Thursday, October 2, 2008
As the current financial crisis or, as written Chinese allows, opportunity unfolds it deepens in complexity and broadens in scope. The layers of it lay bare to excavation as levels of snow lay open to observation in a snow pit, a stratified story of accumulated precipitation. Our story shows stratifications of greed (don´t jump to conclusions – read on).
First speculation, then subprime (junk) mortgages, then the credit collapse, then the financial implosion (happening big time now), and then the global impact which is generating more strata that we will be able to study in the near future. In the more distant future, the entire picture will change, but the nature of that change is being determined now and not in places that you might imagine, such as the Fed, Treasury, what is left of the financial sector, or central bank boardrooms. It is being determined in the intimacy of your own experience, clothed in the unique circumstances of your own life.
Every physical dysfunction has correlates depicted in terms of traumas, blood tests, MRIs, etc. Physicians assign these correlates the elevated title of “cause” but they are not ultimate causes. They consistently accompany symptoms and therefore appear as causal when perception is limited to the five senses. Large portions of the human population, now estimated to be six billion, are experiencing expanded perception, perception that allows them access to data the five senses cannot provide, and they are experimenting with it. CEOs of large and successful companies have always been known to be intuitive (although current events call that into question). Now hundreds of millions of individuals are realizing in their own ways and times that their lives are more than they thought, that they are more than minds and bodies, more than muscle and tissue, and their experiences are meaningful in significant and important ways.
These individuals no longer depend upon others to determine for them what is valuable and what is not, what is worth their attention and what is not. Often their new perceptions conflict with old values and perceptions – in other words, with fear. In that case neither priest, psychologist, parent, nor peer can ease their discomfort, the essential discomfort of needing to choose – and be responsible for the choice – between fear and love, competition and cooperation, discord and harmony, hoarding and sharing, and reverence for Life and exploitation of life. Our species is becoming “multisensory” (more sensory systems than one), aware of its creative capacity, of its place in a larger fabric of Life, and of its responsibility for what it creates. The choices between love and fear are becoming clearer. Competition, discord, hoarding, and exploitation are choices of fear. Cooperation, harmony, sharing, and reverence for Life are choices of love.
This brings us back to the excavation of our current financial circumstance. Each strata (speculation, junk mortgages, credit collapse, etc) is a construction of greed that rests upon previous constructions. But what is greed? It is a face of fear. Beneath greed lays the pain of powerlessness, the terror of not having, accumulating, or being enough, ever. (If “pain of powerlessness” sounds poetic or flakey to you, ask anyone in the derivative business if it is real or not.) Actually, you can ask yourself. Have you ever experienced the unraveling of a relationship that you thought you could not live without, or a business fail (oops, unnecessary question), or feared losing your home (a terribly painful question), or outliving your assets? Is that painful or not? If you are not aware of how painful it is, you have addicted yourself to over–eating, over–working, drugs, sex, alcohol, gambling, or other temporary anesthetics.
The collapse of the uncollapsable, ruin of the unruinable, and destruction of the indestructible in the financial sector and beyond (way beyond) is symbolic. An old order (not just economic) is becoming dysfunctional. It may be patched together enough (for example, “creative capitalism”) to enable it to function in decline, with periodic lapses, until it is finally replaced but the symbols are undeniable. Many of the possible futures that lie beyond the old order are inviting, although some are terrifying. Which will you choose in the intimacy of your own experience? You are not as powerless as you think.
First speculation, then subprime (junk) mortgages, then the credit collapse, then the financial implosion (happening big time now), and then the global impact which is generating more strata that we will be able to study in the near future. In the more distant future, the entire picture will change, but the nature of that change is being determined now and not in places that you might imagine, such as the Fed, Treasury, what is left of the financial sector, or central bank boardrooms. It is being determined in the intimacy of your own experience, clothed in the unique circumstances of your own life.Every physical dysfunction has correlates depicted in terms of traumas, blood tests, MRIs, etc. Physicians assign these correlates the elevated title of “cause” but they are not ultimate causes. They consistently accompany symptoms and therefore appear as causal when perception is limited to the five senses. Large portions of the human population, now estimated to be six billion, are experiencing expanded perception, perception that allows them access to data the five senses cannot provide, and they are experimenting with it. CEOs of large and successful companies have always been known to be intuitive (although current events call that into question). Now hundreds of millions of individuals are realizing in their own ways and times that their lives are more than they thought, that they are more than minds and bodies, more than muscle and tissue, and their experiences are meaningful in significant and important ways.
These individuals no longer depend upon others to determine for them what is valuable and what is not, what is worth their attention and what is not. Often their new perceptions conflict with old values and perceptions – in other words, with fear. In that case neither priest, psychologist, parent, nor peer can ease their discomfort, the essential discomfort of needing to choose – and be responsible for the choice – between fear and love, competition and cooperation, discord and harmony, hoarding and sharing, and reverence for Life and exploitation of life. Our species is becoming “multisensory” (more sensory systems than one), aware of its creative capacity, of its place in a larger fabric of Life, and of its responsibility for what it creates. The choices between love and fear are becoming clearer. Competition, discord, hoarding, and exploitation are choices of fear. Cooperation, harmony, sharing, and reverence for Life are choices of love.
This brings us back to the excavation of our current financial circumstance. Each strata (speculation, junk mortgages, credit collapse, etc) is a construction of greed that rests upon previous constructions. But what is greed? It is a face of fear. Beneath greed lays the pain of powerlessness, the terror of not having, accumulating, or being enough, ever. (If “pain of powerlessness” sounds poetic or flakey to you, ask anyone in the derivative business if it is real or not.) Actually, you can ask yourself. Have you ever experienced the unraveling of a relationship that you thought you could not live without, or a business fail (oops, unnecessary question), or feared losing your home (a terribly painful question), or outliving your assets? Is that painful or not? If you are not aware of how painful it is, you have addicted yourself to over–eating, over–working, drugs, sex, alcohol, gambling, or other temporary anesthetics.
The collapse of the uncollapsable, ruin of the unruinable, and destruction of the indestructible in the financial sector and beyond (way beyond) is symbolic. An old order (not just economic) is becoming dysfunctional. It may be patched together enough (for example, “creative capitalism”) to enable it to function in decline, with periodic lapses, until it is finally replaced but the symbols are undeniable. Many of the possible futures that lie beyond the old order are inviting, although some are terrifying. Which will you choose in the intimacy of your own experience? You are not as powerless as you think. This comment has been removed by the author.
posted by
Darren J.: October 2, 2008 at 12:49 AM Delete:
posted by
Darren J.: October 2, 2008 at 12:49 AM Delete:
I do find myself grateful for times like these, as I know sometimes they are necessary for one to see.
posted by Isle Dance: October 2, 2008 at 7:55 AM Delete:
posted by
Isle Dance: October 2, 2008 at 7:55 AM Delete:
As I watch what is going on around me, it just seems that the world is exactly the way it's supposed to be. If you look back through the centuries, civilizations come and go, economies come and go, even in my own life, all tragedy and adversity comes and goes. It seems that the purpose of it all is that we learn and grow from it. I have never experienced loss that did not lead to even bigger gains. Not necessarily monetarily, but in life satisfaction or personal awareness or greater satisfaction with the new direction. I guess I have learned to trust that I will cope with whatever comes my way. I am afraid, but I am not ruled by the fear. Deb M. Homewood, IL
posted by DebM: October 2, 2008 at 8:55 AM Delete:
posted by
DebM: October 2, 2008 at 8:55 AM Delete:
Gary,
When I look back at what seems ages ago, the 1960's and even the 50's when the sense of America was to reward service men with GI bills, with mortages, with a chance at education which I had for so little a cost, affordable health care from blue cross etc. I witnessed all this gradually eroded by not only greed, but a set of collective beliefs that in many ways lacked a commitment to compassion for those who have less and for ourselves...we allowed ourselves to believe we did not deserve health care, education, and genuine growth because we were taught to be afraid ...afraid of lack, afraid to help our fellow man...we also were taught to make icons out of those who are wealthy; a gradual dependence on outer authority fed by an addiction to the media's version of truth...much as Huxley and Orwell had discerned in their works...patterns which were undoing us and also at the same time in the shadows were and are numbers of real citizens working in their small ways for all the good, for all that we valued and for a compassionate world.
I never forgot the Doctor who in 1976 fought the take over of medicine by money people who had warned about Aids and the blood supply. His name is forgotten today but not his work.
As we move into expanded senses I do believe we need to equally concentrate on alternative living and alternate communication and media for ourselves creating websites like yours and those of us who are and remain committed to a better world despite appearances.
Perhaps the most liberating thought that will come out of all this will be that money is not what we depend on...we are the power and can create solutions.
Peace and love. Louisa
I pray often that we do not choose to become better Citizens the way our forefathers had to, through pain and suffering and war as the cost of that is getting even worse. I hope we can choose to shift more easily. Unfortunately the human being tends not to rise to the occasion until he needs to. I sense that people are trying to rise now and have a chance of averting some of the more painful losses of the past.
I think we are becoming wiser.
posted by
: October 3, 2008 at 8:09 AM Delete:
When I look back at what seems ages ago, the 1960's and even the 50's when the sense of America was to reward service men with GI bills, with mortages, with a chance at education which I had for so little a cost, affordable health care from blue cross etc. I witnessed all this gradually eroded by not only greed, but a set of collective beliefs that in many ways lacked a commitment to compassion for those who have less and for ourselves...we allowed ourselves to believe we did not deserve health care, education, and genuine growth because we were taught to be afraid ...afraid of lack, afraid to help our fellow man...we also were taught to make icons out of those who are wealthy; a gradual dependence on outer authority fed by an addiction to the media's version of truth...much as Huxley and Orwell had discerned in their works...patterns which were undoing us and also at the same time in the shadows were and are numbers of real citizens working in their small ways for all the good, for all that we valued and for a compassionate world.
I never forgot the Doctor who in 1976 fought the take over of medicine by money people who had warned about Aids and the blood supply. His name is forgotten today but not his work.
As we move into expanded senses I do believe we need to equally concentrate on alternative living and alternate communication and media for ourselves creating websites like yours and those of us who are and remain committed to a better world despite appearances.
Perhaps the most liberating thought that will come out of all this will be that money is not what we depend on...we are the power and can create solutions.
Peace and love. Louisa
I pray often that we do not choose to become better Citizens the way our forefathers had to, through pain and suffering and war as the cost of that is getting even worse. I hope we can choose to shift more easily. Unfortunately the human being tends not to rise to the occasion until he needs to. I sense that people are trying to rise now and have a chance of averting some of the more painful losses of the past.
I think we are becoming wiser.
posted by
: October 3, 2008 at 8:09 AM Delete:
I'm in the city at the moment...and have a few dollars and a couple of hours to spare.
I have been thinking about Gary's post over the past couple of days, and the question that arose for me was...how am I spending my money and my time?
In the past....I may have spent this free time in a bar, drinking beer with whoever was there. Or maybe I would have gone to the local betting shop, and gambled on horses or poker machines.
"Killing time" is the phrase that I would have used to describe this type of activity.
But today, I choose to spend my time and money at an internet cafe...sharing some thoughts with Gary and my fellow commenters here in blogland!
I call this approach..."Living time!"
Many may look at my life and say that my world has collapsed. Perhaps if I measured success in terms of wealth, physical health, appearance, awards and achievements etc...I might agree with them.
But fortunately...as my old life collapsed...so did my old world view of what it means to be successful.
The collapse of the old structures upon which our lives have been reliant up until now, presents us with a great opportunity to establish new foundations...and to create life anew.
How do we respond to the collapse of world economies, and old orders?
We can do this on a very personal scale...one by one...choice by choice.
We can choose to feel the pain of this collapse within ourselves, and use the experience to rebuild our lives with new values and new intentions. We can choose to replace doubt with trust. And fear with love.
One such man who responded to the collapse of his world, and rebuilt his life with trust and love, has become a messenger of hope and inspiration for all of us.
Dr. Rahamim Melamed-Cohen is a shining example of what it means to live an authentically powered life.
You can read his remarkable story...HERE
.
posted by ...being here, doing this...: October 6, 2008 at 12:39 AM Delete:
I have been thinking about Gary's post over the past couple of days, and the question that arose for me was...how am I spending my money and my time?
In the past....I may have spent this free time in a bar, drinking beer with whoever was there. Or maybe I would have gone to the local betting shop, and gambled on horses or poker machines.
"Killing time" is the phrase that I would have used to describe this type of activity.
But today, I choose to spend my time and money at an internet cafe...sharing some thoughts with Gary and my fellow commenters here in blogland!
I call this approach..."Living time!"
Many may look at my life and say that my world has collapsed. Perhaps if I measured success in terms of wealth, physical health, appearance, awards and achievements etc...I might agree with them.
But fortunately...as my old life collapsed...so did my old world view of what it means to be successful.
The collapse of the old structures upon which our lives have been reliant up until now, presents us with a great opportunity to establish new foundations...and to create life anew.
How do we respond to the collapse of world economies, and old orders?
We can do this on a very personal scale...one by one...choice by choice.
We can choose to feel the pain of this collapse within ourselves, and use the experience to rebuild our lives with new values and new intentions. We can choose to replace doubt with trust. And fear with love.
One such man who responded to the collapse of his world, and rebuilt his life with trust and love, has become a messenger of hope and inspiration for all of us.
Dr. Rahamim Melamed-Cohen is a shining example of what it means to live an authentically powered life.
You can read his remarkable story...HERE
.
posted by
...being here, doing this...: October 6, 2008 at 12:39 AM Delete:
This comment has been removed by the author.
posted by Darren J.: October 8, 2008 at 5:41 AM Delete:
posted by
Darren J.: October 8, 2008 at 5:41 AM Delete:
"Darren J Prior said...
As we in Alcoholics Anonymous share our experience, strength and hope at meetings I think Gary you should post more stories on your blog. Your book Soul Stories is of course full of them and they are very encouraging but you should have more of them online"
~
Just thought I'd share that there are some great audio interviews with Gary (and with Gary & Linda) that can be heard online (for free!)... HERE
I also participate in blogs where the blog author makes the occasional comment in the comments section of their own blog!
The possibilities for communication are endless!
.
posted by ...being here, doing this...: October 8, 2008 at 7:45 PM Delete:
As we in Alcoholics Anonymous share our experience, strength and hope at meetings I think Gary you should post more stories on your blog. Your book Soul Stories is of course full of them and they are very encouraging but you should have more of them online"
~
Just thought I'd share that there are some great audio interviews with Gary (and with Gary & Linda) that can be heard online (for free!)... HERE
I also participate in blogs where the blog author makes the occasional comment in the comments section of their own blog!
The possibilities for communication are endless!
.
posted by
...being here, doing this...: October 8, 2008 at 7:45 PM Delete:
Thanks!!! I can't manage to play them (I've pressed Play) but I'll figure them out eventually!!!
My three favourite blogs are this one, of course, www.sarahcarey.ie and www.sluggerotoole.com.
Sarah is a columnist with The Sunday Times in Ireland. I've never met her yet but I have and do chat to her online occasionally. She is very impressive.
Slugger O' Toole is the blog for the North of Ireland. It covers issues relating to the Republic and internationally of course though as well.
My own last blog "An Réalt" wasn't a bad blog in the sense that it got a reasonable number of regular viewers. However I deleted it and now I have a new address and not many people know I have a new blog.
Now I've started a new one called "Réalt" at www.darrenjprior.com.
posted by Darren J.: October 9, 2008 at 10:00 AM Delete:
My three favourite blogs are this one, of course, www.sarahcarey.ie and www.sluggerotoole.com.
Sarah is a columnist with The Sunday Times in Ireland. I've never met her yet but I have and do chat to her online occasionally. She is very impressive.
Slugger O' Toole is the blog for the North of Ireland. It covers issues relating to the Republic and internationally of course though as well.
My own last blog "An Réalt" wasn't a bad blog in the sense that it got a reasonable number of regular viewers. However I deleted it and now I have a new address and not many people know I have a new blog.
Now I've started a new one called "Réalt" at www.darrenjprior.com.
posted by
Darren J.: October 9, 2008 at 10:00 AM Delete:
I started to listen to one of those blogtalkradio interviews- the law of attraction one. I stopped listening to it Gary when you started talking about millions of people becoming multisensory.
I still want you to explain the future of out political systems.
You see I revere our democratic political systems and the symmetry and symbolism of them. Politics is my biggest passion because it IS that art of the possible- and of course there are other arts of the possible.
If more people were multisensory they would see the honest people in politics like the Hillary Clinton's in America et al. and they would be moved to activism in the mainstream.
posted by Darren J.: October 11, 2008 at 6:23 AM Delete:
I still want you to explain the future of out political systems.
You see I revere our democratic political systems and the symmetry and symbolism of them. Politics is my biggest passion because it IS that art of the possible- and of course there are other arts of the possible.
If more people were multisensory they would see the honest people in politics like the Hillary Clinton's in America et al. and they would be moved to activism in the mainstream.
posted by
Darren J.: October 11, 2008 at 6:23 AM Delete:
"Darren J Prior said...
I started to listen to one of those blogtalkradio interviews- the law of attraction one. I stopped listening to it Gary when you started talking about millions of people becoming multisensory.
I still want you to explain the future of out political systems."
~
To me...becoming multisensory goes hand in hand with finding heart based solutions to heady political issues.
For example...as I read your comment, Darren, I listened to what I was feeling inside...and then felt guided to google the words "the politics of ghandi"
One of the top results that came up was a piece entitled "What is Heart Politics?" ...
Sometimes, by listening to our "inner voice"...we can find the very answers we are seeking to the questions we pose!
This, to me, is what becoming multisensory is all about! Listening to our inner guidance, and so becoming more reliant on ourselves to find the answers and solutions we seek.
The next step is to put what we have discovered into practice!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What is Heart Politics ?"
HEART POLITICS is about the transformation that can occur when social and political change happens in tandem with personal change. Many of our political and social problems will not be solved at the same level of thinking that has caused these problems. We must make a fundamental shift in consciousness in order to find solutions to these problems. This fundamental change in consciousness comes from our hearts.
HEART POLITICS strategies emphasise the building of deeper connections between people who are otherwise divided over particular political or social issues. It looks for strategies and ways of working that are beyond the "them versus us" or " right versus left " polarities of present politics. It seeks to bring the heart qualities of goodwill, co-operation and integrity into the decisions of power holders and governments of our communities.
Many people involved in Heart Politics are not interested in running for any form of public office -- they are more likely to be taking direct action in a particular field. This direct action may be in employment, health, housing, all sorts of education initiatives, parenting, environmental action, anti-racism, anti-nuclear, peace groups or whatever.
The present political landscape is not about values that come from the human heart. This has led to cynicism in leadership and the lack of involvement in "followership" that exists in community affairs. While there is no doubt that the democratic system we have is better than the political system endured by our ancestors, there are still many shadows within our democracies today... shadows that hide the real workings of power, and shadows that are preventing work for the common good.
HEART POLITICS is the exercise of power from a basis of connection with people. It's about having power with people rather than over people. Our world is full of examples of power that is power over people ... power taken by some people who know a lot and thereby rule over ordinary people. This dominating style of power exercised by power holders works only for the few and cannot be tolerated because of its effects on people and the environment.
Having power with people means sharing power, so that everyone who is involved can have the knowledge of what's going on and what the choices are ... and participating in social changes that are necessary. This doesn't mean having long meetings where everybody has to decide the details of everything. It means that our leadership should be based on greater openness. It should be based on an openness to more criticism and dialogue throughout the whole decision-making process. Heart Politics involves making the people connections so that we can all fully participate in such a dialogue and decision making.
HEART POLITICS is about empowerment. We can't get involved with the processes of power unless we also feel a real sense of ownership and control over the political processes involved. Empowerment is important because we do live in tough critical times in terms of economic and environmental issues. There's no way that we're going to really make a difference unless the power to make changes is spread around.
HEART POLITICS is about choosing for the common good, in the interests of all affected, not for the good of the most wealthy or the most aggressively powerful. It is about empowering the ordinary person and the community to participate in the creation of change in their own place.
For instance New Zealand, Australia and the United States have experienced deep social and economic changes over the last ten years. But as we have compared notes (at Heart Politics gatherings), it is very clear that these changes have benefited the most wealthy and economically aggressive. The social and economic changes of the last ten years have failed the test of being for "the common good", e.g. they have greatly increased the gap between rich and poor.
HEART POLITICS connects the information in our heads to the feelings in our hearts. Heart politicians question deeply both what they think and feel when they are in a position of leadership or are planning for changes or evaluating a policy.
Historically, people have not put much attention into what it means to practise politics from the heart. It seems many people have given up the idea that politics could ever be driven by deeper values than just self interest and personal power or the lust for political position. To dare to bring heart qualities into the political arena holds a fascination for even the most cynical.
HEART POLITICS is deeply non-violent. It has its roots in an historical base of political leaders who led by non violence: Ghandi in India, Martin Luther King in the US and Te Whiti-o- Rongomai in New Zealand.
Heart Politics values patience. It is about slowly changing the world. This is because in many areas of human suffering we don't have time to change quickly. A quick and forced change in human affairs often brings with it a whole series of after shocks and back-lashes and continued re-structuring that often only prolongs the suffering it was trying to alleviate. It is a slower, more effective change if it is forged by a solid weaving of connections between all the people involved.
To be effective Heart Politicians we need to be able to have a relationship with those adversely affected by political decisions and also a relationship with those presently in power. It is in this way that we can help the most powerful people in the land see the full "heart" implications of the decisions that they are making.
HEART POLITICS contains the potential for a maturation of what we mean by "heart". We need a maturation of our emotional response to the problems of the world. Many people, in their desire to escape the real pain and darkness of our times, take refuge in some soft warm heart space and divorce themselves from the real pains that are in the world. That's not the "heart" we need for the political work of our times.
The heart we need is a heart that is not lost to feelings of intimacy, or vulnerability, or a real sense of compassion. It is also a tough heart ... a warrior's heart, a heart that is not just feeling but also allows wisdom and judgement, a heart that takes courage in doing difficult things and that knows when to be fierce.
HEART POLITICS is about learning and sharing wisdom from our work for change. Many people are looking for a very different style of change that comes from deeper values and is in line with their values.
Within our struggles, we are learning important wisdom on how to act for change in the 90's (and 2000s & beyond!) ... and act with integrity from our deeper values at the same time. This is important "wisdom in progress".
-----------------
Adapted by Simon Clough from "WHAT IS HEART POLITICS?"
section of a booklet called
"OUR HEARTS OUR POLITICS"
(1993) by Fran Peavey and Vivian Hutchinson.
posted by ...being here, doing this...: October 11, 2008 at 7:28 PM Delete:
I started to listen to one of those blogtalkradio interviews- the law of attraction one. I stopped listening to it Gary when you started talking about millions of people becoming multisensory.
I still want you to explain the future of out political systems."
~
To me...becoming multisensory goes hand in hand with finding heart based solutions to heady political issues.
For example...as I read your comment, Darren, I listened to what I was feeling inside...and then felt guided to google the words "the politics of ghandi"
One of the top results that came up was a piece entitled "What is Heart Politics?" ...
Sometimes, by listening to our "inner voice"...we can find the very answers we are seeking to the questions we pose!
This, to me, is what becoming multisensory is all about! Listening to our inner guidance, and so becoming more reliant on ourselves to find the answers and solutions we seek.
The next step is to put what we have discovered into practice!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What is Heart Politics ?"
HEART POLITICS is about the transformation that can occur when social and political change happens in tandem with personal change. Many of our political and social problems will not be solved at the same level of thinking that has caused these problems. We must make a fundamental shift in consciousness in order to find solutions to these problems. This fundamental change in consciousness comes from our hearts.
HEART POLITICS strategies emphasise the building of deeper connections between people who are otherwise divided over particular political or social issues. It looks for strategies and ways of working that are beyond the "them versus us" or " right versus left " polarities of present politics. It seeks to bring the heart qualities of goodwill, co-operation and integrity into the decisions of power holders and governments of our communities.
Many people involved in Heart Politics are not interested in running for any form of public office -- they are more likely to be taking direct action in a particular field. This direct action may be in employment, health, housing, all sorts of education initiatives, parenting, environmental action, anti-racism, anti-nuclear, peace groups or whatever.
The present political landscape is not about values that come from the human heart. This has led to cynicism in leadership and the lack of involvement in "followership" that exists in community affairs. While there is no doubt that the democratic system we have is better than the political system endured by our ancestors, there are still many shadows within our democracies today... shadows that hide the real workings of power, and shadows that are preventing work for the common good.
HEART POLITICS is the exercise of power from a basis of connection with people. It's about having power with people rather than over people. Our world is full of examples of power that is power over people ... power taken by some people who know a lot and thereby rule over ordinary people. This dominating style of power exercised by power holders works only for the few and cannot be tolerated because of its effects on people and the environment.
Having power with people means sharing power, so that everyone who is involved can have the knowledge of what's going on and what the choices are ... and participating in social changes that are necessary. This doesn't mean having long meetings where everybody has to decide the details of everything. It means that our leadership should be based on greater openness. It should be based on an openness to more criticism and dialogue throughout the whole decision-making process. Heart Politics involves making the people connections so that we can all fully participate in such a dialogue and decision making.
HEART POLITICS is about empowerment. We can't get involved with the processes of power unless we also feel a real sense of ownership and control over the political processes involved. Empowerment is important because we do live in tough critical times in terms of economic and environmental issues. There's no way that we're going to really make a difference unless the power to make changes is spread around.
HEART POLITICS is about choosing for the common good, in the interests of all affected, not for the good of the most wealthy or the most aggressively powerful. It is about empowering the ordinary person and the community to participate in the creation of change in their own place.
For instance New Zealand, Australia and the United States have experienced deep social and economic changes over the last ten years. But as we have compared notes (at Heart Politics gatherings), it is very clear that these changes have benefited the most wealthy and economically aggressive. The social and economic changes of the last ten years have failed the test of being for "the common good", e.g. they have greatly increased the gap between rich and poor.
HEART POLITICS connects the information in our heads to the feelings in our hearts. Heart politicians question deeply both what they think and feel when they are in a position of leadership or are planning for changes or evaluating a policy.
Historically, people have not put much attention into what it means to practise politics from the heart. It seems many people have given up the idea that politics could ever be driven by deeper values than just self interest and personal power or the lust for political position. To dare to bring heart qualities into the political arena holds a fascination for even the most cynical.
HEART POLITICS is deeply non-violent. It has its roots in an historical base of political leaders who led by non violence: Ghandi in India, Martin Luther King in the US and Te Whiti-o- Rongomai in New Zealand.
Heart Politics values patience. It is about slowly changing the world. This is because in many areas of human suffering we don't have time to change quickly. A quick and forced change in human affairs often brings with it a whole series of after shocks and back-lashes and continued re-structuring that often only prolongs the suffering it was trying to alleviate. It is a slower, more effective change if it is forged by a solid weaving of connections between all the people involved.
To be effective Heart Politicians we need to be able to have a relationship with those adversely affected by political decisions and also a relationship with those presently in power. It is in this way that we can help the most powerful people in the land see the full "heart" implications of the decisions that they are making.
HEART POLITICS contains the potential for a maturation of what we mean by "heart". We need a maturation of our emotional response to the problems of the world. Many people, in their desire to escape the real pain and darkness of our times, take refuge in some soft warm heart space and divorce themselves from the real pains that are in the world. That's not the "heart" we need for the political work of our times.
The heart we need is a heart that is not lost to feelings of intimacy, or vulnerability, or a real sense of compassion. It is also a tough heart ... a warrior's heart, a heart that is not just feeling but also allows wisdom and judgement, a heart that takes courage in doing difficult things and that knows when to be fierce.
HEART POLITICS is about learning and sharing wisdom from our work for change. Many people are looking for a very different style of change that comes from deeper values and is in line with their values.
Within our struggles, we are learning important wisdom on how to act for change in the 90's (and 2000s & beyond!) ... and act with integrity from our deeper values at the same time. This is important "wisdom in progress".
-----------------
Adapted by Simon Clough from "WHAT IS HEART POLITICS?"
section of a booklet called
"OUR HEARTS OUR POLITICS"
(1993) by Fran Peavey and Vivian Hutchinson.
posted by
...being here, doing this...: October 11, 2008 at 7:28 PM Delete:
Just thought I'd add this fascinating tidbit!...
I was in an internet cafe earlier when I googled (or yahoo'd) what I thought were the words "the politics of ghandi" to find the "Heart of Politics" link
I'm now at the local library...and, out of curiosity, have spent the past few minutes trying to replicate that search result.
Not only can I no longer find that same result...I also realised that I (along with the author of the "Heart of Politics" piece) had misspelt Gandhi's name!
It just goes to show...in the multisensory world...if our intentions are sincere, even that which appears on the surface to be a "mistake" or an "accident" can still lead us to where we are meant to be!!...
being here, doing this
posted by ...being here, doing this...: October 11, 2008 at 8:57 PM Delete:
I was in an internet cafe earlier when I googled (or yahoo'd) what I thought were the words "the politics of ghandi" to find the "Heart of Politics" link
I'm now at the local library...and, out of curiosity, have spent the past few minutes trying to replicate that search result.
Not only can I no longer find that same result...I also realised that I (along with the author of the "Heart of Politics" piece) had misspelt Gandhi's name!
It just goes to show...in the multisensory world...if our intentions are sincere, even that which appears on the surface to be a "mistake" or an "accident" can still lead us to where we are meant to be!!...
being here, doing this
posted by
...being here, doing this...: October 11, 2008 at 8:57 PM Delete:
I read that thanks!!! I have an interesting story to tell. I've never been to prison and I was never addicted to hard drugs but I have an interesting story to tell. And I'd rather tell it as an independent instead of a political party member or supporter.
posted by Darren J.: October 13, 2008 at 9:13 AM Delete:
posted by
Darren J.: October 13, 2008 at 9:13 AM Delete:
This comment has been removed by the author.
posted by Darren J.: October 13, 2008 at 9:43 AM Delete:
posted by
Darren J.: October 13, 2008 at 9:43 AM Delete:
Darren J Prior said...
I gave you the example of an Ghaeilge/the Irish language on your last post which is for me the only example I know of ironically "new" symbols
~
...being here, doing this...(quoting from "What Is Heart Politics?") said...
HEART POLITICS is deeply non-violent. It has its roots in an historical base of political leaders who led by non violence: Ghandi in India, Martin Luther King in the US and Te Whiti-o- Rongomai in New Zealand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I reflected on these two seemingly disconnected comments...I felt led to explore more about Te Whiti-o-Rongomai
To my great surprise...I found there to be an Irish connection that linked him with Gandhi!
This, to me, is an example of one of the "new symbols" that are emerging as an indicator of deeper truths...the "symbol" of co-incidence is representative of the deeper truth that there is an interconnection between all things!
From - Pacifist of Parihaka - Te Whiti o Rongomai ...
Parihaka historian Te Miringa Hohaia has studied the life and writings about the man of mana. "Te Whiti was one of those great leaders. We had Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther-King, Nelson Mandela and Te Whiti o Rongomai.
"Te Whiti was the forerunner of them all."
Te Miringa says Gandhi knew about Te Whiti. "He learnt about Te Whiti from an Irish delegation that visited Parihaka and then had a meeting with Gandhi. Although Gandhi was already committed to non-violence, the impact of finding out about Te Whiti must have been startling."
posted by ...being here, doing this...: October 13, 2008 at 10:15 PM Delete:
I gave you the example of an Ghaeilge/the Irish language on your last post which is for me the only example I know of ironically "new" symbols
~
...being here, doing this...(quoting from "What Is Heart Politics?") said...
HEART POLITICS is deeply non-violent. It has its roots in an historical base of political leaders who led by non violence: Ghandi in India, Martin Luther King in the US and Te Whiti-o- Rongomai in New Zealand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I reflected on these two seemingly disconnected comments...I felt led to explore more about Te Whiti-o-Rongomai
To my great surprise...I found there to be an Irish connection that linked him with Gandhi!
This, to me, is an example of one of the "new symbols" that are emerging as an indicator of deeper truths...the "symbol" of co-incidence is representative of the deeper truth that there is an interconnection between all things!
From - Pacifist of Parihaka - Te Whiti o Rongomai ...
Parihaka historian Te Miringa Hohaia has studied the life and writings about the man of mana. "Te Whiti was one of those great leaders. We had Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther-King, Nelson Mandela and Te Whiti o Rongomai.
"Te Whiti was the forerunner of them all."
Te Miringa says Gandhi knew about Te Whiti. "He learnt about Te Whiti from an Irish delegation that visited Parihaka and then had a meeting with Gandhi. Although Gandhi was already committed to non-violence, the impact of finding out about Te Whiti must have been startling."
posted by
...being here, doing this...: October 13, 2008 at 10:15 PM Delete:
"Darren J Prior said...
I think of course though that your site should be translated into at least one native American language.I would also have a native American symbol on your site/blog if I were you."
~
Here is a great new website that comes from the Yolngu people of Ramingining...
http://www.12canoes.com.au/
It is their gift to us.
"The "12 Canoes" site gives the world access to an immersive and engaging view to celebrate the culture, art and history of one of the world’s oldest existing people - the Yolngu - whose homeland is the town of Ramingining and the Arafura Swamp of north-central Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. (Australia)"
posted by ...being here, doing this...: October 13, 2008 at 10:34 PM Delete:
I think of course though that your site should be translated into at least one native American language.I would also have a native American symbol on your site/blog if I were you."
~
Here is a great new website that comes from the Yolngu people of Ramingining...
http://www.12canoes.com.au/
It is their gift to us.
"The "12 Canoes" site gives the world access to an immersive and engaging view to celebrate the culture, art and history of one of the world’s oldest existing people - the Yolngu - whose homeland is the town of Ramingining and the Arafura Swamp of north-central Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. (Australia)"
posted by
...being here, doing this...: October 13, 2008 at 10:34 PM Delete:
This comment has been removed by the author.
posted by Darren J.: October 14, 2008 at 9:38 AM Delete:
posted by
Darren J.: October 14, 2008 at 9:38 AM Delete:
This comment has been removed by the author.
posted by Darren J.: October 15, 2008 at 8:54 AM Delete:
posted by
Darren J.: October 15, 2008 at 8:54 AM Delete:
Gary Zukav wrote:
"As the current financial crisis or, as written Chinese allows, opportunity unfolds it deepens in complexity and broadens in scope."
~
As I reflect on the engaging discussion we are having here in the comments section of Gary's blog...I am envisaging a symbol of growth and strength that brings together much of what is being discussed.
I am invisaging the symbol of a tree.
Our native languages, our cultures, and the languages and cultures of our Indigenous peoples provide rich and fertile sources of wisdom and inspiration to nourish the trees we are growing today.
As we reach deeper into our past...we draw on the wisdom and experience of our predecessors and ancestors to guide us, and strengthen us as we grow - upwards and outwards.
The deeper and more resilient our root structure....the stronger and further will be our growth and reach.
As the branches of our trees extend upwards and outwards...we find ourselves reaching out to one another...and coming together to form a canopy of sanctuary for our newly forming global community.
In love and trust, we embrace and integrate with other cultures...so that the divisions between us disintegrate.
As we grow together at a visible level...our root systems are also extending, and drawing from integrated sources.
What was once unthinkable...is now becoming reality.
Our emerging leaders are drawing from this new source of integrated wisdom...so their lives, from a young age, are forged with a passion for learning and embracing ideas that may in the past, have been foreign and disregarded.
In the above quote...Gary says:
"As the current financial crisis or, as written CHINESE allows, OPPORTUNITY it deepens in complexity and broadens in scope."
The current financial crisis is an OPPORTUNITY to reach deeply into our roots...and draw from them the wisdom and strength needed to foster healthy, broader new growth.
One example of the emergence of new leadership where inspiration is being drawn from the wisdom of cultures previously disregarded, to a large extent, by the West - is Australia's own newly elected Prime Minister...Kevin Rudd.
Here is a Sky News Australia clip of Kevin Rudd speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in 2007 (before he was elected Prime Minister).
But, amazingly, he is not speaking English.
He is speaking a language that very few (if any) Western leaders have ever spoken at this level of politics before.
He is speaking fluent MANDARIN!!!...
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=NHUD10tVgFg
~~~~~~~~~~~~
(And...to continue on with the theme of interconnectedness between all things!...I just thought I'd mention that Leigh Hatcher, who wrote the wonderfully inspiring foreword to our book I mentioned in a previous post "Creative for a Second" , is also a news presenter for Sky News Australia...the channel from which the above clip comes!!)
posted by ...being here, doing this...: October 15, 2008 at 10:57 PM Delete:
"As the current financial crisis or, as written Chinese allows, opportunity unfolds it deepens in complexity and broadens in scope."
~
As I reflect on the engaging discussion we are having here in the comments section of Gary's blog...I am envisaging a symbol of growth and strength that brings together much of what is being discussed.
I am invisaging the symbol of a tree.
Our native languages, our cultures, and the languages and cultures of our Indigenous peoples provide rich and fertile sources of wisdom and inspiration to nourish the trees we are growing today.
As we reach deeper into our past...we draw on the wisdom and experience of our predecessors and ancestors to guide us, and strengthen us as we grow - upwards and outwards.
The deeper and more resilient our root structure....the stronger and further will be our growth and reach.
As the branches of our trees extend upwards and outwards...we find ourselves reaching out to one another...and coming together to form a canopy of sanctuary for our newly forming global community.
In love and trust, we embrace and integrate with other cultures...so that the divisions between us disintegrate.
As we grow together at a visible level...our root systems are also extending, and drawing from integrated sources.
What was once unthinkable...is now becoming reality.
Our emerging leaders are drawing from this new source of integrated wisdom...so their lives, from a young age, are forged with a passion for learning and embracing ideas that may in the past, have been foreign and disregarded.
In the above quote...Gary says:
"As the current financial crisis or, as written CHINESE allows, OPPORTUNITY it deepens in complexity and broadens in scope."
The current financial crisis is an OPPORTUNITY to reach deeply into our roots...and draw from them the wisdom and strength needed to foster healthy, broader new growth.
One example of the emergence of new leadership where inspiration is being drawn from the wisdom of cultures previously disregarded, to a large extent, by the West - is Australia's own newly elected Prime Minister...Kevin Rudd.
Here is a Sky News Australia clip of Kevin Rudd speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in 2007 (before he was elected Prime Minister).
But, amazingly, he is not speaking English.
He is speaking a language that very few (if any) Western leaders have ever spoken at this level of politics before.
He is speaking fluent MANDARIN!!!...
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=NHUD10tVgFg
~~~~~~~~~~~~
(And...to continue on with the theme of interconnectedness between all things!...I just thought I'd mention that Leigh Hatcher, who wrote the wonderfully inspiring foreword to our book I mentioned in a previous post "Creative for a Second" , is also a news presenter for Sky News Australia...the channel from which the above clip comes!!)
posted by
...being here, doing this...: October 15, 2008 at 10:57 PM Delete:
As if on cue...today I have just learned of a new advertising campaign that Tourism Australia is launching internationally.
This is a beautiful example of how we can draw on the richness and beauty of our indigenous cultures to encourage and inspire the growth of a healthy and balanced society....which, in turn, will lead to the growth of a healthy and balanced economy.
There are 2 videos on this Tourism Australia website.
Both of them demonstrate in a simple, yet powerful way that the most important journey we will ever make is the journey from our heads to our hearts!
Enjoy!!
posted by ...being here, doing this...: October 16, 2008 at 10:18 PM Delete:
This is a beautiful example of how we can draw on the richness and beauty of our indigenous cultures to encourage and inspire the growth of a healthy and balanced society....which, in turn, will lead to the growth of a healthy and balanced economy.
There are 2 videos on this Tourism Australia website.
Both of them demonstrate in a simple, yet powerful way that the most important journey we will ever make is the journey from our heads to our hearts!
Enjoy!!
posted by
...being here, doing this...: October 16, 2008 at 10:18 PM Delete:
Thanks!!! Those two videos are brilliant. I also read about the Aboriginal people on the website. I was aware before you said it on another thread that your Prime Minister apologised to them a couple of years ago for the way they were treated. It just shows you that one person can make all the difference.
Aboriginal people in Australia and native Irish speakers living in the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking area(s)) in Ireland share some things in common. The vast majority of our placenames in English in Ireland which everyone uses are anglicizations of the Irish names.
Where I live is called Castleknock but that name is the anglicization of Caisleán Cnucha which means "Cnucha's Castle." In the Gaeltacht only the Irish names are used on state road signage although everyone there can speak English and do speak English every day although a (very small) minority would have more Irish than English.
An issue I believe strongly in is that on our road signage nationally both Irish and English should command the same prominence. I had a chat on the Irish programme on Near90fm the community radio station for Dublin North-East about the issue a couple of weeks ago:
www.nearfm.ie/podcast/index.php?id=434
Currently according to the Road Singage Guidelines in the Department of Transport the Irish has to be written in smaller font and in 95%+ of our road signage this is the case.
Given that our placenames in Irish actually mean something equal status will be a great, very encouraging development. I expect it will happen sooner or later as our relatively new Taoiseach (Prime Minister) is a speaker and lover of the language.
posted by Darren J.: October 19, 2008 at 10:52 AM Delete:
Aboriginal people in Australia and native Irish speakers living in the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking area(s)) in Ireland share some things in common. The vast majority of our placenames in English in Ireland which everyone uses are anglicizations of the Irish names.
Where I live is called Castleknock but that name is the anglicization of Caisleán Cnucha which means "Cnucha's Castle." In the Gaeltacht only the Irish names are used on state road signage although everyone there can speak English and do speak English every day although a (very small) minority would have more Irish than English.
An issue I believe strongly in is that on our road signage nationally both Irish and English should command the same prominence. I had a chat on the Irish programme on Near90fm the community radio station for Dublin North-East about the issue a couple of weeks ago:
www.nearfm.ie/podcast/index.php?id=434
Currently according to the Road Singage Guidelines in the Department of Transport the Irish has to be written in smaller font and in 95%+ of our road signage this is the case.
Given that our placenames in Irish actually mean something equal status will be a great, very encouraging development. I expect it will happen sooner or later as our relatively new Taoiseach (Prime Minister) is a speaker and lover of the language.
posted by
Darren J.: October 19, 2008 at 10:52 AM Delete:
I've never even visited a blog before, let alone submitted. I've scanned a few of the other comments here and I see great diversity, but with a respect for one another and all that is. I just wanted to say that I loved Gary's piece on voting. I voted early yesterday because I'm so excited at our opportunity to get back to the values we held dear before time, life, and the pull of earthly trappings took us to this point in history. I too hope we'll all go out and vote our consciences.
Bonnie Baxter
posted by : October 23, 2008 at 4:47 AM Delete:
Bonnie Baxter
posted by
: October 23, 2008 at 4:47 AM Delete:
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