Building the World's Peace Dome

WHEN

Why now?

In the 1970's the School of Metaphysics was founded. In the 1980's land was purchased as a future site of the campus of the College of Metaphysics. The 1990's were preparation for the current endeavors.

In 1993, students attended the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago where Dr. Daniel R. Condron gave a major address and Dr. Barbara Condron, a seminar. The Power of Prayer around the World, a musical presentation drawing upon the commonalities of the world's major religious teachings, was presented under the direction of Dr. Pam Blosser by a choral group from ten states.

In 1995, the Universal Hour of Peace was initiated on the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. This became an annual quest to united people worldwide in a simultaneous hour of peace in 1997. In that year, work on the Universal Peace Covenant was completed. The principles of creation that students learn and practice were being refined and put into a form unique in humanity's history. The Universal Peace Covenant is an outstanding visionary document capturing the best of humanity and opening the heart and mind to spiritual progression

In 2001, construction on the first dome began and the following year a student realized its presence as the Peace Dome. Since then, this sacred thought form has touched every thought and action concerning this structure. For some, the events of 9-11-01 help bring this realization to the surface as does the constant prospect of war between nations. Peace has become political for many. We hope to elevate the commonly accepted definition of peace as "the absence of war".

Peace is active. And its time is now. Always the present moment, for anyone ready to embrace it.

Why a dome?

A dome is the structure of the future. It is time for us to begin realizing the effects of structure in our lives. This is ancient wisdom dating back to the Great Pyramid of Giza into the days of the freemasons. It is now time for this previously secret knowledge to be made known so all people can be responsive to it. The most limiting use of space is the square/rectangle, yet it is the basis for almost all houses that are mass produced. The structure of the future will not be square, and living in rounded structures will change the consciousness of the people who inhabit them.

In architectural terms, this particular dome is called a monolithic dome; mono means one, and lithic means rock or layer of rock. These domes include an air foil (plastic outer lining), a 3-4’ layer of polyurethane, and an interior layer of concrete. Polyurethane is a material that is in mattresses, car seats, and just about everywhere. When the resin and catalyst that make up the foam are mixed rapidly, they form a reaction that expands 30 times in size and makes one of the best insulators known to man. Because the structure is one layered piece, there are no joints, no weaknesses. The simple construction, the elegant smooth lines of a dome are unusually sound, and beautiful.

Practically speaking, these domes cost about the same to construct as a regular house of comparable square footage. They are more than seven times more energy efficient. Their form traps energy in a way that is most natural and most spiritual. The interior acoustics are phenomenal. Rodents and insects cannot penetrate, erode, or in any way get inside. The domes are very clean and stable.

There are example after example of areas hit by a hurricane or tornado where everything except domes and World War II shelters were blown apart. The strength far exceeds any other structure. They hold up to earthquakes, slumping landscapes, high winds, heavy rain, snow, anything. One family built a dome in Idaho where the winters are cold and the snow is deep. They spent a mere $114 for their entire year’s heating bill! One person asked “how do you heat a dome if you have no furnace or fire place?” The instructor answered, “In many areas the heat from lights, ovens, refrigerators, and from your body are sufficient to heat the dome.”

It is a cliche to say that domes are a wave of the future. However, in view of the energy crisis that seems to continue to rear its head in places like California, and in light of mankind searching for a more natural, a more spiritual life, domes are a viable answer. The Monolithic Dome Institute, the people who helped us inflate this dome is bearing this out as they build domes all over the world, not only large sports facilities, churches and schools, but also many home-owner domes.

Why dedicated to Peace?

Since its establishment in 1973 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to aiding any individual to become a whole, functioning Self, the School of Metaphysics has taught the Universal principles that lead to peace, contentment, and security. Through concentration, meditation, and visualization we learn to harness the power of the mind and body. In 1995, SOM initiated the Universal Hour of Peace, first held on October 26, the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations. Throughout the next year, teachers drafted early versions of what would become the Universal Peace Covenant. It was the concentrated thought to create this outstanding document describing in detail the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical conditions that create peace within an individual and within all of humanity, that moved our consciousness by quantum leaps toward the building of the world's first Peace Dome. As it states in the Covenant...."Peace is an idea whose time has come."

How is the Peace Dome being built?

In the beginning we collected pennies. A student sometime somewhere said – remarking on how the valuable School of Metaphysics course should expand to all disciplines – "Let’s build a College of Metaphysics!" The saving of pennies became a way of providing a unique place of study to fulfill that dream. Originally the pennies were collected to serve as a down payment in purchasing the land. When the time came to make the initial payment on the land where the college is being built, students wanted to continue collecting pennies. It was an idea that had power because it activated the imagination. The dream spread. Every time students saw pennies and contributed them, they imagined what it would be like to have their own college.

The land was acquired in 1981 and paid for by donations by the end of that decade. As the newspapers reported it at the time...

"Monday, the School of Metaphysics made a payment on 712 acres of land near Windyville, Mo. Usually the name of the organization sparks the greatest curiosity but this time it was the transaction. The final payment, making the School’s students owners of the property, was made with over 700,00 pennies."

The 1990's were preparation for the current endeavors. In 1993, students attended the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago where Dr. Daniel R. Condron gave a major address and Dr. Barbara Condron, a seminar. The Power of Prayer around the World, a musical presentation drawing upon the commonalities of the world's major religious teachings, was presented by a choral group from ten states.

In 1995, the Universal Hour of Peace was initiated on the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. This became an annual quest to united people worldwide in a simultaneous hour of peace in 1997. In that year, work on the Universal Peace Covenant was completed. The principles of creation that students learn and practice were being refined and put into a form unique in humanity's history. The Universal Peace Covenant is an outstanding visionary document capturing the best of humanity and opening the heart and mind to spiritual progression

In 2001, construction on the first Peace Dome began.

How is the Peace Dome being financed?

One hundred percent through donations. The School of Metaphysics is recognized as a 501(c)(3) not for profit educational institute which fulfills an important role in society. This means donations made to SOM are tax deductible for the person giving. What it doesn't tell you is that all the people associated with the school – from SOM directors to its teachers and authors – volunteer their time and talents as well as their money to make this dream live. Everyone in this school is a student and we all care about what we are building. Your financial contribution is needed, will be wisely used, and is greatly appreciated.