day 11 - contemplation

"There is no way to peace, peace is the way." 

- Mahatma Gandhi

Contemplation is not an escape from the world; it is a way of cleaning the lens of the heart. It transforms nonviolence from a tactic into a way of life. It fosters the emotional and spiritual resilience needed to resist injustice without resorting to violence. 

Contemplative practices like meditation help activists cope with stress and prevent burnout, turn anger into "creative fire" that can be used for constructive, nonviolent change, and keep methods consistent with goals - ensuring peaceful goals are not pursued through violent means.

Folding gives my hands something to do while my mind settles. Folding cranes, a symbol of peace, is a creative meditation that lets my intention find form through breath, paper, and focused attention. 

Today I'm practicing contemplation by folding peace cranes. 

day 10 - faith

"Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark." 

- Rabindranath Tagore

For me, faith isn't blind certainty. It's moving forward with trust - rooted in experience, yet without guarantees. 

Today I'm practicing faith by trusting the process of folding a new origami model by an artist whose designs I've succeeded with before. Each crease, each careful fold, reminds me that even when the outcome is uncertain, the act of showing up matters.

Origami Crane by origamiba-ba on YouTube

day 9 - dreaming

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." 

- John Lennon

Dreaming isn't always reaching for something far away. Sometimes it's simply listening for what wants to emerge.

This little kitty, in his galaxy window, feels to me like the threshold between waking and dreaming - a liminal space where imagination, hope and possibility live.

Today I'm practicing dreaming by reminding myself that there is more out there than what I can see right now.

Frame designed and taught by Chisshy Origami on YouTube.

day 8 - healing

"Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity." - Hippocrates

Healing isn't something I can force. It seems to happen when there is enough space, safety and support for things to settle. 

This layered pin speaks to me of a history. It reminds me that healing doesn't hide the scars or the story, more often it is a matter of incremental integration. 

Today I'm practicing healing by seeing it as the bridge between harm and hope, rupture and repair. I recognize that it takes time and is still tender in me, but is growing stronger. 

day 7 - education

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." 

- John Dewey

Education isn't only something we receive - it's something we participate in. 

Every fold teaches me what works and what doesn't. 

This dictionary owl is a friendly figure who sits on my desk. He reminds me that the purpose of lifelong learning is not self-judgement, which makes me stop asking questions. 

Rather, when knowledge is my companion, something gentler happens. Education becomes an invitation to develop understanding through experience.

Today I'm practicing education by staying curious, letting both mistakes and joy inform my origami choices.

Owl designed and taught by Leyla Torres of Origami Spirit

day 6 - simplicity

"Our life is frittered away by detail... simplify, simplify." 

- Henry David Thoreau

Simplicity asks me to remove what isn't needed. To proceed one sheet, one module, one fold at a time. 

Today I'm practicing simplicity by letting this be enough.

Rectangular Frame designed by Kamikey, Hearts by Origami Club

day 5 - believing

"Despite everything, I believe people are really good at heart." 

Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

Believing doesn't always mean certainty. 

Sometimes it's a choice to continue even when you don't know for sure and the outcome isn't clear.

Today I'm practicing believing in myself and the power of community by sticking with this Season for Nonviolence project.

Easy Heart on Origami Club