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General Information: Overview: Vision: Models

Mandala of the Zen Peacemakers

The Zen Peacemakers make use of the two Buddhist Models:

  • the vision of Indra's Net, which is a metaphor of our life and
  • the structure of Mandalas consisting of five energy spheres.

Mandala

A Mandala is a circle of life and can be used as a device for organizing and, in particular, to express and talk about the various kinds of energies that show up in our lives and in our social organizations. People and their personalities are often associated with one of the energies in the mandala.

The particular mandala used by the Zen Peacemaker Family is composed of and represents five different energies. Some models use seven energies, others use other numbers. In some ways, the number you choose is arbitrary. We use five because it works for us. Referring back to the discussion of Indra's net, each of the energies in the mandala reflects the other energies and each contains all of the energies.

Spirituality/Vision: This energy pertains to non-duality, and, above all, the state of not knowing which lies at the root of the model. Anything that can possibly be thought of does not belong in this category. It is the space of no form and of infinite possibilities and its color is black. Our spirituality is expressed by the Three Tenets. Our vision is one of a global partnership among people around the world working towards social transformation.

Action: This takes the form of the actions of individuals, Peacemaker Circles, Affiliates and a Greater Sangha. Action energy represents the season of summer and its color is green.

Training: In the Zen Peacemakers, this energy manifests as curriculum and offerings of the Maezumi Institute, and its' affiliations. Its color is blue.

Resources: Equated with generosity, this energy manifests as funding through our members and our many donors, through the advice of our Elders and through the "things" we need to do our job. The color of this energy is orange.

Integration: In the Zen Peacemakers mandala, this is the realm of relationships and connectedness. It manifests itself through all of the means and vehicles we use to connect with each other, to stay informed, to support networking and communications, such as sociocracy, the website, and the Zen Peacemaker Journal, Bearing Witness. Zen Peacemaker Family Hubs are also a form of this integrative energy.

Indra's NetWorking

Indra was an ancient king of India who thought a great deal of himself. One day he went to the royal architect and said that he wanted to leave a monument of himself, something which all people would appreciate.The king's architect created an immense net which extended throughout all space and time. And the king's treasurer placed a bright, shining pearl at each node of the net so that every pearl was reflected in every other pearl. And each single pearl, each person, each event, contains the whole of Indra's Net, including all of space and time.

indra_net.jpg
The Zen Peacemakers model of interlocking Circles manifests directly Indra's Net.

When we realize that we are all bright pearls in Indra's Net, we see that within each one of us the whole body of the universe is contained. Since we are all already connected in Indra's Net, there are no limits to the possibilities of connecting with other people in our lives and our work.

Still, it's natural for most of us to begin "networking" with the people closest to our own interests and needs. Accountants network with other accountants, poets with other poets, and social activists with other social activists. This kind of networking certainly has its uses. It's especially effective, for example, when we need help in solving a very difficult problem. But it is not a very effective overall strategy because it leads to a narrowing instead of a widening of your network. It results in ever diminishing returns. The tax accountants end up talking only to other tax accountants; the free verse poets end up talking only to other free verse poets; and the social activists of one school end up talking only to social activists of the same school.

When we network according to the vision of Indra's Net, on the other hand, we begin by casting the widest possible net. We do this by defining our mission in the broadest possible way.


177 Ripley Road | Montague, MA 01351 | Phone: (413) 367-2080 | 2007 Zen Peacemakers