A New Monasticism For Our Times
By Rory McEntee

Part 1

“New monasticism is not just a theoretical concept. It is an orientation in life, a commitment that asks us to bring every aspect of our lives into a living relationship with God, with the Spirit, with the Buddha Nature-Mind, with one's deepest Self.”
—Rory McEntee and Adam Bucko, The New Monasticism: An Interspiritual Manifesto for Contemplative Living

The spirit that lies behind my work comes from a deep longing to harness our contemplative wisdom for a new age, helping those who long to cultivate their own gifts and graces to serve our human family in the greatest way possible, building community and mentorship and Life around that impulse. This is done while acknowledging the dark side of our human predicament; the neurosis in our personal and collective unconscious in need of contemplative healing, and the horrors of the collective dark side of humanity in need of the radical profundity and power of the prophetic spirit . . . [read more]

Nepal - Relief Efforts:

• Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund — The Shift Network responded to a call from one of our Peace Ambassadors, Robin Gurung, a native of Bhutan who lived in Nepal for years in refugee camps. We are supporting the Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund which is being coordinated by Sahayeta.org. We encourage you to support this effort too – click here.


• Tsum Valley Earthquake Relief: Shift Network community member, Kaline Alayna Kelly, was in Tsum Valley leading a spiritual retreat when the earthquake hit. Kaline, her sons and spiritual community miraculously survived and are now assisting in relief efforts in this remote area of Nepal that is yet to receive international support — to learn more, click here. Kaline just sent us a video from Tsum Valley. (See Video)


• Our friends at UPLIFT are partnering with Tents to Nepal to get tents and supplies to where they are most urgently needed on the ground in the remote areas of Nepal. Tents To Nepal partners, Abari (a Nepalese design and construction company) are on the ground in Dwaha, a devastated village in Gorkha that previously received no aid, building shelters with bamboo and canvas tents. To support Tents to Nepal, click here.

The Community Resilience Challenge is like a New Year's Resolution for the planet. It is a community mobilization campaign seeking to inspire thousands of engaged citizens, leaders and groups — like you — to take action to grow food, conserve water, save energy, reduce waste and build community. During the month of May, participants in the Challenge can choose from over 40 suggested actions from installing a greywater system, to planting a fruit tree, to unplugging unused electronics — no matter where you are on your journey, to lighten your footprint, there’s something for you. Click through here to learn all about it!

Seeing Systems: Peace, Justice and Sustainability — This three session online discussion course is offered by Northwest Earth Institute. It begins June 3 and will help participants find pathways for powerful change in our everyday lives. You’ll learn about what it means to co-create peace and sustainability, as well as how to apply systems thinking skills in order to take action. We’ll meet weekly for three, interactive hour-long course sessions online and the course will run from June 3 to June 17. For more information and to register, click here.

The Peace Alliance – Launches Be the Movement! Take a Step for Peace — Learn more about five key peacebuilding cornerstones and how you can take a step for peace that can help change our world. Empowering Community Peacebuilding, Teaching Peace in Schools, Humanizing Justice Systems, Fostering International Peace & Cultivating Personal Peace. #BeTheMovement! Join us and learn more by clicking 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.)


Pre-Order New Release on June 2, 2015:
Michael A. Singer, author of The Untethered Soul, tells the amazing story of what happened when, after a deep spiritual awakening, he decided to let go of his personal preferences and simply let life call the shots. The events that transpire will both challenge your deepest assumptions about life and inspire you to look at your own life in a radically different way.

The Surrender Experiment takes the teachings of The Untethered Soul and applies them to real life circumstances. Michael Singer uses the extraordinary events of his own life to teach the process of deep inner surrender that leads to spiritual liberation.

Pre-order your copy and receive a free audio recording from Michael Singer. To learn more, click here.

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.

The Alliance for Peacebuilding – 2015 Annual Conference – Peacebuilding and Democracy in a Turbulent World – May 13 to 15, 2015 – Washington, DC — 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. For more information - click here.

The Alliance for Peacebuilding Update: The US Department of State recently released the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), a major policy document that shapes US strategies and programs in peace, security, and development. The current QDDR lists four strategic priorities: Preventing and Mitigating Conflict and Violent Extremism; Promoting Resilient, Open, Democratic Societies; Advancing Inclusive Economic Growth; and Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change. You can find the 2015 QDDR here.

A Historic East-West Celebration – Fuji Declaration Launch Events — Tokyo • Copenhagen • Mt. Fuji • May 15–17, 2015 — The Fuji Declaration is an international alliance of individuals and organizations who are united by a commitment to live and collaborate toward the advancement of a more harmonious and flourishing world. The Fuji Declaration is an invitation to people from all nations and walks of life to join in a commonality of purpose beyond borders. To learn more, click here. To sign the Fuji Declaration: click here.

Building The New World Conference – Hosted by Radford University in Radford, Virginia May 28–31, 2015. BTNW is based on the “Wheel of Co-Creation” designed by Barbara Marx Hubbard. Barbara will open the conference and other evolutionary speakers include: Jerome Glenn, Grandmother Mona Polacca, Charles Eisenstein, Glen T. Martin Ph. D., Yuval Ron, Dot Maver, and Philip Hellmich. To learn more, click here.

Nibi Water Gathering – A Gathering of All Nations – June 4 and 5, 2015 – Ogimakamik Lodge of Leadership at Turtle Lodge – On the Shores of Lake Winnipeg - Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba, Canada. We are making an International Call to attend the Nibi Water Gathering at the Turtle lodge, on the Shores of Lake Winnipeg, one of our most endangered lakes, where the four rivers meet. For More Information, Please Click Here. Watch YouTube video on the Gathering Here.

Campaign Nonviolence National Conference — Santa Fe, New Mexico — August 6–9, 2015. Presentations, nonviolence workshop, and vigils at Los Alamos on the 70th anniversary of the nuclear age. Featured speakers include James Lawson, Erica Chenoweth, Roshi Joan Halifax, John Dear, Kathy Kelly, Lennox Yearwood, Jr, Kit Evans-Ford, Medea Benjamin, and Ken Butigan. To learn more, click here.

Praxis Peace Institute: Cuba — November 29 – December 6, 2015 — Praxis Peace Institute, in conjunction with Cuba Educational Travel has prepared a spectacular program for our travelers. Lecture and Discussions with Cuban economists, historians, and journalists at Havana University and the Center for the Study of the Cuban Economy. Visit agricultural cooperatives, organicfarms, and meet locals in their homes, and much more. Details and to Register: click here.

World Peace Library – Free Resource — Be 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.

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