Metta Center for Nonviolence

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Petaluma, CA
Metta Center for Nonviolence

We are currently based in Petaluma, CA.

The Metta Center for Nonviolence has special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations since April 2017. As a 501(c)3 organization, we provide educational resources on the safe and effective use of nonviolence, with the recognition that it’s not about putting the right person in power but awakening the right kind of power in people. We advance a higher image of

humankind while empowering people to explore the question: How does nonviolence work, and how can I actively contribute to a happier, more peaceful society? We encourage people in all walks of life to discover their innate capacity for nonviolence and to use its power strategically for the long-term transformation of themselves and the world, focusing on the root causes of injustice, competition, and violence. We aim to make the logic, history and yet-unexplored potential of nonviolence more accessible to activists and agents of cultural change (which ultimately includes all of us).

09/04/2026

Sharing our show on the airwaves this morning KWMR West Marin Community Radio . Stay tuned for the archive! Like my shirt? It’s by Jess Rox

08/29/2026

Support for Tibet and Nepal after the glacial landslide:

Please help us compile a list of organizations and groups on the ground in Nepal and Tibet who need support, and tell us why you support them. Then, take the next step and send them a gift. Every offering matters.

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One friend on Instagram has shared a wish that people remain respectful and sensitive on social media at this time, including:

1. Not just prayers. Back it up with support.
2. Not politics at the moment. There will be time for that and we'll all make sure of it.
3. Do not share photos of people losing their lives, it's highly insensitive to people who are looking for their families still.
4. Do not use images of the disaster just to rake up views on socials. Do something constructive instead.

08/28/2026

New Metta sticker design drop with our lovely Tessa showing it off. Make any donation (US only) and we’ll send you one!

mettacenter.org/donate

08/27/2026

Tessa ain’t gonna study war no more. 🥰

08/25/2026

A Global Gathering for Peace.

Across borders, cultures and communities, the search for sustainable peace continues.

The 12th International Conference on Peace and Nonviolent Action (ICPNA 2026) brings together peacebuilders, researchers, academics, educators, youth, civil society leaders and changemakers from around the world to exchange ideas, share experiences and explore how Ahimsa and nonviolence can shape a more peaceful future.

🌎 Meet global voices.
💡 Share your work and ideas.
🤝 Build international connections.
🕊️ Turn dialogue into meaningful action.

📅 05–08 December 2026
📍 Ladnun, Rajasthan, India

Your country. Your experience. Your voice.
Bring them to the global conversation on peace.

• Join the 12th ICPNA 2026. Register now.

Ahimsa InternationalConference PeaceInAction SustainablePeace ANUVIBHA

08/19/2026

This September, Nonviolence Studies turns to Gandhian economics and nonviolent perspectives on economic life.

We’ll explore Gandhi’s ideas about work, wealth, consumption, self-reliance, and the purpose of an economy—and ask what these ideas might offer us today.

Each week includes self-paced resources, opportunities to connect in decentralized study groups, and Wednesday office hours with Michael Nagler. We also regularly welcome guest teachers to offer new perspectives, with their presentations recorded for those who can’t attend live.

Join us for a month of study, reflection, and conversation about economics through the lens of nonviolence.

Registration is now open for September.
mettacenter.org/nonviolencestudies

07/29/2026

It's Wednesday, which at Metta means, "Take Your Kitty to Work Day." Tessa has us all wrapped around her little paw. She wants you to remember to treat all animals with gentleness and to advocate for them always. 😻🐾😽

07/28/2026

Hi, I'm Stephanie, the director of the Metta Center for Nonviolence. I have an MA in Conflict Resolution and have been working in the field of nonviolence education for close to 20 years, and I want you to know about what I think is the best textbook on conflict resolution, probably ever (so far).

*Advanced Introduction to Conflict Resolution* from the Elgar Advanced Introductions Series out of Edward Elgar Publishing... (don't let the title get you down...it's a gem.) (No I was not asked to do this, but here I am.)

It's by (peace) anthropologist Douglas P. Fry, and it takes a global approach to conflict resolution, drawing upon insights and practices from Indigenous and non-Western societies around the world—a perspective that is often overlooked in books like this.

But this is more than a textbook. It's actually a fun read. It's self-help. It's inspiration for the journey of life. It's science. Fry is a fantastic writer. He's concise, clear, and funny; and he brings new light to a very old problem: conflict and violence.

He's clearly a disciplined writer and scholar, making ideas about peace and nonviolence extremely accessible to anyone interested in making their lives better.

This is a book full of wisdom and insight, hiding behind a very plain cover and a very basic title. Don't overlook it because of its humility. It's truly wonderful.

Please buy yourself a copy and then one more for a friend. We all need a little conflict support.

This has been a Public Service Announcement. 😊

https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/usd/advanced-introduction-to-conflict-resolution-9781035323906.html?srsltid=AfmBOooBuXR0zXNWCkF7fGQkUy-kSyd9_FO5rq_oEJvLFxkHtnjG8S_4

07/15/2026

"In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human. We must lovingly safeguard the grandeur of humanity bestowed upon us […], the splendor of which no machine can ever replace. True progress always stems from a heart open to others, an intelligence willing to listen, and a will that seeks what unites rather than what separates."(Magnifica Humanitas, paragraph 15)

Listen to our interview with Marie Dennis:

https://mettacenter.substack.com/p/ai-human-dignity-and-nonviolence

07/01/2026

What does it mean to live simply in a culture built on excess? In this episode of Nonviolence Radio, we speak with environmental activist Robin Greenfield, whose latest experiment is to forage 100% of his food and medicine for a year while traveling the country to help people rediscover their relationship with the Earth. Together we explore simplicity as a practice of nonviolence, the illusion of separateness, and how reconnecting with nature, community, and ourselves can become a profound act of resistance. As Greenfield reflects, "Connection is at the root of the solution to all of our problems, and disconnection is at the core of our societal woes." Drawing on influences including Gandhi, Peace Pilgrim, Thich Nhat Hanh, Marshall Rosenberg, and Robin Wall Kimmerer, he shares how a life of voluntary simplicity has become not one of sacrifice, but of greater freedom, joy, and connection.

Listen today at Nonviolence Radio:

https://www.mettacenter.org/nonviolenceradio

Address

205 Keller Street, Suite 204
Petaluma, CA
94952

Website

http://www.mettacenter.org/

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