This chapter delves into the idea that peace and freedom are not just external goals, but primarily internal states. The Jerusalem Friedensmal serves as a mirror of our consciousness and invites us to take the first step on the path to inner peace and freedom: to pause. It is a space of human connection and dignity that frees us from the 'terror of loneliness' and gives us the opportunity to build genuine relationships with ourselves and others.

Addressing the past is an ongoing process that must be led by love and detachment from the evils of the past. Therefore, it's not just about erecting memorials, but also about wanting to create Friedensmals and taking active steps to promote peace. The placement of the 'Chai' in the Friedensmal symbolizes the sanctity of life and the need to transform our traumatic experiences into a force for good.

In this chapter, we will also explore the spiritual dimension of peace and the idea of the 'new world,' a world that is in harmony with the ideals of peace and freedom. It may be time to take the next step, to leave old systems and ways of thinking, and to build a new world in harmony with the ideals of peace and freedom.

The vision for the future is clear: The Jerusalem Friedensmal is more than just a physical place; it is a symbol of peace, freedom, and human dignity. It challenges us to remember the past while also courageously shaping the future in the true sense of human dignity. Every person who experiences inner healing changes the world and thus contributes to peace. It stands for the new world where dust may transform into light.

So, I invite you to join me on this journey of self-discovery, inner freedom, and external peace.

"Dear hiking friend, be aware that the world is illusion and entanglement, and full of beauty that wants to be seen. You are either a prisoner or a dancer on the field of freedom in it. The world becomes a mirror of your consciousness where you touch it. Recognize yourself in this Garden of Freedom, touch and let yourself be touched. May this place of peace on the long-distance hiking trail be your inspiration and encouragement on the way to yourself. Take the time to pause. For only then do peace and freedom begin within you." (From the text of Panel C at the Friedensmal) - The reader without time can find here a short summary of the project in the texts (PDF) of the three information panels in German at the site:   Panel A   -   Panel B   -   Panel C  

The attempt to create world peace from the outside carries the risk of ending in totalitarianism. "Peace begins in one's own home," says Karl Jaspers. This is a more realistic goal that is worth the effort but still difficult to implement. Indeed, peace and freedom can only come from within, and so peace begins with oneself. Here, "dust turned to light." This is a quote from the Jewish poet Nelly Sachs, who survived the Holocaust and encapsulated her efforts to illuminate the pain in lines of great beauty and poignancy. The entire passage reads: "You who did not raise a murderous hand, but who did not shake the dust from your longing, you who stopped where it transforms to light."

Did Nelly Sachs write these lines for the people then or the people today? Why has so little dust turned to light since then? Perhaps we live in a "false world." Perhaps the individual people one encounters, and oneself, are much less to blame than we are led to believe? Recognizing this also means awakening and becoming whole: this world shaped us and became our prison. But how do we free ourselves for a "new world" where love and peace reign?

We have been preoccupied with horror, death, and guilt in the culture of remembrance for too long, overlooking peace, life, and detachment from the evils of the past. Building memorials is important, but if there can be no Friedensmal in relation to them, they would ultimately be pointless. Coming to terms with the past is like life itself, a process. Only love can be the way and the goal here to truly 'learn from the past.

The idea of healing relationships must be filled with life and become concrete in the world. This idea becomes clear and concrete in the Friedensmal in Germany on the topic of 'peace in German-Jewish relations.' It thus concerns the deepest trauma of the Germans and Jews. If the frozen traumatic energy were released, it would be free to serve life again. Serving life would mean learning from our past.

The entire design, consisting of the Friedensmal in the Garden of Freedom and the Stone of Encounter at its border, was given the spiritual name 'Jerusalem Friedensmal' on March 22, 2013. The name was published on the front pages of the Jerusalem Post and Haaretz as the inauguration of the project in Israel.

The Turning Point with the inscription 'Chai,' Hebrew for 'life','was set in the center of the Friedensmal by Rabbi Mordechai Mendelson on May 14, 2017 (Jewish calendar: 18. 9. 5777). From this single point, the entire monument was measured and constructed. 'Recognize the Holy in your midst' is the inscription at the entrance of the Friedensmal. - Living (Chai) is sacred.

The Jerusalem Friedensmal is more than just a physical place; it is a symbol of peace, freedom, and human dignity. It challenges us to remember the past as well as to courageously shape the future in the sense of true human dignity.

Every person who experiences inner healing changes the world and thereby aids peace. The Friedensmal is intended to serve healing in collective consciousness (shadow) and release energy for positive future shaping. It stands for the new world where dust may turn into light.

Perhaps today it is not so much about convincing an 'old world' of new views, but rather about leaving the playing field of an old, corrupt system in love to truly live, to build the new world with like-minded people. This vision of the Friedensmal, brought to life, is also an answer to the nihilism in today's Western culture.