SABRINA'S LONDON DIARIES- An American Girl's Adventure in Londinium: Part 1: Peace in the Middle East: Chanting for Peace in London Monday Nights

Tuesday, 18 May 2010

Part 1: Peace in the Middle East: Chanting for Peace in London Monday Nights

There hasn't been PEACE in the Middle East for a long time.
We all know that.It's nothing new and most people just get sick
and tired of listening to the endless war of the Palestinians versus
the Israeli in their never ending battle for what they both believe is their homeland since Biblical times.

As a Buddhist we believe in Kosen Rufu(World Peace).We believe Peace starts with one person.When we have peace within ourselves, it is very easy to spread that feeling and experience the joy of the Buddha through out the world, in our families first, our communities,and extend that further into the WORLD and our Global Family.World peace starts with this inner transformation of the individual. And, yes it is a struggle to develop and elevate our state of life, but human revolution is the foundation for world peace and also for individual peace and happiness. It is at the heart of our Buddhist practise. It is about changing our heart and drawing out our humanity.

It is the most amazing feeling as you discover that if the cause of your suffering is within the realms of your own life. then you and only you can change that aspect of your life. This is the most freeing feeling. This is human revolution and the door to your Buddhahood.

A way to change your own inherenent negativity wheter it's about your own life or about other people is to chant. Every Monday Night there are Prayer sessions for Peace in the Middle East in Brixton, London and in people's homes.

You may not know this but there are indeed Buddhist in Israel.Apparently they are very silent about thier Budddhist practice.To my surprise there are a lot of Israeli Buddhist living in London. I personally grew up in Jewish neighborhood in Los Angeles. Often people have often mistaken me for being a Jewish girl and going to Fairfax High School they would often invite me to their Hillel Club. I thought that was very friendly, but I declined not being a Jew.My first job when I was 16 years old was working for an Israeli family tutoring their daughter.So, in some ways I have always been connected to Israel and the Jewish culture. I have often been mistaken for being a Jewish lady, I am sure probably have had a past life or two, being a Jewish man or maybe working as a Bookseller or a writer in some aspect. Who knows.

In recent years, I have often been intrigued by The Middle East and especially what has been going on in Palestine and Israel. I have read and done a lot of research on the two countries. Trying to invesigate both sides instead of being blindly partial to one and disregarding the other's opinions. I try to stay neutral,but know like a good mother that her children have often been bad. Reading the poetry of Mahmoud Darwish stroke a chord with me. When he writes about being bombed by Israel from air, land and sea for three days.

I realize that in 2009, many people were very angry at Israelis for the destruction and apparent misuse of power. Bianca Jagger, former wife of Mick Jagger, Model,and Human Rights Activist spoke vehemently against the torture of innocent Palestinians during the massive attacks on Gaza last Janaury 2009. She spoke in Poets Corner in Hyde Park to a massive crowd of Londoners. She states,"Why did US give the Green light to Israel to kill innocent civilians?"