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 By Stephen Dinan,
founder and CEO of The Shift Network
The Shift Network exists to help evolve consciousness on the planet, which then leads to changes in how we do everything else, from healthcare to business. It's vital to engage this work, as we're in a critical time in human history, one where the forces for evolution are in a tug of war with the forces for regression, with future generations dependent on the outcome.
How we raise our children may well be the deciding factor of whether we choose breakthrough or breakdown.
Each of us can have a powerful impact by ourselves but the impact of raising a next generation of conscious, committed, and caring beings can be far greater.
That's why we're excited this month to bring you Parenting with Presence, a groundbreaking summit in which you can learn from the pioneers of this work like Susan Stiffelman, as well as luminaries like Alanis Morissette, Arianna Huffington, and Representative Tim Ryan.
To celebrate this key part of the Shift, we're focusing several articles in this Catalyst on the subject, including an insightful piece on being the Captain of the Ship from Susan Stiffelman, our Summit host, an article on the difference between punishment and consequences from Shefali Tsabary (who wowed us at the recent Wisdom 2.0), as well as a great article on family peace practices and energy styles from our lead Peace faculty James O'Dea.
Also, since March is international women's month, we feature an article on the subject and two profiles on great women: Dadi Janki written by Sister Jenna; and, Alice Theriault an 80 year old member of our community who taught elementary school for 30 years. She is a mother, grandmother and now an author.
Enjoy! And do spread the word to all the parents you know about Parenting with Presence!
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Parenting with Presence Summit 2014
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Technology Shabbat
Tiffany Shlain, award-winning filmmaker, speaker, and founder of The Webby Awards, shares how living in today's over-connected world has led her family to unplug for one full day every week. They call them their "Technology Shabbats," they've done it every week for over three years, and it's completely changed their lives. (Be sure to watch this video by Tiffany too: Motherhood Remixed) |
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 Being the Captain of the Ship
By Susan Stiffelman
One of the key elements in my work with parents is helping them be that Captain of the ship in their child's life.
One of the images I use to help parents think about the interactions they have with their children is that of two hands, with the right hand representing the parent and the left hand representing the child.
In this first image, the right hand is positioned above the left. In this position we get a visual of the natural hierarchy when the parent is in charge . . . [read more]
 Peace practice for children, parents and grandparents
By James O'Dea
There are two areas where peace practice is essential between children and their parents and grandparents. One is listening — something people think they know all about and they don't. The other is how your child processes his or her energy in conflict situations.
There are different kinds of listening — when they don't match, conflict arises.
Take for example, when we're being criticized, we literally shut down parts of the brain and zero in on more primitive fight or flight mechanisms. Your criticism gets drowned out by the body's biochemical cocktail of threat. You won't be heard . . . [read more]
 The Difference Between Punishment and Consequences
By Dr Shefali Tsabary
It's been said that the only things we really "learn" are the things we learn for ourselves. It's when we learn something for ourselves that it becomes intrinsic to us. We just naturally do what it is we've learned, without having to be urged to do it or disciplined into doing it.
So, when our children engage in less-than-desirable behavior, how are they to learn? Well, if they are to learn for themselves, it can't be because we impose the lesson on them. Imposing a "lesson" on children is the opposite of them learning for themselves. Like ourselves as adults, our children learn best from consequences. What they don't learn from is punishment . . . [read more]
 March is Women's History Month
By Keven Bellows
March 8 is International Women's Day around the world. The United Nation's theme is "Equality for Women is Progress for All." It reflects the fact that specifically supporting women in emerging countries to become self-sufficient through micro loans, education and basic health care is the best way to address poverty, as opposed to massive amounts of top-down international aid to often corrupt and male chauvinist governments . . . [read more]
For submissions and recommendations, email editor@theshiftnetwork.com.
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 My 98-Year-Old Dadi in Honor of Women's History Month
By Sister Jenna
A few days ago, I witnessed a meeting on live streaming when my 98-year-old Dadi, called Janki, was dancing and laughing away! Dadi means Elder in Sindhi, a language from Sindh, Pakistan. When I was a teenager, she came into my life via my mother and father who attended an event in Miami, Florida, in the 1980s. The live stream conversation featured, "How to Remember God Accurately" by Dadi Janki . . . [read more]
 Take Hold of Heaven, Thirteen Spiritual Truths for Parents and Children
By Alice Theriault
This was then —
Help!! I'm calling from the rehab unit of the cosmos! Is that you, God, the Great Whiz-Bang in the Sky?? It's me, Alice in Earthland!
What was upon my heart to move me to write those crazy words in my journal?
Life had been a tad difficult and my heart was crying out for solace! The world's pain was within me and as I meditated an idea for a book for children began to come alive.
My deep love for children was crying out as so many were sad, sick and suffering. I began to write and it just kept coming — I wrote for what seemed to be ten minutes and when I looked at the clock — it had been more than an hour!
This is now — . . . [read more]
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The First Ever Women's Gathering with the Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers – Spring Equinox 2014 + World Water Day, March 20th–23rd, 2014 — Montezuma Well – Yavapai County, Arizona. For more information on this event please visit the event site click here or contact the event organizers directly at experience@indigena.org.
The Gandhi King Season for Nonviolence
(SNV) – FREE RESOURCES
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Find SNV events near you – click here (and then click on the
events listed on the calendar for more details).
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Submit your own SNV events – click here.
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See Selected SNV Events for Inspiration – click here.
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Program templates and materials – click here.
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Resources for individuals, schools, spiritual centers, and families – click here.
Nonviolence Tools, Trainings and Studies – From the Metta Center for Nonviolence
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Roadmap Compass: a tool to learn about
nonviolence while building community and strategy – click here.
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Short Roadmap "Prezi" – a short presentation about the Roadmap
and what it offers as a tool for strategic thinking – click here.
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Roadmap Training Guides – click here.
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Metta's latest issue of Emergence Magazine – click here.
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Metta's Certificate in Nonviolence Studies, next cohort starts April 7, 2014
– click here.
Nonviolent Peaceforce
– learn how you can support frontline nonviolence peace efforts in
Sudan and around the world – click here.
ADMISSIONS is a film that
stars Academy Award nominee James Cromwell and tells an inspiring tale about
what it takes to find lasting peace, even in conflict-ridden places like the
Middle East. The film's purpose is to start a conversation that heals. To
date, Admissions has been honored with 25 International Awards. ADMISSIONS is
now being offered as a free screening in conjunction with a global campaign to
promote PeaceNow.com and their efforts to
gather ONE BILLION signatures for global peace. The signatures will ultimately
be presented to the U.N. and will be used to help enact The International
Resolution for the Establishment of Peace Departments and Ministries of Peace
in governments around the world. To lear more about the film – click here. Also, go to PeaceNow.com to sign the petition.
On Tuesday, March 11, Idealist will launch a new
network—online and on the ground—that will help people
everywhere connect and take action on any issue that concerns them, locally or
globally, online and in person. "We will start with a live online
presentation, take your questions, and then start building this network with
you." To learn more – click here.
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2014 Catalyst: (#5, 3/9) (#4, 2/22) (#3, 2/8) (#2, 1/26) (#1, 1/12)
2013 Catalyst: (#22, 12/14) (#21, 11/30) (#20, 11/16) (#19, 11/3) (#18, 10/20) (#17, 10/6) (#16, 9/21) (#15, 9/8) (#14, 8/25) (#13, 8/4) (#12, 7/21), (#11, 7/7), (#10, 6/16) (#9, 6/2) (#8, 5/12) (#7, 4/28) (#6, 4/14) (#5, 3/24) (#4, 2/24) (#3, 2/9) (#2, 1/26) (#1, 1/13)
Birth 2012 Catalyst: (#15, 12/9) (#14, 12/1) (#13, 11/22) (#12, 11/10) (#11, 11/3) (#10, 10/20) (#9, 10/6) (#8, 9/16) (#7, 9/8) (#6, 8/25) (#5, 8/16) (#4, 8/4) (#3, 7/28) (#2, 7/21) (#1, 7/14)
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Take a "Technology Shabbat" with person(s) you love — take one day this week to completely "unplug" from your computer, cell phones and other technology so you can be fully present with each other.
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Global Peace Initiative of Women – The basis of GPIW's work is the dynamic expression of unity, emerging from the heart of wisdom of the world's spiritual traditions, and our own hearts, into a community. This new narrative can help animate social and economic structures and systems that better reflect our natural evolution toward greater wholeness. An essential part of this shift is the coming into a sacred relationship with the earth and all the living forces of the universe. Feminine wisdom and the power of love can serve as the fulcrum for this inner and outer transformation. To learn more, click here.
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Chakuna Machi Asa
By Eleanor Tara
Chakuna Machi Asa creates beautiful, deep, potent, healing music that incorporates her practices of overtone chanting and shamanic drumming. She uses sound to inspire personal transformation and awaken you to your natural, peaceful state of being. Her album, Ancient Healing Chants, was specifically created to activate your personal power, and each track is designed to rebalance one of the 7 Chakras. You can feel the vibrations permeating your being as you listen. For more information or to sample her album, visit activationsounds.com.
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