[Catalyst #1] Winter of Wellness
 

By Stephen Dinan, founder and CEO of The Shift Network

Happy New Year! On behalf of the entire Shift Network staff, faculty and partners, I want to wish you, your loved ones and our growing community a joyous year!

The New Year is a wonderful time to reflect on the positive strides and challenges of the previous year and to make renewed commitments of personal transformation for the year ahead. For my beloved wife Devaa, and me, we were blessed with inspiration that came from a surprising source. Over the holidays, we traveled to the Yucatan where we met a truly luminous Mayan elder called Abuelo Antonio. He has been following The Shift Network and said, "We've been waiting for you!"

The experience with Abuelo was truly profound. We participated in a sacred ceremony in which his Mayan elder was passing the torch of his powers, which I write about in an article below.

Being with Abuelo was a beautiful example of what The Shift Network is all about — love in action, really living with reverence for all of life. We are co-creating a global community where ancient spiritual wisdom, emerging science and social action all exist side-by-side often in beautifully integrated ways.

With the growing challenges in the world, it is all the more important that each of us continue to renew our commitments to being the change we want to see in the world.

In this edition of The Catalyst, we celebrate the start of the Winter of Wellness — 60 Days to Optimal Health for Your Body, Mind, Heart & Soul. We are offering a free summit with 40 of the world's leading wellness teachers to help you, your family and friends break through old patterns of struggle, stress and sickness... and step into a life of vitality, joy and love for your body, mind, heart and soul. (To register free, click here.)

It is essential for each of us to take good care of ourselves so we can be better instruments of love, allowing higher guidance to flow through us in grounded, practical and tangible ways.

We have remarkable articles from Dr. Larry Dossey and Dr. Alberto Villoldo. We also have an inspiring profile from Sandra Ingerman about how she became a renowned shamanic teacher. Sandra has inspired many of our community members through her Shamanic Journeying courses with us. We also feature a New Year video message from wellness champion Dr. Andrew Weil.

In Shift Philanthropy, we are featuring Shakespeare at San Quentin, a project of the Marin Shakespeare Company that is close to our hearts. Finally, our featured artist is Geotic.

Mayan Consciousness — Abuelo Antonio Oxté — recorded in Sisbicchén, Yucatán

Abuelo Antonio Oxté: Guardian of the Mayan Ancient Energy Medical Tradition, he was born in the community of Tzucacab, Yucatán, México. He received his first initiations by the hands of his maternal grandmother, parents and Family. More information on Abuelo Antonio Oxté located in Sisbicchén – click here.


The Five Pillars of Good Health

Want to keep it simple in the New Year? Here are Dr. Andrew Weil's five most fundamental and powerful pieces of health advice. Practice all five, and 2015 promises to be your healthiest year yet. In the true spirit of integrative medicine, these tips don't cover only physical health — there is wisdom for the mind and spirit here, too. See all of Dr. Weil's videos here.

How Deep Is Our Connectedness?
By Larry Dossey, MD

One of the great lessons of twentieth-century medical research is that social connectedness and interaction with others promote health and wellness, and isolation inhibits it. Nature did not design us to be alone. Sometimes this awareness bursts forth spontaneously . . . [read more]

Optimal Brain Function: A Mind-Body-Spirit Approach to Brain Health and Avoiding Memory Loss
By Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D.

What we know about the brain and its functioning has increased dramatically in the last decade or so. Although many people fear developing memory loss as they grow older, or struggle with brain fog in middle age, scientists are now discovering that ancient techniques for keeping our minds free from stressors complement modern ways of preventing brain diseases . . . [read more]

A Lesson in Love and Power — From a Mayan Abuelo
By Stephen Dinan

Over the New Year's holiday, we were blessed to spend time in the Yucatan, Mexico, and meet a true man of love who shines with such a divine luminosity — the revered Mayan elder, Abuelo Antonio Oxté.

Abuelo means grandfather in Spanish and there is a way in which Antonio welcomed us into his heart and spiritual family instantly with a bear hug, radiant eyes, and words of such tender appreciation that we felt we'd been family for millennia . . . [read more]

Walking in Light: The Everyday of Shamanic Life
By Sandra Ingerman

I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and although I lived in a city I felt so connected to nature. I loved life and the Earth! I came home from school everyday and sang to a tree outside of my house, to the birds, and then to the moon at night.

I always had a spiritual connection not just to nature but also with the invisible realms that are spoken about in the practice of shamanism. At the age of seven I was hit by lightning, and when I regained consciousness I returned with a heightened spiritual awareness . . . [read more]

James O'Dea's New Book: The Shift Network is delighted to announce our lead peace faculty James O'Dea has published a new book: The Conscious Activist: Where Activism Meets Mysticism. The Conscious Activist is truly a masterpiece for our time as it describes the many rigorous initiations needed before the power of the activist can become one with the power of the mystic. To order your copy, click here.

New Film screenings of Awake: The Life of Yogananda are taking place in Theaters across the United States and Canada. To find a showing near you or to arrange for a screening, click here. (The filmmakers were interviewed in the Summer of Peace, the recording is available for free.)

A gift for you: to clear what’s standing between you and life dreams. Lion Goodman, one of The Shift Network’s faculty members, has brought out iClearIt, an amazing new app for the iPhone and iPad. It’s a  powerful process for clearing whatever is in your way: physical discomfort, pain, emotional upset, bad feelings, or resistance to doing what you need to do.  A videotaped coach walks you through every step of this embodied mindfulness process.  It works like magic, and the app is getting rave reviews. Lion is generously offering the app for free, for a very limited time.  Visit www.iClearIt.com to learn more, and to access your free copy of iClearIt.

Free Videos and Course on Money and Life — Money problems can cause a lot of stress. For the first time ever, our friends Lynne Twist and Dave Ellis, who are both expert facilitators and best-selling authors, are offering four videos and a telecourse on money for free. Find out more here.

Sandra Ingerman New Book and CD: The Shift Network is delighted to announce these new releases by Sandra Ingerman, one of our prolific faculty:
Walking in Light: The Everyday Empowerment of a Shamanic Life (Sounds True, February 2015) is a resource filled with practices, journeys, and insights to help you improve your state of health and well-being, deepen your relationship with spirit and nature, tap into your creative potential, and live from the heart. Sandra Ingerman offers a complete guide for living in a shamanic way — empowered by purpose, focus, and deep connection to  the spiritual dimensions. The passion behind writing this book comes from Sandra’s deep commitment to share tools to maintain a state of hope and feel empowered during these times of change and to teach how we can be positive changemakers for all of life and the Earth by integrating spiritual practices into our lives. To order your copy, click here.
With Shamanic Visioning Music: Taiko Drum Journeys (Sounds True, February 2015), renowned teacher Sandra Ingerman and the performers of Taiko Sol bring you an album of taiko music specifically created for the practice of shamanic journeying. Featuring dynamic drumming arrangements of Nagado and Odaiko drums and Sandra’s invaluable guidance for using this music to enter altered states of consciousness, this is a perfect addition to any shamanic library. To order your copy, click here.

World Peace Library – Free ResourceBe sure to take advantage of the World Peace Library, a wide-ranging resource on peace newly compiled by the Shift Network: It contains more than 300 inspiring talks and mini-workshops from individuals such as Archbishop Tutu, Nobel Laureate Jody Williams, Jane Goodall, Deepak Chopra, James O'Dea, Karen Armstrong, Chief Phil Lane and many more. With neuroscientists and lamas, faith-based activists and political leaders, this Library offers something for all in their peacebuilding efforts. The Shift Network has made the World Peace Library a free resource for all and encourages its use to promote peace in your families, schools, and wider community.

1 Billion Acts of Peace — a global community of everyday people performing thoughtful actions that contribute to world peace. The Shift Network is delighted to join Peacejam Foundation, Google, Wells Fargo, Hill+Knowlton Strategies and many others have come together to create the "One Billion Acts of Peace" Campaign — an international global citizens' movement designed to tackle the most important problems facing our planet. To learn more, click here.

Special Peace, Dinner & Concert benefiting Peace Through Commerce – Austin, Texas – Saturday, February 7, 2015 – Featuring: Walt Wilkins, Tina Wilkins, Bill Small, Bill Worrell, & Sam Baker. To register – click here. (To learn more about Peace Through Commerce, click here).

Sign Petition to Establish a United Kingdom Department of Peace. The Ministry of Peace would shift the paradigm towards a new architecture of peace by supporting and establishing activities that promote a culture of peace in the United Kingdom and the world. To sign the petition, click here.

The Alliance for Peacebuilding Updates:
  • Save the Date: The Alliance for Peacebuilding – 2015 Annual Conference – Peacebuilding and Democracy in a Turbulent World – May 13 to 15, 2015 – Washington, DC — Issues of governance, legitimacy, fragility, and disenfranchisement underlie many conflicts raging around the world, including ISIS in Syria and Iraq, Ukraine, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Ebola in West Africa and with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that ebbs and flows without a clear path to resolution. The peacebuilding and governance/democracy communities recognize the need to work together. The conference will explore the links between these fields, and will help build bridges in both theory and practice to take on today’s most complex global crises. Registration coming soon. Look for updates – click here. For questions or concerns, contact Emily Mallozzi, Membership & Outreach Manager, at emily@allianceforpeacebuilding.org.

  • Check out this compelling article on Foreign Policy by AfP's own Senior Fellow Christopher Holshek, What the Pentagon Can Learn From Carpenter. Ending a war is difficult, but harder still is the work of building peace. And soldiers shouldn't be doing it. The article addresses the need to bolster military's transition to civilian structures and thereby invest in sustainable peace and security. Holshek weaves together lessons from Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Liberia as it grapples with Ebola.
If you have an announcement to share, please write: editor@theshiftnetwork.com

2015 Catalyst: (#1, 1/11)

2014 Catalyst: (#26, 12/28) (#25, 12/14) (#24, 11/30) (#23, 11/16) (#22, 11/1) (#21, 10/19) (#20, 10/5) (#19, 9/21) (#18, 9/14) (#17, 9/01) (#16, 8/17) (#15, 8/3) (#14, 7/20) (#13, 7/4) (#12, 6/15) (#11, 6/1) (#10, 5/18) (#9, 5/4) (#8, 4/20) (#7, 4/6) (#6, 3/23) (#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)
 
2015 Issue 1 • Jan 11
The Shift Catalyst is a bi-weekly ezine for conscious change, powered by The Shift Network.

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• Shift Network Update
• Headline Video
• Featured Articles
• Profiles
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• Action of the Week
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• Partner Spotlight
• Featured Artist
• Allies of the Shift
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Plan your food each day. Eat an extra serving of veggies and try a new fruit or veggie you've never tried before. Also, be mindful to eat more food that is grown within 10 miles of where you live.

The Art of Feminine Alchemy: How to Move Beyond Personal Healing to Archetypal Transformation — A Free Virtual Event Especially For Women with Devaa Haley Mitchell and Elayne Kalila Doughty. Are you ready to move beyond the continual rehashing of old stories, wounds and limiting beliefs about yourself but are unclear how to make this shift? January 14, 5:30pm Pacific

The Peace Ambassador Training: A 16-Session Online Certification Program — Created by James O'Dea, Facilitated by Philip Hellmich and Emily Hine. Discover The Leading-Edge Practices and Tools You Need to Cultivate Peace and Healing In Your Heart, Family, Community and Our World. New Training Begins Wednesday, January 14, 2015

The Sacred Journey of the Conscious Evolutionary 2.0: Birthing a New You within a Community of Pioneering Souls — A 5-month Adventure in Personal & Social Transformation with Celebrated Teacher and Bestselling Author Barbara Marx Hubbard, along with Co-Facilitators Patricia Ellsberg and Carolyn Anderson and bonus trainings from 12 pioneers such as Deepak Chopra, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Ken Wilber, Bruce Lipton & Neale Donald Walsch. New Live Training Starts Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Mutual Awakening: Living into the Spontaneity, Freedom & Intimacy of the Higher We — With contemporary spiritual teacher Patricia Albere. New Live Virtual Training Starts Tuesday, January 20, 2015

More Upcoming Events: (all subject to change)

January
• Winter of Wellness summit
• Rising Women Rising World summit
• Scilla Elworthy 7-week course
• Thomas Huebl 9-week course
• Devaa Haley Mitchell & Elayne Doughty 7-month program

February
• Body Intelligence Summit
• Katie & Gay Hendricks 7-week course
• Terry Patten 7-week course
• Sofia Diaz 7-week course
• Andrew Harvey 7-week course
• Sandra Ingerman 12-week course
• Tim Kelley 6-month intensive

March
• Transforming Aging Summit
• Thrive Summit
• Whole Earth Summit
• HeartMath 7-week course
• Ron Pevny 7-week course
• Mark Matousek 7-week course
• Michael Gelb 7-week course
• Ken Page 10-week course

April
• Spring of Sustainability
• Shelly Lefkoe 7-week course
• Tim Kelley 7-week course
• Gay Hendricks 7-week course
• Andrew Harvey & Sally Kempton 6-month intensive

Shakespeare at San Quentin — The Shift Network is a proud supporter of the Marin Shakespeare Company's project: Shakespeare at San Quentin which offers weekly classes, culminating in an annual performance of a Shakespeare play. The men also write and perform autobiographical theatre pieces inspired by their work with Shakespeare. Also, The Shift Network's Devaa Haley Mitchell volunteers with this program. To learn more, watch videos of performances and performers' testimonials and/or make a donation click here.

The 10-Day Local Food Challenge — How well can we-the-eaters feed ourselves from where we live? That's the question Vicki Robin asked, leading her to the 30-day 10-mile diet. To learn more, click here.

Geotic
By Jeffrey Kihn

Geotic is the side-project of Will Wiesenfeld, a 25-year-old, classically-trained pianist-turned-guitarist/singer/producer from Los Angeles, better-known within the electronic music niche as Baths.

It isn’t a project that he says much about, or even makes much fuss over. For most of Geotic’s 7-year life, all of the music was available for free access on a simple webpage — and most Geotic albums were written and in a matter of days, in a fit of inspiration, often using a single instrument.  

Put simply, every Geotic recording captures a tender moment. This is evident in his titles. One fan noticed that the titles of Mend, my personal favorite of his albums, make an intimate poem: "Unwind, beaming husband. Find your peace; time passes in a slow sundown. Disrobe and come to bed; get held. Sleep, and we'll transition into some spirit world. Our awe: the sprawling, glorious newness. I'll have come and gone with you through the lush and undiscovered. And, upon awakening, we've mended."

Musically, each piece is like the "good bit" of a pop song instrumental, looped around and around, savoring the moment. Wiesenfeld’s favorite instrument for this work, a gently-plucked guitar, wraps us in a warm blanket of fuzz and the safety of home.

Listen to Geotic online here.

Evolutionary Leaders

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Green America

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