In January 2012, I moved to DC with the hope of offering my skills, knowledge and passion for lasting peace to help bridge the gap between the polarizing times we are now in.
The energy towards polarization is so strong; especially in a city like Washington DC. It is very difficult these days to have a conversation and not be forced to take a side or classify others in a disempowering and distancing way: right/wrong, good/bad, victim/perpetrator, left/right, 1%/99%, … and the list goes on.
I truly believe that as long as we hold on to our own individual need to be right, and therefore make all others with different beliefs wrong, we will never find the new creative solutions that are just sitting there waiting to be revealed.
This polarity has brought us all to a standstill, maybe even a standoff, causing paralysis and powerlessness.
Think about it: if hanging out only with the people who already share your views was going to solve our world and personal problems, we would have already solved our world and personal problems. Since we haven’t already solved our world and personal problems, then it seems logical to me that the way to create successful solutions to our problems is accepting that one group may have one piece of the “truth” puzzle and that all other groups (even opposing groups) have other important pieces of that puzzle.
When we learn how to sit down and talk to all groups and really listen to hear how and why they view the world as they do, we will call out each others’ valid truths, weave them together and finally create the solutions necessary to affect real positive lasting change for our times.
To understand something doesn’t mean you have to agree or take on these beliefs. It simply allows you to get deeper insights into others that you may consider adversaries and maybe find some common ground for the sake of the whole.
As a practitioner and founder of Respectful Confrontation and the path of the Heartwalker, it is always my intention to do my best to not take sides, to not claim that I am right and others are wrong. Yes, I have my own strong beliefs and truths, but I proclaim them as “my” truth and not “the” truth. This practice allows me to have more respect and understanding for others and therefore the ability to listen from my heart (where wisdom resides) to hear things that others might miss.
In order to seek out new solutions to our current situation, it is my intention to empower those who share my beliefs with tools that result in effective communication and self actualization, as well as truly understand the motivations and beliefs of those with opposing views as a way to overcome the adversity and have productive talks that lead to real solutions. It is not my intention to judge and criticize them, or claim that they are wrong. This only creates more polarity and adversity. My purpose with this blog is to share with you my insights and understanding that came from my exploration.
