[Catalyst 7 - 2016] Earth Day, Climate Change & Global Healing

By Stephen Dinan, founder and CEO of The Shift Network

I absolutely love what is emerging through all of us (you too!) in the larger Shift Network community! Together, we are modeling how people from around the world can come together to address some of the world’s biggest challenges.

This edition of The Catalyst celebrates Earth Day on April 22 and supports healing initiatives led by our Indigenous brothers and sisters, who have often been the voice of Mother Earth.

The Earth is one thing that unites us all. She is our body, our breath, and our home. She ought to be at the center of our worship and at the forefront of our decisions. Instead, humanity has taken her for granted, focused on our separateness, and lived out of ecological balance. In this way, we have created unprecedented global crises that threaten our survival.

This is why we created the Earth Day Summit, a free online summit on April 22 featuring over 20 leading thinkers and activists, including Starhawk, Chief Phil Lane Jr., David Crow, Vicki Robin, Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, and Foster Gamble. We want to thank our wonderful host, Nathan Crane, for creating an event that highlights both the growing crises and the inspiring efforts emerging to address the challenges.

We also are joining Job One for Humanity in inviting you to Sign the Petition to Declare a Global Warming State of Emergency – click here to sign. We take global warming and its consequences on climate change seriously.(See my Featured Article).

In this edition of The Catalyst we have articles by Kelle Walsh and John Robbins on practical actions you can take in your daily life to address climate change and promote personal and planetary health.

We also feature healing efforts led by and in partnership with our Indigenous brothers and sisters. Chief Phil Lane, Jr. and Jon Ramer wrote a profound piece about the Ancient Prophecies, Unprecedented Change and the Future of Our Human Family.

Actor Michael O’Keefe invites people to participate in the Native American Bearing Witness Retreat that Zen Peacemakers and Indigenous elders will conduct in the Black Hills of South Dakota from July 25–29, 2016.

Also, our friend and sister Audri Scott Williams is starting The Red Flame for Freedom — a movement to awaken people to the realization that modern slavery exists and that the chains can be broken, including sex trafficking, labor trafficking, mass incarceration and children in poverty. Audri and allies will be walking across the United States and holding The Red Flame for Freedom coalition building events in cities across the country from April 22 through September 25, 2016.

We have an inspiring member profile from Dave Room. Dave also recently published Pacha's Pajamas: A Story Written By Nature, an animated book for children that magically comes to life when viewed through a free app. Pacha is a little girl awakening to her immense gifts and bringing them to the world.

We would love to know: which creative environmental solution inspires you the most? Please post a few sentences on this topic on our Facebook page and read what other Shift Network community members are sharing too – click here.

Our Shift Philanthropy focuses on Earth Healing Gathering, Tatvan, Turkey, 4–10 September 2016, an exciting initiative centered in the Middle East. We encourage you to support this beautiful gathering. (See featured media.)

Also, in Movement News, we are highlighting several inspiring events led by partners, including the 5th annual Food Revolution Summit (April 30 – May 8, 2016); and, the Greater Good Science Center is hosting the Art and Science of Awe on June 4, 2016 on the UC Berkeley campus. (10% off with code PERGCS! To learn more, click here.)

Finally, our Featured Artist is Peia Luzzi, a gifted singer and musician who has gathered songs from ancient traditions that span across the globe.

Earth Healing Gathering, Tatvan, Turkey, 4–10 September 2016

About 50 international Earth Healers and 400 participants from the neighbouring countries will gather to co-create a New Story together for our common future. To learn more, click here.

Your Voice:

We want to know: which creative environmental solution inspires you the most? Please post a few sentences on this topic on our Facebook page and read what other Shift Network community members are sharing too – click here.

Global Warming Requires All of Us to Take Action
Sign the petition!
By Stephen Dinan

Almost everyone paying attention to the pressing increases in global warming and its impacts — including President Obama, top climate scientists and other nations — have stated that we must do much more and far faster if we are to avert the worst projected scenarios.

To read more, click here.

Ancient Prophecies, Unprecedented Change and the Future of Our Human Family
By Chief Phil Lane, Jr. and Jon Ramer

Very Beloved Friends and Relatives,As always, it is our prayer that you and your beloved ones are in the very best of health and happiness and that 2016 is unfolding as a year of great hope, faith, strength and courage, as we continue our journey toward actualizing a New Global Civilization, as promised.

Global Challenges

The emerging global challenges and opportunities for change have clearly been demonstrated to us during the past year:

To read more, click here.

11 Things You Can Do Right Now to Curb Climate Change
By Kelle Walsh

Do you think making one or two changes in your daily routine won’t really make a difference in protecting our planet?

Think again...

Not only can they have a HUGE impact, but when combined with everyone else’s one or two changes… we can effectively fight global climate change together!

To read more, click here.

John Robbins’ Quick Tips on Eating for Personal & Planetary Health
By Kelle Walsh with John Robbins

Turns out that eating for our longevity is also essential for the longevity of our planet...

Internationally bestselling author and co-founder of The Food Revolution Network, John Robbins, recently shared a few keys to eating for sustainable health — ours and the planet’s!

Just in time for Earth Day, check out John’s quick tips here:

To read more, click here.

An invitation to the Native American Bearing Witness Retreat
By Michael O'Keefe

Actor and practicing Zen Buddhist Michael O’Keefe invites you to join him, and the Zen Peacemakers, to learn from, support, and meditate with Native American leaders. “There is nothing like it,” he says, “and I wouldn’t miss it for anything in the world.”

To read more, click here.

The Red Flame for Freedom
By Audri Scott Williams

The Red Flame for Freedom is a movement to awaken us, awaken us to the realization that modern slavery (four pillars of modern slavery: sex trafficking; labor trafficking; mass incarceration and children in poverty) exists, and is alive in our communities across America and around the world. It is a movement to awaken each of us to truths that cannot shift until we shift … will never be seen until our eyes are open. It is our intention to raise awareness through information, education and engagement of communities across the country to end Modern Slavery, to tap into our evolutionary potential to end the trafficking of human beings for financial and political gain.

To read more, click here.

Beyond the Hero's Journey: How the Stories We Tell Can Support a Planetary Awakening
By Dave Room

I used to think of myself as a change agent, but lately I’ve realized that I am more of a cultural re-engineer with an aptitude and deep interest in shift shaping. I am particularly excited in that latter context about the notion of "the Awakening Journey."

For several years, I’d noticed that many people are now fitting their personal stories into the Hero’s Journey motif. I — like many others — have found significant value in looking at my life through a Hero’s Journey lens.

To read more, click here.

New Film: Be Here Now is an inspiring love story between superstar, Andy Whitfield, of Spartacus fame and his charismatic wife, Vashti, who together take on the most heroic role he’s ever had to play. With matching 'Be Here Now' tattoos on their forearms, they go on a quest to heal Andy from a cancer diagnosis — by embracing life, rather than fear, and bravely allowing Oscar-nominee Lilibet Foster to film their journey. You can bring this film to a theatre near you or join a screening: click here.

Our world is in desperate need of a food revolution. Pesticides, hormones, antibiotics,GMOs, and untested chemicals are spreading like a virus through our food supply. The health of your family and friends, as well as our planet, is at risk!

Join the Food Revolution Summit if you want to get informed and empowered, and if you want to find out how you can prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes, fatigue, poor sleep, and other health challenges — with food! Click here to learn more.

Community Peacebuilder Residential Immersion Training — Week 1: May 6–14 — Week 2: October 14–22 — Gainesville, Florida

This two week immersion training takes place at a 30 acre lakefront rustic retreat center near Gainesville Florida. Imagine...you...further developing essential skills, knowledge, confidence, perceptions, sensitivities and new understanding for your own personal development as well as contributing to a cultural shift in your community. Come join us for this innovative approach to community peacebuilding with a small group of like minded and committed individuals. Share in meaningful dialogue, new challenges, discoveries and fun. To learn more, click here.

The Peace Center invites you to come help us break the world’s record in forming a Human Peace Sign. Sunday, May 22, 2016, 2–4pm; Buck County Community College, Newtown, PA, USA. For inquiries please contact The Peace Center; Ph: 1 (215) 750-7220 or click here. Or follow us on Facebook – click here.

Praxis/Mondragón Study Tour — May 22–28, Mondragón, Spain — Praxis Peace Institute offers the most comprehensive study/tour available at the Mondragón Cooperatives in the Basque region of Spain. Developed over nine years, this program includes in-depth lectures at Mondragón Educational Center (Otalora), visits to Mondragón cooperative businesses, an R&D center, Mondragón University, Mondragón Bank HQ, the Basque Culinary Arts University (part of Mondragón University), the Basque Parliament where we have a special session with the Director of the Department of Peace, and much more. Details on our website – click here.

Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP) 2016 Annual Conference — May 24 to 26, 2016 — Washington, DC — AfP’s 2016 Annual Conference will examine the newest developments in the peacebuilding field, and will capture the “view from the edges,” where peacebuilding is innovating, “looking around corners,” and scanning the horizon to revolutionize the field. The Annual Conference serves as dynamic space for AfP members to network with the broader peace and security community, including funders, policymakers, members of the military, and professionals from a broad range of related disciplines, such as development, human rights, and environmental protection. The conference provides unique opportunities to exchange ideas, reflect on international crises, discuss the most important issues in the peacebuilding field, and develop collaborative projects. To learn more, click here.

Join the Greater Good Science Center June 4, 2016 for a day of the Art and Science of Awe on the UC Berkeley campus. At this event, the leading scientific experts on awe — including Dacher Keltner and Michelle "Lani" Shiota — will reveal the latest findings from their research. The scientists will be joined by world-class artists and creators, including Shots of Awe creator Jason Silva, former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass, Grammy Award-nominated musician WuMan, folk musician Melanie DeMore, and experts from the Exploratorium, NASA, the Sierra Club, the Bay Lights & more. The program will explain what makes an experience awe-inspiring, shed light on why we feel awe, and explore how to inspire more awe in daily life — through nature, art, technology, and more. 10% off with code PERGCS! To learn more, click here.

Native American Bearing Witness Retreat From July 25–29, 2016 the Zen Peacemakers will conduct the in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Oscar- and Golden Globe-nominated actor and practicing Zen Buddhist Michael O’Keefe invites you to join him, and the Zen Peacemakers, to learn from, support, and meditate with Native American leaders. To learn more, click here.

New Free App: Spirit & Nature — The gorgeous new Spirit & Nature App takes people out of their busy lives, into a tranquil space, where they can truly transform their consciousness. Access it free today at the App Store: click here.

New Book: Pacha's Pajamas: A Story Written By Nature. Pacha is a little girl awakening to her immense gifts and bringing them to the world. At night, the characters on her pajamas guide her on dream adventures to learn more about herself and the world. She brings what she learns back to waking life. The book comes to life when viewed through a free app. To learn more, click here.

New Book: Memoirs of Nepal: Reflections Across a Decade by John Paul Lederach

This book chronicles the decade that Lederach spent working with peacebuilders across Nepal — from government leaders to community mediators — in a process notable for its systemic and holistic approaches to social change. The book takes as a starting point the question of what a peacebuilding approach would look like if you started with a “decade” perspective. The result — told in stories, reflections, portraits of peacebuilders across Nepal, and gorgeous photographs, all in a striking coffee table book format — breaks the mold of peacebuilding narratives. The book is a treasure, with the richness of the text and the beauty of the photographs combining to create a very moving experience for the reader. To learn more, click here.

Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart; by James Doty, MD. Extraordinary things happen when we harness the power of both the brain and the heart.
Growing up in the high desert of California, Jim Doty was poor, with an alcoholic father and a mother chronically depressed and paralyzed by a stroke. Today he is the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University, of which the Dalai Lama is a founding benefactor. To learn more, click here.

The Happiness Track — Drawing on the latest findings from the fields of cognitive psychology and neuroscience — research on happiness, resilience, willpower, compassion, positive stress, creativity, mindfulness — Dr. Emma Seppälä, science director of Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, shows that finding happiness and fulfillment may, in fact, be the most productive thing we can do to thrive professionally. Filled with practical advice on how to apply these scientific findings to our daily lives, The Happiness Track is a life-changing guide to fast tracking our success and creating the anxiety-free life we want. For more information, click here.

The Spiritual Life TV Channel features free wisdom teachings from many spiritual traditions and gives a practical focus that shows how a person can use these teachings to live a more spiritual life. New videos feature: James O’Dea, Edgar Mitchell, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Marilyn Schlitz, Gleen Mullin, Stephen Dinan, Philip Hellmich, and more! To learn more, click here.

Awake: The Life of Yogananda — Now available on Netflix, Amazon and other livestream programs. Plus, DVDs available with subtitles in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Dutch and Japanese. Plus there are new film showings in Australia and United States! You also can bring Awake to your yoga studio or community. To learn more click here. (The filmmakers were interviewed in the Yoga Day Summit, the recording is available for free.)

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.

If you have an announcement to share, please write: editor@theshiftnetwork.com.

2016 Catalyst:

(#7, 4/17)

(#6, 4/3) (#5, 3/13) (#4, 2/28) (#3, 2/14) (#2, 1/31) (#1, 1/17)

2015 Catalyst:

(#25, 12/20)

(#24, 12/6) (#23, 11/23) (#22, 11/8) (#21, 10/25)

(#20, 10/11) (#19, 9/27) (#18, 9/12) (#17, 8/30) (#16, 8/16)

(#15, 8/2) (#14, 7/19) (#13, 7/5) (#12, 6/20) (#11, 6/7)

(#10, 5/24) (#9, 5/10) (#8, 4/26) (#7, 4/5) (#6, 3/21)

(#5, 3/15) (#4, 2/22) (#3, 2/8) (#2, 1/25) (#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)

2016 Issue 7 • Apr 17

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

If you received this Catalyst from a friend, click here to subscribe!

• Shift Network Update
• Featured Media
• Featured Articles
• Profiles
• Movement News
• Action of the Week
• Shift Spotlight
• Shift Philanthropy
• Partner Spotlight
• Featured Artist
• Allies of the Shift
• Back Issues

Like Us. Collaborate!

Sign the Petition to Declare a Global Warming State of Emergency – click here.

The Heart & Soul of Color How to Unveil Your Essence & Natural Beauty Through Color — A Free Virtual Event With Arden Reece. Receive profound insights into the art and science of color — including how color affects your mood, expresses your essence and radiance, and the best color palette for you.
April 20, 2016 at 5:30pm Pacific

The Ayurvedic Use of Essential Oils for Healing Ancient Remedies to Safely Balance Your Energy System — A Free Virtual Event With David Crow, L.Ac. Receive profound insights and teachings about Ayurvedic approaches to health, wellbeing and personal transformation that make specific use of essential oils. April 27, 2016 at 5:30pm Pacific

Sound Healing Through Qigong Ancient Wisdom Healing Qigong Practices for Clearing Stress & Disease from Your Body, Emotions & Mind — With Qigong Master Mingtong Gu. Learn the fundamentals for effectively working with energy and sound for your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual healing and wellbeing.
New Live Video and Audio Training Starts Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Laughter Medicine Liberating Yourself & Healing Our World Through Humor — With Steve Bhaerman and Cosmic Comic Coach, Swami Beyondananda. Experience greater health, wealth and wellbeing through bringing more joy and laughter into your life. New Live Training Starts Thursday, April 21, 2016

More Upcoming Events: (all subject to change)

April
• Donna Eden 12-week course

May
• Inspiring Women Summit
• David Crow 7-week course
• Devaa Haley Mitchell 7-week course
• Arden Reece 7-week course
• John Perkins 7-week course
• Bob Stahl 7-week course
• Terry Patten 8-month program
• Andrew Harvey 9-month program

June
• Enneagram Global Summit
• Yoga Day Summit
• Summer of Peace
• Dawson Church 6-week course
• Andrew Harvey 7-week course
• Lion Goodman 7-week course
• Sandra Ingerman 12-week course
• Tim Kelley 12-week course
• Patricia Albere 12-week course
• Miranda Macpherson 14-week course

July
• Lisa Schrader 7-week course
• Enneagram 10-week course
• David Crow 6-month program
• Mirabai Starr 9-month program

August
• Marilyn Schlitz 7-week course
• Margaret Paul 7-week course
• Oscar Miro-Quesada 7-week course
• Sue Morter 7-week course
• David Nicol 7-week course
• Richard Miller 7-week course
• David Crow 6-month program

Earth Healing Gathering, Tatvan, Turkey, 4–10 September 2016 — About 50 international Earth Healers and 400 participants from the neighbouring countries will gather to co-create a New Story together for our common future. To learn how you can participate in and support this historic gathering, click here.

The Red Flame of Freedom is a movement to raise the awareness of our evolutionary potential to affect a loving and compassionate world, a world that inspires the evolutionary pulse in each of us to create, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “…the Beloved Community in the here and now.” To learn more, click here.

Peia Luzzi
By Devaa Haley Mitchell

In a recent workshop, one of the participants played a song by Peia Luzzi and suddenly the energy in the entire room shifted. We were all spellbound by Peia’s spiritually uplifting voice, joyful music and beautiful lyrics. Peia has a purity that carries an incredible transmission that opens the heart and soul. Peia describes herself as a song preserver who gathers songs from ancient traditions that span across the globe. Peia is truly a gifted and guided singer and musician who is here to remind us all of our oneness with one another, the Earth and Spirit. To listen to songs from Peia’s new album, Four Great Winds, click here . To learn more about Peia, click here.

Solar Action Alliance

Peace Through Commerce

Evolutionary Leaders

The Foundation for Conscious Evolution

The Shift Movie

Humanity's Team

Green America

The National Peace Academy

Sacred Centers

Center for Sacred Studies

International Cities of Peace

Agape International Spiritual Center

Gaiafield Project

Click here to apply for inclusion above.