Winter 2007 (Issue 33)    

     Intergenerational Co-Creation     |     Mastering Time     |    Prayer of Gratitude    |     InterGen Conference  

 
Fire Rainbow

INTERGENERATIONAL CO-CREATION

 © 2007 by Gordon Davidson

  One of the areas of social change that I have become very excited about is the realm of intergenerational cooperation and co-creation to build the new civilization and culture emerging all around us. I have been drawn into this work as the result of my experiences with many members of generations younger than myself--in courses I’ve taught, groups I’ve worked with and one-to-one mentoring and coaching. They have inspired me with their vision, enthusiasm, mental brilliance, and with their deep, heartfelt commitment to solving the core problems in our world. I also love that they remind me of the passion for change I felt when I was in my twenties!

   I have perceived how each generation seems to talk primarily to other members of their own meme or tribe, and how intergenerational sharing seems to need to be carefully sought out and facilitated to really occur in any depth. Part of the reason for this is that each generation seems to have its own language and way of thinking, which can be quite unique.

    For example, for the 60s generation, the idea of creating alternative communities, or meeting places where people could be supported to grow and explore new paradigms was usually called “dropping out” --going to “centers of Light” or “liberated zones” where people could free themselves from the unhealthy patterns of the current paradigm and find new ways of being and relating. These unhealthy patterns include identifying ourselves by the roles we play, the money or possessions we display, distorted relationships between men and women and with the earth, to name but a few.

   By contrast, the current 20 to 30 year olds, heavily influenced by technological and scientific language, call this process entering a “pattern interrupt,” and finding a “receptor site” you can plug into. Here is how some of my younger friends describe it:

“A pattern interrupt is taking a step back from our normal habits and seeing what is really happening. When there is an old ingrained pattern that doesn't serve – you actually have to hang out in the pattern interrupt – in between receptor sites – and hover there, and then organize around the vitality – which looks like our values, our embodied senses/awarenesses and our needs.

A person enters a pattern interrupt because they are no longer able to function in the normal pattern with their heightened awareness. You cannot really go back because you know more now. If you return it would be painful. What you have been able to integrate during the pattern interrupt, you can apply when you connect up with a new receptor site.”

   For some of the older generation, this might sound like a foreign language, just as my generation’s did to my parents. This highlights another key issue between the generations--the relationship between the idealism and passion of youth and the experience and sometimes world weariness of their elders. It often happens that creative members of the younger generation break away from their parents’ world and values (unless they happen to coincide, which they sometimes do) and establish their own generational “tribe” or “meme,” aka an affinity group. This process is necessary for individuals to establish a generational identity, as well as to establish their own personal values and identity.

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“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined non-conformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.”

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

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MASTERING TIME AS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

© 2007 Corinne McLaughlin

Do you find that you’re always trying to “beat the clock” to “save time”?  But did you ever ask yourself what you are saving it for?  People say, “Time flies when you’re having fun.”  But when you’re having a good time you don’t really worry about saving time, do you?  And they say that “time heals all wounds” when enough of it has passed.  So time is clearly a subjective, psychological experience. I’ve learned a great deal about myself spiritually by studying my relationship to time as a spiritual practice and using it more consciously.

How can we make time our friend, rather than an enemy we have to beat?  How can we fill it with magic and meaning, rather than with stress?  Can we see time as a clarifier of values, rather than as a taskmaster or an obstacle to overcome?

Many of us have a scarcity consciousness around time—there’s only 24 hours in the day, we say. Is our sense of accomplishment based on how many things we can get done in a given day--or is it based on the joy we experience each day and how much we’ve grown spiritually or helped others in some way?

I’ve found that time management is not about getting more things done or being busy. It’s about prioritizing what’s important—what our heart values.  Many people put off what’s most important to them in order to get all the other stuff out of the way first. Then they never have time for what’s really important. But how many people on their deathbed say, “I wish I had spent more time at the office?”  Most people say they wish they had spent more time with family, friends, or their spiritual practice.

Time management is essentially self-management and self-discipline.  Unconscious, habitual behavior actually consumes a great deal of our time, so becoming more aware of our patterns and how much time they take can make a big difference. 

I’d like to explore our relationship to time from several perspectives:  how to slow down, simplify and focus; how to use time as a mirror for understanding your values and relationships; the role of consciousness in experiencing past, present and future; and how to relieve time stress.

Read the whole article.     Print the article.

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“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched.  They must be felt within the heart.”

– Helen Keller

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Spiritual Practice PRACTICING GRATITUDE By Corinne McLaughlin  As we approach Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., we remember again the importance of gratitude.  But giving thanks is something we can do daily—not just on a special day. As it’s said, “An attitude of gratitude brings altitude” and lifts our consciousness.  We can get so focused on problems—personal and global—that we forget about all the wonderful things in our lives and in the world. I found that just listing what I was grateful for made me suddenly feel happier. Research shows that just a few minutes of feeling gratitude can calm the nervous system as it creates a resonant state in which the rhythms of the heart, breathing, blood pressure and brain are synchronized. Here is my prayer—what is yours? Thank you God for everything! For the gift of life itself and health and well-being, For the love and support of my friends and family, For the kindness of strangers, For the natural beauty I see all around me--mountains, rivers, trees, For the spiritual wisdom I’ve gained from many teachers and books, For the courage of social activists protecting our rights and our environment, For the laughter of children reminding me to play more often, For the strength I’ve gained from difficulties and hardships, For the opportunities I’ve had to serve and make the world a better place.   Print Prayer

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Letters from the Editor....

"You and your ministry are always in my prayers. I speak of your wonderful work to everyone I know. I am grateful that you keep us informed and share so much via the internet. I want to thank you again and again for all you Teach, Live and Share. I am Blessed to have met you and I do hope we can meet again. God is with you.”--Sister Therese Immaculate Di Condina, Reading, PA

“What a fabulous edition of Soul Light!  As always, it is beautiful and timely. Just this morning I was speaking with a colleague about how we could spiritually support each other and the world given the shifts, chaos, darkness, Light, new Aquarian civilization trying to come through, etc.  And then what should I receive, but Soul Light with a meditation on shifting which of course linked me to CVL's web page and all the other great meditations, articles, etc.  (I have an entire file at home of meditations and visualizations from y'all and many articles as well.)….So today's Soul Light has been a great lift as I seek to balance what's happening in the world today.  (Some days I am very aware of the Light and other days I despair of the darkness.  The USA seems like the frog in the pot of water that's slowly brought to a boil and the frog never realizes what's happening until it's too late.)” --Kit Turen, Washington, D.C.

“I appreciate receiving your latest newsletter.… In stating that 2012 will end with ‘a whimper or a bang’ to use a common cliché, this implies that it would end as seen from the ego's perspective, as either lack or attack forms of separation….[Teachings in] A Course in Miracles offer a deep sigh of relief.... a decision that does not lead to a weak whimper or exploding bang… a decision to choose freedom by making just the ‘one shift in perception’ choice that fully releases the past, not the many ‘shifting sands’ choices as the ego offers. ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away’ means that they will not continue to exist as separate states.  The end of the world is not its destruction, but its translation into Heaven.” --Alice Yeager, Edgewater, MD

 

WHAT'S NEW Books, magazines, films recommended: What Is Enlightenment Magazine:  fresh, innovative perspectives on consciousness, culture and cosmos, including regular dialogues with Ken Wilbur.  Themes of recent issues include: Ecology, Politics and Consciousness; Where Are All the Women and Can Business Save the World?  (www.EnlightenNext.org) WorldChanging:  A information filled website and beautiful book with colorful illustrations of emerging innovations and solutions for building a bright green future, from disaster relief to sustainable business, community gardens to climate change. (www.WorldChanging.com) Integral Consciousness and the Future of Evolution by Steve McIntosh, CEO of Now and Zen (Paragon House Sept. 2007) An introduction to the power of integral consciousness, making the work of philosopher Ken Wilbur more accessible, with new applications of integral philosophy to spirituality and politics.  It offers pragmatic solutions addressing global governance and environmental issues. (www.stevemcintosh.com) Across the Universe: film with a powerful and creative revisiting of the 1960s, striking themes very resonant for today such as war and activism, including a soundtrack with fresh new versions of Beatles songs. (At local theaters nationwide). Lions for Lambs:  In this unusual and very powerful film with excellent arguments from all sides, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise challenge us to examine deeply what we believe about terrorism, the war in Iraq, and the role of the media. As we watch the story unfolding, we as viewers find ourselves reflecting on what we stand for and what we’re willing to do for it--or whether we want to sit back passively and let decisions be made for us.  (At local theaters nationwide).

CONSULTING AND TRAINING The Center for Visionary Leadership offers consulting, training, coaching and facilitation services to a wide variety of clients in business, government and the non-profit sector.  The strength and sustainability of organizations today are achieved through clear vision, sound business practices, principle-centered leadership, commitment to employees, mastery of change, and service to the community. Our goal is to help you create a healthy, thriving organization --infused with shared vision and innovative solutions, attracting and retaining the best people, and being highly successful in achieving your goals.  Our highly trained professional staff will review your company’s individual needs and create a custom-made package to help you actualize your goals. MORE INFO

THE MYSTERY OF 2012: Predictions, Prophecies, and Possibilities With a chapter by CVL Co-founder Corinne McLaughlin on the future of business and politics.    See below for special link and discount code What Will Happen in 2012? Are we truly coming to the end of a cosmic cycle? Will there be an age of awakening, a new step in human evolution, or even an end to the world we know? For years, archaeologists have known the Mayan calendar predicts this date as the end of an era on Earth. Yet today, more and more researchers, spiritual explorers, and even scientists are witnessing signs that 2012 will mark a critical shift in the history of our planet. With chapters by Gregg Braden, Jean Houston, Peter Russell, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Jose Arguelles, John Major Jenkins, Daniel Pinchbeck, etc. examining the mystery from every angle—spiritual, economic, ecological, and scientific—so you can decide for yourself whether 2012 will brink chaos or transformation. Order at Sounds True today and get a 25% discount.  Enter the promotion code upon checking out from the Sounds True store and receive the discount. Promo Code: WEBVISLEAD

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