Conflicts, wars, catastrophic climate change and poverty are leading to our destruction. We are not evil people. We just "do not know what we do." To change the course of destruction we need to nurture in each one of us a sense of interconnectedness of life on this planet. We need to understand the position of a person we have differences with. Instead of focusing on what they say or how they behave, we need to explore where they are coming from, their frame of reference, the facts they use, the impact of history, the influence of their vested interest and the context of the system they are a part of. We need to learn to listen to each other with loving investment and compassionate exploration. By detaching from from our programming and preconceived positions, we can develop a deeper understanding of each other that brings us closer.This book explores these issues by reviewing catastrophic events in human history, such as the Partition of India, Hitler's Germany and Nine-Eleven. Change Agents, such as community psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and organizational development consultants; spiritual leaders; academicians; politicians; and CEOs of business organizations and banks may be particularly interested in reading this book. The only way to have peace is to listen to each other. If people are just trying to convince each other, there will be no peace.
About the Author: Meji was an Adjunct Professor of Psychology for the Doctoral Program in School Psychology at U.C. Berkeley (1991-2007). He was the Founding President of Portia Bell Hume Behavioral Health and Training Center (1993-2001). He was the Dean and Professor of Integrative Psychology at Rosebridge Graduate School of Integrative Psychology (1966-1982). He was the Assistant Director at the Center for Training in Community Psychiatry and Mental health Administration in Berkeley, California (1966-82). For three years he worked for State Hospitals for mentally ill and for thirty years in Community Mental health Programs. He has provided Organizational Development Consultation to hundreds of organizations across the United Sates. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from California State Psychological Association. The United States Congress recognized him for his Fifty Years of Community Service as a Licensed Psychologist. The Surgeon General of the United States Army awarded him a Certificate of Appreciation as a Consultant for developing a Liaison Psychiatry Program and Preventive Services at Letterman Medical Center in Presidio, San Francisco. Oxford Symposium recognized him with an Award for Outstanding Contribution to School-based Family Counseling. He was the Founding President of Ik Onkar Peace Foundation (2002). It is one of the Cooperation Circles of United Religions Initiative (U.R.I.). At present URI has 850 Cooperation Circles in 101 countries. Meji has been a member of: Rotary Club of Berkeley, California (1983-90); Beyond War Higher Education Group (1987-90); Action Coalition for Global Change, San Francisco (1994-); and Board of Directors, Inter-faith Center at Presidio, San Francisco (2001-03). He was a Founding Member (1964) of the Sikh Center of San Francisco Bay Area, El Sobrante Gurdwara. There he served as Secretary 1973-74 & 1978-79) and Chairperson (1974-75). Meji is a Founding Trustee and has acted as Secretary for The Sikh Foundation of North America, Redwood City, California(1966-74). He served on the Advisory Board (in the Gadar Memorial Task Force) to the Consul General of India, San Francisco (1973-75). He taught Gurbani to Children and Youth at El Sobrante Gurdwara (1991-2004) and served as an International Judge for the Sri Hemkunt Foundation Youth Symposium (1966-2015).