We exist in an unprecedented time in history when the way humans live and the stories that guide us are threatening all of life, calling on the emergence of a new level of human consciousness. This is the Great Awakening, also called by some The Great Turning. These times were prophesied in many traditions and stories, like that of the Eagle & Condor story of indigenous peoples. The Tibetan Buddhist tradition speaks of the time of darkness when Shambala Warriors will use the inner weapons of insight and compassion to courageously subdue the forces of ignorance, grasping and fear that are crippling the Earth–becoming bodhisattvas, or those motivated by compassion and dedicated to the welfare of all.
Some claim this great awakening is happening on all levels–cosmic, Earth, societies and individuals. This blog will help us reflect on how that emerges in our lives, relationships as well as world events. Having been a family therapist and now a teacher of teachers, I also have a special interest in how the new integral consciousness–experiencing that we are connected to everything–can and is informing teaching and parenting as well as how we live our lives.
The about Mike Seymour link (left) tells more about me.
Explore the Categories menu on the left to find what interests you, and feel free to write your responses.
We need a new story and a new presence to ourselves, each other and the Earth, and I look forward to the dialogue with you about how that is arising in your life.
Mike Seymour
awakeningself.wordpress.com 
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Smiles
Yvonne
Meditation Is Your Awakening…
What is the point of a beautiful sunrise if you are asleep?
What is the beauty of a rose if you are asleep? Mind is your sleep.
Meditation is your awakening.
The moment you awake, sleep disappears and with it all the dreams,
all the projections, all expectations, all desires.
Suddenly you are in a state of desirelessness, non-ambition, unfathomable silence.
And only in this silence, blossoms flower in your being.
Only in this silence the lotuses open their petals…
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Gatelessgate Magazine
Assignment 3
Nolusindiso “Titie” Plaatjie’s film about teaching HIV/AIDS awareness through the discipline of soccer showed hugely successful methods for creating awareness about this devastating health crisis. The ‘showing and not telling’ tactics always engage students and the idea of giving them the tools to make their own choices, not attempting to make a choice for them is also a lynchpin to the success of the Grassroots Soccer organization.
The last interview I chose, Smile Cards, was incredible. To sit with a group of people and puzzle through the prank issue and come up with such an impressive alternative. The ‘good’ in their conversation just kept getting better. The ‘Love All, Serve All’ Seva Café was equally wonderful. Cooking and serving with love—talk about being present, those people are ‘right there’ each day. Both interviews reminded me of a picture book, The Little Brutes, who have this similar experience with good—once it’s started, it’s irrepressible.
Roots of Empathy is a noteworthy program. I would love to observe the lessons taught in the classroom. Mary Gordon’s curriculum to teach children ‘emotional literacy’ seems a hopeful tool in ending the cycle of violence. It is encouraging to know that our brains can be retrained to identify emotions correctly, enabling us to feel our own emotions, and then recognize the feelings of others to respond accurately. Children of all ages would respond with joy to having a baby in the classroom. Mary Gordon herself strikes me as a fearless woman who teaches always with a present vision of her goal.
As a fifth grade teacher I feel certain that I will show some of these films to my students although the soccer film is out due to the mention of prostitution (darn!). It’s so important for children in a small town to see how they are similar to people all over the planet. Our staff at large is also in need of an injection of hope on a regular basis as we are all overworked and like all teachers, continue to get loaded with more responsibility each year. Generally speaking, the undaunted optimism of these people can only buoy up one’s spirit and either inspire others to teach from their hearts, or validate and energize those who already believe in this approach.
Assignment #3:
The films and interviews I watched were diverse and inspiring. “A Thousand Suns” documented the relationship of Gamo peoples of the African Rift valley with their land and with one another. This close relationship with the land is contrasted with the “concrete” environments that most urban peoples live in today. The video provided insight and hope that if modern humans take a lesson from the Gamo and develop a spiritual relationship with their natural environment, it is possible to build a more sustainable world. Like the video, the interviews held nuggets of wisdom for the development of a more evolved global consciousness. According to Fr. Keating, “God is always happening” and “too much individualism is a barrier to cooperation, oneness and community.” The evolution of human consciousness is “living happening.” It doesn’t happen in some distant future, but is happening in the present moment. Likewise, Adyashanti offers the wisdom that too much identification with individual identity restrains the human consciousness from fully evolving and achieving the “experience” of oneness, rather than just the “idea” of oneness. Adyashanti emphasizes that we are all different expressions of “the One, and he echoes Keating’s words when he says, “You can’t separate spirituality from this life.
I previewed Inderjeet Khurana, an Ashoka Fellow from India, who brought “school to the children” by developing “Platform Schools” for the street children who begged at the train station. She seeks to provide these children a chance to gain a rudimentary education and has expanded her program to include health and human services as well. Her work shatters the traditional notion that children must come to school to be educated. Rather, they can be educated right where they are.
I have already shown the video about the Gamo peoples in my English II class as a way of making a modern connection between the Romantic poets and their reaction against the effects of the Industrial Revolution and our concrete jungles, landfills, and environmental degradation of today. The video succinctly captures the disconnect between human “progress” and the environment. I can also use some of the social entrepreneur’s projects when I ask students to choose an influential person and present a speech on him or her.
Assignment #4:
1) I am actually aligned in all eighteen categories. Essentially, I am concerned with making this world a better and more equitable place. My relationships with my children, husband, extended family and friends are of primary importance to me. I nurture my relationships and wish to connect deeply and significantly with those in my life. I feel a kinship with other human beings on the planet and wish to do them no harm. I am willing to give time, money and creativity to assist others in attaining their highest good. I am grateful for all of the blessings of my life and believe that a brighter future is possible.
2) After examining the demographic profiles of cultural creatives, I concluded that it is difficult to categorize them. They come from all walks of life, live in a wide range of geographic areas, and go about their lives and work with determination and humility.
3) I think it would be interesting to apply the key themes of the Cultural Creatives movement to key works of literature, especially to Modern and Post-Modern writers. It would also be interesting to create a survey based on the “Are You a CC” document and use it as a foundation for discussion of broader world issues and the optimism and involvement of teens. Students would be able to see that their ideas are shared by others, and they would be able to identify that they are already involved in making positive change in their world. I believe they would gain a sense of accomplishment, belonging and hope.
Assignment #5:
1) My main sources of community, national and international news are: our local newspaper, NPR, and Public Television. I read the newspaper and listen to NPR almost daily. I occasionally watch “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer.” All of the documentaries and articles I viewed were new to me.
2) One means through which I could increase student literacy of viewpoints and events that are not part of our dominant cultural dialogue is to analyze media from various sources on a single topic. This experience could lead to a rich discussion about bias and corporate ownership of media.
Another way students could become aware of alternative sources of information is to do a scavenger hunt based on information from the various sources I have encountered as a result of this assignment. Through this experience, students will become more effective researchers and consumers of information.
3) In addition to the exercises mentioned above, I could use the documentary, “Not in Our Town,” while talking about prejudice and stereotypes. This would fit in nicely with our reading of Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front. It would be particularly interesting to the students because the town in which the documentary takes place is only two hours away from where we live.