We talk frequently about the cycle of violence in our culture.  And we search for ways to break that cycle and build the movement for justice and peace.  Perhaps it is in communities committed to a different cycle, one  balancing action and reflection, that we might find sustenance and fortification from deep despair and burnout.    Like affinity groups, cells and base communities, members of Action-Reflection Communities (ARCs) could commit to one another and to a common discipline:

·         Action, both nonviolent resistance and construction of alternatives

·         Reflection, to deepen in nonviolence, and

·         Community. 

As Thich Nhat Hanh has urged, we in the peace movement must “be peace” in order to convince others to join us on the path of peace.    Gene Knudson-Hoffman, longtime FOR activist, challenges us to build these communities to “be peace,” starting now:

“The U.S. Peace movement is ready for a thrust toward fuller commitment. We have preached the tragedy of war and ruthless violence, the good news of possible peace, and have converted considerable numbers to our cause - they are ready to give themselves to it - if only they knew how. Most of these “converts” must remain in their secular vocations and continue in their family and institutional commitments. Few, even if they could, should be encouraged to become professional peace workers.

The peace movement has asked little of its followers besides money, time, and talk. If it is true that “the person who seeks peace must be at peace,” then the hope of a loving peace movement is in turning to a form of fellowship and discipline that will bring about that inward reconstruction and release the very peace we covet for the world.

Our goal is magnificent: that of liberating the world from weapons, and everyone from the notion that violence is the only answer to implacable differences. But we have been grossly negligent of preparing ourselves for achieving the goal. By neglecting the intervening steps, we have been content to stop short of a total life-changing commitment. Our widest involvement seems to be speaking and writing letters for legislative action.

Richard Gregg wrote: “Until now, pacifists have not sufficiently realized the necessity of discipline, nor the kind, nor intensity of that discipline. They should learn from their friends, the militarists. It takes four years to make one a good soldier. We must be prepared to devote as much time, detailed care, and attention, as much daily drill to form the new habits and new kinds of self-control for non-violent resistance as the soldier does to perfect his training.”

Discipline, commitment and courage are the necessary ingred­ients in campaigns of active nonviolence. Can such communi­ties spring up in the United States: communities of people willing to devote themselves to this training for the life of justice and peace?  Absolutely, Yes!  There are nonviolence trainers who can assist us and there are time-tested ways to structure such communities:

1. The groups should be made up of those who are already committed to active nonviolence. Not all will be at the same level, but they should be eager for the training and the discipline.

2. Each group should contain not more than 12 nor less than 4 or 5 people. The number should be small enough to meet in a home. They should be able to be in touch with one another quickly and make rapid decisions, when necessary. This is the right size for creative discussion and genuine intimacy. If it grows too large, divide. It should consist of a broad age range, including both men and women.  

3. After it is organized, the group should meet once every two weeks. Soon after it comes together, a weekend retreat with all members is important. Such a retreat is recommended twice a year. At once the question arises “Where is such time to be found in our frantically busy lives?” The answer is: “either this group and discipline are important enough to demand room in the schedule of the busiest person in you group or it is not worth doing.” Each must face the drastic use of veto in other commitments.

4. Each group will devote part of its time to reading and discussion of the best materials that have been written on peace and nonviolence. But the group that confines itself too narrowly to “peace’ literature will suffer malnutrition. Books by military tacticians, psychologists, novels, anthropology, history, poetry and inspirational work should all be part of the fare.

5. Reflection together for at least fifteen minutes is necessary as part of the regular practice. It may be in the form of meditation or prayer, in order to “open the heart and quiet the mind.” 

6. Members should agree upon disciplines of neatness, cleanliness, promptness, and refraining from loose talk about others. Frank dis­cussion is necessary to accomplish this end.

7. The group should do a project or manual work together.  Possibilities include taking a first aid course together, tending a vegetable garden, repairing a home, and building a playground. Gandhi promoted spinning, knitting, and weaving.

8. As the group develops, it must engage in active nonviolence about violence and injustice. It must be a vigilant guardian of the rights of the oppressed and know first-hand their situation. It must  reconciling work before things become desperate. Its action must be based on consensus.

9. To trust and be trusted, to learn and deepen, to be weak and re­newed, to err and be corrected - this is the stuff of bonding and love. Group singing, common meals, expeditions and retreats can all play their parts in creating true community.

Perhaps there are such nonviolent communities in your area.  They will spring up quietly and naturally, like all great movements. There are men and women unwilling to wait any longer for others to be transformed, but transform themselves into “being peace” today.  

* * * * * *

Knudson-Hoffman is the gifted founder of Compassionate Listening and was the designer of FOR’s highly successful project which promoted U.S.-U.S.S.R relationship-building. She lives in California.

For Fellowship magazine, September 2003