“Vision: Peaceful local, national and global communities. Mission: To build peaceful relationships among people of all ages and cultures – from personal to global – through education , research and action. Values: In pursuing this mission we are committed to honour Te Tiriti O Waitangi, human rights and the peaceful resolution of conflict and to modelling peace-making values within the Foundation and beyond. “
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Articles from The Nonviolent Activist Magazine » NVA July – August 2001
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“A non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the general public by providing a forum that strives to highlight issues of relevance to human rights, national struggles, freedom and democracy in the form of daily news, commentary, features, book reviews, photos, art, and more.”
Read More “A partnership of nonviolence training organizations and individuals offering educational programming for nonviolent transformation in our lives and our world”
Read More Resource directory: “A partnership of nonviolence training organizations and individuals offering educational programming for nonviolent transformation in our lives and our world”
Read More “Evolutionary accounts of the origins of human morality may lead us to doubt the truth of our moral judgments. Sidgwick tried to vindicate ethics from this kind of external attack. However, he ended The Methods in despair over another problem—an apparent conflict between rational egoism and universal benevolence, which he called the “dualism of practical reason.” Drawing on Sidgwick, we show that one way of defending objectivity in ethics against Sharon Street’s recent evolutionary critique also puts us in a position to support a bold claim: the dualism of practical reason can be resolved in favor of impartiality.” Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek and Peter Singer. 24 page pdf
Read More “‘The New Rulers Of The World analyzes the new global economy and reveals that the divisions between the rich and poor have never been greater – two thirds of the world’s children live in poverty – and the gulf is widening like never before. The film turns the spotlight on the new rulers of the world – the great multinationals and the governments and institutions that back them such as the IMF, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization under whose rules millions of people throughout the world lose their jobs and livelihood…’The New Rulers Of The World’ is a collision of two of Pilger’s continuing themes – imperialism and the injustice of poverty. It observes the parallel between modern-day globalization and old-world imperialism.”
Read MoreBook: “How do you define the good life? For many, success is measured not by health and happiness but by financial wealth. But such a worldview overlooks the important things in life: personal contentment, family time, spirituality, and the health of the planet and those living on it. A preoccupation with money and possessions is not only unhealthy, it can also drain the true joy from life. In recent years, millions have watched their American Dreams go up in smoke. The international financial collapse, inflation, massive layoffs, and burgeoning consumer debt have left people in dire financial straits—including John Robbins, a crusader for planet-friendly food and lifestyle choices, who lost his entire savings in an investment scam. But Robbins soon realized that there was an upside to our collective financial downturn: Curtailed consumerism could lead us to reassess our lives and values. The New Good Life provides a philosophical and prescriptive path from conspicuous consumption to conscious consumption. Where the old view of success was measured by cash, stocks, and various luxuries, the new view will be guided by financial restraint and a new awareness of what truly matters. A passionate manifesto on finding meaning beyond money and status, this book delivers a sound blueprint for living well on less.”
Read More Book: “Jane Kelsey’s was a questioning and challenging voice when she wrote this passionate critique of New Zealand’s economic policies in the 1980s and 90s. The social and economic consequences of a decade of market-based reforms are laid bare in this statistically rich and rhetorically powerful work. Drawing on a wide array of sources, Kelsey’s analysis delves into every aspect of the structural reforms that were to have such vast consequences for New Zealand society. Her analysis of those policies and their consequences gains a fresh – and sobering – perspective in the light of the recent global financial crisis.”
Read MoreBook: “A world dominated by America and driven by cheap oil, easy credit, and conspicuous consumption is unraveling before our eyes. In this powerful, deeply humanistic book, Grace Lee Boggs, a legendary figure in the struggle for justice in America, shrewdly assesses the current crisis―political, economical, and environmental―and shows how to create the radical social change we need to confront new realities. A vibrant, inspirational force, Boggs has participated in all of the twentieth century’s major social movements―for civil rights, women’s rights, workers’ rights, and more. She draws from seven decades of activist experience, and a rigorous commitment to critical thinking, to redefine “revolution” for our times. From her home in Detroit, she reveals how hope and creativity are overcoming despair and decay within the most devastated urban communities. Her book is a manifesto for creating alternative modes of work, politics, and human interaction that will collectively constitute the next American Revolution.”
Read More“Love Is Stronger Than Hate. “Nonviolence is not the recourse of the weak but actually calls for an uncommon kind of strength; it is not a refraining from something but the engaging of a positive force,” renowned peace activist Michael Nagler writes. Here he offers a step-by-step guide to creatively using nonviolence to confront any problem and to build change movements capable of restructuring the very bedrock of society. Nagler identifies some specific tactical mistakes made by unsuccessful nonviolent actions such as the Tiananmen Square demonstrations and the Occupy protests and includes stories of successful nonviolent resistance from around the world, including an example from Nazi Germany. And he shows that nonviolence is more than a tactic—it is a way of living that will enrich every area of our lives.”
Read More Naom Chomsky (political activist): Book, articles, audio and video, interviews, bios, talks, debates and letters.
Read More “”The Nature Of Cities” follows the journey of Professor Timothy Beatley as he explores urban projects around the world, representing the new green movement that hopes to move our urban environments beyond sustainability to a regenerative way of living.”
Read More “Principled. Progressive. The Nation speaks truth to power to build a more just society. Home to tenacious muckraking, provocative commentary, and spirited debate about politics and culture, The Nation empowers readers to fight for justice and equality for all. By providing a deeper understanding of the world as it is—and as it could be—we drive bold ideas into the conversation and ignite debates far beyond our pages. We believe in intellectual freedom. We value facts and transparency. We argue that dissent is patriotic and we hold the powerful to account, no matter their political persuasion. We raise up the promise of a radical tomorrow while we agitate for meaningful change today. Above all, we aspire to galvanize a more informed public—one equipped with a more profound understanding of events, ideas, and history. Founded by abolitionists in 1865, we’ve long believed that independent journalism has the capacity to bring about a more democratic and equitable world. Our writers shift paradigms and open minds. Our deep investigative reporting launches congressional hearings, forces policy change, and shapes news cycles. Instigating progress: It’s not only our legacy, it’s our continued commitment to future generations of torchbearers.”
Read More “The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. Founded at its grassroots in the United States in 1951, The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than a million members and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and more than 400 scientists, we impact conservation in 72 countries across six continents…Our mission is to conserve the land and waters on which all life depends. Our vision is a world where the diversity of life thrives, and people act to conserve nature for its own sake and its ability to fulfill our needs and enrich our lives.”
Read More “The Network of Spiritual Progressives is a broad network that seeks to transform our materialist and corporate-dominated culture into a loving and just society. We envision a world based on a New Bottom Line of awe and wonder at the universe where everyone is seen as fundamentally valuable regardless of their role in the marketplace. We call this framework “a spiritual progressive worldview.” Our network includes environmentalists, social activists and people of all walks of life who identify as religious, spiritual, atheist, and secular humanist. We are the interfaith advocacy arm of Tikkun magazine.”
Read More “Three civic engagement models that can help bring the voices of everyday citizens into public life.”
Read MoreBook: “From the ethicist the New Yorker calls “the most influential living philosopher,” a new way of thinking about living ethically. Peter Singer’s books and ideas have been disturbing our complacency ever since the appearance of Animal Liberation. Now he directs our attention to a new movement in which his own ideas have played a crucial role: effective altruism. Effective altruism is built upon the simple but profound idea that living a fully ethical life involves doing the “most good you can do.” Such a life requires an unsentimental view of charitable giving: to be a worthy recipient of our support, an organization must be able to demonstrate that it will do more good with our money or our time than other options open to us. Singer introduces us to an array of remarkable people who are restructuring their lives in accordance with these ideas, and shows how living altruistically often leads to greater personal fulfillment than living for oneself. The Most Good You Can Do develops the challenges Singer has made, in the New York Times and Washington Post, to those who donate to the arts, and to charities focused on helping our fellow citizens, rather than those for whom we can do the most good. Effective altruists are extending our knowledge of the possibilities of living less selfishly, and of allowing reason, rather than emotion, to determine how we live. The Most Good You Can Do offers new hope for our ability to tackle the world’s most pressing problems.”
Read More “-Stage one: normal times -Stage two: prove the failure of institutions -Stage three: ripening conditions -Stage four: social movement take-off -Stage five: identity crisis of powerlessness -Stage six: majority public support -Stage seven: success -Stage eight: continuing the struggle”
Read More “A Greenpeace guide to cooking up people powered campaigns…Learn the “key ingredients” of people-powered campaigns and approaches for becoming more engagement-centric.” 44 page pdf available in Arabic, Chinese (Hong Kong), Chinese (Taiwan), French, Slovenian and Spanish.
Read More “Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky demolish one of the central tenets of our political culture, the idea of the “liberal media.” Instead, utilizing a systematic model based on massive empirical research, they reveal the manner in which the news media are so subordinated to corporate and conservative interests that their function can only be described as that of “elite propaganda.” “
Read More “Building upon the achievements of Stanford University’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project, the King Institute supports a broad range of activities illuminating Dr. King’s life and the movements he inspired.”
Read MoreBook: “Designed to produce dramatic health improvement in two months, a healthy eating program focuses on helping those who have already had, or are in danger of having a heart attack, but is also useful as a guide to the prevention of coronary disease.”
Read MoreBook: “In this eye-opening book, Sierra Club Director Ken Midkiff exposes the dangers posed by corporate control of agriculture (agribusiness)–to our health, and to the health of the nation’s economy, security, and the environment. The Meat You Eat explores the current practices of the corporations taking over the raising and slaughtering of farm animals (and farmed fish, such as salmon). These companies use a model that has transformed livestock farming from quality-driven family-owned operations into big businesses concerned with volume, efficiency, uniformity, and profits above all. Midkiff reveals the true cost of agribusiness on all levels-environmental, financial, moral, legal, and medical-balancing startling truths with practical solutions. Rather than advocate a vegan or vegetarian diet, Midkiff argues that using and supporting local farmers will improve the quality of life for us all, as well as for the animals whose meat we eat. Complete with resource sections about where to find local farmers and lists of agribusiness culprits, the book encourages us to take an active interest in what we put on our plates and in our mouths, and use the power of our pocketbooks to make it clear that our health, our environment, and our communities are of vital importance. With a foreword by Wendell Berry, hailed by The New York Times Books Review as the “great moral essayist of our day,” The Meat You Eat is an informative and ringing call to arms.”
Read More“When The Meatrix® launched in November 2003, the viral film broke new ground in online grassroots advocacy, creating a unique vehicle by which to educate, entertain and motivate people to create change. The Meatrix movies, now a series, have been translated into more than 30 languages and are one of the most successful online advocacy campaigns ever ― with well over 30 million viewers worldwide. In early 2003, Free Range Studios awarded a grant to GRACE’s Sustainable Table® program to create an animated movie. The studio was impressed that Sustainable Table not only educated viewers about factory farming but also offered simple solutions to support sustainable food and agriculture. They created The Meatrix, spoofing The Matrix movie while educating viewers about the problems with factory farming. To respond to the overwhelming positive feedback from the public, Sustainable Table and Free Range Studios launched the sequel The Meatrix® II: Revolting in March 2006, to explore the dark side of the industrial dairy industry. In November 2006, in partnership with Participant Productions, The Meatrix® II 1/2 was also released to help promote the social action campaign around the Fast Food Nation movie and to show what happens inside a meat processing facility…The Meatrix website offers information on the issues surrounding factory farming, as well as alternatives to conventionally-raised meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs. The website also features The Meatrix Interactive 360, a tool to help people learn about factory farming, with in depth information on the issues. The Eat Well Guide®, an online directory of sustainable food from farms, stores and restaurants in North America, was launched with the original movie to help people take action. “
Read MoreBook: “Are you ready to get to the roots of your challenges around food– whether it’s gratuitous snacking,compulsive or emotional eating, indulging cravings, overeating, or other disheartening habits? Be ready to get mindful. Mindfulness can be the deciding factor between your successful adoption of a healthy vegan diet and repeated frustrating attempts. This simple technique goes under the surface of what is hampering your happiness, providing a sought-after solution to many of life’s ups and downs by rewiring your reactivity to challenges. Certified mindfulness meditation facilitator, award winning health educator, and longtime vegan advocate Lani Muelrath has been practicing mindfulness meditation for 25 years. In The Mindful Vegan, she teaches you how to practice mindfulness and shows how it can bring freedom and a new joy to your eating– and living– experience.”
Read More “Do you shape the world or does it shape you? Drawing on leading thinkers from around the world, and with a torrent of mind-expanding ideas and information, THE LOTTERY OF BIRTH will make you think again about what it means to be free.”
Read More “With grace, acuity, and humor, Miki Kashtan has shared with thousands of people on five continents how to live from love, courage and truth – in every moment, in thought, word, and deed. By integrating these three hallmarks of nonviolence into daily life, radical shifts happen…you begin to choose how to respond to life, rather than merely reacting; you no longer settle for solutions that work only for you or only for others; and, more and more, you step into leadership by taking responsibility for the whole in every situation. This little book contains 200 concise, evocative distillations of her wisdom, illustrated with powerful and original images. The Little Book of Courageous Living is an invitation to you to begin to build your own courageous life.”
Read More“Howard Zehr is the father of Restorative Justice and is known worldwide for his pioneering work in transforming understandings of justice. Here he proposes workable principles and practices for making Restorative Justice possible in this revised and updated edition of his bestselling, seminal book on the movement. (The original edition has sold more than 110,000 copies.) Restorative Justice, with its emphasis on identifying the justice needs of everyone involved in a crime, is a worldwide movement of growing influence that is helping victims and communities heal, while holding criminals accountable for their actions. This is not soft-on-crime, feel-good philosophy, but rather a concrete effort to bring justice and healing to everyone involved in a crime. In The Little Book of Restorative Justice, Zehr first explores how restorative justice is different from criminal justice. Then, before letting those appealing observations drift out of reach into theoretical space, Zehr presents Restorative Justice practices. Zehr undertakes a massive and complex subject and puts it in graspable from, without reducing or trivializing it. This resource is also suitable for academic classes and workshops, for conferences and trainings, as well as for the layperson interested in understanding this innovative and influential movement.”
Read More“Much more than a response to harm, restorative justice nurtures relational, interconnected school cultures. The wisdom embedded within its principles and practices is being welcomed at a time when exclusionary discipline and zero tolerance policies are recognized as perpetuating student apathy, disproportionality, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Relying on the wisdom of early proponents of restorative justice, the daily experiences of educators, and the authors’ extensive experience as classroom teachers and researchers, this Little Book guides the growth of restorative justice in education (RJE) into the future. Incorporating activities, stories, and examples throughout the book, three major interconnected and equally important aspects of restorative justice in education are explained and applied: creating just and equitable learning environments; building and maintaining healthy relationships; healing harm and transforming conflict. The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education is a reference that practitioners can turn to repeatedly for clarity and consistency as they implement restorative justice in educational settings.”
Read More Video: “At the core of our being, lies the heart. The heart is what contains human emotion, including love and compassion. Though humanity wants world peace, we can’t seem to live peacefully amongst one another. Religious institutions, schools and educational systems, military and governments have done little to nothing to end the violence. Love is the solution, yet we continue to justify the violence. Why is this? The Lost Love examines why we lost our innate love for all life, and what we can do to reawaken it within us, and cultivate that to the rest of the world.”
Read MoreBook: “For the first time in history, eradicating world poverty is within our reach. Yet around the world, a billion people struggle to live each day on less than many of us pay for bottled water. In The Life You Can Save, Peter Singer uses ethical arguments, illuminating examples, and case studies of charitable giving to show that our current response to world poverty is not only insufficient but morally indefensible. The Life You Can Save teaches us to be a part of the solution, helping others as we help ourselves.”
Read MoreBook: “The Lifelong Activist is a guide to living a joyful and productive life that includes a strong progressive mission. It offers simple and clear instructions that help you figure out the form your authentic life should take, and live that life with a maximum of joy and productivity, and a minimum of fear, guilt and shame. The book’s sections are: -Managing Your Mission (figuring out your authentic mission). -Managing Your Time (building a schedule that allows you to realize that mission). -Managing Your Fears (beating perfectionism, procrastination and blocks to success, so you can follow your schedule). -Managing Your Relationships (leveraging your strengths with those of others). The Lifelong Activist is for liberal activists, artists, campaign workers, labor organizers, volunteers, students, teachers, human services workers, and entrepreneurs, but anyone can use it and learn from it. It can act as a useful handbook for students and young people at the beginning of their careers; those contemplating a career or path change; and those at risk for burnout will find it particularly useful.”
Read More“Our ancestors gathered around a fire in a circle, families gather around their kitchen tables in circles, and now we are gathering in circles as communities to solve problems. This peacemaking practice draws on the ancient Native American tradition of a talking piece and combines that with concepts of democracy and inclusivity. Peacemaking circles are used in neighborhoods to provide support for those harmed by crime and to decide sentences for those who commit crime, in schools to create positive classroom climates and resolve behavior problems, in the workplace to deal with conflict, and in social services to develop more organic support systems for people struggling to get their lives together. The circle process hinges on storytelling. It is an effort bringing astonishing results around the country. A title in The Little Books of Justice and Peacebuilding Series.”
Read More “In just three minutes, this video will tell you how you can save a life. Watch it, share it, act.”
Read More “The Listening Project provides guidance and training for: Community Listening Projects (CLP) and Facilitated Group Listening (FGL). Both programs have a thirty-year history of helping community organizations achieve transformative change around issues of justice, conflict, health, community development, education, environment, and other concerns…our organization has worked with hundreds of national and international community-based organizations to overcome divisions caused by social and economic injustice, as well as ethnic, racial, religious and cultural conflicts. The Listening Project training and resources can enable communities to find unity on issues of health, education, sustainability, and countless other forms of community strengthening and development.”
Read MoreBook: “A call to consciousness combining spirituality and ecology that offers hope for the future. As the world’s population explodes, cultures and species are wiped out, and we have now reached the halfway point of our supplies of oil, humans the world over are confronting difficult choices about how to create a future that works. Thom Hartmann proposes that the only lasting solution to the crises we face is to re-learn the lessons our ancient ancestors knew — those which allowed them to live sustainably for hundreds of thousands of years — but which we’ve forgotten. Hartmann shows how to find this new yet ancient way of seeing the world and the life on and in it, allowing us to touch that place where the survival of humanity may be found.”
Read More Direct Action Everywhere – Blog. “We openly rescue animals in captivity, exposing violence behind closed doors.”
Read More “MISSION: The Library of Peace is developing into a global archive of inspiring stories, photos and videos from sisters and brothers of our global family… like you. VISION: Human history is full of people who take the high-road and choose to cultivate peace and nonviolence. WE will tell their stories and we invite you to add your support at this exciting time. You are invited to join us and become an official co-founder too!”
Read More“The primary focus of the LIFE program is to develop awareness of the consciousness of “the living energy of needs” or “the beauty of needs.” This is the foundational base for Living Compassion and is core to living and integrating NVC into life. The deepening work of the LIFE program is designed to establish a clear pathway to first identifying, then experiencing and cultivating this consciousness. This work supports an embodied spirituality and a way to engage in a living practice in our everyday, moment-to-moment living. Processes and tools are offered that serve this integration and development.”
Read More “The mission of The Life You Can Save (TLYCS) is to help change the culture of giving in affluent countries while dramatically raising annual donations to highly impactful nonprofits that reduce suffering and premature death, and improve life and livelihoods, for people living in extreme poverty.”
Read More Books to do with Martin Luther King, Jr. “The King Center envisions a world where global brotherhood and sisterhood are not a dream but the state of humankind.”
Read More“The Intercept is an award-winning news organization dedicated to holding the powerful accountable through fearless, adversarial journalism. Its in-depth investigations and unflinching analysis focus on politics, war, surveillance, corruption, the environment, technology, criminal justice, the media, and more. The Intercept gives its journalists the editorial freedom and legal support they need to expose corruption and injustice wherever they find it.”
Read More “the Jane Goodall Institute promotes understanding and protection of great apes and their habitat and builds on the legacy of Dr. Jane Goodall, our founder, to inspire individual action by young people of all ages to help animals, other people and to protect the world we all share. We advance the vision and work of Dr. Jane Goodall to lead a movement of conservation for the common good—one that builds on our connections to each other, our fellow species, and the natural world we all share. Following in the trailblazing footsteps of our founder, we inspire hope through action, encouraging individuals around the world to join us in taking care of the planet we call home. Whether we’re restoring chimpanzee habitat, improving women’s health in a nearby village, or working with our Roots & Shoots youth groups in nearly 100 countries, we find practical ways to make the greatest lasting impact for people, animals and the environment.”
Read More“Revealing the numbers of animals killed worldwide by the meat, egg, and dairy industries since you opened this webpage…The program code for all versions of the Animal Kill Counter is “open source,” which means that anyone is welcome to copy and use the code, and even modify the code as they see fit.”
Read More “We prepare global citizens to create a more just, humane and peaceful world using Dr. King’s nonviolent philosophy and methodology (Nonviolence365®).”
Read More “This is the final version of a presentation I have developed over the last few years. It was intended to provide some context for the disparate jigsaw pieces that I think fit together and tell the story of our symbiotic origins and our post symbiotic descent into delusion and madness. Most importantly of all it is a story that could if we so choose have a very different ending to the dystopian nightmare we are currently writing.”
Read More “The contribution of military activities to the unprecedented series of environmental crises facing the world today has been largely overlooked and, to an extent, wilfully ignored. This, despite the reality that 163 of the 192 current sovereign countries maintain regular armed forces (Westing 2000). Although the use of weapons of mass destruction has been a prominent feature in the media in recent months, there is a disturbing lack of detailed analysis on the consequences of their use, particularly with regard to the environment. Often vehemently defended for their role in insuring national security, peacetime military operations, in fact, pose a constant and major health threat to the citizens of militarized countries. Yet, governments still refuse to conduct serious assessments comparing the highly actualized national security threat posed by their own armed forces versus those posed by perceived external threats.” (45 page pdf)
Read More “The number of wild animals vastly exceeds that of animals on factory farms, in laboratories, or kept as pets. Therefore, animal advocates should consider focusing their efforts to raise concern about the suffering that occurs in the natural environment. While in theory this could involve trying directly to engineer more humane ecological systems, in practice I think activists should concentrate on promoting the meme of caring about wild animals to other activists, academics, and other sympathetic groups. “
Read More “The Institute for Human Rights & Responsibilities, Inc. (IHRR) is a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation that promotes adult leadership education for nonviolent democratic social change programs and projects. Located in Galena, Ohio, the IHRR publishes nonviolence and democracy educational materials, and conducts residential adult education leadership programs and nonviolence conflict reconciliation projects. Emphasis is placed on the institutionalization of nonviolence and democracy skills and information programs.”
Read MoreBook: “Driven by declining profits and government regulation, a new form of class-wide business leadership has emerged: a transcorporate network that is giving a new coherence and power to business in both America and Britain. This book delineates the “inner circle” of top executives who play a leading role in this network, advising the highest levels of government and working to promote a political environment favorable to all business.”
Read More The poor treatment of factory farm workers.
Read More Headlines from the front lines. “We fight the big fights to end suffering for all animals. Together with millions of supporters, we take on puppy mills, factory farms, trophy hunts, animal testing and other cruel industries. With our affiliates, we rescue and care for thousands of animals every year through our animal rescue team’s work and other hands-on animal care services. We fight all forms of animal cruelty to achieve the vision behind our name: A humane society. And we can’t do it without you.”
Read More “We exist to end the abuse of animals raised for food. Together, we are here, for the animals…We create real social change in collaboration with others. After all, this is a movement that’s bigger than ourselves. So, we share resources. Train other nonprofit organizations. And, importantly cultivate a welcoming, collaborative and change-making community. “
Read More News “Need help for an upcoming article, or simply want to see our latest press releases? …We exist to end the abuse of animals raised for food. Together, we are here, for the animals”
Read More “We fight the big fights to end suffering for all animals. Together with millions of supporters, we take on puppy mills, factory farms, trophy hunts, animal testing and other cruel industries. With our affiliates, we rescue and care for thousands of animals every year through our animal rescue team’s work and other hands-on animal care services. We fight all forms of animal cruelty to achieve the vision behind our name: A humane society. And we can’t do it without you.”
Read More “We are part of the International Hakomi Institute based in the United States and have been offering practitioner training, workshops, and supporting the growth of Hakomi in New Zealand and Australia since 1989. Hakomi Experiential Psychotherapy is a mindfulness-based approach to self-understanding. Mindfulness is not simply part of the ‘tool kit’ in Hakomi, it forms the very foundation of the therapeutic encounter. Much more than a method or set of techniques, Hakomi is a way of looking at the world that is compassionate, mindful, curious, non-invasive, humorous and respectful.”
Read More “John Robbins and Joanna Macy, who have been friends for thirty years, are both crusaders for a life-sustaining world. In this conversation, both intimate and visionary, they explore ways they have continued over the years to move and inspire each other. ” from Helping Hands Newsletter (Buddhist Global Relief)
Read More Book: “In The Great Turning, David Korten argues that “Empire,” the organization of society through hierarchy and violence has always resulted in misery for the many and fortune for the few, but now it threatens the very future of humanity as Empire has become unsustainable and destructive. Korten traces the roots of Empire and charts the evolution of its instruments of control, from absolute monarchies to the multinational institutions of the global economy. He describes efforts to develop democratic alternatives to Empire, such as the founding of the United States and shows how elitists with an imperial agenda have undermined the “American experiment.” Empire is not inevitable, and we can turn away from it. Korten draws on evidence from evolutionary theory, developmental psychology, and religious teachings to show that a life-centered, egalitarian, sustainable, democratic “Earth Community” is possible.”
Read More eBook: “Recent history has seen western farmers teaching Africans how to plough like they do in the rich clay lands of Shropshire, and the results have been a disaster. Permaculture, in its heady youth, had Australians teaching Europeans how to do desert work in those same heavy clays. A balance has to come and we will then have chance to do what is sensible in each place. ‘The Harmonious Wheatsmith’ details the method that Marc Bonfils developed for growing grains without ploughing. It is compatible with the awe-inspiring work of Masanobu Fukuoka in Japan (‘The One Straw Revolution’) and so it has been called the Fukuoka-Bonfils method. The value in terms of the erosion of soils speaks for itself. But beyond that I was fascinated by the time scale of the plantings. Marc, communicating through the late Emilia Hazelip, was adamant that his work should not be tainted by being published with any details of bio-dynamic farming, which also has a strong emphasis on timings. So I honoured that request and held off adding anything weirder than his own work. But now I think ‘wouldn’t it be interesting if the grain development of Hugo Erbe were to be the missing piece in getting the Fukuoka-Bonfils method to work more widely’? This was the first book what I wrote – and I had a lot of assistance, primarily from Graham Bell. Graham was very patient since it took a long time to get the illustrations done as my genius illustrator fulfilled another aspect of artistic talent in relation to punctuality. After that it wasn’t very helpful to hear that some people hated the illustrations. Sorry guys, I still think they are great.”
Read More “Peter Russell’s award-winning video, based on a live audio-visual presentation in 1983. He explores the idea that the Earth is an integrated, self-regulating living organism and asks what function humanity might have for this planetary being. It suggests that we stand on the threshold of a major leap in evolution, as significant as the emergence of life itself, and the essence of this leap is inner spiritual evolution. Moreover, Peter Russell maintains that it is only through such a shift in consciousness that we will be able to manage successfully the global crisis now facing us.”
Read More A talk by David Korten. “A Great turning to an Ecological Civilization cannot be led or imposed by institutions created to secure the relationships of an Imperial Civilization. Leadership must come from We the People. With no precedent or model to guide us, we must learn as we go, sharing the lessons of our experience as we withdraw our support from the institutions of the old economy and live into being the institutions of a New Economy that aligns with Ecological Civilization’s vision of possibility. The Great Turning is a possibility: not a prophecy. The choice is in our hands.”
Read More Film: “With the exception of our companion animals and the wild and stray species within our urban environments, we experience animals daily only as the food, clothing, animal tested goods and entertainment we make of them. This moral dilemma is largely hidden from our view. THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE illuminates the lives of individual animals living within and rescued from the machine of our modern world. Through the heart and photographic lens of animal rights photojournalist Jo-Anne McArthur, audiences become intimately familiar with a cast of non-human animals. From undercover investigations to joyful rescue missions, in North America and in Europe, each photograph and story is a window into global animal industries: Food, Fashion, Entertainment and Research. THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE charts McArthur’s efforts to bring wider attention to a topic that most of humankind strives hard to avoid. Are non-human animals property to be owned and used, or are they sentient beings deserving of rights?”
Read More “We work with scientists, investors, and entrepreneurs to make groundbreaking good food a reality. We focus on clean meat and plant-based alternatives to animal products—foods that are more delicious, safer to eat, and better for the planet than their outdated counterparts.”
Read More “Buddhism ought to be an animal rights religion par excellence. It has long held that all life forms are sacred and considers kindness and compassion the highest virtues. Moreover, Buddhism explicitly includes animals in its moral universe. Buddhist rules of conduct—including the first precept, “Do not kill”—apply to our treatment of animals as well as to our treatment of other human beings. Consequently, we would expect Buddhism to oppose all forms of animal exploitation, and there is, in fact, wide agreement that most forms of animal exploitation are contrary to Buddhist teaching. Yet many Buddhists eat meat―although many do not―and monks, priests, and scholars sometimes defend meat-eating as consistent with Buddhist teaching. The Great Compassion studies the various strains of Buddhism and the sutras that command respect for all life. Norm Phelps, a longtime student of Buddhism and an acquaintance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, answers the central questions of whether Buddhism demands vegetarianism and whether the Buddha ate meat. He is not afraid to examine anti-animal statements in Buddhist lore―particularly the issues of whether Buddhists in non-historically Buddhist countries need to keep or to jettison the practices of their historical homelands.”
Read More “We live in a concrete, violent, noisy, high tech, busy world. We have lost our connection to animals, to nature, and most of all, to ourselves. Animals are living lives of torment from beginning to end, their cries are unheard, their pain is unseen, and they are suffering. The rate of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes has never been higher. The rain forests are being destroyed, we are in a global drought, we are polluting our air, and species go extinct every day. But by having reverence for all life and by reconnecting with Mother Earth we each can change all that. At The Gentle Barn we stand up for the innocent, and we help animals and children alike remember that they matter. We open people’s hearts to the connections with nature. We open people’s minds to what is happening around us. And we inspire people to be an integral part of the solution. Through the stories and interactions with our animals, we can raise future generations to have reverence for all life, protect our planet, live good healthy, happy lives, and we will all be closer to having peace on earth!”
Read More “Directed by Louie Psihoyos and executive produced by James Cameron, The Game Changers tells the story of James Wilks — elite special forces trainer and winner of The Ultimate Fighter — as he travels the world on a quest for the truth behind the world’s most dangerous myth: that meat is necessary for protein, strength and optimal health. Meeting elite athletes, special ops soldiers, visionary scientists, cultural icons, and everyday heroes, what James discovers permanently changes his relationship with food and his definition of true strength.”
Read More Film: “There is a revolution happening in the farm fields and on the dinner tables of America – a revolution that is transforming the very nature of the food we eat. The Future of Food offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade. From the prairies of Saskatchewan, Canada to the fields of Oaxaca, Mexico, this film gives a voice to farmers whose lives and livelihoods have been negatively impacted by this new technology. The health implications, government policies and push towards globalization are all part of the reason why many people are alarmed by the introduction of genetically altered crops into our food supply. Shot on location in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, The Future of Food examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what we eat as huge multinational corporations seek to control the world’s food system. The film also explores alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture, placing organic and sustainable agriculture as real solutions to the farm crisis today.”
Read More “The Forum’s mission is to encourage discussion, development, and dissemination of practical, policy-relevant ideas that will help to free humanity from the fear of terrorism and war. We think globally, promoting security that is inclusive, civilian-led, and consistent with the rule of law, including human rights. We believe that international cooperation and the use of incentives and sanctions, rather than overreliance on military force, is essential for the progress of a secure, civilized society in every country.”
Read More “The Freedom Archives is a non-profit educational archive located in San Francisco dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of historical audio, video and print materials documenting progressive movements and culture from the 1960s to the 1990s. Offering a youth development program focused on engagement with these historical materials and providing media production training, we also produce original documentaries and educational resources for use by schools and organizations as tools for community building and social justice work.”
Read More Articles relevant to The Freedom Archives. “The Freedom Archives is a non-profit educational archive located in San Francisco dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of historical audio, video and print materials documenting progressive movements and culture from the 1960s to the 1990s. Offering a youth development program focused on engagement with these historical materials and providing media production training, we also produce original documentaries and educational resources for use by schools and organizations as tools for community building and social justice work.”
Read More “Switzerland has everything it takes to secure its long-term supply on the basis of predominantly domestic and renewable energy sources and energy efficiency: natural, economic and financial resources as well as technological know-how. In order for the energy transition to succeed, it needs a clear framework, including as far as the nuclear phase-out is concerned. Nuclear power plants pose an unnecessary and unacceptable threat. They pollute the environment at all pre and post stages and leave nuclear waste behind. In addition, the construction of new nuclear power plants will hinder the development of a secure power supply with renewable energies and prevent incentives for (electricity) energy efficiency. The members of the Alliance nuclear phase-out commit themselves to the common goal of stopping the production of atomic energy. They are making political efforts to avert the construction of new nuclear power plants in Switzerland. “
Read MoreBook: “In 1987, John Robbins published Diet for a New America, which was an early version of this book, and he started the food revolution. He continues to work tirelessly to promote conscious food choices more than 20 years later. First published in 2001, The Food Revolution is still one of the most frequently cited and talked about books of the food-politics revolution. It was one of the very first books to discuss the negative health effects of eating genetically modified foods and animal products of all kinds, to expose the dangers inherent in our factory farming system, and to advocate a complete plant-based diet. The book garnered endorsements by everyone from Paul Hawken to Neal Donald Walsch, Marianne Williamson to Julia Butterfly Hill. After ten years in print, The Food Revolution is timelier than ever–and a very compelling read. The 10th anniversary edition has an updated, new contemporary look and a new introduction by the author.”
Read More “The Forgiveness Project collects and shares stories from both victims/ survivors and perpetrators of crime and conflict who have rebuilt their lives following hurt and trauma. Founded in 2004 by journalist, Marina Cantacuzino, The Forgiveness Project provides resources and experiences to help people examine and overcome their own unresolved grievances. The testimonies we collect bear witness to the resilience of the human spirit and act as a powerful antidote to narratives of hate and dehumanisation, presenting alternatives to cycles of conflict, violence, crime and injustice. At the heart of The Forgiveness Project is an understanding that restorative narratives have the power to transform lives; not only supporting people to move on from harm or trauma, but also building a climate of tolerance, resilience, hope and empathy. This idea informs our work across multiple platforms – in publications and educational resources, through the international F Word exhibition, in public conversations, and our award-winning RESTORE prison programme. The stories of forgiveness on our website demonstrate that forgiveness is first and foremost a personal journey, with no set rules or time limits. We are a secular organisation sharing stories from all faiths and none.”
Read MoreBook: “Shows the strategies wealthy families use to perpetuate their fortunes and keep control of family corporations”
Read More “THE EVILNESS OF POWER examines the ways in which power and hierarchy affect individuals, society, and the world at large. It’s possibly the best film on the subject ever made. Produced by Jonathan Shockley.”
Read More “Permaculture designer Andrew Faust gives us an inspiring and heady narrative about the evolution of all life and human consciousness on Mother Earth. “
Read MoreBook: “What is ethics? Where do moral standards come from? Are they based on emotions, reason, or some innate sense of right and wrong? For many scientists, the key lies entirely in biology–especially in Darwinian theories of evolution and self-preservation. But if evolution is a struggle for survival, why are we still capable of altruism? In his classic study The Expanding Circle, Peter Singer argues that altruism began as a genetically based drive to protect one’s kin and community members but has developed into a consciously chosen ethic with an expanding circle of moral concern. Drawing on philosophy and evolutionary psychology, he demonstrates that human ethics cannot be explained by biology alone. Rather, it is our capacity for reasoning that makes moral progress possible. In a new afterword, Singer takes stock of his argument in light of recent research on the evolution of morality.”
Read More “Founded in 2013, The FANG Collective seeks to escalate resistance to the fracked gas industry while supporting other movements for justice.”
Read More “The Fearless Heart is a project of Bay Area Nonviolent Communication. Like many projects, it started small when, in 2010, Miki Kashtan finally got the nerve to start her own blog. The response was so positive, and the pleasure of putting out her ideas and experiences so meaningful, that writing emerged as a core aspect of Miki’s work. As her visibility and reach grew over time, a team of people coalesced in support of the vision that she is holding for what’s possible for individuals and for the world. The Fearless Heart is where Miki blogs. It acts as the publisher for her books and upcoming multimedia self-study guide to Nonviolent Communication. The Fearless Heart team supports trainings around the world conducted by Miki, and a number of other projects. We invite you to look around this site and see what draws your attention. We believe there is something here for anyone, from CEO to social activist.”
Read More Introduction to fundraising, Planning an event, How to increase donations, Useful links and resources
Read MoreBook: “Do I need more protein? Am I getting enough nutrients for the baby? How do I defend my decision to stay vegan? These questions and more are on the minds of vegan moms-to-be who want to maintain their lifestyle but still nurture a healthy baby. Well, you can breathe a sigh of relief because a vegan pregnancy is not only possible, it’s also healthy and completely safe. With this helpful guide, you will learn about all aspects of vegan pregnancy from conception to bringing home baby, including: Which foods to eat (and avoid) to get optimum nutrients for you and babyHow to deal with disapproval from family and friendsMethods to ensure a vegan-friendly hospital birthSetting up a vegan nursery for the baby Packed with information for both moms and dads, including 150 nutritious and healthy recipes for the whole family, this book is the ultimate resource for parents who want the best for their baby-without sacrificing the vegan life!”
Read More “The End of Meat is a groundbreaking documentary film envisioning a future where meat consumption belongs to the past…The End of Meat reveals the hidden impact of meat consumption; explores the opportunities and benefits of a shift to a more compassionate diet; and raises critical questions about the future role of animals in our society.”
Read MoreBook: “Peter Singer, the groundbreaking ethicist whom The New Yorker calls the most influential philosopher alive teams up again with Jim Mason, his coauthor on the acclaimed Animal Factories, to set their critical sights on the food we buy and eat: where it comes from, how it is produced, and whether it was raised humanely. The Ethics of What We Eat explores the impact our food choices have on humans, animals, and the environment. Recognizing that not all of us will become vegetarians, Singer and Mason offer ways to make healthful, humane food choices. As they point out: You can be ethical without being fanatical.”
Read More Book: “For three centuries the capitalist system has shaped western society, informed its rulers, and conditioned the lives of its people. Has the time come to move beyond it? Using his unrivalled knowledge of the subject, Harvey lays bare the follies of the international financial system, looking at the nature of capitalism, how it works and why sometimes it doesn’t. He examines the vast flows of money that surge round the world in daily volumes well in excess of the sum of all its economies. He looks at the cycles of boom and bust in the world’s housing and stock markets and shows that periodic episodes of meltdown are not only inevitable in the capitalist system but essential to its survival. The Enigma of Capital is a timely call-to-arms for the end of the capitalism, and makes a compelling case for a new social order that would allow us to live within a system that could be responsible, just and humane.”
Read More “Around the planet, as people gather to work together for the healing of our world, a simple, beautiful practice is spreading. To celebrate their commitment to life and solidarity with activists the world over, they join hands in a circle dance.”
Read More “The Emotional World of Farm Animals is a delightful documentary for viewers of all ages about the thinking and feeling side of animals that are all too often just viewed as food. Jefferey Masson, author of When Elephants Weep and Dogs Never Lie About Love, leads viewers through the personal journey he underwent while writing his latest book, The Pig Who Sang to The Moon. This journey into the sentient, emotional lives of farm animals brings Masson to animal sanctuaries around the country where caregivers and the animals themselves tell their harrowing stories of rescue and escape. Masson delves into the rich ancestry of these curious and intelligent animals and interviews top experts in animal behavior who offer scientific perspectives on these amazing creatures.”
Read More Film: “Economic globalization has led to a massive expansion in the scale and power of big business and banking. It has also worsened nearly every problem we face: fundamentalism and ethnic conflict; climate chaos and species extinction; financial instability and unemployment. There are personal costs too. For the majority of people on the planet life is becoming increasingly stressful. We have less time for friends and family and we face mounting pressures at work. The Economics of Happiness describes a world moving simultaneously in two opposing directions. On the one hand, government and big business continue to promote globalization and the consolidation of corporate power. At the same time, all around the world people are resisting those policies, demanding a re-regulation of trade and finance—and, far from the old institutions of power, they’re starting to forge a very different future. Communities are coming together to re-build more human scale, ecological economies based on a new paradigm — an economics of localization. We hear from a chorus of voices from six continents including Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, David Korten, Michael Shuman, Juliet Schor, Zac Goldsmith and Samdhong Rinpoche – the Prime Minister of Tibet’s government in exile. They tell us that climate change and peak oil give us little choice: we need to localize, to bring the economy home. The good news is that as we move in this direction we will begin not only to heal the earth but also to restore our own sense of well-being. The Economics of Happiness restores our faith in humanity and challenges us to believe that it is possible to build a better world.”
Read More “The Ecologist is the world’s leading environmental affairs platform. We publish daily, bringing the latest news, comment, features and reviews to your screens – for free. You will find news about successful environmental campaigns, stories about advances in academic ecology and discursive articles touching on theoretical approaches that help us understand nature and the impact of our societies on the natural environment.”
Read More “The Doomsday Clock is a design that warns the public about how close we are to destroying our world with dangerous technologies of our own making. It is a metaphor, a reminder of the perils we must address if we are to survive on the planet. When the Doomsday Clock was created in 1947, the greatest danger to humanity came from nuclear weapons, in particular from the prospect that the United States and the Soviet Union were headed for a nuclear arms race. The Bulletin considered possible catastrophic disruptions from climate change in its hand-setting deliberations for the first time in 2007.”
Read MoreBook: “The Dietitian’s Guide to Vegetarian Diets: Issues and Applications provides the most up-to-date information on vegetarian diets. Written for dietitians and other health care professionals, the Third Edition can be used as an aid for counseling vegetarian clients and those interested in becoming vegetarian or serve as a textbook for classroom study for students who have completed introductory coursework in nutrition. Evidence-based and thoroughly referenced, this text includes case-studies, sample menus, and counseling points to help students apply material to the real world.”
Read More “I’m Joshua Katcher. I started The Discerning Brute, the world’s first men’s vegan lifestyle website, over 10 years ago. On this website you’ll discover food, fashion, sports and culture for the ethically handsome man. “
Read More “The Dodo is the digital media brand for animal people. At The Dodo, we’re committed to creating visually compelling, entertaining, highly shareable animal videos and stories. We’re a halo brand for everyone who loves animals from people who are obsessed with their pets all the way to committed animal advocates. We want our audience to connect with animals through our stories, and feel empowered to help where help is needed.”
Read More “Insect abundance is plummeting with wild abandon, worldwide! Species evolve and go extinct as part of nature’s normal course over thousands and millions of years, but the current rate of devastation is off the charts and downright scary.”
Read More Danish “The object of the organisation is to work for the abolition of all painful experiments on animals.”
Read MoreBook: “Here, from a brilliant young writer, is a paradigm-shifting history of both a utopian concept and global movement—the idea of the Third World. The Darker Nations traces the intellectual origins and the political history of the twentieth century attempt to knit together the world’s impoverished countries in opposition to the United States and Soviet spheres of influence in the decades following World War II. Spanning every continent of the global South, Vijay Prashad’s fascinating narrative takes us from the birth of postcolonial nations after World War II to the downfall and corruption of nationalist regimes. A breakthrough book of cutting-edge scholarship, it includes vivid portraits of Third World giants like India’s Nehru, Egypt’s Nasser, and Indonesia’s Sukarno—as well as scores of extraordinary but now-forgotten intellectuals, artists, and freedom fighters. The Darker Nations restores to memory the vibrant though flawed idea of the Third World, whose demise, Prashad ultimately argues, has produced a much impoverished international political arena.”
Read MoreBook: “In this riveting anatomy of authoritarianism, acclaimed journalist William Dobson takes us inside the battle between dictators and those who would challenge their rule. Recent history has seen an incredible moment in the war between dictators and democracy—with waves of protests sweeping Syria and Yemen, and despots falling in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya. But the Arab Spring is only the latest front in a global battle between freedom and repression, a battle that, until recently, dictators have been winning hands-down. The problem is that today’s authoritarians are not like the frozen-in-time, ready-to-crack regimes of Burma and North Korea. They are ever-morphing, technologically savvy, and internationally connected, and have replaced more brutal forms of intimidation with subtle coercion. The Dictator’s Learning Curve explains this historic moment and provides crucial insight into the fight for democracy.”
Read More Film: “The Corporation, Canada’s most successful documentary in history, is the winner of 26 international awards and 10 Audience Choice Awards including the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. The film charts the development of the corporation as a legal entity from its genesis to unprecedented legal protection stemming from creative interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, that is from its origins as an institution chartered by governments to carry out specific public functions, to the rise of the vast modern institutions entitled to some of the legal rights of a “person.” One central theme of the documentary is an attempt to assess the “personality” of the corporate “person” by using diagnostic criteria from the DSM-IV; Robert Hare, a University of British Columbia Psychology Professor and FBI consultant, compares the modern, profit-driven corporation to that of a clinically diagnosed psychopath.”
Read More “The Cornucopia Institute, through research and investigations on agricultural and food issues, provides needed information to family farmers, consumers and other stakeholders in the good food movement and to the media. We support economic justice for the family-scale farming community – partnered with consumers – backing ecologically produced local, organic and authentic food.”
Read More Film: “The Corporation is today’s dominant institution, creating great wealth but also great harm. This 26 award-winning documentary examines the nature, evolution, impacts and future of the modern business corporation and the increasing role it plays in society and our everyday lives.”
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