It was while watching "What the Bleep Do We Know?" that the Five Minute Peace Plan came to me. I participated in the August, 1987, Harmonic Convergence that called peace minded folk to come together where ever they were to pray for peace, meditate for peace, work for peace, talk for peace, cooperate for peace, play for peace. This was one day many years ago and there have been many other calls for peace. Groups have requested that individuals set aside a specific time one specific day a month or week or when ever. I have participated in all of them that I have come across.
Being in a one-day-at-a-time life style, it made sense that I should add peace to my daily schedule and perhaps others would join me as well. Once the idea was formed the words quickly found their way on to the paper. For several weeks now I have been emailing this idea to all kinds of individuals, groups, and businesses. Please share this peace plan with any one you wish. I visualize that for every 5 minute segment there are lots of people being peace. As we say here in Iowa, "It can't hurt!"
FIVE MINUTE PEACE PLAN
It's easy to be caught up in today's world problems. We are constantly reminded of terrorism, abuse, and greed. And, we don't have to look far to see their results.
Have you ever felt powerless over what's happening around you? It's easy to feel like that. What can one person do when so many others are acting crazy and insane? How can one person possibly do anything that could affect a change anywhere? It's hopeless for one person to do anything that might make a difference. Or, is it?
In the summer of 1993, a group of individuals was brought to Washington, D.C. to see if they could lower the city's crime rate. They were not given guns or weapons of any kind. They were not sent out on the streets to face the insanity. They did not get on the telephone or television and yet what they did do was so affective that it measurably reduced Washington, D.C.'s crime rate by 25%.
The D.C. police chief had stated before the group began their effort that it would take two feet of snow in July to lower the crime rate 25%.
Since the group did not produce two feet of snow, just how did they do what was thought so impossible? They prayed and meditated.
This group of individuals knew what they were about to do in D.C. would lower the crime rate. In fact, success was predicted at 25% based on results from 48 previous smaller events in other locations.
Is it possible that prayer and meditation can be measurable? Yes, it is and has been.
It was this story that prompted a small group to take action, put away the "There's nothing that I could possibly do," thoughts, and do something. This small group of individuals has committed to praying or meditating five minutes a day for peace. It could be personal peace, local peace, national peace, world peace. It takes just five minutes a day, any time of the day or night. There are 288 five minute opportunities during a twenty four hour period. That's not asking much on behalf of the world and humanity.
A person does not have to be of a particular belief to spend five minutes a day thinking about peace. And, a person does not have to believe that this will work, just believe that someone else believes it.
Finding five minutes per day or remembering to do it might be the hard part but what to do in that five minutes is easy. There could be as many ways as there are individuals doing it. Repeating a phrase such as "Peace on earth" or "Peace is in, around, and through this planet and its people" or "Peace is flowing everywhere" or "Today I smile at myself and everybody else" or whatever feels right. Some individuals visualize peace and others experience a feeling of peace in some way. All of those work.
It's easy and it works and it doesn't cost anything except five minutes from your day. One person can do it. That one person can tell another person and that person can tell another person. It's easy to see how quickly this "Five Minute Peace Plan" can blanket our planet. Our planet needs a "Global Peace Blanket". Every stitch counts. Every five minutes count. Every person counts. Every individual making an effort for peace will reap the benefits of feeling a peace that begins from within. It's easy.
P.S. Please pass this on. Thank you.
Kate Quimby
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