Welcome to our Deepening Wisdom Course!
Awakening & Deepening:
bringing forth the best within ourselves to meet our unprecedented challenges
You have joined Betsey and a group of kindred spirits for a course focused on developing
the spiritual, mental, and emotional awarenesses we need
to meet the challenges of this tumultuous time, and
participate in The Great Turning, the transformation of our civilization!
Course meeting dates:
Thursday, September 23 – December 16.
- Meets the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month, 2:00-3:30pm, ET. Dates are:
- September 23
- October 7
- October 21
- November 4
- November 18
- December 2
- December 16
- Sessions will be recorded and be available 1-2 days after each session. See link below.
- Please purchase Say What You Mean, a mindful approach to nonviolent communication, by Oren Jay Sofer. We will read various selections, particularly during the second half of the course.
- Other preparations include readings and video materials which will be posted on this page. See program dates below.
There was a free INTRODUCTION Zoom program on Thursday, September 16, 2:00-3:30pm ET. If you missed it, you can watch the recording here.
ZOOM link for all Course sessions:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82133267491?pwd=Vm11ZTA2QnNYNTFaTThTTXRQQUk5Zz09
Meeting ID: 821 3326 7491
Passcode: 2181446218
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Meeting ID: 821 3326 7491
Passcode: 2181446218
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcoAEZWo8D
ALL RECORDINGS are generally posted 1-2 days after our session.
PREPARATIONS FOR EACH SESSION:
September 23, Session #1: Spirit as Foundation
“Matter is Spirit moving slowly enough to be seen”, Teilhard de Chardin
- Read the article: The Great Turning by Joanna Macy, which gives an overview and framing of The Great Turning.
- Purchase the book Say What You Mean by Oren Jay Sofer.
- Bring a journal, notebook, or pad of paper.
- Bring your curiosity, courage, and open heart.
October 7, Session #2: The Power of Words
“The words you speak become the house you live in.” Hafiz
- Practice sitting meditation/mindfulness with nonjudgmental curiosity and kindness, and see what you discover about your mind. If you are new to this practice, sitting for 5-10 minutes 5 days per week is a worthwhile intention. If you are new to meditation, see Meditation Instructions here.
- Consider establishing or strengthening your relationship with Big Spirit/The Universe or however you refer to that Consciousness which is bigger than your individual self. Consider any of the techniques discussed in our session, such as, ask for guidance, and listen for answers, inner promptings, hunches, life events to reveal the answer. Write about your experiences in your journal.
- Read in Say What You Mean pages: 1-5 (to bottom of page); p. 11-16 (to bottom of page); p. 21, the section on Training Our Words, Training Our Minds.
- Watch Eckhart Tolle video (11 min), The Most Important Spiritual Practice
- In your own words, what does he say is the most important spiritual practice?
- Quiz: How well can you tell factual from opinion statements?
- Closing Einstein quote: Widen Our Circle of compassion to Embrace All …
October 21, Session #3: The Point of Feelings is to Feel Them
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will drive your life and you will call it fate.” Carl Jung
- Practice sitting meditation/mindfulness with nonjudgmental curiosity and kindness. Observe your thoughts, feelings, and sensations. If you are new this practice, sitting for 5-10 minutes 5 days per week is a worthwhile intention. For more information see newly edited, Meditation Instructions.
- Notice your judgmental thoughts and write about them in your journal.
- In daily life:
- Practice honoring the people you meet during your day with a silent “Namaste”, or other blessing you prefer. See full definition of Namaste.
- Read Ram Dass’ comments on Cultivating the Witness.
- Watch presentation given at the 2009 National Bioneers Conference by Joanna Macy: The Hidden Promise of Our Dark Age: Discovering Our Wisdom, Strength and Beauty in the Midst of Crisis
- Take notes, especially on the benefits of uncertainty that she discusses
- What most touches you in her presentation?
- Watch 3 1/2 minute video of Joanna Macy on Embracing Pain
- Read in Say What You Mean pages 17-23 and Chapter 2: The Power of Mindfulness, pages 24-42
November 4, Session #4: Our Accelerating Climate Emergency
“Today mankind is locked into stealing ravenously from the future.
Human self-restraint, practiced individually and especially collectively,
is our indispensable hope.”
William R. Catton, author, OVERSHOOT, 1980
Practices:
- Continue regular meditation practice. Remember the process: observe your thoughts, get lost in thinking your thoughts, recognize you’re thinking again, and go back to observing your thoughts… This process will repeat … be kind to yourself when this happens. It’s normal and part of the process of learning to meditate.
- In conversations throughout your week, practice curiosity: listen for the other person’s feelings beneath their words. Ask silently, “What is she/he feeling?” Ask, “What’s it like to be you?”
- Observe your own thoughts and feelings in response to the person talking.
- Send blessings to people throughout your day: friends, family, loved ones. Advanced practice: send blessings to a ‘problem person’, someone who you’re having difficulty with, someone you don’t like, someone you strongly dislike.
- Here’s a beautiful blessing to send that’s easy to remember: (I find it more powerful to say the blessing out loud).
- May you be safe and protected
- May you be healthy and strong
- May you be happy and at peace.
- Notice any changes in your relationships(!)
Readings and Study:
- Read article by long time XR member/founder Stuart Basden: Extinction Rebellion Isn’t About the Climate.
- Read article by Richard Heinberg: The Fight of The Century
- Read article by Paul Hawken: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation
- Read The Poverty Industry article by Paul Hawken
- Read article about contemporary hero’s (heroine’s) journey: 5 Signs You’re On the Hero’s Journey
- Read in Say What You Mean, chapter 3, pages 42-58
November 18, Session #5: The Core Issue with Our Climate Predicament is …
Practices ~ continue the practices from last session:
- Continue regular meditation practice. Remember the process: observe your thoughts, get lost in thinking your thoughts, recognize you’re thinking again, and go back to observing your thoughts… This process will repeat … be kind to yourself when this happens. It’s normal and part of the process of learning to meditate.
- In conversations throughout your week, practice curiosity: listen for the other person’s feelings beneath their words. Ask silently, “What is she/he feeling?” Ask, “What’s it like to be you?”
- Observe your own thoughts and feelings in response to the person talking.
- Send blessings to people throughout your day: friends, family, loved ones. Advanced practice: send blessings to a ‘problem person’, someone who you’re having difficulty with, someone you don’t like, someone you strongly dislike.
- Here’s a beautiful blessing to send that’s easy to remember: (I find it more powerful to say the blessing out loud).
- May you be safe and protected
- May you be healthy and strong
- May you be happy and at peace.
- Notice any changes in your relationships …
Questions for Contemplation: As you do the readings and practices, contemplate these questions:
- What is the core issue with our climate predicament?
- What do you think are the biggest “elephants in the room” with our climate predicament?
- Of the 3 approaches to addressing our climate crisis in The Great Turning by Joanna Macy, which one do you resonate with the most, where you feel you could most fully offer your gifts?
Readings and Study:
- Read article by Anodea Judith: Is it Time for a Matriot Act?
- Read article by Richard Heinberg: Why Climate Change Isn’t Our Biggest Environmental Problem and Why Technology Won’t Save Us
- Read article by Richard Heinberg: Can We Have Our Climate and Eat It Too?
- Read article by Don Fitz: Path to Extinction or Path to a Livable Future?
- Read article by Jem Bendell: The Study on Collapse They Thought You Should Not Read – Yet (Optional)
- Read in Say What You Mean, chapter 4, pages 59-72
December 2, Session #6: Evolving Consciousness and Communication“We didn’t grow up believing that we’d be part of the generation that gave itself the capacity to wipe out life on our planet. But here we are – accidental gods – poised on the brink of climate chaos and mass extinction.
And yet…we are also poised on the brink of vast potential transformation”.
Manda Scott, Accidental Gods podcast
Practices:
- Consider creating a ritual for your meditation practice: light a candle or incense, chant, decide on a special chair or shawl for your meditation, etc. Bring an attitude of kindness, gentleness, and sacredness to your practice. Savor this time to be with yourSelf.
- In conversations throughout your week, practice the “Just Say Oh” technique on page 81-82. This may be a particularly helpful tool to use over the Thanksgiving holiday!
- In conversations, observe your own thoughts and feelings in response to the person talking.
- Send blessings to people throughout your day: friends, family, loved ones, even people you may not be particularly fond of…
Questions for Contemplation as you do the readings and practices:
- How does Jem Bendell define “collapse”?
- What is the most helpful way for you personally to conceptualize “collapse”?
- What are the most inspiring ideas and perspectives for you in the Accidental Gods Podcasts?
Readings and Study:
- Read article by Jem Bendell: The Study on Collapse They Thought You Should Not Read – Yet
- Listen to Accidental Gods Podcast, episode 1, Conscious Evolution, and episode 2, Awakening into Connection, and episode 3, Growing into Coherence. Listen to more of them if you like! I think you will be inspired and excited by the depth of the information here. You can listen to these 25 minute podcasts online or on your favorite podcast app.
- Read in Say What You Mean, Chapter 5: pages 73 -90, Chapter 6: pages 91-110, and Chapter 7, pages 111-135.
December 16, Session #7: What We Say Matters …
“What we say matters. We’ve each felt the power that words have to heal, soothe, or uplift us. We each also know something of the great harm that can be inflicted through speech. Few things so powerful are also so commonplace.”
Oren Jay Sofer
Practices:
- Continue regular meditation practice.
- Consider creating a ritual for your meditation practice: light a candle or incense, chant, choose a specific chair for your meditation, special shawl, etc.
- Bring an attitude of kindness, gentleness, and sacredness to your practice. Savor this time to be with yourSelf.
- As a way to deepen your connection to Spirit, consider asking a question at the end of your practice; examples include:
- What does my Soul want to tell me today?
- What does my Soul want to tell me I’m good at?
- What does the Universe want from me today?
- Suggestion: ask a question one or two times a week and journal about what you “hear” or “receive”, and how it feels, noting how you know it is from your Soul/Spirit, not from your ego.
- In meditation and daily life, observe your thoughts and feelings, particularly your judgments; begin changing your inner dialogue to focus more on what you find beautiful and uplifting rather that what you find distressing.
- Send blessings to people throughout your day: friends, family, loved ones, even people you may not be particularly fond of…
Questions for Contemplation as you do the readings and practices: And Write Your Story
- What are the major lessons, challenges, and insights you’ve gained over the years that have brought you to the place you are in right now: having the courage and compassion to face pain and uncertainty, and still embrace the profound possibilities as we participate in The Great Turning, a total transformation of civilization.
- Write Your Story. Can do bullet points or write it out in your journal.
- Have you noticed that you are complaining less? If you have not noticed it yet, you have that to look forward to!
Readings and Study:
- Read in Say What You Mean, Chapter 8: pages 136-157; Chapter 10: pages 170-189, especially note PRINCIPLES AND KEY POINTS, Tips for making observations, on pages 185-186; Chapter 11: pages 190-208; and the Summary of Principles pages 251-253, and Useful Communication Phrases, pages 254-256.
- Use the Ecological Footprint Calculator to find out how many earths you use each year and your Personal Overshoot Day. It’s informative and easy to start with the “low-hanging fruit”, whatever is easiest to change. The U.S. uses the equivalent of 5 earths each year, so we all have room to improve.
- Please print this HANDOUT of the Basic Model for NVC for the December 16 session.