Gulls on Frozen McLane Pond

January 2013

Peace is the Way

"Produced at Plum Village Meditation Center, this short film highlights the practices of mindful breathing and walking. These practices can help us to find peace in the present moment and to bring relaxation, ease and joy into daily life. Based on the teachings and tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village Monastic community of southwest France."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzuxdem1xbw

Some Silliness...

This video was recorded almost a week ago, at the YDHWM (Your Daily Hour With Me) studio, in Olympia, Washington. The official program will air on TCTV (Thurston Community Television) tomorrow (Friday the 30th,) or the day after that, New Year's Eve (Saturday the 31st.) It will eventually also be uploaded to the YDHWM YouTube user channel. [now available here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ES-PH0QGXg]

It was a silly episode, including blowing the cover on some extraterrestrials that have been hiding behind the couch.

Look out!

Livestreaming the Past Few Days

Monday 5 December 2011 UPDATE: After posting this I realized that I want to apologize profusely for losing my temper, and my own anger, frustration, and violent language. I am making efforts to take better care of myself. To not get as hungry! I am going to my favorite local food store to pick up some easy to eat snacks that I can keep on my person at all times! Best, Berd

The Olympia Occupy Media Team has been utilizing real-time live streaming onto the Internet more and more over the past few days. Some of us at OO are hoping to be livestreaming more and more, including at General Assemblies. This past Friday and Saturday, I recorded about 2 or 3 hours or so. Here's the material, in order of first to last. It starts out from Friday night, when I attended the State Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. Other people from our team have also been streaming, and their efforts are also very much worthy of watching. The reason I am posting this is because I want to represent my own work here on this blog. Some of the topics ranged from challenging the myth of the honorableness of our "Founding Fathers" of the USA (re: talking about freedom and equality while holding slaves and destroying indigenous cultures/populations...) to the behavior/demeanor of protestors, as well as many other different topics and discussions in between! The following descriptions are far from complete.

Some people might say that my views are "anti-American."

I want to make it clear that I love this land, and the people very much. The problem for me, is the culture. And it's very deep. But not personal. When we speak of defending against enemies, foreign and domestic, I think we need to also examine our very own selves, for the "enemy" within — as evinced in attitudes of hate, feelings of superiority, conceit, and other such similar personality flaws.

Please watch. Thank you!

Berd

Watch live streaming video from occupyolympia at livestream.com

*** Here is about 45 minutes from Friday night, after projecting images onto the Capitol Campus hill, I walked up the switchback trail and attended the Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. This video includes commentary about the basic nature of violence in our society, and questions the story that the "Founding Fathers" of the USA were entirely honorable (maybe they were manipulative—psychologically, economically—to suit their own benefit at the expense of others???)

Watch live streaming video from occupyolympia at livestream.com

This is another 45 minutes, from Saturday afternoon. Someone was arrested for disobeying their order to stay off the Capitol Campus for 30 days (after having been warning earlier in the week.) I don't have the full story. But I went around and had some really interesting conversations with people, including about the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The person I talked with, Nona, said that 10 of the 30 universal rights had been broken in the Special Legislative Session Opening Week of Action. Then I talked with Ryan and Ashley. We talked about a lot of stuff, including the State Patrol, and the events that occurred on Monday, when protestors attempted to "un-arrest" some people from a City Bus. There's more, but that's a little bit of what's in this video.

Watch live streaming video from occupyolympia at livestream.com

In this video, I return to the Legislative Building and visit the Military Re-enlistment Ceremony that took place in the State Reception Room. Visited the MLK Jr. bust, mentioned the "Beyond Vietnam" speech. Also visited the George Washington head, and rubbed his nose vigorously, with both hands.

Watch live streaming video from occupyolympia at livestream.com

In this video, there was discussion about the craziness of my hair. I also got really angry because people off-site were interfering with our livestream broadcasts. And someone from Seattle who introduced themselves as "Burning Man" broke a condom that was filled with skittles candy and made a mess. Susan asked about why humanity is evolving so slowly. Local members of the National Lawyers Guild were on hand with an information card, "What to do if you are stopped by the police." It was produced by the ACLU—and it was funny because the ACLU had just called me 10 minutes prior with their annual fundraising appeal. Thank you ACLU!

Watch live streaming video from occupyolympia at livestream.com

I was still confused about multiple streams operating and my livestream broadcast being interrupted. I was very angry. I said, "That's some bullshit." Then I apologized, and Susan gave me some food. And I felt much better. I talked about how I love military personnel. Cassie gave a report-back about Dakota, who was being detained for trespassing on public property. We theorized that we were mis-treated because we were second-class citizens.

-Berd

Susan, Ktron, and Berd with Kenny on YDHWM

Come from everywhere in the state and converge in Olympia. Bring tent, pallets, pads, blankets, bags. Converge! check out http://www.occupyolympia.org/ for more information!

Today is Thursday the First of December Two Thousand Eleven. I have been talking with Kenny about Occupy Olympia and Occupy Wall Street every so often on his daily television show, Your Daily Hour With Me, so stay tuned if you want to hear more about what's going on that way.

More YDHWM

YDHWM (Your Daily Hour With Me) Appearance

http://youtu.be/0ZL42i5-Log

Yay Kenny, that was fun. Thanks for having me on the program!
Berd

Celebrating International Day of Peace

Here in Olympia, Washington, we had a festival to celebrate the International Day of Peace. It was sponsored by the Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation. We set up a couple of tents and a path of peace. In the tents we had information, and we also listened to a singing bowl concert. The path of peace was constructed out of 12 pieces of bamboo poles ranging in length from about 7 feet to about 20 feet. We used twine to secure the poles, and to string up about a hundred or so pieces of cloth with "peace" written in as many different languages.

The idea with peace written in so many different languages is to suggest that we all have something in common. We may look different, or speak different languages, but we are all still part of one human family. On the most basic level, we are all one, interconnected beings. Interconnected energetically, spiritually. Our actions affect each other. And if we want a world that is peaceful for ourselves, and for our children, for our friends and family and neighbors, then it makes sense to be kind to everyone, regardless of whatever differences there might be between us.

After people had a chance to walk through the "Path of Peace", and listen to the concert of singing bowls, we were led on a meditative peace walk (in the style of Thich Nhat Han,) by Miles, who is a local Zen Buddhist Priest.

Here's a video and some photos from the event. Please enjoy. Thank you.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrm88htCXQI

photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rwhitlock/sets/72157627577967693/

I Am (the documentary [by Tom Shadyac])

I have posted this before, and now I am posting again. This is a strong film, entertaining and with a powerful message. I saw it for the second time in the theater last week, and it has me thinking a lot. I have talked with several people about the film.

Here's the trailer from YouTube:

Peace Vigil Video with Frog Song

Peace Vigil at Percival Landing with frog song audio overlap
Friday the 1st of April, 2011


Peace Vigil at Percival Landing
Olympia!

Another version of the video posted below (audio track removed, frogs only.)

Invest in peace, not war.

Friday 11 March 2011, Olympia WA—At the Friday evening Olympia FOR (Fellowship of Reconciliation) weekly peace vigil

Dear All: Invest in peace, not war. Divest from war. It's the right time to change. The USA can stop bullying—stop treating people poorly. We can find mutual welfare and happiness in life-serving policies. Please: put international public interest before private/special/national interest.
Thank you!
Berd

No Imperialism, No Racism

Racial and economic justice, and the cessation of violent conflict! Abolition of an offensive economic, military-industrial establishment...

The enemy is not personnel. It is not personal. The enemy is ignorance. The enemy is fear, xenophobia, racism and other prejudice. The enemy is aggression and violence and hate.

Here are three copies of a video I recently made, my intent was to deal with the problem of an 'us v. them' mentality, privilege and oppression, wealth disparity, socio-economic harmfulness, and I suppose, violence in general.

Videos are below the fold.

Nuclear Explosions Time Lapse by Isao Hashimoto

more information here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLCF7vPanrY

We can choose a better future.

Hey, join me at the peace vigil! Every Friday (that's today) from 4:30 to 6pm at Percival Landing.

We can choose a better future!

A View on Salish Sea/Puget Sound

video from Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and Anti-Arab racism panel discussion in Olympia

We Are the World!

This is from about 11 months ago. It is what it is. I love this song by Michael Jackson, We Are the World.

End all oppression...toward a better world: toward a beautiful world.

The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard: An Important Story

This is a well-produced 20 minute video. Please watch. It's a very important story!

War is Over Now!

War is Over, If You Want It... This song has been in my head the past few days. It's a good song, and I also included some words by Yoko Ono. Peace! Berd