The Peace on Earth meditation is The Meditation Center’s main interfaith initiative at this time. This, and the programming we do as part of the Congress…which again will feature Swami Veda leading the Peace On Earth, preceded by kirtan event (details forming as we speak.) I would like to see us doing more, but we make steps and the foot prints stay so we keep putting one foot in front of the other in a slow, steady, and sustaining way. The turtle wins, right?

I have been speaking with Jyoti Bratz in Milwaukee trying to get POE going there too. It would interesting to see if each of our center’s could start a similar program in their area. Once a quarter, same date, find their own interfaith connections and sit. It is VERY easy to manage—that has been part of the approach so that is sustainable.  A very basic tool kit for a program any center or group can manage to sponsor.   Chander Khanna, Toronto, is doing SO much more, and we want to learn more. In the meanwhile with other balls in the air, the POE is a manageable, sustainable and growing gathering.

Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, 4 January 2010

Braving cold temperatures, falling snow, and icy road conditions, close to 400 meditators from the greater metropolitan area gathered together for the one year anniversary of the Peace on Earth Meditation.

What started a year ago as a singular, “let’s see how this goes” event, has become a well attended, quarterly gathering of a diverse group of citizens for peace. Some know each other, some have just met at the gathering, and all are welcome.

This is a grassroots initiative with the mission of simply bringing people together to sit for peace.  Invitations are spread by word of mouth which takes the form of e-flyers, emails, website, facebook and Twitter, and yes, even phone calls between friends and invitations between colleagues at work.

This informality truly makes this a community driven initiative. As the two quiet coordinators of the events have said, “As long as you show up, we are here to help keep it going.”

Each quarter a different tradition representative leads the group in meditation. Representatives have included Master Chunyi Lin from Spring Forest Chi Gong,  Sosan Teresa Flynn from Clouds in Water Zen Center, Mark Nunberg from Common Ground and Swami Veda Bharati  from The Meditation Center in Northeast Minneapolis.

There are participants who have meditated for decades, and for so me, this is their first exploration of meditation. What is the same for all is that they are happy they attended and say they will be back for the next Peace on Earth Meditation.

But really, for the best information, come experience a Peace on Earth Meditation:

Thursday April 29, 7-8:30pm, Pat Alyward - Sufi Tradition

Sunday August 9, 7-8:30pm, Swami Veda Bharati - The Meditation Center

For more information, please visit  http://www.themeditationcenter.org/jnana/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76&Itemid=62