Winter Solstice 2024: War and Peace
Such tumultuous times! According to astrology, many themes are afoot: Selfless service and giving, learning, communication, responsibility, productivity, challenges in relationships, emotional intensity…do you resonate with any of these?
As a child I loved the holidays: time out of the routine, vacation from school, special treats like the gingerbread cookies in shapes of reindeer, stars, and hearts, that my Mom used to bake with us kids, the house festively decorated, a homemade wreath on the door, the Christmas tree with its glittering ornaments and multicolored lights (some bubble lights!), the outdoor trees in the neighborhood lit up at night, the beautiful music, and of course the excitement of getting gifts. My family wasn’t religious, but my Mom made sure we had wonderful celebrations.
But this year the Holy Land is at war. It seems almost wrong to be celebrating, while masses of civilians and children are dying. This conflict-filled world urgently needs peace, but peace is not the game plan of any empire based on military power.
War and climate change
All efforts to rein in the use of fossil fuels mean nothing so long as wars continue, because war uses more fossil fuel, creating more emissions, than any other human activity.
A recent study conducted by Queen Mary University in London estimates that Israeli military actions in Gaza produced between 420,000 and 652,000 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions during the first 120 days of the conflict, alone. This amount surpasses the annual carbon emissions of 26 countries combined. Long-term reconstruction efforts are projected to generate up to 60 million tons of CO2 equivalent emissions. The over-all impact? When considering pre-war constructions such as tunnels and fortifications built by both Hamas and Israel, total emissions could exceed 61 million tons, comparable to the annual emissions of over 135 countries.
To practice peace is to be an environmental champion.
I have come to believe that cultivating peace in our daily lives is not only helpful for our own wellbeing and our relationships, but also adds to the general level of peace in the world. Conversely, self-righteously judging and condemning add to the burden of misery and suffering.
Where we put our focus matters, I believe. Looking for the humanity and the goodness in others, remembering that everyone is carrying a heavy load and doing the best they can with what they have, helps me to be more forgiving. It seems that when we look for the best qualities in a person, instead of focusing on their flaws, those more beautiful parts are strengthened and encouraged. I still recall a partner exercise in the Insight Seminar, years ago, when each person shared, “The beauty that I see in you is _________, and the way I see you hiding it is _________.” Thus we could begin with acknowledging the beautiful qualities in the partner, and then give helpful feedback on any behavior that tended to cover them up or negate them. A way to practice peace and nurture relationships.
Communicating our feelings and needs, and empathically guessing those of a person we are in disagreement with, rather than expressing a judgment or blaming, is the essence of nonviolent communication. In my experience, doing this successfully requires a moment of self-regulation first: noticing the flash of anger and the impulse to judge or criticize, and stopping long enough to take some calming, centering breaths, connect with my heart, and acknowledge an unmet need in myself. Where did reality fall short of my expectations?
May we all take some moments to pause, during the sometimes hectic and emotion-filled aspects of holidays with family and friends, to connect compassionately with our feeling selves, and seek to get our needs met through creative requests instead of criticism!