Opening Breath and Affirmation:
Take some deep breaths. Say, I will be Nonviolent by elevating my thinking about world peace and discussing ideas with others.
Quote of the Day:
"Nonviolence should never be used as a shield for cowardice. It is a weapon for the brave." –Mohandas Gandhi
Today in Social Movement History:
On January 17, 1961 President Dwight D. Eisenhower warns of the military industrial complex, resonating with Martin Luther King Jr.'s observation that "a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom."
Nonviolent Word of the Day:
STRIKE – A labor strike is a method of (often) nonviolent direct action, is a way to stop or slow down work because most of the employees of a company or government refuse to work until conditions are improved or their demands are met. In a general strike, more people in other areas of society get involved—teachers, nurses, students, truck drivers, government workers, students, and bus drivers.
Activity of the Day:
Think about one person who has been an example of peace for you. Maybe this is someone you know personally. Or maybe this is someone you've heard or read about. Feel free to share this person's name out loud if you feel comfortable doing so, and to say a sentence or two about how they have influenced you.
Respond:
Respond today by taking a moment of silence to honor and thank the spirit of all those who, in the past or the present, have worked to make the world a better place. It may be the person you mentioned in the above activity, or someone else. May their work support and encourage us on our journey to explore and experiment with the power of nonviolence for personal and social change.
Activity and Respond from Engage: Exploring Nonviolent Living (Session 1: The First Step, page 6) Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service.
