Peace Artist (born Neal Yasami) is an American artist, gymnastics coach, musician, humanitarian, and peace activist.   After years of seeking meaning in his own life – after years of wondering what it was that he could do to make the world a more peaceful place, Peace (as he is often called) decided to give up almost everything he owned and set forth to run and paint across the United States.  And that is what he did — from August of 2011 through July of 2012 he ran over 6000 miles; from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State through Oregon and down the entire coast of California, across Texas and Arizona and New Mexico, through Louisiana and Mississippi and Alabama – and finally ending up in Savannah, Georgia … He did so alone, he did so without money, he did so pushing his few remaining possessions (mostly art supplies) in a stroller, and he did so for Peace.  He ran when it was time to run, he paused when it was time to pause (engaging hundreds of communities with a multitude of small-yet-selfless acts of service), and he painted when it was time to paint (creating and giving away almost 500 paintings and sketches along the way) … He bravely set forth into the unknown to make this world a better place – spreading the all-important message of humility and courage and service and kindness; for lack of a better term, spreading the message of Love.  And make this world a better place he certainly did.  His journey helped ease the burdens of the thousands of people he encountered along the way, and via the Internet* inspires (and continues to inspire) many thousands more to live more Caring & Peace-filled lives themselves.

 

“’Why are you doing this?’ is the most common question I’m asked. I’ve had lots of answers to that question. The real reason I did this is that I couldn’t think of anything else that made as much sense. I tried to think of the biggest thing that I could do for peace, and this was it. I couldn’t sit back and do nothing … If I continued to do nothing to stop the wars of the world, the senseless killing and hurting of children, I felt as if I was complicit in the act. I might as well be pulling the trigger.” ~ Peace Artist

“It all started with gratitude.  It all started when I became completely aware that everything in this life is a gift … yes, the bad too. I became aware that every experience is just that, an opportunity, a “happening”, an adventure.  The only question then became what to do with this life? Having awakened to the possibilities, only one thing seemed right: Love. And from this realization my credo was born:“This is the way of The Peace Artist – It all begins with Gratitude: Love, Help, Make Art, Make Peace.”  Nothing has changed since then. I haven’t had any extra moments of epiphany, the heavens haven’t opened, and frankly I don’t feel particularly different.  And yet I AM different. I have been profoundly different every day since I started to truly Care; Care for those who love me, Care for those who are indifferent, and Care for those who hate me. And since I have begun to do so – since I began to truly and actively Care for a world that has in many ways lost care for itself, I am different … In those moments I choose to deeply Care, I am what Love is supposed to look like.  In those moments when I truly Care – without hope or expectation or worry or self defense — I become Love itself.” ~ via Peace Artist

Filed under: In LOVE with Humanity by Scaughdt