Who We Are

We are a group of Mothers calling forth Peace from a place of courage, compassion, and action. Julia Ward Howe’s Mothers Day Proclamation has inspired us. We feel that the archetype of the Mother has an important role and skill set to offer the Peacemaking process.

Many of us were hesitant to begin this work. We were not sure how to start or how to present it. Our hearts as mothers helped us find the courage and commitment to call for Peace. As we look daily into the eyes of our children, we asked ourselves, “How could we not begin to do this work?” We would do anything for our children. If that means stretching ourselves past our comfort zone to call out firmly for Peace, then that is what we will do!

Mothers of Heart struggled over what to name our group. We wanted the Call to join us in Peace Circles to feel inclusive. We thought about using the name Women of Heart, but it did not feel quite right. We realized it was our heart as mothers that brought us together. We are a group of mothers. Thus, we chose the name of Mothers of Heart. However, we intend for our Peace Circles be inclusive and open to anyone desiring to work from a place of heart and in the spirit of the Mother.

Calling forth Peace is much larger then merely calling for an end to war. Our call for Peace is about social change. We desire to create a trend of peaceful resolution to conflict. Peace begins in our homes, our workplaces, driving on the highway, playing on the playground, and interacting with our children. Each time we practice peaceful resolution, we are also contributing to the larger vision of World Peace.

"I think being a mother of three children has strengthened my ability to see, hear, and feel both sides. My daughters come up to me all the time fighting and trying to get me to choose one of their sides as the truth. But, the truth always lies between their two stories. I can't choose one child over the other. I can't favor one over the other. I can't imagine doing that. But, we're all children of this Earth. And, when one group of people gets resources and the others don't, then that is what we are doing. A mother would find a way to meet all her children's needs. That is why I feel that the archetype of the Mother is so important in the Peace movement. The Mother knows already how to make peace and restore fairness and justice. "
Tommasina Lash – Mothers of Heart

“The question that comes up for me is, what does Peace mean? For me, peace is not merely the absence of war. Absence of war can be achieved by one country simply forcing another to submit, and that is not true peace. Peace is the recognition that the person I'm in relationship with, whether one individual or a circle or a whole society, IS A PERSON. That you are me and I am you. When we can get to that point, the rest of it just flows. The wars in Iraq and elsewhere, from my perspective, are not the problem itself, but a symptom of our inability as a species to recognize and respect ourselves and each other.”
Paige Varner – Mothers of Heart