RESOURCES
REFLECTIONS

This reflection was given by Fiona Daukes at a public meeting at the UK Initiatives of Change Centre in London on 21 April. Fiona shared that 'Though I don’t feel that I am much of an initiator as I would rather follow and support initiatives taken by others! I do feel however, there need to be cellos as well as the conductors, and making visions into reality requires inspiration. Where does that inspiration come from?

Ahimsa, or ‘non-injury’, has been the inspiration behind the non-violent movements that sprung up in India and was much in vogue during the Indian Independence struggle. Today it is in forefront of the anti-corruption call in India. K Haridas Nair relates Ahisma to the idea of Absolute Love in the fourth (and last) of our series looking at core moral values from an Eastern perspective.

I am fairly new to Initiatives of Change. I’ve been going to meetings in Sheffield for about two years. I still don’t really know what it means to 'belong' to IofC. I go to meetings because I am inspired by the reports I hear from people who do more than just talk about problems of our age, but do something about them. I also take some delight in sharing my own experiences. I do this, not out of any pride, but because it honours the God who motivates and empowers me to share His love. I, myself, am weak. But because God is working in me, I can draw on His strength.

Howard Grace reflects on space and spirituality. This article first appeared as a centre spread piece in the UK national Quaker weekly The Friend, and has also appeared in the UK Progressive Christianity Network national Newsletter.

K Haridas Nair from Malaysia looks at the idea of absolute unselfishness through the Hindu path of 'Karma yoga' – or selfless action. This is the third of a series in which we look at core moral values from an Eastern perspective.

K Haridas Nair from Malaysia looks at the idea of absolute purity. 'Brahmacharya' represents the Hindu equivalent for absolute purity, a concept which moves beyond the notion of controlling one's mind and passions to one of managing one's emotions and senses. This is the second of a series in which we look at core moral values from an Eastern perspective.

K Haridas Nair from Malaysia looks at the idea of absolute honesty from an Eastern perspective and finds that it is connected to the will to act in a broader sense. This is the first of a series in which we look at core moral values from an Eastern perspective.

Zahra A Hassan, Director of Women of the Horn and Project Co-ordinator of the Somali Initiative for Dialogue and Democracy (SIDD), gave this reflection one morning whilst attending the UK IofC fellowship weekend at Cliff College, Derbyshire which took place 8 - 10 April 2011.

Is there a distinction between moral values and moral standards? While the word 'moral' is common, the distinction lies in the use of the words 'values' and 'standards', writes K. Haridas.

Initiatives of Change is best understood as what could be called a ‘prophetic tradition’. Yes it is a charity and organisation - and we are looking at legal, financial and structural issues today. But most profoundly it is a fellowship of people who seek to respond to the needs of the world in the light of absolute moral standards and the wisdom of the ‘still small voice’.