I have woken early in this morning crying for those people from near Mosul in Iraq who have just experienced a massive bombing, 500 people dead at the last count and 400+ injured. I think the people left in that community will need a massive prayer to help them bear this massive loss impossible to imagine. I know we may all be tired of hearing about bombing in Iraq, because Iraqi civilians are killed by explosives an average of 73 per day, (750,000 recorded, and there is no official recording system, since the invasion by the west 4 years ago) not to mention poverty due to loss of jobs and infrastructure in the main cities.

Anyway I am asking for a strong prayer for peace I am really struggling to find any peace and stillness knowing that this is happening in this century as we enjoy all the privileges of constant supplies of resources. Please let me know how to develop peace in my heart in the light of this atrocity where our country is directly implicated.

I think as we develop European Shintaido we need to be aware of European history of course being British our history of Empire. We have a history of going out to conquer the world, colonies and impose our values on other countries. The war on Iraq was declared to be a war for democracy and freedom but it appears to be the same as all previous wars, a war of controlling the resources of the world, the price in human lives has been very high so far.

I feel very sad and paralysed at the moment being close to my partner whose whole people have suffered due to having the curse of oil on their territory. Now he has a personal battle for his own health to face, he will have an operation to remove cancer from his lip 30 august. I need your prayers for him to recover and for him to keep breathing during the operation as there is a lot of fear about this due to previous experiences. I need help and support myself I am very very frightened.

with love to you all
Belinda
2007.8.16