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05/31/2002 Archived Entry: "5/31/02 Whats up for COF"
Up until yesterday, everything I have been posting under "reflections" on my web site has been written some time before my posting it. However, I stopped writing in the last weeks before the Creating Our Future Memorial Weekend Workshop, as I was too busy, and because I wanted what I post to be more current.
I was planning to have a day lag, which I may yet adopt, as sometimes, when I look at something the day after I wrote it, I may want revise or discard it before sharing it. For now, I will experiment with posting as I go.
As part of the recent workshop, Ram Dass and I spoke together in a way that was delightful to both of us. We have shared the stage at quite a few events by now, but we have always spoken separately. That is, one of us would go first, complete the process, and then the other would speak. This time, we went back and forth. What is unique about working with him, is that I was able to share the space with him, and still be coming from my teacher (higher) self. I had thought I could only do that when I was having my own space as a speaker. I look forward to seeing the videotape, to see how it went, and what we said.
We have become clearer about what we are doing through Creating Our Future (COF). Earlier this week, John Steiner and I wrote the following:
"COF is at a crossroads of a number of vectors, the conjunction of which could have a significant impact on the nature of social activism in the United States. These vectors include:
Creating a bridge between inner city activists of color, environmental activists, and spiritually based activists from a variety of heart centered, meditative, yogic, contemplative, or devotional practices. This bridge is of the utmost importance in our collective work to bring a positive change to our collective human destiny. It combines the wisdom of such practices with the fire and intensity of inner city activism, and the vision and pragmatism of environmentalists.
Working with the leadership of mass movement (very large constituencies and/or demonstrations) type organizations, such as RUCKUS and Global Exchange. There are two related goals. One, to shift the emphasis of very large demonstrations from anger, blame and self-righteousness to a heart centered concern to resolve issues. Two, to make common cause between the diversity of issues and constituencies, by addressing social problems at their place of commonality (the trunk), rather than at the branches.
Working with other individuals and organizations doing transformational workshops to: forge personal bonds with those of us doing this work; help us do what we do better; seek practical ways of supporting each others' work; lay seeds and groundwork for a larger movement of change.
Creating a variety of transformational events in size, scope, constituency, and location in which activists can learn to bring heart centered consciousness to their work, and in which spirituality can be practiced as if the world mattered.
Establishing a common field within which Cultural Creatives can explore coming together as one community."
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Sat Santokh Singh Khalsa