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Cultivating Peace: Becoming a 21st-Century Peace Ambassador
This profound guidebook reframes and expands the mission of building a global culture of peace. Going far beyond conventional techniques of conflict resolution, James O’Dea provides a holistic approach to peace work, covering its oft-ignored cultural, spiritual, and scientific dimensions while providing guidance suitable even for those who have never considered themselves peacebuilders. O’Dea is unique in his ability to integrate personal experience in the world’s violent conflict zones with insights gathered from decades of work in social healing, human rights advocacy, and consciousness studies. Following in the footsteps of Gandhi and King, O’Dea keeps the dream of peace alive by teaching us how to dissolve old wounds and reconcile our differences. He strikes deep chords of optimism even as he shows us how to face the heart of darkness in conflict situations. His soulful but practical voice speaks universally to peace activists, mediators, negotiators, psychologists, educators, businesspeople, and clergy�and to everyday citizens.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2012
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June 23, 2012At times I felt like I was reading the Dao De Jing, Andrew Cohen, Neale Donald Walsch, David Hawkins, or some other similarly inspired writing. At other times, it felt like a bridge helping those who haven't yet witnessed some of their own wisdom. And the book as a whole rolls these two into one coherent package. So the author is doing something pretty challenging: he is using a cognitive approach to show the reader something that can be learned but cannot be taught.
Three examples of the bridge:
pg 85
…let's look at some basic ground rules of engagement when convening individuals or groups are locked in conflict.
First, the peacebuilder and other stakeholders must formally or informally set the rules of engagement and the parameters of those matters to be discussed. Rules can include the following: speakers cannot be interrupted; ideas, theories, and facts can be challenged; and no ad hominem attacks are allowed. Attention should be paid to creating environments of trust and respect and, where needed, confidentiality. Participants should be instructed to avoid caricaturing the other's position or demeaning their ideas. In both formal and informal contexts, protagonists should pay close attention to strident tones or provocative body language.
pg 91
If someone is confronting you in a threatening posture, he suggests that the most tactical question to be asked is, What do you need me to understand?
This approach makes a lot of sense since it can reroute the neural pathway of the aggressor, who now has to process a question. Not only does the question engage a different part of the brain, but it also reaches into a psychological fundamental: need fulfillment. We have a primary need to be heard and understood.
pg 135
The aikido for these bullies [physical bullies] is to be physically relaxed in their presence, thereby presenting a kind of neutralizing energy in response to their display of physical energy dominance; the last thing you want is to seem overly submissive or fearful or to get into a "display of power" contest. Next, you want to demonstrate attunement to their emotions or to any ideas they have. … Respect does not require agreement, but it does require attunement.
Three examples of the sage:
pg 12 - 13
Any action that begins in the core of your being is one that unites with the Source of All Being. Look for that igniting point midway between taking yourself too seriously and being too casual about your gifts; it is here that peace arises and asks you to dance with it.
pg 201
Throughout this book, you are discovering that peace is not possible without truth but also that peace work is not a matter of bringing truth to people or hammering down their doors about the lies they live. Rather, it is truth process that brings us to experiences of truth.
pg 216 - 217
Authentic power is something that is allowed, not something that is either coerced or puffed up. … You will know when you are really standing in your power by the flow of empowerment around you.
Three examples of the bridge:
pg 85
…let's look at some basic ground rules of engagement when convening individuals or groups are locked in conflict.
First, the peacebuilder and other stakeholders must formally or informally set the rules of engagement and the parameters of those matters to be discussed. Rules can include the following: speakers cannot be interrupted; ideas, theories, and facts can be challenged; and no ad hominem attacks are allowed. Attention should be paid to creating environments of trust and respect and, where needed, confidentiality. Participants should be instructed to avoid caricaturing the other's position or demeaning their ideas. In both formal and informal contexts, protagonists should pay close attention to strident tones or provocative body language.
pg 91
If someone is confronting you in a threatening posture, he suggests that the most tactical question to be asked is, What do you need me to understand?
This approach makes a lot of sense since it can reroute the neural pathway of the aggressor, who now has to process a question. Not only does the question engage a different part of the brain, but it also reaches into a psychological fundamental: need fulfillment. We have a primary need to be heard and understood.
pg 135
The aikido for these bullies [physical bullies] is to be physically relaxed in their presence, thereby presenting a kind of neutralizing energy in response to their display of physical energy dominance; the last thing you want is to seem overly submissive or fearful or to get into a "display of power" contest. Next, you want to demonstrate attunement to their emotions or to any ideas they have. … Respect does not require agreement, but it does require attunement.
Three examples of the sage:
pg 12 - 13
Any action that begins in the core of your being is one that unites with the Source of All Being. Look for that igniting point midway between taking yourself too seriously and being too casual about your gifts; it is here that peace arises and asks you to dance with it.
pg 201
Throughout this book, you are discovering that peace is not possible without truth but also that peace work is not a matter of bringing truth to people or hammering down their doors about the lies they live. Rather, it is truth process that brings us to experiences of truth.
pg 216 - 217
Authentic power is something that is allowed, not something that is either coerced or puffed up. … You will know when you are really standing in your power by the flow of empowerment around you.
October 29, 2014
This is a powerful book which I think everyone should read. O'Dea, a long-time leader in the peace movement, argues persuasively that in order for peace to be gained on the community, national, and international level, it needs to start within each individual's responses to having their emotional buttons pushed, their need to be right/eous, and to win. But O'Dea is never sentimental nor simplistic. He knows what a big challenge this is, and he addresses it on the biological/biochemical level as well as the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual level.
The advantage to this approach is that it makes being a "peace ambassador" something each one of us can do every day -- and do so in a meaningful, significant way.
This is a profoundly spiritual book that never appeals to a particular spiritual path. It simply insists that each of us has the power to choose empathy, forgiveness, reconciliation, and generosity over fear and selfishness.
He does acknowledge that in some cases it is necessary to use force to prevent those who are stuck in their hate from harming others, but he holds out hope that healing is possible in the aftermath of even the most terrible acts of violence and injustice, using examples of actual victories of reconciliation.
O'Dea gives me hope for a more peaceful future, and the confidence to believe that I can be part of that peace starting right where I am.
The advantage to this approach is that it makes being a "peace ambassador" something each one of us can do every day -- and do so in a meaningful, significant way.
This is a profoundly spiritual book that never appeals to a particular spiritual path. It simply insists that each of us has the power to choose empathy, forgiveness, reconciliation, and generosity over fear and selfishness.
He does acknowledge that in some cases it is necessary to use force to prevent those who are stuck in their hate from harming others, but he holds out hope that healing is possible in the aftermath of even the most terrible acts of violence and injustice, using examples of actual victories of reconciliation.
O'Dea gives me hope for a more peaceful future, and the confidence to believe that I can be part of that peace starting right where I am.
January 30, 2014
This really is an amazing book - well balanced discussion of peace as both inner and outer work, grounded in reality and work in peacemaking, and accessible to any person in a helping field. Deep, genuine, wonderfully relevant. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this - it came as a recommendation from a friend, and I am so happy that it arrived on my doorstep, otherwise I may have missed it!
Want to Read
November 15, 2016James O'Dea celebrates the labor of following in the footsteps of Gandhi and Dr. King, two of Earth's most respected and accomplished peacemakers. This interest of his, alone, proclaims so much about him and his new book: 'Cultivating Peace, Becoming a 21st-Century Peace Ambassador.' It is already a bestseller [Details here: http://conta.cc/OayVmn ] Enjoy.
February 19, 2013
A must read for every peace worker!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews