Possibilities for hope and healing are glimmering amid the dark violence and greed of our world: a deepening environmental consciousness, a more sophisticated movement for nonviolent communication and peace, a growing acceptance of gay marriage, and even a widening commitment to corporate responsibility, to name a few. Our task as spiritual activists is to articulate the common spiritual dimension in all these areas and to show that spiritual energy will light the path forward. Taming the ego and finding the deep human connections underneath, and trusting in a power and presence beyond the material world, are the essential ingredients for tikkun olam, healing and restoration, in the 21st century.
Introducing spiritual concepts into policy discussions is not easy, but fortunately science is on our side. The latest developments in physics, biology, neuroscience, and psychology all confirm the fundamental connection of all humans and the centrality of consciousness to existence. Now we can talk hard science as well as soft-hearted spirituality in advocating for change.
My judicial career has been focused in family law, which is hopelessly behind in coping with 50% divorce rates and 40% unmarried parent rates. Family fragmentation on this scale, the worst in the world, is going to have devastating social consequences unless we soon develop more child-friendly legal and social structures.
In this talk, drawing on the piercing legal critique developed by my friend and Tikkun editor Peter Gabel, and the latest scientific evidence brilliantly summarized by Lynn McTaggart in her new book, The Bond, (referring to the bond between people) I offer a vision of divorce without courts. The substantive issue–humanizing the divorce process–is terribly important. Equally important is that this kind of spiritual analysis can be applied to many other issues. Watch it and tell me what you think! My email is bruce.peterson@courts.state.mn.us.
Great work Bruce! I support your passionate work and can’t find words to express my deep conviction of your work. Pam
If you can solve the problem of the AGUNAH, the chained woman, who cannot get a get from her husband, I would be in favor of Religious Courts solving this problem. Where a handful of Fundamentalist clergy can keep a faulty concept from progressing is a good reason to keep divorce (and marriage) out of the perview of the “religious.”
Hallelujah– a JUDGE who can see– and say– “in this talk, drawing on … piercing legal critique ,,,I offer a vision of divorce without courts.”
Thank you so much! I am amongst it. Thank you so much for MN and for all (I hope).
We should at least separate “custody” issues out of Divorce court. Divorce is about the separation of property, which in my experience is the easy part. Children are not property, and cannot be divided with abusing them. While we might expect adults to have selfish and therefore “combative” goals for money, and property, that should not be the case with custody, and unfortunately, loving parents will fight to the death, and use any weapons to defend their life as a parent. This is NOT ever in the children’s best interests!
Unfortunately I am for some reason unable to view the video, I hope it has not been removed.
I have as of late been inspired by the writings of Bruce Peterson and am pleasantly surprised by all that I have read.
We have a long road ahead of us though, change unfortunately will not happen overnight, there has been much damage to generations of families and society as a whole by the divorce industry. This and of course there are many who will not want change, the financial incentive to create greater animosity to an already difficult situation is great. We must however see the error of our ways and do all that we can to affect a change, if not for any other reason, we must at least do so for our children.
In any event, it is good to see a judge who truly deserves the title,”Your Honor”.
Thanks and Peace
As someone in year four of a highly contentious divorce with extreme parental alienation issues, Judge Peterson’s lecture is a breath of spiritual cleansing. He skillfully connects the dots between science, social, and personal that ends with a tour de force of a new vision for divorce. May he experience godspeed as he brings this vision to the multitudes!
I am just so impressed that we have Judge Bruce Peterson who is so passionate about creating change in the way that divorce is handled in our country and leading the way for those of us who see the need for a change in the way that divorce is handled in our society in order to protect our children. And I really liked his explanation of the emotional wounds that families experience and how to begin to heal those.
Impressive and insightful.
Mary Damianakis