8th March 2010
I got sent this image recently by my father- One of his students bought a copy of my book and drew this on his blackboard! Thank-you! If you spread peace and love anywhere I would be interested in hearing from you and will happily publish your images online, just please do not graffiti without first obtaining permission. Sending out deep peace and love.
20th February 2010
We have heard that President Obama is about to receive a copy of The Book of Peace and Love. Apparently it was purchased for him at our sales point in Kenya, Nyumbani Orphanage. Incidentally all the money from EVERY book purchased at Nyumbani go directly to Nyumbani to help fund their excellent work. Just in case President Obama or one of his aides reads this, we would love to hear what he has to say about the book of peace and love, and humbly request that he carry it with him at all times with the cover showing. Not that we want to plug the book or anything, but it would be lovely to have a world leader carry a book around with Peace and Love on it, and would do wonders for building up support and good karma!
14th February 2010
I have the great fortune of being in Nevada for a few days, staying in the Hilton in Las Vegas. Before coming here I manage to convince myself that I will go in to a few casinos and place some bets, just for the fun of it, but as soon as I arrive I see that this is just a no go area for me. The energy inside the casinos is rank, dirty and stilted. So much dashed hope and last chances, so many people convinced that they will walk away rich, walking away dejected and poor. The lobby lights and the noise of the countless one-armed bandits dazzles me and disorientates. I cannot stay in the city.
The people with me seem surprised when i explain that I will be heading out into the desert. Nobody wants to come along so I rent a car and head off alone to the Valley of Fire national park.
Its funny but I knew I had to go no matter how many obstacles are placed in my path. I'm not comfortable driving alone, but there is no question about going, so I ask about car rentals in the hotel. Being valentines day of course they have nothing in my price range, but I find a cheap deal online and head to the airport where I get upgraded to a large red SUV pickup truck. Don't ask me the make as these things mean nothing to me, but the colour seemed apt for going to the Valley of Fire. They have no map for me but point me north for the Valley of Fire and despite my trepidation I set off.
The drive takes me through vast expanses devoid of pretty much anything. Small scrublike bushes grow, but I see little trace of animal life, yet I feel like I am being called. Suddenly it is there before me. The majestic rocks errupt onto the landscape a violent red colour, and I 'see' that this is a place of deep spiritual power.
My first stop is at Atlatl rock, where a crude metal staircase helps those less able to access 3000 year old petroglyphs. According to the Pueblo people, these were carved by Spirits at a time when spirit and man cohabited the planet. I wonder what spirit would make of the staircase.
I decide to circle the rock and head into some of the canyons behind. There are no trails here, no people and the only noise I hear is the sound of the birds, the fast movements of lizards startled on the ground ahead of me, and the wind rustling in the bushes. The deeper I head into the canyons, the greener it becomes, and the ground becomes damp underfoot. The walls are replete with caves and I meander through, past coyote and bighorn droppings until i can go no further. Here I stop, and take out my rattle.
I call to the Spirits of place to beg forgiveness if my presence and way of working offends them. I know it is alien to these parts but it is authentic to me. The birds reply with messages of encouragement. I call to my own ancestor spirits to join me, to rejoice in the raw beauty of the place, and I feel cleansed.
Some time later in the day I come across even more petroglyphs, on a well trod trail. I rattle and sing to the ancestral spirits that carved on the rocks, and ask them for help in understanding the meanings behind what they carved. Groups of tourists pass and stare as I chant and rattle. They quiet briefly but as soon as I am out of sight they revert back to noise. Loud and brash they cut through the air. It seems I am in the minority in seeing and treating this as a sacred site, to be respected. So, they come and sit with me, and I feel them around me. They lead me to the symbol of infinity carved again and again in a line, next to two horned figures. They tell me we are all the same, we all come from the same place and we all go to the same place, and that they are happy I am there.
I stop for lunch and a biker comes up to me. "Do you want me to draw you a map?" he asks. He sits and draws me a map, tells me where to go for sunset. Before leaving he turns to me and tells me his name is Michael. As he walks away I wonder if he was really there or not.
As the sun begins to lower in the sky I climb higher and higher up through the rocks, carrying my guitar, drum and rattle with me. I reach giddy heights where I am forced to cling on carefully as the wind howls round me. Finally I reach the summit, the cave where I am meant to be.
I drum to power, calling in the directions, asking for a blessing and for the ancestors,both mine and of the land, to come and witness my work. The drum surprises me as it carries so far. In the distance I see small figures looking up trying to locate the source of the sound. I sit and dedicate my music to the sacred site. I play and am joined by an eagle, which comes close and shrieks its story, which becomes mine. We play and sing together till darkness sets. I close my circle and work my way down the hills, confident that I will be ok going down as they are truly with me now, and I am blessed.
January 2010
In Bangkok, the city with so many names, it is easy to get lost, to slip in between worlds and discover something we did not even know we had lost. The scenic Bangkok Noi reveals hidden wonders at every turn of the canal, spectacular temples replete with saffron garbed monks- we revel in the sound of their chanting.
My favourite name for Bangkok is Krung Thep, city of Angels, as it
always feels to me as if the sense of divine is palpable in parts of it.
My pilgrimage here takes me not to any of the major temples, but to a
street shrine of the Hindu God Ganesh that I have visited for years. It
is curious how there are always so many offerings here as well as
people praying. It is unlikely that they are Hindus as the Hindu
population of Thailand is tiny, but from conversations with fellow
pilgrims it seems that they too realise that God may come in many
shapes and sizes but is ultimately the same.
We place an offering of flowers and chocolate at the shrine and light incense sticks as we chant to Ganesh
OM GUM GANAPATA YEI NAMAHA
Apparently this mantra is meant to help remove obstacles from our
lives, and indeed our journey back to Europe is remarkably stress free.
Thailand has offered a golden opportunity to recharge and prepare for
the coming challenges of 2010. With sincere gratitude to the land of
smiles, we say
Santiphap Le kwamra
October 7th 2009 MOON ALERT
I have returned to the UK from Switzerland where I held an evening of enchantment, music and healing in Yens. The evening was very powerful, all the more so because of the potent full moon which had a definite effect on me. And now I discover that NASA are planning to bomb the moon on the 9th of October- I'm not joking they really are. Unbelievable. I call upon anyone who has gazed at the moon with a sense of wonder to focus their energy and intent on protecting and honouring the moon over the next few days. Who does the moon belong to? Who has the right to fire rockets at moon? Surely is this not an act of, dare I say, Lunacy.
The scientists at NASA say that they are hoping the resulting explosion will throw up all sorts of interesting debris, maybe even traces of water. And I can add to this that it certainly makes me want to throw up. Sometimes I just despair with the 'powers that be'. Is this really a good use of resources? Does anyone out there know a NASA scientist? If you do, please symbolically throw a glass of water at them, see if they snap out of their lunacy.
September 23rd 2009
To watch the footage of the plinth drumming, please go to
http://www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/skyman
feel free to add comments or get in touch for further information
September 22nd 2009
I have just come back from the Grand Canyon. What an incredible site. I rented a car with 3 of my colleagues and we drove from Phoenix, stopping off at the Montezuma Castle, which is an 800 year old Sinagua cliff dwelling. We also stopped off at Sedona, which is meant to be the centre of a large energy vortex. It certainly feels different there to most places, but perhaps this is down to the majestic setting. In the mountains up to the canyon from Sedona the skies open up and we are treated to a storm with deep rumbling thunder and silver flashes of lightning.
Arriving a the Canyon cannot help but take my breath away no matter how many times I see it. I walk parts of the rim and then descend slightly to a pinnacle where I do a rattling purification ceremony. Rain falls down on me as darkness rolls in. I stand on the edge and spread my wings to fly, singing and rattling to the spirits, my deep gratitude for the experience. Something happens, we are surrounded by the visible face of spirit, and the invisible reveals itself in glimpses. An ancient Native American sits watch, grandfather and grandmother earth watch from nearby. Sacred Buffalo stands and snorts, reminding us that Buffalo once roamed the planes of Europe too.
After a night in the run down Grand Canyon Inn we rise for dawn and witness the sun break over the canyon at Mather Point. We find 2 caves, and later ask about them. Apparently they are miners caves, prospecting for gold, but finding asbestos and later uranium. Walking the rim later we encounter 2 wild boar, wary of us, yet fierce and determined not to be bothered. One charges towards us scattering us, sending us running in panic for a few seconds.
These awe inspiring natural settings fill me with a sense of deep peace and love for my planet.
September 21st 2009
Being up on the plinth in Trafalgar Square was a really interesting experience. A true betwixt and between place, right in the centre of London, it seemed ideal for shamanic work, and it was relatively easy to block out the constant sound of traffic and people. In some cultures the sound of running water is used to enter into trance states and from where I stood the fountains in the Square seemed to join in with my drumming and rattling.
I felt that the Spirits of Place were grateful to be acknowledged in a public way, and that this is the first of a series of public shamanic events that need to occur around the world. Many people stopped to enquire and the general response was positive.
I'm sorry that some random stranger feels disappointed by what I did, but feel I should clarify a bit. The reason I did not 'dress up' for the occasion in ritual clothes or face paint was to try and show that shamanic work is not just for 'nutters', it is a perfectly valid way of expression and its techniques are stone age, not new age. These techniques are proven to have an effect on the human body, eg, see: the journal, Alternative Therapies - Jan. 2001, for article: Composite Effects of Group Drumming Music Therapy on Modulation of Neuroendocrine-Immune Parameters in Normal Subjects). It might have made it more entertaining for you if I had dressed up and made more of a song and dance but it would not have been authentic. I may be a nutter, but I choose authenticity over theatrics.
The techniques I use are those that are common to cultures the world over. It is a shame that the common misperception of these techniques is that they belong to 'nutters' and this is often the portrayal of shamanic practice in the West. By standing on the plinth and openly practicing my shamanic techniques I was aware that there would be some people that would perceive what I do as 'mad'. For my own part, I wonder who is the true 'nutter', one who dares to perceive in a different way, to dream and to follow their dreams, or one who lives bound by the rigid rules of society.
I wish to thank all those that have supported my work as well as Mr. Gormley and his team for allowing me the possibility to express myself on the plinth.
September 16th 2009
Tomorrow I shall be on the plinth in Trafalgar square in London between 4 and 5 and I am excited! I am so grateful to Anthony Gormley for allowing me to have this opportunity. Some years ago I traveled North with my older brother on a road trip around the UK. We stopped in a layby next to The Angel of the North and went up to it. I remember lying down on the ground directly beneath it and marvelling at the ingenuity and creativity we are capable of as humans. It seems that we can achieve anything we choose to achieve, that the only limits we have are those we impose on ourselves. What limits do you impose on yourself? Do you follow your dreams? There is still time to make them a reality no matter how late you think it is.
I look forward to seeing some of you in London tomorrow.
September 11th 2009
Today we remember an atrocity that plunged a nation into some of its darkest moments. September 11th 1973, the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende was destroyed in a military coup supported and funded by the CIA. Thousands of innocents were killed and thousands more disappeared under the repressive dictatorship that took over. Amongst them the singer, songwriter, poet Victor Jara, who remains alive in his music and in the hearts of all those that hear his songs and truly listen. We applaud those who continue to be voices in the dark, demanding to be heard, demanding justice for the dead. For you, today I light a candle.
September 8th 2009
Today I write a song, a song born of a dream- I wasnt even sure where Maricopa was or
indeed if it existed until I looked it up, but it was clearly meant to
be. It is dedicated to all First Nations people in the Americas who
still suffer from discrimination and misunderstanding.
The Akimel O'Odham people were called the Pima by the first settlers- 'Pima' means 'I dont understand' and is deeply symbolic of the multiplicity of misunderstandings between First Nations and Colonisers.
Akimel O'odham
Crossing the Maricopa line
Feeling like its all a lie
The buckeyes grin
Take it on the chin
Don't even question why
Pima county here I come
Not too sure if I'm the one
The sign in town says no solicitin'
But you go diving in
Salt River sings
Look what deadwood river brings
You find your roots with saguaro fruits
Coyote rides on in
I don't know, don't understand
How could they be underhand
You'd be amazed by
The Man in the maze
To see that we're all lost like that man
29th July 2009
I have just uploaded my first charango video onto youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC8USxwXqDI
The charango is a 10 stringed instrument from South America, often made out of armadillo shell- mine is 100% wood as I like armadillos! I am putting more music up online in an effort to spread more peace and love around- please join me and send me an email with your ideas of how to spread peace and love!
18th July 2009
As I leave to go to LA my thoughts are all in Brighton, with the Brighton Peace Picnic. A talented friend of mine is performing at the picnic, where she will be singing some of the words from the book of peace and love, sharing them with the crowd. I would love to be there and am there with my soul. The book of peace and love is being sold at the event, with a portion of the profits going to Zimbabwean musicians, helping to spread peace and love through their wonderful soulful music.
Last time I was in LA I had the great luck of meeting Marcelo www.xof1.com with his solar powered car as he drives around the world- we wish him all the luck, peace and love as he drives around.
22nd April 2009
Today I am adding a link to Veronica De Andres and her work on FULL CONFIDENCE. In her own words "Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond to it!" Do have a look at her website, and if any of you have the pleasure of crossing paths with her then please send her a big hug from all of us at The Book of Peace and Love! www.full-confidence.com
17th April 2009
The Camino de Santiago- full of Magic???
I did part of the pilgrimage walk to Santiago de Compostela not so long ago. It was partly the idea of getting away for a few days and partly because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I remember it as a challenging experience, which left me exasperated with a great number of the pilgrims, who speak of the 'magic of the camino' and the amazing things that happen to them on the path. I have no problem with that at all, what i have a problem with is the unspoken assumption that it is the 'camino' itself which opens us up to the magic. From my perspective life is itself filed with magic- if we want to find it all we need do is open ourselves to the possibility that it is there and it immediately shows itself in a plethora of ways. It is not walking the camino that is magic, its that people believe that magic is possible on the camino and hence it reveals itself. What a shame that many seem unaware that they can do the same everywhere and at any time in their lives. Do you want to do the pilgrimage to Santiago? Please go ahead. But please remember that the walk is a metaphor of life itself and that the lessons learnt are to be applied to all aspects of your being- If you search for beauty and wonder, you will find it in your own back yard, there is no need to go any further. Wishing you all peace and love for every moment of your life.
15th April 2009
I have the luck to meet a man from Ghana by the name of Kwame, who speaks a language that I do not yet have. The language is an Akan language similar to Fante (which I do have). It is called TWI and is pronounced CHWI. Peace and love is Asomdwee na Odo pronounced ASS-OMD-WEH NAH OD-DOH. Beautiful and unique, it makes me smile with delight at the sheer diversity of humanity. Thank you Mr. Kwame for spreading some peace and love. Thank-you.
7th April 2009
Sevilla during Semana Santa is a strange place to be. During the days, the streets are coated liberally with wax from the many candles that weep their offering to the pavement as the masked ones march through the city. Late at night I stand near the Museo, and watch as the 'trono' bearing an agonizing Christ on the cross is carried back into its chapel. As it approaches a lady on a nearby balcony starts to entone a Saeta, a cry of pure passion for the statue and all it embodies. Her voice ululates roughly, hoarsely scraping notes that are filled with emotion, words unintelligible despite the silence of the crowds.
As I continue y search for peace and love, I watch 1100 men dressed all in black with long pointed hats and large black crosses walk through the streets. The crosses al bear one word. 'Amor'. This is the procession of love, a love parade which bears no resemblance to many people's idea of love. And yet it is all about love. I notice that many of them are barefoot, and some of the feet are coated in the wax dripping from the large candles that are also borne through the streets. Sacrifice, pain, attonement, promises and requests. Yes there is a lot of love here.
19th March 2009
I've been to South Africa this week, staying in Midrand, near Joburg. A good trip, I managed to go to Ebony park Township and visit a Sangoma for a consultation- She read the bones for me and was very very good- luckily my taxi driver was a Sutho speaker as the Sangoma spoke no English- having said that we probably could have got by with sign language, but the translation was very enriching.
One of my colleagues had the brilliant idea of going to see a show called UMOJA which is currently on in Joburg. UMOJA means the spirit of Togetherness, and the show was first class- It was also extremely well priced and included dinner- we kept waiting for the catch- were the drinks going to be really expensive? were the seats terrible? There really was no catch! All the performers were top-class and it was a true delight for the senses. I poke to the producer Thomas and he told me they had recently been in Spain touring, in the area round Madrid where I grew up. Its a small world, and I found myself wondering if any of my old childhood friends went to the same show and saw the same people 10,000 miles away. SO, here is a link to their website http://www.umojatheshow.com/
In times of recession and crisis it is more important than ever to support the arts, so if it is touring near you, please please please do go- we need to make sure things like this continue as they truly help spread peace, love, reconciliation and understanding. We at the Book of Peace and Love salute all of those involved in Umoja, thank you!
March 10th 2009
I have just returned from some time in Los Angeles, city of Angels. From the name you'd imagine that peace and love are big things over there and I find it ironic that the city is plagued with crime and swathed in a murky smog of pollution- hopefully things will get better here as we get our act together as a species. Ever the optimist, I borrow a bike and go for a long ride up the beach. As I leave the hotel I see an alien craft pull up- Half convinced that Im having an encounter of the third kind, I'm pretty relieved when a truck pulls up behind with logos all over it, proudly announcing the solar powered car, which is currently travelling around the planet. Later, as we prepare to leave the hotel we have our picture taken with the car and exchange a few words with the driver and team. They say they are "inspired by the sun, motivated by the environment" and are amazing people! Their website is: www.xof1.com
and if you fancy looking it at maybe you will be lucky enough to have the car drive near you some time soon- its definitely worth a look!
24th February
5th of February
The snow is here! We are busy making a communal snowman in the street, and it turns into a massive snowball fight. 5 different households are involved, and it is wonderful- this is the way all conflicts should be resolved, with snowball fights. Can you imagine how much better the world would be if we did this? Can you picture the fighting between Israelis and Palestinians in the Snow? It would be completely different. They could get together and build a big snowman afterwards, I would be happy to contribute a carrot for the nose and a stick for the arms. Are you Israeli or Palestinian and living in the UK? Has it snowed where you are? How about making contact with 'the other' and making this a reality? Film it- resolve the conflict in the middle east with snowballs!
21st of January 2009
President Obama may become a powerful tool for peace and love. We hope so. The uneasy truce still holds in Gaza, but it seems that both sides are lost in a collective insanity. Hamas says they have won a great victory as the Israelis were unable to stop their rocket launches. Are they unaware that it is these same rocket lauches that caused the Israelis to retaliate in such a bloody way? Can they not see that 1000 dead Palestinians is not a success? Who do these rocket attacks really benefit? Is it the Palestinians? Surely the people launching the rockets and firing the guns on both sides can see that what they are doing is simply making things worse? The only people who seem to be benefiting out of the current situation are the arms dealers, who should hang their heads in shame.
My postive action of the day is to be to meditate and send thoughts of peace and love to all those involved on both sides of the crisis in Gaza. If you wish to join me, I would welcome you. Happy meditating!
15th of January 2009
It seems hard to believe that we are in 2009! So, what has changed? Well in terms of peace in the world, we are still working towards that one, and the ongoing conflict in the middle east has put a damper on my mood. How can we move towards peace if we communicate using guns and bombs? Today, as always, I meditate for world peace, sending out a prayer to all those that are in conflict zones, that they drop their weapons, disobey orders and unite for the common good. Will the current fighting in Gaza really make Israel any safer? Will shooting rockets at Israel have any effect other than bringing about more pain and suffering for the Palestinians?
Todays positive action is:
Smile at random strangers ( but not in a manic psycho, in a nice way to try to spread goodwill!)
31st December
Happy New Year to you all! we at The Book of Peace and Love wish you all a 2009 filled with Peace and Love, a year to reconnect with the divine inside ourselves and to work towards fulfilling all our dreams. We also pray for a peaceful resolution of all conflicts.
14th of December
9th December
Thursday night, Yens, Switzerland.
Tonight more than 30 people came to take part in a music and healing evening that I facilitated, in the home of renown healer/drum-maker and journalist Irene Zumsteg. People entered into an alternate reality in which the invisible became visible, the impossible became possible, and sparks of delight lit up the night. As people entered the room, so I searched for their sound, the chord, or little tune that glinted within and that was asking to be heard. Laughter, laughter and yet more laughter. Later in the evening, a powerful healing circle formed and waves of sound rose and fell, washing over those most in need, filling all our souls. It is curious how on these occasions, the sound seems to have a beneficial effect on everyone present, not just those who receive healing.
I had never worked in French before but was pleased to discover that I can communicate effectively, aided by the fact that both music and shamanic drumming transcend language and cultures.
The following day a lovely lady returns to visit. It is Zoe la Plume, grandmother healer, and joyous person. Laden with gifts, she hands me 'A handbook for Human beings', a beautiful cd dedicated to the Divinity of Mankind. I listen to it on the spot and am transfixed by the haunting melodies of Nathalie Manser's compositions (click on the link to access her page), played by the Nathalie Manser, cellist and visionary. Looking at her website I see that she too has had the pleasure of meeting Masaru Emoto, the man who takes pictures of how water responds to emotions. When I first started on the Book of Peace and Love I too managed to meet Mr. Emoto in Liverpool, and was able to speak to him briefly. The dream of Peace and Love was young, but he responded beautifully when I said 'Heiwa Do Ai' to him. His smile spoke a thousand volumes.
At the weekend I attended a course in Holotropic Breathwork, a transformative method of entering into an altered state and ahcieving personal changes that would take much longer by most other methods. I am deeply grateful to Mario Lorezetti for his work and would recommend his courses to anyone with an interest in these matters.
On my return to the UK I realise that I never asked for peace and love in Swiss, assuming it to be either the French or the German. Perhaps they have their own way of saying it? Perhaps I will manage to find out soon...
I wish Peace and Love to all those whose paths I managed to cross in Switzerland, and very much look forward to meeting them all again sometime.
1st of December
It has been a very busy few days as I have received the first boxes of books fresh from the printers. On Friday, I took the book into Bath and left copies at 2 separate bookshops. Saturday night was spent at a masked ball in aid of Dreamflight I wandered through the ball as a masked minstrel, playing a mixture of classical, Spanish, Latin and Rock music to the 500 revellers. I am now busy preparing for my next performance in which I shall be more overtly combining healing work with music. This is to take place on Wednesday in the village of Yens in Switzerland. A modest entrance fee will be charged for the night and profits are to go to Nyumbani orphanage in Kenya.
Mother India I dreamt of India last night, a dream filled with colours and sounds, with life and joy and delight. A technicolour dream of what might be India,with no poverty, with Peace and with Love. I find myself recalling an excellent man I met a while back on a flight to India. He sat near my seat so for take-off and landing we were able to converse and share some time. When we landed he gave me 2 of his CD�s which he kindly autographed for me. His name is Mr. Rajesh Kelkar, and he makes CD�s of devotional music, which he markets in places like Trinidad and Tobago. He said many of the people who buy his CDs are of Indian descent but have lost their language and are looking to rediscover their roots. He explained that his wife and son both perform and that I could hear his family sing on some of the tracks. Indeed he said his son was quite a hit in the West Indies. Listening to his music, I hear the sounds of peace and love wash over me in the form of divine mantras and shlokas in the ancient language of Sanskrit. Sanskrit is used daily by millions of people in ritual and traditional settings, and it is said that it is not the meaning of the words that is important so much as the sound they make and the vibrational frequencies that they create. Here are the words to one of the mantras he chants for peace Prayer for Peace Om Asato Ma Sadgamaya, Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya Mrityorma Amritam Gamaya, Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti We at the book of Peace and Love salute Mr. Kelkar and his family in their attempts to make the world a better place through their inspirational music.
I listen to the news and am saddened that my dream of India is shattered by the sound of gunfire. We at The Book of Peace and Love send our deepest condolences to the victims of violence in Mumbai.
25th November Today we get the news that the first copies of the book will be available this Friday. Wonderful. 10th November 2008 Today we celebrate the life of Miriam Makeba, beautiful voice of Africa, who sang herself a legend and disappeared into the ether last night after a concert in Italy- Music was with her to the very end. She inspired many generations to truly listen to their roots and to hear the SPIRIT calling, humming, singing from within. In honour of her life I have recorded a version of Shosholoza, a song which was originally sung by Rhodesians on their way to the mines in South Africa. I have slightly changed the lyrics from the more recent version of South Africa that many are familiar with, and inserted Zimbabwe instead. It is so sad that the situation in Zimbabwe is so poor that my song reflects the pain of leaving, and the troubles this beautiful beautiful country suffers. It is dedicated to Miriam Makeba and her family with sincere gratitude for her many years of GIVING on this planet. Thank you. Today we are one day closer to the printing of the Book of Peace and Love!! Apologies to those of you who looked for the Punjabi in the gallery, but unfortunately I have been unable to scan it in, as it was too faint and was ilegible- If any Punjabi speakers would like to have a look at it then please email me and I can copy it and post it to you. Its actually quite nice to have a piece of paper in my hands that i can't read, but that is meant to say something quite nice. I've decided that next time I go to India I may well take it along with me to see what people say when they read it. 20th October 2008 Today I managed to get a new language I hadn�t even heard of before! The world is such a big place it is really amazing how many languages and cultures one person can come in contact with!!! The language is FANTE and is spoken in the central and western regions of Ghana, West Africa. The kind man who gave me these words was called Ked, and we had a good laugh at my attempts to pronounce it correctly. Have a go and see how it feels rolling off your tongue. Asomdwee na Odo (asomd-weh na o-d�h) Returning from Seattle I find a tall proud looking black man boarding the aircraft. �Where are you from?� I ask him, and he replies that he comes from Sudan, but that he is studying in America. I ask him what language he speaks and he tells me that he speaks his tribal language that I have probably never heard of, called NUER! Now I studied Anthropology and spent a considerable amount of time on the Nuer, but really never thought I would meet one, least of all on a flight from Seattle to London! Mr. Deng Deng Chuol gave me peace and love in Nuer, and was delighted that I knew of his people and that I wanted to know something so lovely in Nuer. Peace and love is M�l k�n Nog, and is pronounced Mel Kenn-agh Some days later I find a turbaned gentlemen with a long bushy beard and ask him for peace and love in his language. I�m so happy to find out he speaks Punjabi as I have been trying to get hold of Punjabi for a long time and it seems that many people can speak it but not so many can write in it. He hands me a paper with a paragraph on it, telling me this is peace and love- if you speak Punjabi, please go to the gallery page to see this, and any help with translating it would be much appreciated. 14th August Esperanto- to add or not to add? Esperanto was created in 1887 by L. L. Zamehof, a Polishman. The word itself mean one with hope and it was created with an ultimate goal of fostering peace and international understanding. As such it seems appropriate to include it here, even though it is an artificially created language and there are no native Esperanto speakers. It is estimated that there are over 100 000 people speak Esperanto, a symbol of peace and world unity. Peace and love in Esperanto is PACO KAJ AMI 24th July I�m in Tel Aviv for the night- its hot- mid 30�s and the hotel pool is a relief. Security is tight here, from the moment we step off the plane. There are armed guards at the hotel and entry is always challenged, albeit in a courteous way. On the flight I speak to an Israeli woman about peace and love. Shalom, peace, is also used as a greeting, an it seems strange that with so many people saying peace, there is so much fighting going on here. As for love, I ask her and she says they have lots of it, you can buy it in Super-chem stores all around town. She thinks I�m referring to a make of Dead sea beauty products, Ahava, which are much cheaper here than in the UK. I can�t help but muse that love seems to cost roughly the same to all of us in our lifetimes. Sitting in my hotel room I look out the window and spot some graffiti. 2012: matriarchy This is pause for thought. Am I just a bit of a hippy who lives in a dream world? Well maybe I am, but I welcome you all to come and live in it with me if you choose to. In my world people follow their dreams, people reach out to each other and believe that they can make a difference. Is that really so bad? I am depressed. The elections in Zimbabwe seem to leave little alternative for the future but war. And this is me saying this, someone who is dedicated to the ideals of peace and love, but I just can�t see how else things are going to change there. I resolve to send energy to Mugabe that he become more enlightened and give up power. 6th July 2008 I am staying in a hotel in Midrand, half an hour from Johannesberg. I take the courtesy bus to the mall and on the way I notice what looks very much like a refugee camp. The staff in the hotel confirm this, eyes downcast and shamefaced, saying that the people in the camp were victims of xenophobic violence in the nearby townships. The camp is comprised of some thirty tents, housing just under 300 people, the majority from Mozambique and Zimbabwe. I decide to visit, taking with me four bags of clothes to give away- Naively, I imagine being able to walk in and spend some time talking to people. The reality is totally different. I arrive to find the area crawling with police. I manage to sign into the logbook and get as far as the �manager�, a middle aged white south African, who shows me a container full of clothes that they have to distribute. He tells me that it is not safe for me to enter as they have just had a riot, which escalated from a fight between Zimbabweans and Mozambicans. He says the tension is still very palpable and that it is to be expected from Africans- �put them together and they will always fight between tribes.� A surprisingly backward view for somebody running an emergency relief camp, I believe. The refugees will be given the option of remaining or repatriation, neither of which seems like a very pleasant option to me. Later that night I glance at the thermometer, and think back to the flimsy tents by the roadside. Its only 6pm and its 3 centegrade- I�m cold in my hotel room, but feel guilty about turning the heating up. After the poverty I have witnessed, I am all too aware of my own excesses. The hotel staff are happy to share the Zulu, Xhosa and Suthu ways of saying �peace and love� and regard me as a bit of an eccentric, probably because I insist on going for long walks outside the barbed wire, electrified fences and armed guards. People walk alongside me, and we share silent moments, peaceful and unafraid. I marvel at how these people are able to smile with me, to share their time with me, given the way that the white South Africans treated them for years. Peace and Reconciliation, noble aims for the Rainbow Nation, and all the more so considering the lingering hints of racism. On the flight home I meet a Zimbabwean Mbira player, off to give a concert in Chicago. I smile at him, put his precious instrument in a wardrobe and say �Rugare na Rudo� to him. �You speak Shona?� he asks. I wish I could, but those few words are enough to make him beam. 5th of May 2008 Today I fly to New York, in glorious weather. The flight is half empty, giving me a bit more time and freedom to speak to people. Firstly I approach an Irish colleague and ask her if she speaks Gaelic. She is upset by a rude passenger, and I use the moment to ask her for "Peace and Love" in Gaelic, in order to recheck what I already have. Her face softens. She takes pleasure in teaching me how to make the right sound in the middle of SUIOCHAIN, the HJJJJ sound, like there's something nasty stuck in your throat. And yet the word is so soft when she says it. Next I ask 3 young Hasidic Jews who are traveling together if they can check my Hebrew. They give me Yiddish too which is an added bonus, and are filled with questions about what it is exactly that I am doing. Abraham, Isaac and Yidel are all from Stamford Hill going to study in the states. They say they would want to know much more than just 'peace and love' in another language, they would ask all sorts of questions like how to say' how are you?' and 'what's your name?'. I explain that of course it is fine to learn such things, that peace and love are not exclusive, but that they are a beautiful ice-breaker and a first step towards mutual understanding and learning between people of different cultures. The Talmud says �Who is a wise man? He who learns of all men.� which is why we at 'The book of Peace and Love' wish to express our desire for peace and love in all 6800 living languages of this globe. Perhaps by learning how to express our desire for peace and love in different languages we too can gain wisdom and learn to live fully as a global community, with Peace and Love. 27th april 2008 Today I am in Vancouver, Canada, and have managed to go on a trip to Capilano Suspension bridge- It's raining constantly so I got very wet but there were lovely views and amazing old trees. I did a canopy walk and met a lady working in the park called Gail- an Inner Tlingit, one of the First Nations of the Americas- she works there seasonally and has just come back to work for the Summer season- The rest of the time she lives up north with her family. She has 2 daughters. One of them is celebrating her birthday today (my Mums too!) She also has 3 grandchildren but looked way too young for that! We talked a little while and she gave me "peace and love' in Tlingit, which is Yux See Hun, so I was very pleased with that. We at thebookofpeaceandlove.com salute the Tlingit and all the other First Nations, and wish them peace and love.