
responsibility takes commitment and it’s made a profound difference in my
made a profound difference in my
made a profound difference in my marriage with that neighbor and with my
marriage with that neighbor and with my
marriage with that neighbor and with my business associates I’ve seen the
business associates I’ve seen the
business associates I’ve seen the dynamic between weary individuals change
dynamic between weary individuals change
dynamic between weary individuals change in an instant with these lessons of
in an instant with these lessons of
in an instant with these lessons of peace between an Israeli airport guard
peace between an Israeli airport guard
peace between an Israeli airport guard and a palestinian-american traveler
and a palestinian-american traveler
and a palestinian-american traveler between two youth from different gangs
between two youth from different gangs
between two youth from different gangs on a Chicago street corner and between a
on a Chicago street corner and between a
on a Chicago street corner and between a brother and a sister
brother and a sister
brother and a sister who hadn’t spoken with each other in
who hadn’t spoken with each other in
who hadn’t spoken with each other in years it is possible for conflict to
years it is possible for conflict to
years it is possible for conflict to create a creative to have a creative
create a creative to have a creative
create a creative to have a creative space for peace to arise peace is a
space for peace to arise peace is a
space for peace to arise peace is a skill we can all learn it takes granting
skill we can all learn it takes granting
skill we can all learn it takes granting validity it is a created at now and now
validity it is a created at now and now
validity it is a created at now and now and now dialogue is key it is a process
and now dialogue is key it is a process
and now dialogue is key it is a process and it starts with me if we can practice
and it starts with me if we can practice
and it starts with me if we can practice this with the people in our lives we
this with the people in our lives we
this with the people in our lives we have the hope of building that capacity
have the hope of building that capacity
have the hope of building that capacity throughout the world
”
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