In November 2018 two movements came together – that of Cloud Thinking International and Youth for Global Peace Inc. Cloud Thinking is about a mindset which engages our natural emergence as human beings while Youth for Global Peace is an organization empowering and equipping young persons to live out of a mindset of peace and cooperation. This synthesis was brought about by two people from two different cultures meeting in cooperation for a greater vision. Daud Mohamed and I sensed a common vision as well as a shared belief that young people hold the keys to a peaceful, just, sustainable and prosperous world.
Cloud Thinking, a thinking process originally evolving from Eastern philosophy, is a mindset which teaches us to be solution focused, mindful and innovative as well as to see each difficulty, problem or challenge to be a gift toward our ultimate growth as human beings. With its central focus of emergence there is no better time to embrace emergence as in those transitional years of a young person. I believe our youth have a far better understanding of emergence through struggle than many of us in later adult years. Present leadership has displayed a paucity of understanding of the development of a higher mindset and ensuing peace.
However, peace can be a baffling topic. It is something that, I believe, the majority of us would want but have difficulty in knowing where to start. In a Peace Workshop some years ago I asked the young attendees to come up with questions that could open our inquiry about developing peace. ‘How can we find peace?’ one asked. ‘What steps must we take to build peace’ came another. Then, one young man sitting at the back of the group scratched his head and asked, ’What causes peace anyway? I mean I know what causes war but how about peace?’ There was a silence as the body of the group turned towards this young man. I sensed a group agreement as someone spoke: ‘Wow that’s a good question! So, what causes peace? What are the primal roots of peace? Holding back my temptation to proffer an answer I put it back to the group. Eventually they discovered it for themselves – our Minds! The roots of peace, as well as war, are buried within our minds. It doesn’t take much for us to discover this for ourselves as we reflect on any conflict or disagreement we may have had with another. We can trace the conflict back to a stand we have taken originating in beliefs and thoughts which we have held on to. This is not to say that there are not other factors (conditions) at play, as in lack of education and opportunity, lack of meaningful employment and adequate resources. Nonetheless, if we do not have peace within ourselves and resort to violent means to solve our problems then, of course we cannot live at peace with others.
When we think of global peace, we naturally think about the ability of nations to live together in harmony. It’s more than that that however. International harmony must have its roots within our own communities and neighbourhoods as well as within our own families. While shootings, domestic violence endemic bullying and racism run rampant then we have little hope of achieving global peace. This is the reason Youth for Global Peace commences its peace efforts within the person first within the individual mindset so we are able to think, reflect and be peace. Thus, much of our work as a movement is in the training and coaching of young persons in developing a strong solution and peace centred mindset so that they may go on to be role models for others.
However, isn’t all of this too simplistic? As a Buddhist monk I worked for some time with two young orphan women who had grown up in poverty in rural China. They detested their lot in life and often cursed their poverty as well as the local bureaucrats. One dreamed of becoming a teacher and the other a scientist. Gradually they both began to realize that their mindset was clouded by their hatred of their condition. Once they were able to come to terms with this their progress through attaining education was easier. Both have gone on to be very successful, one running her own online business- she has put teaching on hold – and the other now working in an agricultural research unit. A peaceful mind can achieve great results.
Youth for Global Peace continues to offer, at no cost, one-to-one Personal Development Coaching and Mentoring using the Cloud Thinking method as well as offering youth leadership and conflict resolution workshops. These are facilitated through trained and dedicated volunteers.
A synthesis of mindset and a peace movement emerged to make Youth for Global Peace what it is today.
Youth for Global Peace Inc. 