A Sacred Awakening into Sacred Activism with Sami Awad

In this episode of Peace is Power, host Janessa Gans Wilder speaks with Sami Awad, a Palestinian nonviolence practitioner, founder of Holy Land Trust, and co-director of Nonviolence International, about resistance, consciousness, and the spiritual foundations of peacebuilding. 

Sami describes the daily realities Palestinians face under occupation, including checkpoints, settler violence, and growing hopelessness. He reflects on the profound influence of his grandmother, who chose forgiveness and peacemaking after losing her husband and home during the Nakba.

Together, Janessa and Sami explore how systems of fear, domination, and separation shape human behavior and sustain violence across generations. The conversation ultimately becomes a call toward what Sami describes as “sacred awakening into sacred activism,” where awareness leads not to withdrawal, but to courageous engagement in the work of healing and transformation.

Key Takeaways:

Nonviolence as Empowerment

Sami describes nonviolence not as passivity, but as a deeply empowering form of resistance that dissolves fear and restores human dignity.

Awareness Changes Everything

The conversation explores how consciousness shapes systems of oppression, and how awareness interrupts automatic patterns of fear, separation, and domination.

Inner Work and Outer Action Are Connected

True peacebuilding requires both personal transformation and active resistance to unjust systems and structures.

Fear Sustains Systems of Power

From military occupation to modern consumer culture, systems of control depend on fear, conformity, and silence to survive.

Community Is Essential for Transformation

Neither activism nor spiritual growth can happen in isolation. Healing, resistance, and courage are strengthened through collective support and shared purpose.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Awakening and the loss of fear- Sami reflects on how awareness removes the ability to remain silent in the face of injustice.

(05:29) Returning to Bethlehem amid escalating violence- Sami describes daily life under occupation, including checkpoints, settler attacks, and growing despair among Palestinians.

(10:09) His grandmother’s response to the Nakba- After losing her husband and becoming a refugee, Sami’s grandmother chose forgiveness, peacemaking, and nonviolent resistance.

(17:11) The olive tree moment that changed his life- At age 12, Sami experienced the power of nonviolent resistance while planting olive trees on threatened land.

(20:27) Losing fear through nonviolence- Sami and Janessa discuss how nonviolent action can create an inner sense of calm, courage, and moral power.

(23:22) His uncle’s deportation for nonviolent activism- Sami recalls watching his uncle deported by Israeli authorities and realizing how threatening nonviolence can be to systems of power.

(28:01) Consciousness, systems, and separation- The conversation shifts toward how fear-based systems shape identity, conflict, and collective behavior.

(35:40) Jesus as a model of sacred resistance- Sami examines how Jesus combined spiritual transformation with direct resistance to oppressive systems.

(41:30) Inner transformation and dismantling systems- The discussion explores why personal healing and structural change must happen simultaneously.

(45:50) Where fertile ground for change exists today- Sami reflects on why resistance movements in privileged societies may be essential to global transformation.

(50:19) The discipline missing from modern peace movements- Sami argues that peace movements often lack the organization and commitment seen in militarized systems.

(55:59) Building global solidarity across struggles- Janessa and Sami discuss how movements for justice can strengthen one another across borders and identities.

(63:26) The first step toward awakening- Sami explains why honest self-awareness and confronting inner fear are foundational to transformation.

(66:58) Sacred awakening into sacred activism- The episode concludes with a call to pair spiritual awakening with courageous action in the world.

Guest bio:

Sami Awad is the Co-Director of Nonviolence International and a prominent voice for peace based in Bethlehem, Palestine. A lifelong advocate for nonviolent resistance, Sami has dedicated his life to envisioning a future where Palestinians and Israelis coexist in equality and respect for human rights. 

In 1995, he founded the Holy Land Trust to promote Palestinian justice through nonviolent means. In his current role at Nonviolence International, Sami oversees educational programming with a specialized focus on leadership development and trauma resilience, while also directing the organization’s communications and development initiatives. 

A graduate of American University’s School of International Service, Sami is a renowned author and speaker who continues to inspire audiences globally toward collective transformation.

In his new book, The Sacred Awakening: Reclaiming God Consciousness , Sami draws from his experience as a Palestinian nonviolence practitioner, peacebuilder, and spiritual teacher to explore what he describes as a "revolution of consciousness" rooted in the teachings of Jesus. Rather than presenting Christianity as a religion to be followed, the book invites readers to embody what he calls "Christ Consciousness"—a way of living grounded in radical love, nonviolence, healing, and transformative action. Blending personal narrative, history, scripture, and contemporary reflection, The Sacred Awakening offers a compelling framework for connecting inner awakening with social change and what Sami refers to as "sacred activism." 

This episode is sponsored by Euphrates Institute, a global community equipping everyday people to become peacebuilders through trainings, workshops, resources, and monthly calls. Join us at www.euphrates.org.