Universal Hour of Peace in the North
| The Universal Hour of Peace in Des Moines, Iowa
By Rory Colgan and Mari Hamersley
The gathering in Des Moines, Iowa, brought warmth and peace to the chilly land through a discussion about "What Peace Means to Me," led by School of Metaphysics teacher Rory Colgan, and a meditation/contemplation session at the school that lasted about two hours and lead up to the Universal Hour of Peace at 11:30 p.m.
“Meditating with others changed the dynamics of my meditation for the better,” noted Chad Chumley, a criminal justice student who attended the event. “I am so glad that I could come and be part of something so important that aids humanity to attain greater peace.”
Bill Ainsley, a professional sign language interpreter for the deaf, learned through the event that there are many levels of peace. “Living my ideals [of peace] during the day has aided me to sleep peacefully at night.”
To celebrate One Voice, students and friends of the School of Metaphysics throughout Iowa read the Universal Peace Covenant at Midnight (Central Standard Time). A few brave souls willing to weather the cold read the covenant on the western steps of the Iowa State capital building, filling the air with words of wisdom and great expectation for 2011. “I wouldn't have been anywhere else,” said Mari Hamersley, who works as the mail clerk at EFCO Forms in Des Moines. “I saw the great importance of serving the community and the world by bringing the consciousness of peace into the New Year.”
Peace be with you always. | | The Universal Hour of Peace 2011 in Palatine, Illinois
By Veneza Marquez
This year’s Universal Hour of Peace was enlivening and soulful. Students and teachers from the Palatine School of Metaphysics partnered with the local Himalayan Meditation and Yoga Center to initiate a movement that would open a portal for the driving force of peace to enter. We were in the company of vibrant souls with the desire for unity in thought and action. The evening began with centering yoga to relax and ground the body in preparation for going within. A guest speaker, Billy Izzo, spoke of the shifts in consciousness occurring throughout the planet and the many ways that our thoughts and actions have contributed to the steadfastness of this progression. He shared insight regarding how we can cause peace amongst each other through the simple act of listening and responding from your heart. He shared a story of meeting a taxi driver, and when they exchanged beliefs about God, found themselves on a curb for hours chatting. They finally ended the conversation in a long embrace resulting from shared revelations about the truth of connectedness and the value gained from having the perspective of equality.
We also had the privilege of viewing a video from Swami Veda discussing the value of Yoga and Meditation as a way to fulfill humanity’s inner urge for Peace. The audience was engaged as he described his life’s ambition to be a peaceful presence, - that when anyone walked into his presence, they left feeling more at Peace.
“I experienced growth when more of my attention moved to the awareness of Mind and less to the physical,” said Rudy Arena, Peace Ambassador. “I chose to trust that the event would come to success, because inside I know we are mentally connected.” He continued, “Peace was experienced in the mingling of philosophies and people.” Throughout the creation and planning of this year’s Universal Hour of Peace, there were instances when scattered attention birthed doubt and limitations, and the students responded by resting their Minds upon the thought form of Peace as a grounding element. Through our combined efforts to experience the invigorating quality of Peace within ourselves, and as that is shared with every person, every day we will actualize a peaceful existence across our planet.
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CONTACT US
Peace Dome • College of Metaphysics • Windyville, Missouri 65783 USA • Let us know you are participating by emailing your name/city/state-country to: peace@som.org | | Thank you for being the change! Peace be with you all ways. May peace prevail on Earth! | | |
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