As we come out of a series of tumultuous years, one word that we can all agree we need more of is ‘peace’. We need inner peace to digest the myriad of emotions that we’re likely encounter in 2023. We need to learn to live peacefully with one another as communities rapidly change. Yet, when the world at large feels chaotic, how in the world do you even begin cultivating peace? “Peace is a daily practice,” says Tyler Batson, documentary film-maker and peace advocate.
After several years cultivating peace within his own life and that of others, Tyler launched Peace Made Public, a social community for those looking to explore how peace can be a solution to some of society’s most pressing problems. Within that sphere are the ethical and environmental problems plaguing consumers, communities and big industries. Can capitalism peacefully coexist with forest conservationists? How can environmentalism be more inclusive? As the world straddles both a pandemic, civil rights protests and climate change, how can we cultivate peace for a better tomorrow?
Tyler is no stranger to helping others learn how to put the word ‘peace’ into action. In 2017 when Kibera, Kenya was under the threat of post-election violence, Tyler collaborated with locals to use a documentary, A Chance for Peace, as a learning tool to bridge the gap between supporters of the opposing political parties to unanimously uphold peace in their neighborhoods. While it was a laborious process, the steps he took to help broaden others’ perspectives are the same ones he believes we can all practice to live more peacefully both with ourselves and with others.
Peace is your own personal journey
Tyler’s journey to peace was a winding road born out of pain. When he was a child his family relocated to Mexico. It was a childhood that he enjoyed – surrounded by nature and a welcoming community. But, by the time he was a teen his father’s death forced the family to relocate back to the U.S. Under the strain of losing a parent and readopting a culture he no longer identified with especially as a gay teenager, words like depression, sadness and loneliness filtered into Tyler’s vocabulary. “At the time, I had a yearning for human connection. It was through books that I discovered other people’s lived experiences- Anne Frank, the Dali Llama, Henri Matisse, etc.,” Tyler explains that reading about other people overcoming feelings of loneliness and depression to cultivate their own version of peace helped him immensely. “Really, my journey to peace was through other’s people’s experiences.” Tyler is quick to point out that while reading helped him on his journey towards peace, it might not be the same path that’ll work for you or me. And, he’s okay with that. Each of us have our own path to take.
Peace is a multi-prong journey, but to start off we need strong minds and strong hearts.
Years later he’s in a relationship with a loving partner who supports his journey and purpose to highlight the systemic injustices and racism that he sees plaguing a country (and the world) that he has a renewed appreciation for. Yet, while he loves America, he isn’t shy about skipping around the more uncomfortable subjects blocking our society from peace. “Let’s talk about peace and racism and injustice,” Tyler says. “Because, if we don’t move forward with that base knowledge we’re not going to get here [motions to his heart].”
Everyone has their own definition of Peace
When I press Tyler to define ‘peace’, his initial response is to ask me what my own definition is. That’s because part of his mission for Peace Made Public is to cultivate an inclusive conversation where divisiveness doesn’t stem from a definition. So, when I tell him that my definition is about a feeling of contentment and safety both with our selves and our external environment, he nods and agrees to partially disagree. But, we both agree that ‘peace’ runs a whole gamut of feelings from our own individual well being to that of others’ and so much more. “I can tell you what peace is not,” Tyler boldly explains. “Peace is not an argument. The active word of peace dissolves barriers,” he says. “It’s empathy and compassion to give people a sense of safety and connection to themselves and to others around the world.”
So, how can we cultivate peace and feel safe in what at times feels like a tumultuous world?
Cultivating Peace in your daily life
Staying true to his journey, Tyler continually immerses himself in other people’s stories. He surrounds himself with books and podcasts as part of his consistent journey of self discovery and peace. This act of reading other’s stories is a two-fold approach to his peace practice. It provides quiet time for meditation when he can reflect. “There are people who have been through a lot more than I have been through,” is one takeaway from many of the stories that he reads. Meditating on these thoughts can help to cultivate inner peace. But, Tyler doesn’t believe that we should only depend on those quiet moment with ourselves. “You can’t always live in a shell and your comfort zone.” The other part of cultivating peace within ourselves extends to community. Peace is both internal and external.
If you’re exploring peace in a way that always makes you feel alone, you’re going to get a very skewed definition of peace.
“People need people. That’s as simple as it get’s,” Tyler explains the joys of life are best enjoyed with others. He suggests taking time to cultivate inner peace and then learn how to do that mindfully and lovingly with others.
Generating Peace for others
Listen
“If you’re not listening, you’re not showing up,” Tyler states. “A lot of people have this mentality that we have more to teach. News flash,” he says. “We don’t.” This advice is his first step to learning how to live peacefully with others.
Ask Questions
The second is to ask questions because, “to assume that you understand is to fail at peace,” he says. “Be sure that you understand the other person the way they want to be understood.”
Look For Similarities
After listening and asking questions, reflect to find what you have in common. Do they have a similar experience to you?
“I value heart work more than hard work. That’s what sustainable peace is.”
Collaborate
Collaboration is a win win and an opportunity to create with someone after you’ve just invested time learning about one another. Tyler stresses that collaborations will look different for everyone based on their skills, passion and energy. He just cautions that your energy output is sustainable to avoid burning out.
An example of these steps playing out in a real life scenario is story about a recent canvasing experience in a wealthy Southern California neighborhood when he knocked on the door of a Vietnam veteran’s home. During a discussion about racism and discrimination, Tyler asked the man if he knew anyone who was not white. At first, the man answered ‘no’, but after a minute stated that he knew a couple who had adopted a girl from China. The more Tyler listened, the more he was able to see similarities emerge. “That’s when peace has an opportunity,” Tyler explains. By the end of the conversation he had not only found similarities, but was able to share them with the man and to give him an opportunity to think differently about his political views.
As Tyler steps into the next stage of peace, he is focused on his grassroots organization, Peace Made Public, to listen to others stories and help them to cultivate peace both within themselves and for others, he stresses the importance of cultivating peace daily. “Give to yourselves as well as others,” he says. “That’s why peace is a daily practice.”
