arrest me too!

 

 

Dear friends,

to begin with , this is not a mediation message. It's about identification with a common cause.

I'm part of a worldwide movement to protect the diversity of life. I'm an arctic defender. 

Arrest me too!

This is the story. One of my sons is a campaigner with Greenpeace. Last sunday he sent me an SMS. We are going to demonstrate in front of the Russian embassy in Berne in support of the Arctic30. Will you join us? I did not hesitate. I jumped on the next train and I arrived just in time to hear the speech, and to listen to all the names of the Arctic30. They are the crew of the greenpeace boat Arctic Sunrise that was sent out to the arctic sea for a peaceful protest against the deadly risks of oil drilling. They had intended to span a banner at an oil drilling platform of Gazprom. The boat was intercepted by the Russian military and brought to Murmansk, where the crew was arrested and charged with piracy. The activists could face upto 15 years in prison. It's unbelievable.

In the meantime, solidarity is growing all over the world. The movement is gaining momentum. The arrested activists are citizens of 18 different countries. The people in those countries can identify with "their" hero. One of them is from my country, his name is Marco. When Greenpeace Switzerland gave a media conference a few days ago, Marco's father was there. He came out in strong support of his son. He said he did not want to make it a personal story, that we should focus on the big cause for which Marco and his friends took so much risk. 

(see the video on http://www.20min.ch/videotv/?vid=332724 )

Watching the video I was deeply moved. It could be me. It could be my son.

Identification is a tremendous force. It can open our hearts for empathy and solidarity. But it has a dark side too. Identification can have devastating effects. It can be the breeding ground for hatred and violence. Let's be aware of this challenge. We must reflect what identification is doing with us, and we must be willing to consider the other side too, to change perspectives, time and again.

My son and me we help eachother in facing this challenge.

yours in mediation

geri baobab

es wird wieder genistet in diesem baum

liebe kollegInnen und freunde,

ein neues jahr entfaltet sich, wege werden sich wieder kreuzen, menschen werden aus allen himmeslrichtungen zusammenkommen und sich austauschen. gemeinsamkeiten und differenzen brauchen raum für klärende gespräche. unter dem baobab findet der austausch statt, tag und nacht, damit wir einvernehmliche lösungen finden, die uns weiterbringen.

ob denn noch genistet werde in diesem baum, hat sich ein freund aus dem fernen kirgistan erkundigt. die freundschaftliche frage hat uns bewegt. sie gibt uns den hintergrund für den gruss zum neuen jahr. Ja klar! Sie nisten wieder. Es fliegen wieder bunte vögel ein und aus. willkommen bei baobab 2013.

2012 war ein stilles jahr. brachzeit. gesundheitliche schwierigkeiten mussten bewältigt werden. die rekonvaleszenz war krise und chance. zweifel und neue gewissheit. mediation ist nötiger denn je.
nicht nur als mediation im klassischen sinn mit einem klar definierten mandat. wir brauchen mediatives verhalten im alltag. in einer weit gefächerten vielfalt. dazu bald mehr auf diesem blog.

wir wünschen euch allen viel buntes treiben und fröhliches gezwitscher in euren baumkronen.

geri baobab