It's been an exciting time for the Emergence Project as we've moved ahead with a series of regular events and teleseminars covering themes such as the Divine Feminine, Sound Healing with Zacciah Blackburn, EFT as a healing modality with Dominic Mogavero, monthly Peace Teleseminars and a host of other topics. The central theme of this work is the integration of mindful practice with the realities of the Shift. We've also been speaking on "Ten Things You Should Know About the Shift" at various events in the New England area including one for Daniel Pinchbeck's Boston Evolver Group.
On another front, we've developed a separate initiative in the health care area working with some great partners. The first partnership is with Dr. Aihan Kuhn, physician, founder of New England Tai Chi, and author of several books on Tai Chi and Qi Gong. This work involves bringing these energy arts into greater visibility within the allopathic medical community. The second is a partnership with the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Center in Lancaster, MA, working with its president Lothar Pirc. This is a similar effort involving educating both traditional and alternative health care providers about the value of Ayurvedic approaches and treatments.
We've also had some interesting successes in increasing awareness for these projects. We were recently interviewed by French TV journalist Olivier Ponthus along with Daniel Pinchbeck for the Canal Plus program "The Butterfly Effect". Other media activities include an article in the December issue of Wisdom magazine by the Emergence Project, titled "Understanding the 2012 Phenomenon". Internet radio host Jeff Ferrannini wrote an article on our June conference that appeared in the Sept/Oct issue of 11:11 magazine. In addition, the editing work for a conference video was recently completed and the video is now available.
In September, we had a fundraising event with former Institute of Noetic Sciences President James O'Dea at the First Parish in Bedford Unitarian Church which greatly helped our efforts along with a generous donation from one of our major sponsors. We're planning another major conference in 2011 as well as smaller workshops and conferences throughout 2010. The Shift is taking place and awareness is rising but the need for practical and balanced information on this complex topic is greater than ever.
Annette and I are very grateful to all of those who have supported our work this year including attendees, sponsors, volunteers, and partners. Thank you for your support and Happy New Year.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Emergence Project Activities: Update
It's been an exciting time for the Emergence Project as we've moved ahead with a series of regular events and teleseminars covering themes such as the Divine Feminine, Sound Healing with Zacciah Blackburn, EFT as a healing modality with Dominic Mogavero, monthly Peace Teleseminars and a host of other topics. The central theme of this work is the integration of mindful practice with the realities of the Shift. We've also been speaking on "Ten Things You Should Know About the Shift" at various events in the New England area including one for Daniel Pinchbeck's Boston Evolver Group.
On another front, we've developed a separate initiative in the health care area working with some great partners. The first partnership is with Dr. Aihan Kuhn, physician, founder of New England Tai Chi, and author of several books on Tai Chi and Qi Gong. This work involves bringing these energy arts into greater visibility within the allopathic medical community. The second is a partnership with the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Center in Lancaster, MA, working with its president Lothar Pirc. This is a similar effort involving educating both traditional and alternative health care providers about the value of Ayurvedic approaches and treatments.
We've also had some interesting successes in increasing awareness for these projects. We were recently interviewed by French TV journalist Olivier Ponthus along with Daniel Pinchbeck for the Canal Plus program "The Butterfly Effect". Other media activities include an article in the December issue of Wisdom magazine by the Emergence Project, titled "Understanding the 2012 Phenomenon". Internet radio host Jeff Ferrannini wrote an article on our June conference that appeared in the Sept/Oct issue of 11:11 magazine. In addition, the editing work for a conference video was recently completed and the video is now available.
On another front, we've developed a separate initiative in the health care area working with some great partners. The first partnership is with Dr. Aihan Kuhn, physician, founder of New England Tai Chi, and author of several books on Tai Chi and Qi Gong. This work involves bringing these energy arts into greater visibility within the allopathic medical community. The second is a partnership with the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Center in Lancaster, MA, working with its president Lothar Pirc. This is a similar effort involving educating both traditional and alternative health care providers about the value of Ayurvedic approaches and treatments.
We've also had some interesting successes in increasing awareness for these projects. We were recently interviewed by French TV journalist Olivier Ponthus along with Daniel Pinchbeck for the Canal Plus program "The Butterfly Effect". Other media activities include an article in the December issue of Wisdom magazine by the Emergence Project, titled "Understanding the 2012 Phenomenon". Internet radio host Jeff Ferrannini wrote an article on our June conference that appeared in the Sept/Oct issue of 11:11 magazine. In addition, the editing work for a conference video was recently completed and the video is now available.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
The Shift: Staying Out of Fear
Here’s an excerpt from an article by the Emergence Project that was recently published in the December issue of Wisdom magazine:
The many misconceptions about 2012 and the Shift serve to create confusion and foster skepticism. One of the most common is the idea that 2012 is all about “the end of the world” or various apocalyptic scenarios. While it’s true that the choices that humanity collectively makes over the next few years will determine the extent to which these energies are tapped for positive transformation, we believe that excessively focusing on the negative can deflect attention from the important notion that this time in human destiny is a window of enormous opportunity.
One of the most important messages that we like to stress is the need to stay out of fear. Fear-based thinking is easy to slip into during this time of great social and economic turmoil, but easily becomes a millstone that weighs down the awakening process.
However the Shift is indeed surfacing darker aspects and energies that are being presented for what spiritual teachers and lightworkers call transmutation i.e. working through the dark matter of accumulated karma. Carl Jung calls this embracing or confronting the shadow self in order to heal the whole. We are doing this now on a collective scale. And it’s part of the process of the Shift. Although theses confrontations and shadows may be difficult to deal with, these “instant replays” of past events and stuck emotional energy are gifts and opportunities for spiritual growth.
The full article is entitled “Understanding the 2012 Phenomenon” and is available online at http://wisdom-magazine.com/Article.aspx/1404/
The many misconceptions about 2012 and the Shift serve to create confusion and foster skepticism. One of the most common is the idea that 2012 is all about “the end of the world” or various apocalyptic scenarios. While it’s true that the choices that humanity collectively makes over the next few years will determine the extent to which these energies are tapped for positive transformation, we believe that excessively focusing on the negative can deflect attention from the important notion that this time in human destiny is a window of enormous opportunity.
One of the most important messages that we like to stress is the need to stay out of fear. Fear-based thinking is easy to slip into during this time of great social and economic turmoil, but easily becomes a millstone that weighs down the awakening process.
However the Shift is indeed surfacing darker aspects and energies that are being presented for what spiritual teachers and lightworkers call transmutation i.e. working through the dark matter of accumulated karma. Carl Jung calls this embracing or confronting the shadow self in order to heal the whole. We are doing this now on a collective scale. And it’s part of the process of the Shift. Although theses confrontations and shadows may be difficult to deal with, these “instant replays” of past events and stuck emotional energy are gifts and opportunities for spiritual growth.
The full article is entitled “Understanding the 2012 Phenomenon” and is available online at http://wisdom-magazine.com/Article.aspx/1404/
Perspective on the Movie "2012"
This is an editorial that recently appeared in the Boston Globe on the subject of the movie “2012”:
"The disaster flick “2012’’ swamped all competitors when it opened last weekend with ticket sales of $65 million domestically and $225 million worldwide, proving once again what soothsayers, prophets, and various other con men have always known - that doomsday does boffo at the box office. The premise of director Roland Emmerich’s computer-graphic action picture is that the end of a long cycle in the Mayan calendar, on Dec. 21, 2012, will usher in volcanoes, tidal waves, and a general freak-out by Mother Nature. So many folks take seriously this sort of apocalyptic paranoia that NASA felt compelled to post assurances on its website that the world will last awhile longer. Even so, some dire trends demand attention right away: Glaciers and the Greenland ice cap are melting, the permafrost in Siberia is thawing, and rainforests are vanishing from the map. Yet the leaders of nations go on dawdling about climate change. Perhaps they should spend more time at the multiplex. They are not paranoid enough about the fragility of life on earth.”
Here’s a letter that we sent to the Boston Globe in response:
To the Editor:
Your recent editorial (11/20) is rightly critical of the 2012 movie which purports to represent the notion of what the 2012 phenomenon is all about. We agree with your assessment that an apocalyptic view is not a useful or accurate framing. However, we feel it’s important to distinguish between a Hollywood oversimplification of complex material and the deeper research and explorations that underlie the popular idea. Mayan historical information represents an interpretative challenge that needs to be approached with balanced thinking and an open mind.
The 2012 phenomenon, which our nonprofit is working to provide greater clarity and balance about, is now getting increased mainstream attention including a recent television program from National Geographic and an article in Archaeology magazine, published by the Archaeological Institute of America. But because 2012 research is complex and highly nuanced, it will invariably lend itself to misinterpretations, the most common of which is the notion that the 2012 end-date is about the end of the world or an apocalyptic reckoning of some sort. There are, of course, some interpreters who offer this view but many others -- including contemporary Mayan elders, well-regarded scholars like John Major Jenkins, and our own organization the Emergence Project -- view this time as a major window of opportunity for an extraordinary and positive transformation in human culture.
"The disaster flick “2012’’ swamped all competitors when it opened last weekend with ticket sales of $65 million domestically and $225 million worldwide, proving once again what soothsayers, prophets, and various other con men have always known - that doomsday does boffo at the box office. The premise of director Roland Emmerich’s computer-graphic action picture is that the end of a long cycle in the Mayan calendar, on Dec. 21, 2012, will usher in volcanoes, tidal waves, and a general freak-out by Mother Nature. So many folks take seriously this sort of apocalyptic paranoia that NASA felt compelled to post assurances on its website that the world will last awhile longer. Even so, some dire trends demand attention right away: Glaciers and the Greenland ice cap are melting, the permafrost in Siberia is thawing, and rainforests are vanishing from the map. Yet the leaders of nations go on dawdling about climate change. Perhaps they should spend more time at the multiplex. They are not paranoid enough about the fragility of life on earth.”
Here’s a letter that we sent to the Boston Globe in response:
To the Editor:
Your recent editorial (11/20) is rightly critical of the 2012 movie which purports to represent the notion of what the 2012 phenomenon is all about. We agree with your assessment that an apocalyptic view is not a useful or accurate framing. However, we feel it’s important to distinguish between a Hollywood oversimplification of complex material and the deeper research and explorations that underlie the popular idea. Mayan historical information represents an interpretative challenge that needs to be approached with balanced thinking and an open mind.
The 2012 phenomenon, which our nonprofit is working to provide greater clarity and balance about, is now getting increased mainstream attention including a recent television program from National Geographic and an article in Archaeology magazine, published by the Archaeological Institute of America. But because 2012 research is complex and highly nuanced, it will invariably lend itself to misinterpretations, the most common of which is the notion that the 2012 end-date is about the end of the world or an apocalyptic reckoning of some sort. There are, of course, some interpreters who offer this view but many others -- including contemporary Mayan elders, well-regarded scholars like John Major Jenkins, and our own organization the Emergence Project -- view this time as a major window of opportunity for an extraordinary and positive transformation in human culture.
Friday, November 13, 2009
2012: Does The Date Matter?
Much has been made of the exact date at which the Shift will have reached its greatest point of intensity or will have completed, depending on the interpretation. But placing too much emphasis on the date itself can be a distraction. The Shift is already taking place and the parameters of the cycle -- when it started and when it will end in the scheme of things -- needs to be placed into perspective.
What’s most important is aligning with the new energies in ways that each of us feels is right for ourselves in the here and now. There’s no formula, no magic calculator . Worrying about this or that date in some ways almost amounts to a kind of New Age theology (which is as good an oxymoron as any....remember medieval theologians debating about how many angels could fit on the head of a pin?)
None of this is to take away from the work of many very worthy interpreters of the Mayan information such as John Major Jenkins and Carl Johan Calleman. This deep and mindful scholarship is a necesssary part of the process of trying to understand and explicate interpretations of this sacred wisdom and the living mystery of 2012. But Annette and I have noticed that for many who are newly familiar to the background behind the Shift or are skeptical about it in general, the notion of a specific end date is often a kind of stumbling block to further exploration. Focusing too much on the date and "Shift as event" can also be a distraction from mindful preparation for a deep transformation that's already well underway.
What’s most important is aligning with the new energies in ways that each of us feels is right for ourselves in the here and now. There’s no formula, no magic calculator . Worrying about this or that date in some ways almost amounts to a kind of New Age theology (which is as good an oxymoron as any....remember medieval theologians debating about how many angels could fit on the head of a pin?)
None of this is to take away from the work of many very worthy interpreters of the Mayan information such as John Major Jenkins and Carl Johan Calleman. This deep and mindful scholarship is a necesssary part of the process of trying to understand and explicate interpretations of this sacred wisdom and the living mystery of 2012. But Annette and I have noticed that for many who are newly familiar to the background behind the Shift or are skeptical about it in general, the notion of a specific end date is often a kind of stumbling block to further exploration. Focusing too much on the date and "Shift as event" can also be a distraction from mindful preparation for a deep transformation that's already well underway.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
2012, the Movie: Exploring Alternative Perspectives
Daniel Pinchbeck was one of the keynote speakers at our June 6th conference in Boston. He’s a keen observer about the social and cultural nuances of the Shift and the expressive meme dance that gets played out in the mediasphere as the process of emergence continues. Daniel founded an organization called Evolver which is working on a number of fronts for positive social change in the larger context of the Shift.
There are Evolver groups in many major US cities including Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Boston. But it’s a worldwide reach with groups in Athens, Stockholm, Vancouver and other cities internationally. I’ve attended a number of Evolver Boston meetings ably guided by Joe Moore. Monthly topics are synced up nationally. To date the discussions have been intriguing and wide ranging and have included health care, permaculture, innovative approaches to currency and finance, relocalization, sustainable agriculture, and others.
On November 21 in Boston, The Emergence Project will be partnering with both the Disinformation Company and Evolver to host an event in Boston on 2012 and the Shift. The timing and theme is keyed to the release of Sony Pictures movie “2012”. As Daniel explains it:
“Considering that nobody knows what’s going to happen in 2012, the end of the Mayan Calendar functions as a tremendously intriguing meme upon which we can project our hopes and fears, dreams and desires. Hollywood has now offered up a massive collective shadow projection in the form of a $250 million disaster epic that takes the aesthetics of annihilation to a new pitch of perfection. Paradoxically, this doom-riddled blockbuster could create a great opening to offer an alternative vision of what 2012 could be for our planet. Potentially, 2012 could represent the coming-to-consciousness of the human species, in which we take responsibility for our role as agents of conscious evolution. “
Annette Farrington, our Executive Director, and I will be speaking at this event on "Ten Things You Should Know about 2012”. We hope to see you there.
There are Evolver groups in many major US cities including Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Boston. But it’s a worldwide reach with groups in Athens, Stockholm, Vancouver and other cities internationally. I’ve attended a number of Evolver Boston meetings ably guided by Joe Moore. Monthly topics are synced up nationally. To date the discussions have been intriguing and wide ranging and have included health care, permaculture, innovative approaches to currency and finance, relocalization, sustainable agriculture, and others.
On November 21 in Boston, The Emergence Project will be partnering with both the Disinformation Company and Evolver to host an event in Boston on 2012 and the Shift. The timing and theme is keyed to the release of Sony Pictures movie “2012”. As Daniel explains it:
“Considering that nobody knows what’s going to happen in 2012, the end of the Mayan Calendar functions as a tremendously intriguing meme upon which we can project our hopes and fears, dreams and desires. Hollywood has now offered up a massive collective shadow projection in the form of a $250 million disaster epic that takes the aesthetics of annihilation to a new pitch of perfection. Paradoxically, this doom-riddled blockbuster could create a great opening to offer an alternative vision of what 2012 could be for our planet. Potentially, 2012 could represent the coming-to-consciousness of the human species, in which we take responsibility for our role as agents of conscious evolution. “
Annette Farrington, our Executive Director, and I will be speaking at this event on "Ten Things You Should Know about 2012”. We hope to see you there.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
"Evolutionary Triggers" for a New Consciousness
One of the most amazing books I’ve read on the subject of human spiritual evolution is “Unknown Man: Birth of a New Species” by Yatri. It’s an improbable book that I bought back in the early 90’s offered by mainstream publisher Simon and Shuster. The book has almost a coffee table presentation feel and format to it and is full of razor-sharp insights. I’ve held onto it for years though a number of house moves and other zigs and zags.
According to Amazon, the book is still available although if you want a new copy you’ll have to pony up $83.00. I pulled out my well-preserved copy the other day and I’ve been dipping into it here and there for the last few days. One particularly interesting passage caught my eye under the heading “Waking up the Evolutionary Sleepers.” The context is an “evolutionary trigger which could cause an quantum leap in consciousness.”
Yatri points out a number of possibilities and says “The most likely triggering mechanism for the species as a whole seem to be “an environmental or cultural crisis on a truly apocalyptic scale; a powerful shock to man’s view of himself and the universe in which he lives; or critical mass or sheer numbers of evolutionary pioneers who have already entered the natural state. This whole endeavor creates a vibrational resonating field or Buddha field which can trigger a chain reaction in the whole population.”
In general, this idea of resonance pops up in many different contexts. Transcendental Meditation is one of them. The TM community talked years ago about trying to achieve the goal of having some small but effective percentage of meditators established in a targeted city effect a change in the crime rate. Given the Maharishi’s scientific bent, there were fairly precise numbers available. In other contexts, group meditations create resonance within the group and the effects benefit others as well. Many commentators on the Shift point to the process of how a wave of harmonization could help trigger a larger state change such as what Yatri is describing.
Equally intriguing is the notion of a “a powerful shock to man’s view of himself and the universe in which he lives.” What might such a shock consist of? Back in the day Galileo’s discovery would qualify. But now, what might that be? Discovery and confirmation of alien intelliegences and civilization? Verification of the crop circle phenomenon as certifiably unexplainable? With respect to crop circles, perhaps, but as along as there’s room for interpretation, there seems to be little chance of a “shock” occurring. Or some sort of mind-bending scientific discovery? To speculate on what such a shock might be is in itself a worthy thought experiment. Stay tuned.
According to Amazon, the book is still available although if you want a new copy you’ll have to pony up $83.00. I pulled out my well-preserved copy the other day and I’ve been dipping into it here and there for the last few days. One particularly interesting passage caught my eye under the heading “Waking up the Evolutionary Sleepers.” The context is an “evolutionary trigger which could cause an quantum leap in consciousness.”
Yatri points out a number of possibilities and says “The most likely triggering mechanism for the species as a whole seem to be “an environmental or cultural crisis on a truly apocalyptic scale; a powerful shock to man’s view of himself and the universe in which he lives; or critical mass or sheer numbers of evolutionary pioneers who have already entered the natural state. This whole endeavor creates a vibrational resonating field or Buddha field which can trigger a chain reaction in the whole population.”
In general, this idea of resonance pops up in many different contexts. Transcendental Meditation is one of them. The TM community talked years ago about trying to achieve the goal of having some small but effective percentage of meditators established in a targeted city effect a change in the crime rate. Given the Maharishi’s scientific bent, there were fairly precise numbers available. In other contexts, group meditations create resonance within the group and the effects benefit others as well. Many commentators on the Shift point to the process of how a wave of harmonization could help trigger a larger state change such as what Yatri is describing.
Equally intriguing is the notion of a “a powerful shock to man’s view of himself and the universe in which he lives.” What might such a shock consist of? Back in the day Galileo’s discovery would qualify. But now, what might that be? Discovery and confirmation of alien intelliegences and civilization? Verification of the crop circle phenomenon as certifiably unexplainable? With respect to crop circles, perhaps, but as along as there’s room for interpretation, there seems to be little chance of a “shock” occurring. Or some sort of mind-bending scientific discovery? To speculate on what such a shock might be is in itself a worthy thought experiment. Stay tuned.
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