12 Global Challenges Local Governance in the 21 st Century Dr. Shariff Abdullah Commonway Institute www.commonway.org
Lesson #1: Katrina leaders (Federal, state and local) were not prepared to deal with turbulent times . ARE YOU PREPARED? Lesson #2: Katrina leadership was unable to see “invisible populations” (race, class, culture) CAN YOU SEE YOUR “INVISIBLE” POPULATIONS? Lesson #3: Ordinary people quickly adapted to the Katrina crisis, but were blocked and thwarted by their government. ARE YOU READY TO BE CREATIVE, SUPPORTIVE AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE?
Security Spiritual/ Water Cultural Media Food 12 Global Ecology Energy Challenges Habitat Health Education Politics Economics
Security Spiritual/ Water Cultural Media Food 12 Global Ecology Energy Challenges Habitat Health Education Politics Economics
Exercise… Global Challenges and Local Turbulence 1. Name your top 3 (most important) 1. Security challenges. 2. Water 3. Food 2. Prioritize. 4. Energy 5. Health 3. Come to consensus at your group 6. Politics regarding your top 3 challenges. 7. Economics 8. Education BONUS: How prepared is your 9. Habitat (community/ agency/ church/ 10. Ecology organization) in dealing with potential 11. Media local turbulence? 12. Spiritual/ Cultural
Releasing the Shadow – Embracing the Light Background, History, Process Unity of Portland 2017
Impetus for “Shadow to Light”… • Public mass shootings: “Anger-Fueled Suicide” • Talk on “racism” • The Age of Trump • The frustration of the Left (and Right).
What We Will Do in S2L… • Drilling deep into our historical, cultural, psychological and Spiritual roots. • Working with problems at their root, not at their presenting symptoms. • The “dojo”: Working hard, getting strong. • Trying not to “judge”. • Not a “head-centered” approach. • The antidote to the Shadow is Ecstasy. (Kingsley quote)
The Four Themes… The Shadows: The Lights: 1. The Shadow of VIOLENCE 1. The Light of Peace and 2. The Shadow of the OTHER: Security (Racism, Sexism and Other 2. The Light of Inclusive Aspects of Separation) Community 3. The Shadow of LACK: 3. The Light of True (Poverty, Greed & Abundance & Enoughness Hoarding) 4. The Light of Deep 4. The Shadow of DESPAIR Fulfillment (Depression and Suicide) Imagine what America will be like!
The Shadow Release Process Based on the “Battle Energy Release Process”. • (Machelle Small Wright) “Slavery Energy Release Process”. (Commonway) • City-Wide Meditation Experiment (T.M.) • Koestler “Baby Chicks” Experiment • A.A. “12 Steps” Approach •
What is “The Shadow”? “Shadow” is what we fear. “Shadow” is fear itself. Shadow produced by something blocking the Light.
What is the Effect of the Shadow? (Personal and Societal…) Personal: Societal: • Keeps us small; • A society based on fears & unenlightened insecurities. • Keeps us from perceiving • A society that Reality perpetuates injustice. • Magnifies fears • A society that is • Keeps us from greatness fundamentally • Self-destructive unsustainable. • Angry • A society that is immoral. • Disempowered • A society that is mindless. • Depressed & numb • A suicidal society.
What Keeps the Shadow in Place? (Discuss in pairs for 5 minutes…)
What Keeps the Shadow in Place? DENIAL that it even exists • FEAR of what lurks behind it • Attachment to a STORY that requires the Shadow… • Eliminating the Shadow invalidates one’s Story • Inability to admit wrong means inability to • apologize and seek FORGIVENESS Accepting your Shadow as your IDENTITY… • Inability to face who you have been • Inability to face who you will become • Inability to face loss of COMMUNITY (even if its • negative) Fear of the UNKNOWN • Fear of our GREATNESS •
The S2L 2017 Process… Starting Fall 2017 (Pilot/Pioneer) • Pioneering Unity churches • Partnerships with IONS and others • Training and certifying local catalysts (12 • week course) Conducting S2L Energy Transformation • Sessions (once per week) Major rollout: Fall, 2018 • Formal relationships with UWM, • Noetics, AGNT and others. We have 7 churches right now… •
S2L Pilot: 3-Step Program… Step 1: Training the Catalysts/Facilitators Step 2: Energy Transformation Sessions (ETS) Step 3: Community-Building Activities (“Commons Café”)
Step 1: Training the Catalysts/Facilitators At least 12 participants per church. • Small churches? • Reaching beyond church membership. • Trained and certified in S2L techniques. • 12 weeks, at 2 hours/week. • Start: September, 2017. • Content: • Training recorded before live participants. • Local content •
Step 2: Energy Transformation Sessions (ETS) • Sundays, before or after regular services. • Purpose: Actually shift/transform energy of Shadows and bring in Light. • Process: 20-30 minutes: • Orientation • Visual meditation • Energy shift affirmations
Step 3: Community-Building Activities (“Commons Café”)
S2L Churches provide: Consistent time and location. • Logistics • Local facilitation, including facilitate • local discussion (fr prepared materials). Reach out to local groups •
Commonway provides: Certification process • Training materials, including: • Primary training content • ETS content • “Homework” for certification • Weekly discussion points •
…
THE INCLUSIVITY PRAYER MAY I BE WELL. MAY I BE SECURE. MAY I BE HAPPY. MAY YOU BE WELL. MAY YOU BE SECURE. MAY YOU BE HAPPY. MAY ALL BEINGS BE WELL. MAY ALL BEINGS BE SECURE. MAY ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY. And so it is.
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