Pause for peace: harnessing the power of silence

I started the Pause for Peace initiative in December 2023 after I was deeply moved by a silent Quaker Vigil for World Peace held in the centre of my hometown, Taunton. So struck by the power of the silence, I wondered if this could be spread worldwide to start the New Year.

I messaged all my friends on Facebook, inviting them to Pause for Peace at midnight, their local time, and to share the idea with all their friends. During the silence, according to their spiritual tradition and culture, people can pray, meditate, invoke, manifest or wish for world peace, for as long as they wanted. A wave of peace, prayer and goodwill would travel westward around the world as midnight made its way westwards. The New Year would start with a worldwide desire for peace.

Spreading the word

Pause for Peace is open to people of all spiritual traditions or none. One of my contacts from ten years ago was my tour guide from South East Asia, but he wrote back to say he was now a government minister and said he would share the idea throughout his contacts in his home country.

During 2024 I wrote to many different faith and peace organisations, of all denominations and faith traditions. It rather felt like casting seeds into the wind, not always knowing where they might fall and take root. Some organisations came back to me and offered to spread the word. One of them was the Quakers and I have been delighted to have their support, especially as I now sometimes attend my local Quaker meeting in Taunton.

Again, I used the power of Facebook and messaged all my Facebook friends – 800 people. One person said she would message her list of 4000 religious and spiritual teachers. I know for definite that we had people joining us from Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico, USA, Canada, Kenya, UK, Germany, Norway, Spain, India, Cambodia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sharing the silence

I felt so excited when midday came on New Year's Eve and I knew people were starting to join in on the other side of the world. When midnight came in the UK I sat in silence. I became aware of the prayers, meditations, and good wishes and desire for peace from many other people. One of my friends in Canada said she felt the same invisible presence very strongly when she took part at midnight in her local time zone.

During 2025 I want to build this initiative so that it becomes like Earth Hour, which is held every March, worldwide, encouraging people to turn off their lights between 8.30 and 9.30pm local time to help the environment. I also wonder if a Pause for Peace event could be held every first of the month, so that each month starts with a worldwide desire for peace.

There is a theory called the six degrees of separation, which says that we are all six social contacts away from everyone else in the world (perhaps apart from some remote tribes!). With the advent of Facebook this has reduced to four degrees of separation on the platform.

People have asked me how many people I think took part in the last Pause for Peace. I have no idea, but at the beginning I had an image of the mycelium that spread out from tree roots. They spread outwards and outwards and it is almost impossible to trace them. My hope and prayer is that Pause for Peace will continue to spread throughout the world and we will start every New Year with a deep and united desire and commitment to World Peace.

There is a Facebook page for Pause for Peace. Please like and share and if you are not on Facebook then please spread the idea through your own social networks, whether in person or via electronic media. Thank you.