[2013 Catalyst #4]
With Birth 2012 behind us and the larger Shift work mostly ahead, we're changing the name of this bi-monthly ezine to The Shift Catalyst. We hope you enjoy the new look and content!
For men: Don't miss the huge "Power of Purpose Summit" (details in this issue).

And for women: The U.S. Senate just passed a strong, inclusive, bipartisan bill to reauthorize the landmark Violence Against Women Act. Join One Billion Rising and its coalition partners to now get this bill to the House floor for a vote. Go to this link to help get this Act passed by International Women's Day on March 8th.
Moving Birth 2012 Film from the Cape Town Hub


This special video from the Cape Town, South Africa hub—which features Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu among others—was originally produced for the Birth 2012 broadcast, but was not aired in its entirety on December 22. In it, Desmond Tutu directly addresses "dear friends of The Shift Network," and speaks powerfully for four minutes, especially discussing Ubuntu, the indigenous South African ethical philosophy of unity. (The Tutu clip is at 4:20-8:30.) This 29-minute piece produced by Ian McFarlane has many other moving segments of our friends in the Cape Town hub, including one from Michaela O'Driscoll that begins at 9:50.

On December 6, 2012 we received the very disturbing news that Michaela, a graduate of TSN's ACE and Peace Ambassador training, had been gang-raped while on charitable mission to South Africa. Michaela had been assaulted by four men at knife-point in the middle of the night. "Throughout the experience," she said, "I saw them as sacred beings. I knew that in my being and I was strong and clear and praying. I left my body some of the time but was very aware—trying to create a field of peace." One of the men remained after the other three fled, to whom she offered forgiveness before he too fled. We urge our readers to watch this profound video and to send love and prayers to Michaela as she continues her healing journey.
Remembering Debbie Ford
By Stephen Dinan, The Shift Network
For those who haven't heard, bestselling author Debbie Ford passed away earlier this week, which has led to a great outpouring of love and honoring for her life and legacy . . . [read more]


The Conscious Lifestyle: A Leader Bonds Emotionally
By Deepak Chopra
Leaders bring out the best in others, but successful visionaries go even farther: they form lasting emotional bonds . . . . [read more]


A Planetary Perspective: The Overview Effect
By Jake Richardson
Apollo 8 traveled to the moon in 1968 and recorded some of the first images of the Earth ever captured . . . . [read more]

American Justice: For Profit Prisons or Truth?
By Molly Leach Rowan, Peace Ambassador
From one of our leading Peace Ambassadors, check out this eye-opening and thought-provoking piece on the criminal justice system and its commercialization . . . [read more] [Sign related petition]


For submissions and recommendations, email editor@theshiftnetwork.com.
Men: Four-day Free Summit on "Power of Purpose"

What's the one core thing all men need to live a fulfilling life? According to Chris Kyle—and fourteen experts he'll be featuring at a summit between February 27 and March 2—the answer is constancy of purpose. A public service of the Mankind Project (one of the world's most prominent organizations for men's empowerment), this unprecedented event aims to evoke the hero in men by showing us that purpose is the key to bestowing our unique gifts upon the world. The Power of Purpose summit features many beloved TSN teachers, including Jack Canfield, Dan Millman, Neale Donald Walsch, and Lion Goodman. Learn more here.



California Residents: Qigong Event Cultivates Birth 2012 Spirit

On March 3, 2013 from 11am-6pm, Qigong Master Mingtong Gu—a featured teacher and healer at The Shift Network's Winter of Wellness Summit and Birth 2012 Celebration—will lead a day of practice to open our hearts to the unlimited possibilities for healing ourselves and healing our world. Master Gu says he "will present successes, updates and insights from Birth 2012 to continue fostering the intention and resolve of rebirth in our local and global communities. I invite you to join me in experiencing the healing power of Qigong." The event is at Craneway Pavilion in Richmond on Saturday, March 3, 2013 from 11am-6pm and will also feature a presentation from Shift Network founder Stephen Dinan. Learn more here.

Hubs Share Their Birth 2012 Experience

From Robin Goff of the Light Center in Baldwin City, Kansas:

"The experience of Birth 2012 at Unity Village was the most powerful energy link-up I have ever felt. For the Three Days of Love, I spent much of my time in meditation and every time I would touch in to the field that was connecting us around the globe, it was tangible and amazingly strong. It was moving in and through my body and the frequencies were magnified tremendously due to so many of us being focused at the same time. I felt then and continue to believe that the linking up internationally is the most important thing we can do at this time. I really relate to Barbara's descriptions of "post-partum blues" and my feelings were just that! After the Birth, I missed the intensity of the connections and the vivid feelings of the magnified frequencies. Any ways we can continue to create those opportunities to meditate and ground the energies at the same time are so important now."

From Janna Mitchell of Sunnyvale, California:

"About thirty of us gathered together at the Sunnyvale Unitarian Universalist Fellowship for guided meditation, sacred dance, and play. We created human sculptures to explore "what is our heart's desire to create for the love of this planet" We used the wheel of cocreation to guide us. It was wonderful to cocreate this event with dance therapist Holly Crain; energy healer Joan Prohaska; and me, Janna Mitchell drama therapist [facing the camera]. With love!"

From Mary Lou and Mario of Lenoir, Hawaii:

"While Sage played her flute, I sang and spoke a meditation in the female energy of the heart realm, inviting the group to experience the flow of their love energy melding together with the Goddess chi of the water flowing through our stream, down the rivers into the sea to every being on every continent, embracing them with our love and lifting them to join us in the transformation and healing of our beings as ONE. We had lighted torches on the path down to the beach and when the group arrived we were already in deep meditation in music, song and angelic tones...it was a very sacred experience for everyone, and many put their feet into the water to feel more intensely the mystical flow that enveloped them. When we completed the meditation, my husband Mario came across the water, knelt before Sage and me, and then walked between us as we crossed the water arm in arm in union together...the silence in these moments spoke profoundly to our spirits as the experience of the reverence of the male and female for one another embraced us deeply in our hearts..."

From Lin Murphy of Saratogo Springs, New York:

"We are at a time in history when all of us need to step up and have the courage to create the life we envision, that in our heart of hearts we know is possible. We all need to tap into our deepest essence, discover true life purpose, transcend our fears, limiting beliefs and self-doubts; and live lives of passionate self-expression. When that happens, we will truly create heaven on Earth. We can already see seeds of this process emerging. I work in a holistic health center that ten years ago would not have flourished in the way that it is now. There are schools that encourage cooperation. A number of corporations and businesses are being consciously managed. We see more young people turning to organic farming. Together, we can chart a path forward. We must start with ourselves. I hope you will join me to continue your own evolution and join with others who are asking what to make of this Birth on a personal level."

My Personal Transformation
By Mark Porteous

When I was a young boy, my father was an evangelical minister. At age six, my parents divorced and he lost his position with the church. The split left my mother feeling unappreciated and my father in spiritual doubt. These circumstances set the stage for my own personal search for human connection that my mother felt she was lacking and spiritual truth, which still eluded my father. It took many years to become conscious of my quest and the many synchronicities which guided me along the way . . . . [read more]

2013 Catalyst - Issue 3
Share your Birth experience / Women rising Feb 14 / Historic climate change rally / Functioning cooperatives
Sat, 2013-02-09
2013 Catalyst - Issue 2
Barbara's first 2013 video / "One Billion Rising" movement of women / Complete recording of Gala / Giant Syncon in Byron Bay
Sat, 2013-01-26
2013 Catalyst - Issue 1
Birth 2012
Sun, 2013-01-13
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 15
Dinan's inspired talk / Major U.S. hubs / Video contest winners / Conscious investing
Sat, 2012-12-09
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 14
"Unprecedented" Birth broadcast / U-Day in Thailand / Sing in unison globally / Bob & Noel complete national tour
Sat, 2012-12-01
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 13
Large global events / Tackling climate change / Australia's UPLIFT 2012 / Thanksgiving expressions
Sat, 2012-11-22
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 12
Birth webcast details / "Bold Mother Hubbard" final push
Sat, 2012-11-10
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 11
Birth2012.com Upgrade / Video contest / new TV channel / "Day One" Updates
Sat, 2012-11-03
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 10 Sat, 2012-10-20
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 9
Indigenous Declaration / Birth progress / ACE course / Solutions
Sat, 2012-10-06
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 8
"Be The Peace" < special issue on peacebuilding actions and heroes
Sun, 2012-09-16
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 7
Burning Man 2012 / Twelve Sectors of the Wheel / Actions for Peace
Sat, 2012-09-08
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 6
passionate Birth 2012 leadership; video of Barbara's historic keynote
Sat, 2012-08-25
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 5
Barbara's historic speech, Teotihuacan, and Australia
Thu, 2012-08-16
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 4
Special Peace Issue--3 secrets of peacebuilding, vision of the Summer of Peace
Sat, 2012-08-04
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 3
The joy of getting your hub on the map, and official hub toolkit
Sat, 2012-07-28
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 2 Sat, 2012-07-21
Birth 2012 Catalyst - Issue 1 Sat, 2012-07-14
 
  2013 Issue 4 • Feb. 24

The Shift Catalyst is a bi-monthly ezine for conscious change, powered by The Shift Network.

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This Week:



During the buildup to Birth 2012 last year, we often said that don Miguel Ruiz, the bestselling author of The Four Agreements, is like our planetary grandfather in parallel with Barbara Marx Hubbard as planetary grandmother . . . . [read more]

Next Week: Marcia Wieder: Dream Big, Earn Well


Next: February 28

Dinner, World Café dialogue, devotional music with Devaa Haley and friends. Register here.

Opportunities

The Shift Network is Hiring! Now accepting applications for Director of Marketing and Online Direct Response Copywriter. For more information, click here.
Evolve Yourself, Evolve Our World with Shift Network Courses

Soulful Women Certificate Program with Devaa Haley Mitchell & Elayne Doughty
New cohort begins February 25
 
Authentic Awakening with Thomas Hübl
Starts February 27
 
A Course in Mastery with don Miguel Ruiz & family
Free call February 27; course starts March 12
 
The Emergence Process with Patricia Ellsberg and Barbara Marx Hubbard
Not too late to join!
 
The Cultivating Peace Method with James O'Dea
Not too late to join!