Recorded August–October 2016
Expand your ability to access higher realms, and venture beyond your solo meditation or prayer practice to work with group energy fields.
Explore exciting frontiers of spiritual transformation with other pioneers at the leading edge of meditation and collective intention.
Have you felt called to move beyond your personal transformative practice into realms of group experiences and expanded collective impact?
Does your heart ache to make a difference in the many challenges humanity faces?
Moving from “me” to “we” consciousness is at the heart of an historic evolutionary shift taking place on our planet today.
Whether the playing field is business, sports, the arts or nonprofits, the development of coherent, collaborative and impactful groups is proving vital for achieving breakthrough outcomes.
More significantly, the shift to conscious group formation is necessary for us to access the collective wisdom needed to respond effectively to the unprecedented scale and complexity of the challenges we face as a species.
This shift is showing up in the realms of personal and spiritual growth in the form of new technologies designed specifically to awaken the potentials of group consciousness.
Higher levels of creativity, intuitive intelligence, love, purpose, courage and will can all be accessed through developing and nurturing the subtle field that underlies any group.
In all these ways and more, the group field can serve as a profound source of support for personal evolution.
It can also be applied for the benefit of society.
There’s a growing body of scientific and anecdotal evidence that shows we have an ability to affect things at a distance — from the power of prayer... to measurable effects of global meditations... to the ability of shamans, yogis and qigong masters to heal others from afar.
A new wave of research on phenomena like the Maharishi Effect, which contributed to reductions in crime rates in parallel with group meditations, and experiments like the Global Consciousness Project are providing evidence that consciousness work can and does create positive social change.
The challenge is, though, that one person can only do so much alone. Only when we harness the power of group fields do we gain access to a more powerful lever for positive change — including the ability to use ritual, intention and healing energy to affect others (and ourselves).
And while all this research is fascinating to think about, you likely feel an even stronger pull on your heart to explore this leading-edge work as you witness so much war, conflict and ecological devastation on the planet.
Our hearts break as we see the level of horrifying violence playing out on the world stage. Our hearts call for us to do SOMETHING to uplift humanity and address these dire situations.
So how you can bring together your heart and mind and dedicate your spiritual practice to deep social healing? By harnessing the power of group fields for personal evolution, group coherence and subtle activism.
You may not have heard of subtle activism, but it’s both a new discipline and a growing movement that brings together spiritual practices with emerging insights into how we can shift our world in a positive direction through the power of our individual and collective consciousness.
Subtle activism both opens intriguing new horizons of transformational practice AND serves as a way to integrate inner development with outer engagement — bonding communities together in a mission of healing and positive change. And not only is there evidence for positive collective impact, the subtle activists themselves benefit from a beautiful secondary effect of increased hope and creative energy.
In the past, these domains were often considered too speculative and “far out,” but we’re now moving into an era in which we’re starting to understand how transformational practices can extend the capacities of our minds, broadcast the love in our hearts, and begin to affect the “collective field” in a way that helps to heal social wounds, clear past traumas and reduce humanity’s propensity to violence and crime.
In this way, our spiritual practices can evolve beyond a quest for personal liberation to help address “global hot spots” — areas of real suffering — or even major political processes involving millions of people.
Research is also beginning to show that advanced meditators and healing practitioners are more effective than novices at creating these shifts nonlocally — implying it’s a skill we can each develop.
That’s part of why the field of subtle activism is gaining momentum as a legitimate area for inquiry and focused practice. Subtle activism also gives us unique insights into group and collective practices, from ceremonies to focused group intention to simultaneous meditations in multiple locations.
Journey With A Master Guide
There are few people who have explored this area in as much depth and breadth as Dr. David Thomas Nicol, author of the acclaimed 2015 book, Subtle Activism, host of the 2015 Subtle Activism Summit, and co-founder of the BeThePeace annual global meditation on the International Day of Peace, which last year included more than 1,400 participating locations worldwide.
In this, his first-ever online Building Group Subtle Fields program, David will show you how to harness the power of your spiritual practices for greater good — to effect positive change in the world and in yourself. He’s distilled more than a decade of research into a concrete set of insights and practices that enable you to work with groups in an intentional spiritual way.
He’ll take you step by step through the theory and techniques that allow you to engage in effective group field development as both a participant and organizer, as you build a field of co-creative exploration that can help shift our world.
Building these fields helps to create stronger, more bonded teams and more coherent intention for subtle activism.
And the best part of this work is that the benefits not only ripple out into society, they also flow directly into you. It’s clear that when individuals work in this way, they become more energized, joyful and hopeful.
The experience of entering into a “group mind” leads to a feeling of oneness. As a result, people connect more deeply, feel like they’re part of a soul family, access more life force, and collaborate more actively on worldly projects.
In other words, working with group fields builds a sense of real community and larger purpose, while empowering actions in the world at large.
It thus serves as an important way to advance beyond purely solo practices, which by definition limit our collective growth potential. By learning to consciously step into larger fields of intention, practice and work, we diminish the self-serving and self-seeking impulse of the ego and experience ourselves as part of a larger whole. This work, in turn, acts as a bridge to support collective awakening and transformation through direct experiences of global oneness.
During this 7-part journey with David, you’ll see clearly why engaging in group field work and subtle activism can enhance your personal evolution in addition to contributing to our collective healing.
When you join this groundbreaking training, you’ll discover:
- Cutting-edge research about how intention, energy and group fields actually work — drawing from the latest science about such phenomena as morphogenetic fields and psi research
- Advanced practices and lore around subtle activism, as well as information on the skills needed to become more effective
- Creative techniques you can engage in with a group to activate a collective subtle body — including creating a “higher mind,” “higher heart” and “higher will” — and positively impact challenging global situations
- How working with group fields can supercharge your spiritual practice with purpose, and create a healthy flow between a focus on self and community
- Ways to develop subtle perception, allowing you to navigate higher levels of consciousness
- Practical skills for building group synergy that can be applied to any conscious organization
- New levels of hope and purpose that can illuminate the next steps on your paths of personal and professional development
- Specific practices for self-protection, safety, clearing and grounding — which are especially important for dealing with larger traumas in the collective psyche
- How to develop real discernment and distinguish healthy skepticism from fear-based doubt
- How to move beyond the polarity of doubt and belief to transrational knowing
- The ethics of engaging in subtle dimensions on behalf of the collective
- The 3 keys to building collective intelligence in groups
If you’re intrigued about moving beyond your individual spiritual practice to positively influence the larger issues of our time — and exploring the frontiers of consciousness — this is the course for you.
What You’ll Discover in These 7 Modules
During this 7-part training, you’ll participate in co-creating a potent field of group synergy that will support deep levels of healing, both in ourselves and in our world. You’ll come away with three keys to building collective wisdom in any group.
You’ll be introduced to the powerful field of subtle activism, a new approach that applies the power of group consciousness for social and planetary transformation. You’ll explore the science and theories underlying subtle activism and the critical role this emerging force can play at a pivotal moment in the evolution of consciousness on our planet.
In each session, you’ll take part in a guided meditation to help build the subtle body of our group field. You’ll also engage with an innovative practice known as Gaiafield Group Synergy, which uses the group field for deep personal and collective healing.
Between sessions, you’ll be invited to continue to help build our group field through a simple daily resonance-building practice, supported by text and/or email reminders with links to audio/visual meditative supports. Each session will build upon the last so that you’ll become more and more deeply embedded in a resonant group field of dynamic presence.
Module 1: Building Group Fields Why and How?
(Recorded August 31)
While engaging in an individual spiritual practice can produce tremendous benefits, our inner work is radically amplified when we practice together as part of a highly coherent group field. Perhaps even more significantly, when we pool our consciousness together we discover higher forms of collective wisdom regarding the major challenges facing society today. The group field can be developed and refined in such a way that it becomes a new entity in its own right — and an extraordinarily potent vehicle for both personal and collective transformation. As Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh famously said, “The next Buddha may be the sangha.”
In this session, you’ll discover:
- The evolutionary significance of moving beyond individual practice to collective practice
- A new process to develop the subtle body of a group
- How to use the group field to support your personal healing journey
- How to use the group field to support healing in society — in other words, how to engage in “subtle activism”
You’ll also participate in a guided meditation to build our group heart, and in a Gaiafield Group Synergy practice to access the power of love to support your highest intention for what you want to see emerge from the course — for yourself personally and for our world.
Module 2: Keys to Developing Collective Wisdom
(Recorded September 7)
We’ll explore three overarching questions: How in practice do we develop the collective spiritual intelligence of a group? What essential elements must be present for group wisdom to arise? How do we build coherent group consciousness while maintaining our individual uniqueness and autonomy?
In this session, you’ll discover:
- The 3 keys to building collective intelligence in groups
- Why diversity is necessary to maximize the collective intelligence of the group
- How the group field can support you to be your unique self
You’ll also participate in a guided meditation to co-create our “group mind,” and in a Gaiafield Group Synergy practice to harness our group compassion for healing a personal issue.
Module 3: Subtle Activism, Part 1 The Science of Nonlocality
(Recorded September 14)
Subtle activism involves the use of consciousness-based practices like meditation and prayer for collective transformation. An example is the WiseUSA project, which has brought thousands of people together in meditation and prayer to call forth wisdom and compassion from the U.S. electorate in the 2008 and 2012 elections and again this year. Subtle activism is a bridge between inner and outer transformation. It is the art of harnessing the power of love to transform the world.
Practicing together as a group amplifies our spiritual capacities to heal the whole. It also allows us greater access to the collective unconscious where deep patterns of collective thought reside. Our collective focused intention can thus initiate an organic process of social change at very fundamental levels of reality.
During this session, you’ll explore:
- Fascinating historical instances in which focused group intention led to social and political change
- Empirical evidence for the social impact of large meditation groups on entire cities and nations
- The relationship between subtle activism and direct action
You’ll also take part in a guided meditation to help build our group will, and in a Gaiafield Group Synergy practice to apply our collective joy for personal and collective upliftment.
Module 4: Subtle Activism, Part II Principles for Engaging With Collective Fields
(Recorded September 21)
Subtle activism extends our spiritual practice into the collective realm. Opening to these broader social fields can raise new questions about how to engage in these activites ethically and safely. How should we best approach our subtle activism practice? What is the right orientation to take? How can our engagement on collective levels be integrated seamlessly into the rest of our spiritual lives?
In this session, you’ll discover:
- The ethics of engaging with subtle dimensions for collective upliftment
- How to participate safely in the practice of subtle activism
- The principle of non-attachment to outcome
- The principle of humility: owning the dark places inside ourselves
- The importance of engaging from wholeness
You’ll also participate in a guided meditation to connect our group heart, mind and will centers, and — on this International Day of Peace — in a Gaiafield Group Synergy practice to apply our group field for personal and planetary peace.
Module 5: Field Theories of Consciousness
(Recorded September 28)
How do group fields work? How do our spiritual activities affect each other across vast distances in space and time? And how could our group work possibly influence modern societies, with their enormous size and complexity? The notions of group fields and subtle activism run counter to our regular perception of the world as a collection of seemingly separate material objects and to the materialistic assumptions of orthodox science. But science itself has come to recognize not only the profound interrelatedness of all things at more basic levels of reality, but also the complex connection between consciousness and the world. We’ll consider various leading-edge theories that have been developed to explain the nonlocal nature of consciousness.
During this session, you’ll discover:
- The significance of biochemist Rupert Sheldrake’s theory of morphogenetic fields and Carl Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious
- The fascinating psychedelic research of Christopher Bache, including his theory of how individuals in non-ordinary states can bring healing to the human mind
- The theory behind the Maharishi Effect research
- Dion Fortune’s esoteric theory of magical activism
You’ll also participate in a guided meditation to help purify our group will center, and in a Gaiafield Group Synergy practice to harness our group will for personal and collective transformation.
Module 6: Group Mind & the Evolution of Consciousness
(Recorded October 5)
We’ve reached an extraordinary threshold in the human and planetary story. Alongside the threat of the global ecological crisis and the potential collapse of current socio-economic systems, there are seeds all around us of an emerging planetary wisdom civilization. What can we do to nurture this nascent planetary awareness? How might working with group fields and practicing subtle activism help catalyze this process of planetization?
In this session, you’ll explore:
- The Noosphere: Teilhard de Chardin’s extraordinary vision
- The Integral Earth Community: David Berry’s notion of our transition to the Ecozoic Era
- The Reenchantment of the Cosmos: could humanity be poised to re-awaken to the spiritual intelligence of the universe?
- How the practice of global meditation can serve as a collective initiation into planetary consciousness
- Why chaos theory suggests that a profound collective shift could happen far more quickly than we think
You’ll also participate in a guided meditation to purify our group heart, and in a Gaiafield Group Synergy practice to activate our group strength.
Module 7: Growing the Movement
(Recorded October 12)
As The Club of Budapest President Ervin Laszlo recently said, “Subtle activism is an idea whose time has come.” Although the term subtle activism is still new, a movement is emerging worldwide to harness the power of our collective consciousness in service of a global shift. The movement is very young, fresh and open to creative ways of engaging with it. Are you feeling the call? If so, how might you take the next steps on your path as a subtle activist?
In our final session, you’ll discover:
- How to create your own subtle activism circle
- How to get involved in the WiseUSA campaign to uplift the hearts and minds of the American people in the 2016 election cycle
- How you can participate on a regular basis in ongoing forms of subtle activism practice
You’ll also take part in a guided meditation to purify our group mind, and in a Gaiafield Group Synergy practice to unleash the power of celebration to to recognize our group spiritual achievement.
The Building Group Subtle Fields Bonus Collection
In addition to David’s transformative 7-part virtual program, you’ll also receive these powerful training sessions with leading visionaries and teachers. These bonus sessions are designed tor complement what you’ll learn in the course — and take your understanding and practice to an even deeper level.
Awakening Together
Audio Dialogue With David Nicol and Patricia Albere
Join master teacher Patricia Albere and David Nicol, PhD for a fascinating dialogue about the potentials of collective spiritual practice for personal and cultural evolution. Both Patricia and David have developed innovative methods that use collective awareness to open new spiritual possibilities beyond individual realization. In this lively conversation, Patricia and David explore how mutual awakening and focused collective intention can contribute to the evolution of consciousness at this time of great transition.
Patricia Albere is the founder of the Evolutionary Collective and an internationally known contemporary spiritual teacher and author. Her unique discovery of the essential components that create an awakened "we space" is transforming our understanding of what is possible in the space between us and in creating new fields of higher collective consciousness. Her work creates a powerful field of shared consciousness that reveals previously unimagined potentials for human development that can and are moving humanity far beyond the limits of personal growth.
Planetary Magic
Audio Dialogue With David Nicol and Luisah Teish
What is the role of ritual in seeding positive change in our world? What rituals are especially helpful at this time of great strife and transition? Can we develop new rituals that speak to the modern condition? Join author and teacher Chief Luisah Teish and global activist David Nicol, PhD for a dynamic exploration of the power of ritual to support the emergence of a world that works for all.
Luisah Teish is a writer, a performer, an artist and an Oshun chief in the Yoruba Lucumi tradition. She performs stories — emphasizing the powers of women and nature — and creates art with recycled materials. The author of Jambalaya: The Natural Woman’s Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals, Luisah teaches courses in eco-mythology, ritual theater and women’s spirituality at Sophia University and the California Institute of Integral Studies.
Gaiafield Attunement Meditation
Audio Meditation From David Nicol and Jami Deva
This beautiful subtle activism meditation emerged from over 5 years of weekly practice by the Gaiafield Wisdom Council. In this brand new professional recording, David’s voice is accompanied by a gorgeous and uplifting original soundscape created by visionary musician Jami Deva.
Jami Deva is a visionary producer of ecstatic music and events that empower people to strengthen and renew their own autonomous connection to the True Source. He believes that Sound, Light, Breath and Movement are the keys to unlocking human potential and returning to the natural frequency of True Love. Jami has dedicated his life work to the expansion of consciousness through live events & recording media.
What People Are Saying About David Nicol...
David’s subtle activism meditation was truly the best guided meditation I have ever participated in. I am usually averse to guided meditation because I often feel the guide doesn’t fully open the field. Only once else have I experienced this profound layering and depth.
— Anne Stadler, Call of Compassion Northwest / Honoring Beloved Community
David T. Nicol radiates joy and clear presence grounded in deep spiritual practice, and he brings these gifts with great skillfulness to the challenging work of personal and planetary transformation. Studying with David has deepened my activism and helped me — and many others — to awaken some pretty awesome capacities to “be the peace” and heal human relationships, especially with Mother Earth. May these inner technologies illuminate each and every heart!
— Jeff Vander Clute, Sourcing the Way, Evolutionary Leaders
David Nicol brings forth his great gifts and gentle guidance in service to the power of subtle activism. I have worked with David for the past two years and have experienced his clear and comprehensive teaching style firsthand. He is highly intuitive and engages participants to experience the deep and beneficial work this practice can bring to serve the work we are doing in these tumultuous times.
— Gretchen M. Krampf, MSOD, Director, NewStories Thriving Salish Sea Project
David Nicol has that rare combination of understanding the science of applying subtle activism techniques while also creating a safe and welcoming container to hold each person within the framework of the group field being created. His willingness to allow spirit and the group energy to take the lead ensures that each process unfolds organically. I look forward to participating in this adventure in transformation with David as our loving and capable guide!
— Elizabeth Tobin, Certified Resonance Repatterning Practitioner
This course presents a way for us to co-create a better world together. The power of the collective in the change process and the opportunity to experience the process through the meditations and daily reminders was a real awakening for me. Thank you!
— Nancy, North Carolina
Run, don’t walk to take [this training] with David Nicol. The integrity and alignment of this work is palpable. I have never experienced such a rich and nourishing connection to a group field. David embodies a most gorgeous, inspiring and truly healing blend of intellect and spirit; he is a master leader and space weaver. Subtle activism is, no doubt, a skillful means for those of us ready to answer a global call and demonstrate the great transformational power of a unitive heart-mind. Miracles are just a shift in consciousness.
— Elizabeth Devereux, Big Canoe, Georgia
This course has inspired me to expand the reaches of my meditation practice to benefit our planet. The combination of theory, practices and Q&A in the live call format was integral in connecting me to what we were creating together. Thank you, David, for the expert guidance and tools that have encouraged me to go beyond my usual practice.
— Jenny Allen , Ontario, Canada
— Anonymous
Here’s What You’ll Receive
Seven 90-Minute Recorded Class Sessions with David Nicol
Experience a rare opportunity to be mentored and learn with pioneering global activist David Nicol — from the comfort of your own home. Each class session helps you create the specific skills and abilities to turn on your sense of purpose and experience yourself as part of a global awakening movement.
Seven PDF Transcripts of Class Sessions
In addition to the high-quality MP3 audios, you’ll also receive the entire class transcription in PDF format. You can then review, print and highlight the most important insights and practices you were given.
Exercises and Questions for Each Lesson
After each lesson, you’ll have the option to do related exercises, practice new tools and answer questions in order to accelerate your learning .
The Building Group Subtle Fields Bonus Collection
- Awakening Together
Audio Dialogue With David Nicol and Patricia Albere
- Planetary Magic
Audio Dialogue With David Nicol and Luisah Teish
- Gaiafield Attunement Meditation
Audio Meditation From David Nicol and Jami Deva
An Unprecedented Opportunity to Join the Building Group Subtle Fields Virtual Training
We feel honored that David Nicol has chosen to partner with The Shift Network to offer exclusive online training. This is a rare opportunity to learn directly from a groundbreaking global activist whose powerful insights and pioneering work are helping us heal and awaken ourselves and our world.
Through this powerful online format, you’ll not only save time and money on workshop costs (plus travel, accommodations and meals — which would cost thousands of dollars), you’ll be able to benefit from David’s incredible teachings and exercises from the comfort of your home — at your own pace!
If you’re serious about engaging in group fields which bring personal healing and at the same time help heal the world, then you owe it to yourself, your loved ones and our world to take this one-of-a-kind training.
If you’re ready to take the next step in evolving yourself, click the register button below to reserve your space now.
About David Nicol...
David Thomas Nicol, PhD is director and co-founder of the Gaiafield Project, an action research center founded at the California Institute of Integral Studies that advances the study and practice of subtle activism. His book, Subtle Activism: The Inner Dimension of Social and Planetary Transformation, is the first comprehensive treatment of the topic.
David is co-founder of BeThePeace, one of the world’s largest global meditation events, that takes place durning International Day of Peace (September 21).
He teaches subtle activism in the Philosophy, Cosmology and Consciousness program at the California Institute of Integral Studies and at The Shift Network. A former environmental lawyer from Australia, he now lives in Berkeley with his wife, Kate, and dogs, Jackson and Peaches.
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