[Catalyst #15] Dinan's inspired talk / Major U.S. hubs / Video contest winners / Conscious investing
Once again, we ask everyone to join Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Michael Beckwith, and Don Miguel Ruiz and become a signatory of the Three Days of Love pledge, the global celebration of love and kindness during the Birth weekend that now has over 3,000 signatures. And please "Love It Forward" to your friends too! By the way, you'll notice that the logo for Three Days of Love has been redesigned for us by renowned artist Shephard Fairey, known best for designing the iconic "Hope" poster for Barack Obama's 2008 election campaign.
"The Days Ahead"—from Stephen Dinan
This week we bring you this beautifully edited excerpt from Stephen's recent talk at a local Birth 2012 community gathering. It reflects what we who work with him see every day: his heartfelt devotion to the ideals of the Birth 2012 movement. Stephen describes the culminating events of December 20-22 as a "collective peak experience that will set the intention for a new era for decades to come . . . [bringing it in] with grace and majesty." Also, don't miss Stephen's description of the "water wheels" vision of Paiute tribal elder Marshall Jack (at 3:00 in the video). The piece opens and closes with Devaa Haley's song "Birth 2012," which was also performed that evening. Our thanks to the amazing Joyce Anastasia of Lead by Wisdom who shot and edited this footage.
Karen Everett and I received 22 submissions—and each one of you, we must say, are adorable as you share what you are birthing! You're all winners for reaching out in this special way. As you know, the official winner will have their footage excerpted for Karen's documentary, "Bold Mother Hubbard," and the ten runners-up will have their videos circulated onto the Birth2012.com home page beginning next week.
And now! . . . the grand winner of the "I am birthing" Birth 2012 Video Contest is this exciting and inspired video created by an enthused teacher and her tuned-in, purposive kids:
Of this amazing piece, Karen said: "I like how they directed the chorus of school kids, the emphasis on youth, the social-change methodologies these kids are being taught, and the grassroots feeling and hopeful tone." I agree, and as I mentioned in the last Catalyst . . . [read more]
We wish we could cover all the innumerable hub celebrations across the American landscape, but instead we give you this grouping below—a sampling of some of the most notable. Perhaps the most impressive hub event may be that in Tucson (covered earlier here), or the event planned for Maui that features Ram Dass—but the hubs catalogued below are also contenders! To read the full account of each hub featured below, go to the composite page that contains all five stories.
The Birth 2012 activists of Boulder, Colorado are launching their EvolveBoulder hub on December 22 as a laboratory of social synergy. According to Jason Gore, one of EvolveBoulder's organizers who has been working with Barbara Marx Hubbard on her global strategy, the goal of EvolveBoulder is to prototype ways to "mobilize a heart-resonant community while exploring how to connect all hubs worldwide to cross-pollinate ideas." Jason met Barbara at an integral conference . . . [read more]
Boston Hub Focuses on a Peaceful Birth by eliSabeth Taylor
When Noel Marshall and Bob Warner emailed Boston Area ACEs that they were airing BMH's "Our Story" at UNITY Somerville, I answered the call, expecting nothing. I had been contemplating forming an Evolutionary Circle, with no idea how. I left the event with a list of names—and this list soon became the Evolutionary Circle that Rev. Betty Walker and I lead at UNITY. Shortly thereafter I convened the Boston Hub . . . [read more]
Evolve Atlanta Stages "Birth 2012 and Beyond"
by Lisa Parsons
We're excited here in Atlanta as we prepare for a wonderful December 22 event to share with the world. Here are some of the featured guests and acts: Elise Witt, an Atlanta legend, known for songs for peace, sustainability, and coming together and the sheer joy of singing will help us celebrate as only she can do. Aviva and the Flying Penguins, eclectic, fun and deep as always, will perform their awesome "How'ya gonna change the world?" among others. Doctah B. Sirius, with his unique and amazing . . . [read more]
Unity in Marin Offers Broadcast, Interfaith, and Performance
Located at the north end of the San Francisco Bay Area, Unity in Marin will present its program on December 22 from 10:30am-6pm, offering an interactive celebration incorporating highlights from the LA Gala on it's big screen along with it's own all-day event. The morning will begin with an introduction by ACE grads, Dennis Owens [pictured left] and Lisa Pasquinelli, followed by an interfaith ceremony with representatives from various spiritual traditions incorporating chant and song, culminating in a candle lighting ceremony around a large globe at noon to sync with the "Birth Moment" taking place worldwide . . . [read more]
Intentional Community Presents Ideas, Art, and Higher Consciousness
In their nationwide travels, our beloved Noel and Bob especially highlighted for us the phenomenal Sunrise Ranch, an intentional community based in Loveland, Colorado that among other achievements has operated a sustainable farm and ranch for 63 years. According to Denye and Rob Robbins, who are among the event's conveners, the folks at Sunrise will host an event on Dec. 21 and 22 in their 400-person geodesic dome, presenting numerous prominent artists, visionaries, and thought leaders. This include Peter McGugan, a best-selling author whose most recent book is Occupy Consciousness, and whose new movie, Radical Consciousness, will premiere at the event. The proceedings will include kirtan, chant, dance, drumming, a fire ceremony and much more, including meditation, HeartMath, prayers, an all-night vigil, and yoga. Sunrise Ranch describes itself as "a conscious community that has been hosting events in Oneness since 1945 that serve the globe in terms of transformation, healing, and service to the world." The community has eighty-eight people who live on the 350-acre ranch, sharing the goal of the "spiritual regeneration of humanity."
Imprisoned Men Forming Birth 2012 Hub—and Need Our Support
ACE student Maya Davila approached us recently with the intriguing news that she is working with men in prison to form a Birth 2012 hub. This unique project is happening through a correspondence program she facilitates via "Winter Feast for the Soul," whose mission is to bring more peace into the world by helping people to develop a meditation practice. In 2009, the Winter Feast started a "prison in-reach" program to help prisoners to develop their practice while working with mentors on the outside, and Maya is now its director. There are now about sixty imprisoned men in the program, most of whom are held in solitary confinement. According to Maya, "many of these men could benefit greatly from having a sense that they are part of something bigger than themselves—a sense not only of community—but also of being able to make a difference in the world, right now, while still incarcerated." So, thanks to Maya, they were recently sent invitations from Barbara and Stephen to participate in Birth 2012, and twenty-three accepted it! In the most recent mailing to them, they were invited to form a hub, which in their case will mean choosing from activities such as meditation, doing sun salutations, journaling, creative expression, and reading inspirational materials during the hours the worldwide celebrations are happening. After Dec. 22, they will be encouraged to find ways to bring more peace into the prison system and raise the vibration there. If you want to learn more about this noble effort, help it grow, or become a mentor to one of these men, please contact Maya Davila at maya_angelofsorts@yahoo.com or 602-301-7375 (Arizona). We—and Maya—would love to see her find additional partners in building this hub.
Shift Network's art director, Thomas Christian Wolfe, has his own ambitious project: It's called "The Messengers Event"—a grandly conceived multimedia art experience with which we feel a strong alignment. As Thomas was re-designing our logo and web pages this year, he was also developing this unique fine arts event. It now begins its journey into becoming a multimedia exhibition with an online opening this coming Wednesday on 12/12/12. Next week's launch provides an "introduction to the making of the Messengers Event," offering a fully transparent view of the entire creative process that goes into producing what Wolfe's organization calls a "world event." When completed at a later date, "The Messengers Event" will feature a traveling art exhibit that is embellished with visionary music and words. At its heart will be twelve murals that will portray humanity and the divinity enacting the stages of what Joseph Campbell has called "The Hero's Journey." Thomas, already known widely as a fine artist and muralist, has the intention of emulating and being inspired by Michelangelo's epic mural works of the Sistine Chapel.
By the way, we also like the fact that the unprecedented event, which now involves an international creative staff, will be donating a large percentage of its proceeds to each locale it performs at as it travels from one major city of the world to the next. "This artistic tour de force," says the project's co-director, Felicia Farerre, "is a healing arc between humanity and divinity. The Messengers Event is a call for mankind to fully integrate divinity, and to expand its reach to all the charitable needs of the world." Join the flight here.
Would you like to integrate your deepest spiritual values with your money? Did you know there's a whole new movement emerging around the country to make finance and investing more spiritually conscious? Known as conscious investing, conscious capital, or conscious money, this new approach builds on the long-established social investment movement by focusing on the spiritual and psychological dimensions of investment more directly. I recently attended an invitational meeting on conscious investing . . . [read more]
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 14
"Unprecedented" Birth broadcast / U-Day in Thailand / Sing in unison globally / Bob & Noel complete national tour
When Noel Marshall and Bob Warner emailed Boston Area ACEs that they were airing BMH's "Our Story" at UNITY Somerville, I answered the call, expecting nothing. I had been contemplating forming an Evolutionary Circle, with no idea how. I left the event with a list of names—and this list soon became the Evolutionary Circle that Rev. Betty Walker and I lead at UNITY. Shortly thereafter I convened the Boston Hub . . . [
Located at the north end of the San Francisco Bay Area, Unity in Marin will present its program on December 22 from 10:30am-6pm, offering an interactive celebration incorporating highlights from the LA Gala on it's big screen along with it's own all-day event. The morning will begin with an introduction by ACE grads, Dennis Owens [pictured left] and Lisa Pasquinelli, followed by an interfaith ceremony with representatives from various spiritual traditions incorporating chant and song, culminating in a candle lighting ceremony around a large globe at noon to sync with the "Birth Moment" taking place worldwide . . . [
ACE student Maya Davila approached us recently with the intriguing news that she is working with men in prison to form a Birth 2012 hub. This unique project is happening through a correspondence program she facilitates via "
Shift Network's art director, Thomas Christian Wolfe, has his own ambitious project: It's called "The Messengers Event"—a grandly conceived multimedia art experience with which we feel a strong alignment. As Thomas was re-designing our logo and web pages this year, he was also developing this unique fine arts event. It now begins its journey into becoming a multimedia exhibition with an online opening this coming Wednesday on 12/12/12. Next week's launch provides an "introduction to the making of the Messengers Event," offering a fully transparent view of the entire creative process that goes into producing what Wolfe's organization calls a "world event." When completed at a later date, "The Messengers Event" will feature a traveling art exhibit that is embellished with visionary music and words. At its heart will be twelve murals that will portray humanity and the divinity enacting the stages of what Joseph Campbell has called "The Hero's Journey." Thomas, already known widely as a fine artist and muralist, has the intention of emulating and being inspired by Michelangelo's epic mural works of the Sistine Chapel.
Would you like to integrate your deepest spiritual values with your money? Did you know there's a whole new movement emerging around the country to make finance and investing more spiritually conscious? Known as conscious investing, conscious capital, or conscious money, this new approach builds on the long-established social investment movement by focusing on the spiritual and psychological dimensions of investment more directly. I recently attended an invitational meeting on conscious investing . . . [
