Wisdom for the World

during the course of his career clements has been interviewed on numerous television and radio programs, including abc’s nightline, cbs evening news, cbc and shaw tv in canada, german national tv, abc tv in australia, voice of america radio, radio free asia, the bbc, and in the new york times, london times, the guardian, san francisco chronicle, washington post, time and newsweek, yoga journal, utne, yes, and scores of other media worldwide. www.alanclements.com

“how to describe alan’s presentations? a tall order. love poems/riffs/odes/chants to the goddesses of compassion, deeply inscribed with the blood of burmese slaves, soldiers in iraq, palestinian children, freedom fighters anywhere. a momentary entry into an internal tête-à-tête, ad infinitum; a glimpse at all that inner discursive dialog which marks us unequivocally as members of the human race. just in case we get too spiritual, let’s not forget that we are required to, by nature, include everything. to paraphrase the vietnamese monk thich nhat hahn’s  poem, “please call me by my true names,” i am both the 12-year-old raped girl and the pirate who raped her. it is difficult to reconcile seeming opposites, and it takes the heart of a poet. thich nhat hahn is a poet; alan is one as well.”

—Marcia Jacobs, a psychotherapist specializing in victims of war, rape, and trauma; a senior U.N. representative for refugees in Bosnia and Croatia, 1993–1997; and a former officer of the International War Crimes Tribunal



“Alan’s life is material for a legend. An intellectual artist, freedom fighter, former Buddhist monk, he shares his insights and experience with a passion rarely seen and even more rarely lived. He’ll make you think and feel in ways that challenge your entire way of being.”

— Catherine Ingram, In the Footsteps of Gandhi and Passionate Presence



“I have known Alan for well over three decades. He is my first call when I seek insight and candor concerning personal and professional advice. As a speaker, his eloquence moves audiences to ask the questions behind questions about how we live, why we work, and how it fits together. Alan’s presence—his remarkable ability to engage an audience, connect with their heart—stands alongside the best talent I have seen in the world.”

— Robert Chartoff, Producer of Rocky, The Right Stuff, and Raging Bull.



“One of the most important and compelling voices of our times . . . Alan Clements is a riveting communicator — challenging and inspiring.  He articulates the essentials of courage and leadership in a way that can stir people from all sectors of society into action; his voice is not

only a great contribution during these changeful times, it is a needed one.”

— Jack Healy, former director of Amnesty ...

introduction ...............................................................................................9

biography ....................................................................................................12

• requisites for reconciliation ..........................................................................17

• the dhamma protects those who protect the dhamma. ...............................29

• the dhamma of reconciliation and the sq revolution .................................40

• looking for the dhamma you find it in yourself ............................................53

• it’s important to be a true human being .......................................................80

a conversation with sayadaw u pandita, 1996 ...............................87

photographs ............................................................................................110