FAQs

Q: What do you mean when you speak of “peace?” The absence of war?

A: Well, that is certainly one definition. However we are seeing from our inaugural survey that diverse people define peace in diverse ways! Some say it is safety - and knowing one’s beloveds are safe. Other say it is being able to function without anxiety or other emotional disturbance. For the purposes of this “social experiment” we will feature stories on a whole range of human challenges and the quest for personal peace. And our focus in particular is on making peace personal - working on our own behavior and mindset first so we can walk in the world being the peace we want to create.

Q: I notice that in the first issue the contributors are from a number of different cultures and countries. Is that intentional?

A: In a word, yes! We are suffering in many ways these days but some of it is self-inflicted. When we allow our worlds to get very small, surrounded by familiars and pursuing limited routines, it is easy to fall into “us and them” reactiveness. We need to grow continously beyond our limitations in order to see how interconnected and interdependent all humans and living things really are! So one of our goals in soliciting stories is to present multicultural perspectives and voices that deserve amplification. We are so looking forward to seeing what kinds of relationships, collaborations and new thought arise out of these rich offerings.

Q: It’s interesting to see artists in the mix of storytellers. I am not very creative and don’t know much about art. What is the connection between the arts and peacemaking?

A: In a word, the answer is perspective. I think most of us would agree today that we receive enough words during an average day to numb the senses and soul! We strive to share elevated words (stories that reflect and inform meaningfully about our human condition) and also to communicate stories told visually and via music. Over time, you will find a mix here that is at once eclectic AND very stimulating in terms of human commonalities and desire to change our world for the better. Creatives of all stripes help us stretch and rediscover our own creative powers as well. We’re depending on yours to co-create this community!

Q: When you share “practices” do you mean something religious? Is there a particular spiritual underpinning to the content selected for inclusion?

A: This is perhaps one of the more interesting questions. So here’s a story… I have had the privilege of founding and growing a hyper-local online “community of kindness” in my former place of residence, a small Colorado town. Ground up, it went from no members to 6000+ in a couple of years. So you can imagine the diversity of personalities who engaged regularly in sharing local news and needs - and how they supported and reacted to each other. From the start I set an ethos which did indeed regulate speech, behavior and geo-focus. As a marketer it is my orientation to define and develop a brand with purpose and principles. Then came the day when a post was removed for violating the membership agreements and I received a very angry, albeit private, message: “What are you trying to do here? Create a new religion???” It still makes me laugh. You will find a range of spiritual practices in our content that all focus on our purpose of inspiring and gaining skill in personal peacemaking. Soon, you will be able to read more about the TellYourStory ethos in the ABOUT section.