This is an archive of resources for an understanding of hope.
This is the third Hope Archive page. Like the first, and the second, the ordering of the content is a little whimsical, very much depending on the mood and direction of my web surfing. The fourth is thematically organised, on education.
Aikido FAQ
Aikido is a martial art in which ju ro ni, the principle of gentleness, is a key value. For a better idea of what
gentleness might mean in this context, take a look at the following
commentary on ju. Start with this FAQ and see where it takes you.
To get a sense of the philosophy behind aikido you might like to read the
words of O-Sensei, Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of aikido.
If you are particularly interested in following up on some of the ideas and philosophies of aikido, I would recommend that
you try to find a non-competition aikido dojo in your area. It makes a lot more sense when you let your whole body get involved.
Alastair McIntosh's Home Page.
Alastair McIntosh is a writer, lecturer, social activist, broadcaster and campaigning academic from the Isle of Lewis.
Sense Think Act
A fascinating site (wiki) with some really interesting and practical exercises for
experiential and conceptual awareness. Not too sure about the site's ambition to usher
in an "end of our development as a victim of the largely irrational and barbarous process
of History and the emergence of a mature period of Conscious Evolution in which We decide
what we want to become rather than passively accepting our fate," as I think it may be a
little more complicated than that, and I don't go along with some of the basic philosophical
premises behind the site, but all in all a lot of practical stuff here.
Dougald Hine's Home Page
Dougald is a journalist, writer and activist based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, with whom I have spent
many Monday mornings chatting over coffee.
The People Speak
"The People Speak is a set of ideas and strategies for stimulating conversations and debates
in an open-ended and fun way. We design events, architectures, technology and processes in which people
are encouraged express themselves, share ideas, flirt, meet and be as creative as they can be.
... The People Speak projects are experimental communication forms that put the 'me' back into
'media'. We like things that are easy to explain: a chat show, a radio interview, a word,
a soccer kick-about: no instruction manual is required, and we like to have as much fun and get
just as involved as everyone else. ..."
Journey of Hearts.
"An online healing place for anyone grieving a loss." Although I find the frequent reiteration of the
Trademark unnecessary and inappropriate, there are significant and comprehensive resources to be found on this site.
Pick Me Up
Not to be confused with the UK women's magazine ("shocking murders, outrageous sex and betrayal,
heartache, tears and a whole lot of laughter"), this online zine/newsletter is a wonderful tonic for living a life of
realistic, localized positive action. Sign up for the weekly newsletter on the site for great ideas for keeping
yourself sane and connected.
Holistic Living
A lovely site run by the Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood, New York, which emphasises the power of craft and crafting
in the pursuit of a more balanced life.
Holistic Healing Website
This is an excellent website of resources for holistic and alternative medicines and therapies.
Honest Hope.
This is an article by Anne Herbert, originally published in 1982. "I've been thinking about honest hope. When we
start to hope often we promise ourselves too much. If this one thing changes, we say, then it will all change -
injustice disappear and no more lonely days, lonely nights, for anyone, for me. The war ends, we/they get the vote,
waking up each day stays too much the same, people find new ways to steal joy from each other. Give up, hide,
lost dreams turn to headaches because we refuse to cry. If we started with honest hope, could we go farther do you think?
What would honest hope be like? What can we honestly hope for?" Very much written with the attitude
of 'hope works better when it's here'.
Mindfulness, Compassion, & Wisdom, Three Means To Peace
A helpful article on Buddhist meditation from Joseph Goldstein, author of The Experience of Insight. The mindfulness meditation is a very straighforward but very powerful technique for bringing yourself to a great sense of present
awareness, which brings relaxation as one of its consequences. Great for moments when you're feeling a bit anxious.
Overcoming Masculine Oppression.
This is an article by Bill Moyers which gives very practical advice for identifying the ways in which we might
find ourselves dominating others in conversation, "specific ways we can be responsible to ourselves and others in groups".
Activist Trauma.
A site primarily for political activists who may be injured during or by their political activities
and or struggling with other mental health issues related to activism. The organisers of the site hope much of the
information may also be useful to other groups and individuals who either have to face violence or
repression where ever it may come from.
Nonviolence.org
The award-winning Nonviolence.Org was started by Martin Kelley in 1995.
It’s one of the most visited peace sites in the United States. As a member of the
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Kelley is committed to spreading the idea that war is
unnecessary. There is a resource page for non-violence links and a large archive of articles
and commentary on the themes of peace and non-violence.
The MK Gandhi Institute for Non-Violence
The M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence was founded in 1991 by the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi,
Arun Gandhi, and his wife, Sunanda. Many of the Institute’s educational programs are aimed at conflict
prevention, anger management, diversity training, and relationship- and community-building. They have a
really nice links page.
Nonviolence International
Founded by Palestinian activist Mubarak Awad in 1989, Nonviolence International
is a decentralized network of resource centres that promote nonviolent action and seek
to reduce the use of violence worldwide. They believe that every cultural and religious
tradition can discover and employ culturally appropriate nonviolent methods for positive
social change and international peace.
Resource Center for Nonviolence
Founded in 1976, the Resource Center for Nonviolence is a twenty-seven year
old peace and social justice organization dedicated to promoting the principles of
nonviolent social change and enhancing the quality of life and human dignity. The
Resource Center for Nonviolence offers a wide-range of educational programs in the history,
theory, methodology, and current practice of nonviolence as a force for personal and social change.