The Hall of Fame
The Hall of Famers are the Peace Agents who completed the Pilot Peace Revolution Seminar in February 2009. Here are the shoutouts from them.
Anita Nuss (South Africa)
"...One of the most wonderful things I've discovered by having "inner peace time" on a daily basis is that happiness-real, genuine, true happiness-does not depend on outside circumstances. Things like where you live, what job status you have, how much your income is, how many friends you have or how popular you are, etc. do not need to be deciding factors in how happy or at peace you are. Wonderful, true, blissful happiness can only be found inside yourself.
Our circumstances on the outside are always changing, sometimes things go well, and other times not so well (…and then sometimes really badly ;-)) but it is amazing, that these things need not affect our happiness at all! No matter what happens in life, we can always live in a state of perfect contentment and genuine, true happiness. So much so, that it will even be recognizable to others. This kind of inner, unchanging happiness is not something difficult to experience, but in fact so easy and natural. But why not put it to the test yourself? Try it out! You have nothing to lose and the greatest of happiness to gain…"
Fraide Emmanuel (Uganda)
Dear Peace-loving People,
I am so happy to know that we are connected and doing great work on this earth! I have so many things that I can tell the world out there because for me, this was the greatest moment in my life. Well, to all new peace rebels:
Meditation is the best free medicine I discovered when I joined the Peace Revolution as a peace rebel on 23 November 2008. It did not look easy at the start, but it is very possible to do because even with me, well, it was my first time that I heard of it, but the trick is to keep on practicing meditation every day (mostly in the morning for me was the simple way to do this). What kept me going is to wake up every day and count yourself lucky that you are alive and able to spread loving kindness to all people around you. Meditation is free medicine that does not know any age limit: Anyone can enjoy it!!!
WHAT I GAINED;
Meditation is the equipment for the battles we all face due to stress, depression and oppression, mostly because we are young. The answer to all of these problems is just to meditate. I had lots of stress because I was in my final year at the university, but when I joined the Peace Revolution, everything changed in my life: It became easier, I became happier, I gained many new friendships, and I passed my final exams!
I can assure you that there is a treasure and a solution to all of these worldly problems which are hidden to many people. But since you have this opportunity, you should try it and see the results for yourself. Meditation trains you to live happily and to speak the truth with confidence.
- It helps you to look forward to the rewards in life rather than expect only harsh decisions.
- It has taught me to know that a peaceful heart leads to a healthy and prosperous body and mind.
- I have learned that if you do good things that you will receive unfailing love and success.
- Meditation gives you confidence, and self-discipline, and your mind makes you have respect for all living things.
- It can help you transform your society.
For example, in my case, after practicing meditation and attending the Peace Revolution Conference, I spread the gospel to refugees and now I can tell you that it has made a big impact on them. Those who did not have any hope are now hopeful. They are happy and crimes have been reduced. The youth now interact in creative activities and now many have started helping their friends know the truth in everything that I am telling you.
All in all, meditation is the vital and easy way to help you live happily and to enjoy yourself, have more fun, and find real inner peace on this earth.
Peace and love to you all who are thinking of joining. You can contact me in case you need any advice. I am not an expert but I have the talent that has brought me to this level and I am sure that this can inspire you to try.
Peace, Respect and love to all
João Marcelo Emediato (Brazil)
So you get this kid who is 20 years old and has hardly left his hometown in Brazil; put him into a group of probably the most interesting and diverse group of people there are; send them all Thailand, this vibrating country full of spices, colors, and sounds on the other side of the globe; to learn something about peace, happiness, and life. Now, add the coolest group of monks you can ever imagine, a group of international organizers with an inspiring motivation and a staff with big contagious smiles who are completed committed to making you feel at home.
This was how the Peace Revolution was to me: An unforgettable journey, both to the inside and the outside. I could not be more proud of that sharing experience ... or was it an experiment? I guess I could say that I came home only to discover that I was living in a much bigger world than when I left.
Judith Bedard
Whatever change you wish in the world, it has to start with you. If we can’t help ourselves, how can we help others? There is only one person you can change: you are with that person 24 hours a day. Once you are at peace inside, you radiate the vibrations of peace to others. Please forgive, love, live, let live, observe, respect, and be mindful and generous.
Whatever seed you plant in the world's garden will grow bigger and bigger, so please teach yourself to plant only good values. When I was asked to be part of the Peace Revolution project, I had no clear idea of what it was truly about: We often hear about “peace” but it always sounds more like a “dream” than a reality. Living in a big individualistic city filled by materialism and an ego-based life style, I have always felt very misunderstood and alone with my desire to raise world consciousness. Throughout this project, I met youth from everywhere around the world (different religions, background, education, race, life style) that have the same willingness to make the world a better place.
By sharing their teachings of meditation practice, the monks gave us the best gift we could ever receive: the tools for inner peace. These teachings have brought purity, unity, compassion, service to one another , mindfulness, honesty, harmony and clarity into each of our lives. When the ego, individuality concept and self-interest start to disappear, we finally begin to understand what it means to LOVE. The dream is not on the outside; it is within you…within each one of us!
May Inner Peace and Loving Kindness always grow within you and out to the world.
Sunny Forsyth (Australia)
"When I sit down and think about why I enjoy meditation the answer is both obvious and obscure for me. It is obvious because I have seen the sustained effects that meditation has had on me. I am now familiar with people asking me why I am happy most of the time. I have also noticed that it is easier for me to relate with others. I think that is largely because during meditation I have noticed just how many neurosis I have and just how silly and funny they can be. Letting go of some of them, even in a small way, has reduced one of my primary blocks to relating to others - my own self centered neurotic mind. So this is obvious but pondering that answer, I still feel unsatisfied. There is something more.
Perhaps it will be possible to shed light on this 'something more' by looking at a recent experience I had. The past few months have been quite busy with a new project I am involved with. A frenetic pace has become my daily norm. Earlier this week I reached the end of another busy day and realized that I had made a fairly large mistake. Upon reflection I realized that this mistake was due to my own over confidence. But that is where it stopped, whereas in the past I may have beat up myself for hours or blamed my situation on an external evil. This time I accepted the situation and admitted to myself that I was disappointed. Feelings of self acceptance and a willingness to learn from my situation naturally arose within me. To sum up this experience I could say that I am learning to be my own best friend.
I wish you all the best in your own meditation adventure. Please, remember to be gentle and kind to yourself."
Cherine Badawi (Egypt-America)
I arrived to the Peace Revolution project tired, disillusioned and wondering if I would ever come to know a peaceful world. The Peace Revolution game me hope – and a new way of looking at peace building. I met extraordinary monks, spiritual practitioners and young people from around the world, each of whom taught me something - their words and smiles continue to reverberate in my heart months later.
Though it has been inspiring to devote my life to cultivating peace and multi-cultural understanding for more than ten years, I have often felt sad, tired and disillusioned by my efforts. Through learning more about inner peace practice and the way of the Peace Revolution, I came to see that mediation helps me to observe what I can and cannot change, and to accept what is so. I find this profoundly liberating in my work and in my life. Through my meditation practice, I have come to see that my most effective effort toward cultivating peace on our planet is intrinsically connected to cultivating peace within myself. I am honored to be able to support young people in their journeys toward inner peace as we hold hands in our collective pursuit toward deep true peace for all on our beautiful planet.
Tara Vichienrat (Thailand)
Peace Revolution is an amazing program for me and I'm sure for anyone who joins, because it is something that brings people from all sorts of background, religion, and beliefs together as a one big loving family. I never knew that by making a choice to dedicate only 30 minutes per day to meditate and improve my stability in life can bring me to meet such amazing people. I am so happy that a lady at the meditation center in Texas referred me to join Peace Revolution, because not only the fact that I am a part of a great family, but the motto of the program is also inspiring, "world peace through meditation", who would have thought that something just as simple as meditation can create world peace, but to come and think about it, meditation can calm one's mind and one is able to make better choices in life so there should be a less violence in the world. There is no word to really describe the experience I had with Peace Revolution. I just think if you want to really know how it is, then you just have to experience it for yourself.
Luz Maria Ampuero (Peru)
There is a treasure inside ourselves. To discover it doesn´t have any price, only the intention to look at it. When you find it, you find something that you can only touch with your heart and a door will open to a world where everything is pure light and love. You don´t need to believe, you just need to try.
Mary K Dennison (USA)
There are notebooks full of meditation reflections—how do I condense that into one paragraph…perhaps in two phases:
Thailand
Those three weeks were a beautiful gift to my soul. I learned so much about myself and about meditation. There were times of frustration, of wanting to go deeper and quicker. But as the week(s) went on, there was a change inside me, one that led to accepting who and where I was, one of less “expectations.” That resulted in a freer, more relaxing time. Having very strong religious beliefs (Catholicism), this was also a time of realizing that one’s spirituality and mediation really transcend religious practices. They are not mutually exclusive.
Back Home
There was a reverse cultural shock that took place. I very much missed the group meditations and group support, including that of the monks who were willing to listen and share their initial experiences with meditation. I also missed the wisdom of the abbot and, surprisingly enough, the singing cartoon characters on the TV. But even here at home, I put on a CD meditation tape twice a day and find myself looking forward to that time - a time when I can find a place of inner peace and leave the stress of the day aside for minutes at a time. I am far from finding total emptiness, but I do find myself more patient, more relaxed and less inclined to panic in certain situations. I even find I sleep better at night (and unfortunately during meditation) which leaves me able to focus on problems in a calmer manner. The most important thing I have clung to from the experience is my personal “mantra”: perseverance. I am not one that easily gives up and I believe that meditation and the search for inner peace will be a part of the rest of my life. So even though I had hoped for visions of crystal balls and total emptiness at the start, I am learning to rejoice in the small steps I see in my life. And when the roller coaster ride of life dips down and I am not feeling any of the above, there is an incredible group of friends that I reach out to, friends from the Peace Revolution Pilot Project.
Julius Magala (Uganda)
February 2009, was a month of learning and unlearning about the most profound aspects of living a peaceful and happy life.
I got a life time opportunity to take part in the Peace Revolution project. Before I joined the project, I had spent the least four years trying to find answers to some of the hardest questions: like who am I? why do people live a happy and fulfilling life and others don’t? Why do our brothers and sisters in Kenya fight and kill each other?
Through the peace revolution's online self development program, I got the answers. I underwent a life changing one month learning and self discovery experience, where I was challenged, mentored, coached and trained to personally discover and use the most important principles of creating boundary-less happiness in life. I learned self discipline, humility, respect, persistence, mindfulness and generosity. I also shared experiences with amazing individuals from various countries and continents on how to create deep true world peace. I am now applying these principles in my life and I enjoy improved relationships with my friends, increased personal and professional achievements and I live a happy and fulfilling life.
If you want to discover who you are, how to use your natural potential and to live a more fulfilling life, join the peace revolution and after that, I would like to share experiences with you on how we can support others in creating peace for us and the world.
Emeka Onyekwere (Gambia/Nigeria)
Be among the millions in the race for global peace:
The race to create an inner peace of mind
The race to create a peaceful family
The race to create a peaceful community
Be among those to make the world a paradise on earth:
The world is in shambles without your inner peace of mind to create a peaceful family,
A peaceful family to create a peaceful community
A peaceful community to create a peaceful nation
A peaceful nation to create a peaceful world
How can I raise my fingers of contribution in this global race for a peaceful world? -
Join the Peace Rebels today
Find your inner peace through meditation
Make your vision tangible by being a Peace Rebel
Be among those to make a positive difference for a global peace.
Aisha Abdulaziz (Kenya)
By being part of the Peace Revolution and practicing meditation, I have learned how to be an individual, to be comfortable in myself and to define who I am. I feel that I have been able to take time out from all the noise, activity and the rush of my everyday life, to be alone, be in my mind and become a better person. The Dhammakaya Meditation Technique that I learned through the Peace Revolution has become a skill that I want to practice and improve and share with my friends. It teaches you to be aware of yourself, your actions and your thoughts.
Every day when you wake up, you remember to be thankful for the good things in your life. It makes you appreciate the beauty that is around you, and you actually are able to stop, even for a minute, just to smile at that stranger. It teaches you to pay attention to people and things around you. At night before you sleep, you think of all the good deeds of the day and appreciate all the little things that have made a positive impact on you. It becomes your sea of goodness: imagine sleeping in a bed of sweet smelling soft rose petals! That is the Peace Revolution!! You stop focusing so much on all that is wrong and are able to appreciate that you can contribute to happiness and peace around you, if only by being a part of it. This has come to be my inner peace and happiness. And Peace Revolution has got me contributing to World Peace!!
Colins Imoh (Nigeria)
I have been a guest of the Dhammakaya Foundation based in Thailand for the past week, participating in the peace revolution project. It is quite an amazing initiative that aims to achieve peace in the world through promoting the practice of meditation and the cultivation of inner peace. If war and violence start in the hearts of people, then the process of achieving peace should start in the hearts of people. Our views are reflected in our thoughts, speech, and actions. Therefore to have peace we need to be mindful of how we view the world, as our perspectives guide and inform our actions. One means of doing this is to have a daily period of inner peace time, where we strive to relax, still the mind and meditate.
I came to Thailand from my work in the Niger Delta, an area adversely affected by persistent conflict and destruction. There have been various reasons for this violence with countless intervention strategies implemented, but the situation and struggle persist. It is in this climate that we seeded a new organization and initiative: the Centre for Human Development & Social Transformation (CHDST) and the PROTECT OUR FUTURE PROJECT. The project are based on the premise that if stakeholders cultivate a culture and skill set of democracy and peace-building, they will be a powerful voice in sustaining democratic values and a culture of peace. Our efforts in the Niger Delta will certainly contribute to peace in our communities.
As I pack my bag to leave Thailand back to the reality that is home, I keep thinking and wondering why it is difficult to cultivate a view that will promote peace. I keep reflecting on why such a simple technique of finding our inner peace as a tool for world peace is NOT practiced widely. I keep feeling somewhere if we are able to find time, just a little time daily to STILL our mind and send loving kindness and peace to all, that our world will be a better place. I leave with this feeling that we will achieve peace if we change our view and our thought processes. Maybe this project and the meditation technique that it teaches should be incorporated in our programs in the Niger Delta to achieve the transformation we seek: Peace and solidarity!
