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Namaste, The Middle East And Nuclear Weapons

By Mary Hamer

28 February, 2012
Countercurrents.org

*The Key Question regarding the Middle East Nuclear conflict is: Will President Obama & the United States have the courage to Lead the world & Apologize: for the invention of Nuclear weapons & for the use of Nuclear weapons on people? (1)

PURPOSE: #1. The purpose of this essay is to appeal to President Obama, Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Ahmadinejad & the Ayatollah Khomenei -- To offer each other a gesture of Namaste – in the context of the mutual fears & the risk of nuclear war in the Middle East . Are the United States , Israel & Iran capable of “Bow(ing) to the divine” in each other? Can we as a human race show each other the deep respect of this ancient Sanskrit word? “Namaste allows (people) to come together … to a place of connection … free from the bonds of ego-connection.” Namaste leads “To a higher unity & … Oneness”. (1)' Is it possible that the United States , Israel & Iran can apply this humbling gesture (2) to the current 2012 Middle East conflict over nuclear weapons? Namaste is being: “More alert, more aware, more observant”. With Namaste “The judgment, the hurt, the resentment, the disappointment, the fear – will be replaced by a quiet respect & a desire to understand (3) Likewise, can the Judgments about nuclear technology, the hurts regarding economic sanctions, the resentments regarding the Straits of Hormuz, the disappointments regarding the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty & the nuclear fears of the United States, Israel & Iran -- be replaced by a quiet respect & a desire to understand each other? (4)

*PURPOSE: #2. The 2 nd purpose of this paper is to appeal to President Obama, Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Ahmadinejad & the Ayatollah Khomenei to acknowledge a Key feature of Namaste, that is: Awareness. For example, are we humans capable of rising to a higher level of consciousness & awareness with respect to each other's fears of nuclear weapons & nuclear war? Are the United States , Israel & Iran truly aware of the Humiliation & suffering related to violations of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty? (NPT) i.e. Non-Proliferation, Disarmament & Peaceful uses of Nuclear technology? (5) Violating the NPT shows great disrespect for each other & increases the risk of nuclear war.

* KEY SECTIONS: The Key Sections of this paper are: I. Namaste Awareness of Suffering & Fears Regarding Nuclear Weapons. II. Namaste Awareness of the Dangers of Humiliation & It's Role in Violence. III . Gestures of Conciliation. IV. Conclusion.

* I. NAMASTE Awareness of SUFFERING: What is Suffering? “Suffering is Pain, fear, despair, lack of strength.” “It is a … lack of freedom”. (6) According to Thich Nhat Hanh: Healing & reconciliation between enemies (such as the U.S., Israel, Iran) begins with an understanding of the suffering of each other; & It is this suffering that is the cause of violent actions (the threat of Nuclear weapons proliferation, threats of attacking Iran, hate speech directed toward Israel, etc.). “To be touched in some way by another … can alleviate the deepest suffering. Compassion will always alleviate suffering”. (7) Also, Mercy is the “Desire to relieve suffering”. (8) Can the United States , Israel & Iran meet, have dialogue & express Mercy & compassion for each other -- in order to alleviate each other's deepest suffering & fears? -- & to avoid Nuclear proliferation & nuclear war?

*THICH NHAT HANH: Thich Nhat Hanh emphasizes the importance of understanding “The roots of suffering” – that lead to violence. When asked how he would deal with an enemy (e.g. Osama bin Laden), Thich Nhat Hanh said: “The first thing I would do is listen. I would try to understand why he had acted in that cruel way. I would try to understand all of the sufferings that had led him to violence … (I would practice) deep listening, listening without reacting, without judging & blaming … (to create support) … We would respond gently but firmly ... to help them to discover their own misunderstandings so that they will stop violent acts from their own will.” Thich Nhat Hanh suggests that #1. In understanding the roots of suffering that #2. Are the cause of violent actions #3. -- It is only then that we have the insight to allow healing & reconciliation. (9) May the United States , Israel & Iran understand each other's suffering – that predisposes to violence – in this dangerous age of Nuclear weapons.

II. NAMASTE Awareness of the Damaging Effects of HUMILIATION:

*Examples of HUMILIATION in the Middle East :

#1. The Humiliation of War: Many “Iranian scientists or engineers affiliated with the nuclear program have been killed since 2007.” The Iranian nuclear bomb program “Computers have been sabotaged by viruses”. “Reel ing from these damaging and humiliating events, Iran has responded with louder and cruder threats, including a threat to close the Straits of Hormuz. But the threats only recoil upon Iran , by discouraging purchases of Iran 's only important product: oil.” (10)

#2. Humiliating Language: While Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), September 19, 2011 said: “ It was about in 2005 when he [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] said (regarding) Israel -- he would use a nuclear weapon to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth.” -- But, a closer analysis of the Translation of what Iran said is as follows: “Specialists such as Juan Cole of the University of Michigan and  Arash Norouzi of the Mossadegh Project pointed out that the original statement in Persian did not say that Israel should be wiped from the map, but instead that it would collapse.” “Cole said … that in the 1980s Khomeini gave a speech in which he said in Persian ‘Een rezhim-i eshghalgar-i Quds bayad az sahneh-i ruzgar mahv shaved.' This means, ‘This occupation regime over Jerusalem must vanish from the arena of time.'” The translation that “Israel ‘must be wiped off the fact of the map' – Cole & Nourouzi say is inaccurate”. (11) Overall, the world's perception of Iran's statement towards Israel is an example of the humiliating language that is being used in this Middle East conflict.

#3. The Humiliation of the Failure of a Military Operations: “ Iran's foreign ministry said the recent arrest of a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) agent in Iran and the downed spy drone proved to the United States that any espionage operations against the Islamic republic would lead to " humiliation.” (12)

*HUMILIATION Breaks Down Human Relationships:

*DEFINITION: Lindner states: To be humiliated is to be placed against your will & often in a deeply hurtful way … It often involves acts of force. At it's heart is the idea of pinning down, putting down or holding to the ground … Made helpless”. (13) Evelin Lindner's extensive research concludes that Humiliation “is the strongest force that creates rifts between people and breaks down relationships”. (14)

*HUMILIATION Causes Social Pain, Aggression & Depression:

*AGGRESSION: Hartling: In theory, humiliation may trigger social pain activating the alarm system of the brain leading to decreased self-awareness in the form of a deconstructed state ... Decreasing self-awareness leads to … to an increase in self-defeating behavior, including aggression: (15) (16)

*SOCIAL PAIN: *Social pain is: “The distressing experience arising from the perception of psychological distance from … others or from the social group” & the pain that we experience when social relationships are damaged or lost. Eisenberger & Lieberman “Help to explain both the acuteness and the enduring nature of humiliating experiences” & they explain Social pain, the pain of humiliation, social exclusion as a form of humiliation & Why it hurts to be left out. (17) Research participants' self-reports of social distress related to humiliation included: “how rejected, excluded (&) meaningless they felt.” (18)

*DEPRESSION: Humiliating events that directly devalue an individual in a core role were strongly linked to risk of depressive episode. (19)

*DECONSTRUCTED STATE: Twenge, Cantanese, and Baumeister (2003) found that excluded (humiliated) individuals withdrew into a “deconstructed state”. (20)

*HUMILIATION as It Relates to INTERNATIONAL Relations & LEADERS:

*Weapon of Mass Destruction: *Isn't it time for more people— especially our leaders —to recognize that the real pain of Humiliation is one of the most dangerous, most wide-spread “Weapons of Mass Destruction”?

*Poison: Humiliation poisons interpersonal, intersocial and international relations around the world. Humiliation inflicts real pain, real injuries that are enduring.

*Horrendous Behaviors: Isn't time for more people, especially our leaders, to recognize that the real pain of Humiliation leads people to engage in horrendous behaviors that devastate the lives of others and themselves? (21) (22)

III . PROBLEM-SOLVING for HUMILIATION: GESTURES of CONCILIATION:

There are various tools based on the spirit of Namaste – that we as an international community can use to De-escalate & defuse the humiliating tensions that have built up in the Middle East between the United States , Israel & Iran . These Gestures of Conciliation include: Mercy, Compassion, Compassionate Listening, LovingKindness & Respect.

*A: MERCY: Mercy is the “Compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power; Clemency”. “A disposition to be kind & forgiving”. “Alleviation of distress”. “A tendency to reduce punishment”. (23)

*Islamic Mercy: As so beautifully said by Dr. Chittick & the Islamic religion: “The goal of love is to overcome separation, to escape from the darkness and pain that define our existential plight, and to enter into the light. … It is to take advantage of the universal mercy that embraces everything”. (24) May the United States, Israel & Iran overcome the separation, escape the darkness & pain of our existential plight & may we all enter into the light & have Mercy on each other -- & abide by the NPT Treaty.

 

*B: RADICAL COMPASSION:

Radical compassion is a term coined by the philosopher Khen Lampert in 2003. … Lampert identifies compassion as a special case of empathy, directed toward the ‘Other's' distress. Radical compassion … includes the inner imperative to change reality in order to alleviate the pain of others. This state of mind … is universal & stands at the root of the historical cry for social change”. Lampert states: “I have noted that compassion … stands in stark opposition to the underlying premises of the Darwinist theories, which regard the survival instinct as determining human behavior, as well to the Freudian logic of the Pleasure Principle, which refutes any supposedly natural tendency on the part of human beings to act against their own interests”. (25) Are the United States , Israel & Iran capable of Radical Compassion towards each other -- regarding the nuclear conflict in the Middle East ? Can President Obama, Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Ahmadinejad & the Ayatollah Khomenei go beyond Darwin's & Freud's principles -- to advance to a higher level of consciousness -- & forsake nuclear weapons?

*C: COMPASSIONATE LISTENING: Gene Knudsen Hoffman who originally conceived Compassionate Listening describes this method of listening as non-adversarial & non-judgmental. “Listeners seek the truth of the person questioned, seeing through ‘Masks of hostility & fear' to the sacredness of the individual”. “Listeners accept what others say as their perceptions & validate the right to their own perceptions. Compassionate Listening can cut through the barriers of defense & mistrust:” (26) “Compassionate Listening is a tool for conflict resolution, reconciliation & the prevention of violence”. “Compassionate Listening requires suspending our judgments & listening from an open heart. Through the skills of reflective listening & non-adversarial questioning the compassionate listener generates healing in the heart of the speaker. … When both sides understand the Suffering of the other, reconciliation can begin”. Habitual patterns of communication such as separation & fear (& defensiveness) are let go. “All parties in a conflict (are) wounded & (need) to be heard”. As Gene Knudsen Hoffman said “Behind every act of violence is an unhealed wound”. (27) Are the United States , Israel & Iran capable of non-adversarial & non-judgmental attitudes towards each other? Can we seek the truth about Middle East hate speech & see through the masks of hostility & fear regarding nuclear weapons? I appeal to President Obama, Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Ahmadinejad & the Ayatollah Khomenei to acknowledge the Unhealed wounds of our enemies in the Middle East & that these Unhealed wounds are the precursors to violence & hence precursors to Nuclear war.

*D. METTA LOVINGKINDNESS & The Alleviation of Suffering in Others:

“The … translation for Metta is Lovingkindness”. Metta is an act of “Well-wishing”. Rather than Judging someone e.g. She/he shouldn't do this or that – It is better to apply a Metta phrase such as “Wishing that the person be happy & free from suffering” & to feel the “Human connection” with others. (28) Can the United States , Israel & Iran wish each other to be happy & free from suffering? In the final analysis, as an international community: Do we really feel connected or disconnected to each other in the Middle East ?

E. RESPECT –vs- DISRESPECT:

*Respect is when a person Acknowledges the humanity, worth/dignity/value & significance of other people. (29) Disrespect is the Discounting or challenging the worth of others. (30) Can President Obama, Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Ahmadinejad & the Ayatollah Khomenei – show Namaste & deep Respect for each other by abiding by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?

*CONCLUSION: I petition President Obama, Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Ahmadinejad & the Ayatollah Khomenei to offer each other the spirit of Namaste with regard to Middle East peace. May we bow to the divine in each other & respect the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. May we challenge ourselves to be Aware of & sensitive to the Humiliation we cause each other in our daily language & actions – Since research shows the dangerous consequences of Humiliation includes the break down of human relationships & an increased potential for aggression & violence. People need to feel connected . (31) (32) Forms of social pain & exclusion such as: Disrespect, hate speech, terrorism & other violent acts such as those occurring in the Middle East -- cause Suffering & Humiliation & cause people to become Disconnected. This disconnection in turn causes more violence. Humiliation causes real pain & "The pain of Humiliation leads people to engage in horrendous behaviors that devastate the lives of others and themselves." (31) (32) I appeal to the United States , Israel & Iran to show a spirit of Namaste & Respect to each other & to honor the divine in each other – including in our daily language – rather than engage in hate speech. Will we hypocritically use terrorism & bombs & other Humiliation tactics to fight against nuclear weapons? – that actually may increase the risk of nuclear war. The Key question regarding the Middle East Nuclear conflict is: Will President Obama & the United States have the courage to lead the world & Apologize for the invention & use of Nuclear weapons on people? (33)

Thank you. Respectfully, Mary Hamer, M.D. U.S.A

REFERENCES:

1. Hamer, Mary. U.S Apology For Nuclear Weapons And Open Disclosure Of
Nuclear Weapons By Israel And Iran . www.countercurrents.org . Febr. 10, 2012

1.' Hamer, Mary. Namaste: I Honor The Divine In You. www.countercurrents.org . June 3, 2011. including a Reference to: www.yogajournal.com. The Meaning of Namaste. By Aadil Palkhivala. Also Referencing: www.exoticindiaart.com. Namaste: The Significance of a Yogic Greeting.

2. healing.about.com. Namaste. By Phylameana Lila. Desy's Holistic Healing Glossary.

3. thisismindful.com. Becoming Namaste. Mindful. Referencing: yesyoucanchangethe world.com. Kareem Mayan.

4. Hamer, Mary. U.S Apology for Nuclear Weapons & Open Disclosure of Nuclear Weapons by Israel And Iran . www.countercurrents.org. February 10, 2012 .

5. en.wikipedia.org. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Introduction. Referencing: #1. www.un.org . Disarmament. & #2. Ambassador Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat. 4/26/4 . United Nations. New York . 3 rd Session of the Preparatory committee for the 2005 Review conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Furnished by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations.

6. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. To Understand & Alleviate Suffering in a Caring Culture. Lindholm L. Eriksson K. J. Adv. Nurs. 1993. Sep. 18. 1354-62.

7. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. To Understand & Alleviate Suffering in a Caring Culture. Lindholm L. Eriksson K. J. Adv. Nurs. 1993. Sep. 18. 1354-62.

8. www.google.com . Mercy.

9. www.utne.com. Radical Compassion. By Utne staff. January/February 2002.

10. www.thedailybeast.com. Threats May be all Iran has left. By David Frum. 1/14/12 .

11. www.washingtonpost.com. Did Ahmadinejad really say Israel should be ‘Wiped off the Map'? By Glenn Kessler. Oct. 4, 2011.

12. news.xinhuanet.com. Iran Says U.S. “Humiliated” as it's Espionage Operations against Iran Fails. 2011-12-18.

13. www.humiliationstudies.org: Humiliation at Columbine High School by Daryn Morgenstein Referencing Lindner, Evelin: What Every Negotiator Ought to Know: Understanding Humiliation. Oslo . Submission: 2000.

14. Lindner, E. G. (2000). The anatomy of humiliation and its relational character: The case of victim . Unpublished manuscript, Oslo .

15. Hartling, Linda, Ph.D. Humiliation: Real Pain, A Pathway to Violence. Jean Baker Miller Training Institute Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College Wellesley , MA .

16. Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies Network.

17. Eisenberger, N. I., & Lieberman, M. D. (in press). Why it hurts to be left out: The neurocognitive overlap between physical pain and social pain. Submitted to Trends in Cognitive Science .

18. Eisenberger, N. I., Lieberman, M. D., & Williams, K. D. (2003). Does rejection hurt? An fMRI study of social exclusion. Science, 302 , 290-292.

19. Kendler, K. S., Hettema, J. M., Butera, F., Garnder, C. O., & Prescott, C. A. (2003).

20. Twenge, J. M., Cantanese, K. R., & Baumeister, R. F. (2002). Social exclusion causes self defeating behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83 (3).

21. Hartling, Linda, Ph.D. Humiliation: Real Pain, A Pathway to Violence. Jean Baker Miller Training Institute Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College Wellesley , MA .

22. Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies Network.

23. www.thefreedictionary.com. Mercy. Referencing: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. C. 2000. & Collins English Dictionary. Harper Collins Publishers. C 2003.

24. www.huffingtonpost.com. Chittick, William. Ph.D. The Islamic Notion of Mercy. 12/14/10.

25. en.wikipedia.org. Radical Compassion. Referencing: Lampert, K. Compassionate Education: Prolegomena for Radical Schooling. Univ.-Press of Amer. C. 2003 & Lampert, K. Traditions of Compassion: From Religions Duty to Social Activism. Palgrave-Macmillan. C. 2006.

26. www.compassionatelistening.org. The Compassionate Listening Project.

27. www.bermanhealingarts.com. What is Compassionate Listening?

28. www.psychologytoday.com. 4 Qualities of Mind that Alleviate Suffering. By Toni Bernhard, J.D. 7/5/11 .

29. www.emotionalcompetency.com. Respect.

30. www.emothinalcompetency.com. Glossary.

31. Hartling, Linda, Ph.D. Humiliation: Real Pain, A Pathway to Violence. Jean Baker Miller Training Institute Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College Wellesley , MA .

32. Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies Network.

33. Hamer, Mary. U.S Apology For Nuclear Weapons And Open Disclosure Of
Nuclear Weapons By Israel And Iran . www.countercurrents.org . Febr. 10, 2012

Mary Hamer is a medical doctor who writes Earth, human & animal rights essays.

 



 


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