Commonway Visioning

Why I am going to “Occupy Portland”…

sharif — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 18:57:54 +0000

Commonway Institute

Creating a World That Works for All

October

2011

Why I am going to “Occupy Portland”

Thoughts on the “Occupy Together” Phenomena

Well, the short answer is that my old friend, co-teacher and wise man, Native American activist Calvin Hecocta, called me up and asked me to come to “Occupy Portland” (on Thursday, 6 October at noon on the waterfront). (Since this was the second phone call that I’ve gotten from him in ten years, I thought I’d better pay attention.)

As Calvin knows, I am not a fan of empty demonstrations and protests. Been there, done that, got the scars to prove it. From what I’ve seen, there’s been a lot of vented anger and frustration in the “Occupy” activities, but, the goals of the “movement” (and, if it really is a “movement”) remain unclear. Anger and frustration do NOT make movements. Never has… It can actually be counter-productive, and is a great breeding ground for hotheads, police agents and assorted crazies.

As you know, I have long been an advocate for a visionary, inclusive transformation of society. I have been calling for such a transformation, based on our values and on a clear vision of a positive future for all beings. I have been calling for this for decades.

As I told Calvin, I’ve been following the “Occupy” movement in the alternative press, and I have not yet seen a vision emerge. Even more than that: I have not heard people talking about the Spirit that must be an integral part of any real change. We must transform this society – not because we’re angry at corporate greed, but because that’s what it will take to save the Earth and save our souls. The Earth is Sacred – corporations are not. (No, I’m not talking about “religion” – I’m talking about freeing the Spirit from “religion”, the way that we must free our economy from “Wall St”.) The answer to the global pandemic of despair, depression and suicide is to create a society of meaning, where humans belong… and corporations are the servants, not the masters.

I said all this to Calvin. After a pause, he said, “Well, if you come, the vision and the spirit will be there!” Pretty hard to argue with his logic!

So, I go to “Occupy Portland”, not because I’m angry or frustrated or afraid – I’m not. I’m going to share a vision: the vision of a society where both Wall Street and the US Capitol are turned into museums, where people dismantle the toxic systems and structures by imagining and creating brand new ones, where we roll up our sleeves and do the hard work and heavy lifting of creating a world that works for all beings.

I’m going for another reason: to bear witness that there IS a new society waiting to be born. Whether its “Occupy Together” or some other manifestation, the new society is not only necessary — it’s inevitable.

So… if you can remove the anger and frustration from your heart (or, at least, keep it under control), if you can be a model of nonviolence, vision and Spirit, I invite you to come out and hold the energy of a world for all. You can do so in Portland, or wherever the “Occupy” activities are closest to you.

Peace,

Sharif

PS: If you want more information on the “Occupy Together” manifestation, click on the link or copy and paste this link into your browser window: http://www.occupytogether.org/For more on “Occupy Portland”, click on the link or copy and paste this link into your browser window: http://occupyportland.org/

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Who are the Nine “Leaders of Societal Transformation”?

sharif — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 21:38:38 +0000

Greetings;

Not many people responded to my request for the names of “societal transformation leaders”. A number of people said that “it would be easy to nominate people who are deceased; it’s much harder to find people who are living who satisfy all three criteria!”

From the comments and suggestions mentioned to me, there are nine people who fit all three criteria of a “societal transformation leader”:

HEAD (Advances a new social theory; articulates a unique point-of-view; puts useful and appropriate focus on ancient wisdom)		HEART (Inspires others to act; spiritual/ transcendent focus; practice of compassion & inclusivity)	HANDS (Commitment to activist practice; theories grounded in own life experience)

Abdullah, Sharif (x3)	M	Abdullah, Sharif	Abdullah, Sharif (Sri Lanka; Nepal; US)
Ariyaratne, A.T.	M	Ariyaratne, A.T.	Ariyaratne, A.T. (Sri Lanka)
Carter, Jimmy	M	Carter, Jimmy	Carter, Jimmy (Middle East; world)
Dalai Lama	M	Dalai Lama	Dalai Lama (Tibet; Global)
Kyi, Aung San Suu	F	Kyi, Aung San Suu	Kyi, Aung San Suu (Burma)
Hahn, Thich Nhat	F	Hahn, Thich Nhat	Hahn, Thich Nhat (Vietnam; world)
Havel, Vaclav (x4)	M	Havel, Vaclav	Havel, Vaclav (Czechoslovakia; Europe; world)
Macy, Joanna	F	Macy, Joanna	Macy, Joanna (Sri Lanka; US)
O’Dea, James (X2)	M	O’Dea, James	O’Dea, James (Global – Amnesty Int’l & Seva Fdn)

There were a number of entries who (in my humble opinion) met two but not all three criteria (or, it was at least questionable whether they met all three). These “Honorable Mentions” include:

Grace Boggs

F. W. de Klerk

Mikhail Gorbachev

Hazel Hendershon

Jean Houston

Nelson Mandela

Do you agree with these lists? Do you question some entries? Are you now thinking of people who could be included? Are there people on the “Honorable Mention” list that you believe deserve FULL mention?

I will leave this open for a few more days, to collect your valuable input. Please record your thoughts and comments below.

Peace,

Sharif

A Review of Mandela’s Autobiography — By His “Opponent”

sharif — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 20:58:08 +0000

Greetings;

Below please find an unusual book review. This is a review of Nelson Mandela’s autobiography (his second, the privilege of living a long life!), written by a man who knows him well: F. W. de Klerk, the last President of “Apartheid” South Africa.

This is no syrupy sweet reminiscence; in several places, de Klerk talks about tensions that existed between the two men during the negotiations for a free South Africa — and its clear that the tensions are still there.

The fact that he would go through the trouble of writing a review, and such an authentically generous one, prompted me to repeat it here. Thanks to my friend Dave Steward, Executive Director of the F. W. de Klerk Foundation, for bringing this to my attention.

Peace,

Sharif

(PS: I kept the Afrikaans version, just in case someone can read it!)

(Afrikaans volg na Engels)

F W DE KLERK’S VIEWS ON ‘CONVERSATIONS WITH MYSELF’ BY NELSON MANDELA

All autobiographies are contrived by their authors to present themselves as they would like to seen by subsequent generations. Collections of contemporary writings and notes are often more revealing because they were not written with the intention of creating this or that historic impression. For this reason I found Nelson Mandela’s recently published ‘Conversations with Myself’ more revealing of the man than his autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom” – and in many respects more moving as well.

The book is a relatively unstructured collection of extracts from Mandela’s correspondence, unpublished writings, interviews and items jotted down in his old Satour Calendars. The collection includes numerous reproductions from notebooks and correspondence in Mandela’s bold, rounded and confident handwriting – which changes little over the decades of resistance, imprisonment and, finally, vindication.

Early extracts point to the foundation of Nelson Mandela’s political persona in Xhosa traditional institutions:
“Western civilisation has not entirely rubbed off my African background and I have not forgotten the days of my childhood when we used to gather round community elders to listen to their wealth of wisdom and experience. That was the custom of our forefathers and the traditional school in which we were brought up.”

They also point to his subsequent political development – including his attitude to communism. In response to a question whether his attendance of communist party meetings did not make him sympathetic to communism, he replied
“No, no, no , no, no, no. … No it was interesting. I wouldn’t say it was liberating. And that is why I attacked the Communists, you see, when I became involved politically. And I didn’t think it was liberating. I thought Marxism was something that actually was subjecting us to a foreign ideology.”

The extracts clearly reveal that Mandela was one of the leading proponents for armed struggle – against the objections and traditions of the ANC leadership of the time:
The Chief Albert Luthuli, Yengwa and others opposed this (the armed struggle) very strongly. So we knew of course that we were going to get a position from the Chief, because he believed in non-violence as a principle, whereas we believed in it as a tactic…”

Although there can be no doubt regarding the frustrations experienced by young militant ANC members at that time, I believe that Mandela’s decision to opt for armed struggle was wrong both in principle and tactically. The armed struggle had limited military significance – but it did escalate the conflict to another level and inevitably resulted in greater bitterness, recrimination and loss of life on all sides.

Mandela’s decision also led inexorably to his own arrest and trial in which he and his co-defendants expected that they would be sentenced to death.

Mandela lived – but faced with equanimity and courage the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison. His writings nevertheless reveal the anguish that he experienced in being separated from his family:
“I have often wondered whether a person is justified in neglecting his own family to fight for opportunities for others. Can there be anything more important than looking after your mother approaching the age of 60, building her a dream house, giving her good food, nice clothing and all one’s love?”

Mandela eloquently expressed his thoughts when his son was killed in a car accident in 1969:
“The blow had been equally grievous to me. In addition to the fact that I had not seen him for at least sixty months, I was neither privileged to give him a wedding ceremony nor to lay him to rest when the fatal hour had struck….All these expectations have now been completely shattered for he was taken away at the early age of 24 and we will never see him again.”

In a letter to his wife Winnie in June, 1969, Mandela expresses his views on the indomitable spirit of the true revolutionary:
“Honour belongs to those who never forsake the truth even when things seem dark and grim, who try over and over again, who are never discouraged by insults, humiliation and even defeat.”

This was more than lip service. In December, 1984, he firmly rejected the prospect of early release when his close relative Kaiser Matanzima offered him refuge in the Transkei. Instead, he resigned himself to the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison:
“The ideals which we cherish, our fondest dreams and fervent hopes may not be realised in our lifetime. But that is besides the point. The knowledge that in your day you did your duty, and lived up to the expectations of your fellow men is in itself a rewarding experience and magnificent achievement.”

As we all know, Mandela’s courage and faith were eventually fully recognised in 1990 when he was released from prison to play a leading role in the negotiations for a non-racial constitutional democracy. During the negotiations, our relations were frequently placed under enormous strain by continuing faceless violence. Mandela did not hesitate to charge me with complicity in the violence – and I always wondered whether this was a reflection of his actual views – or whether he was simply playing to the political gallery. The extracts from his book indicate that he really thought that the government was, at the very least, doing nothing to stop the violence:
“My experience and that of my comrades in the ANC is that the De Klerk government shows no will at all, of wanting to adequately deal with this crucial problem.”

Mandela launched a vitriolic attack on me after the Boipatong massacre in which he claimed that the ‘unprovoked slaughter of innocent people’ was part of a government plan. The TRC’s Amnesty Committee subsequently found that IFP hostel dwellers had acted alone and that there had been no government involvement. Naturally, I never received an apology.

I find Mandela’s views on violence somewhat disingenuous. He must have known of the ANC’s own deep involvement in the mini civil war against the IFP which accounted for the greatest proportion of the deaths. He must also have understood the enormous risks that the ANC took in June 1992 when it decided to abandon the CODESA negotiations and sought instead to bring about the collapse of the government through rolling mass action – in what became known as the Leipzig Option. To his credit, it was Mandela who led his comrades back to the negotiating table after the Bisho massacre

Notwithstanding any criticism one might have, the man who emerges from ‘Conversations with Myself’ is, by any measure, a towering figure, not only in South African history but in the history of the twentieth century. He went on as President to play an exemplary role in uniting and reconciling South Africa’s deeply divided people.

F W DE KLERK SE OPMERKINGS OOR ‘CONVERSATIONS WITH MYSELF’ DEUR NELSON MANDELA

Die meeste outobiografieë beeld gewoonlik die outobiograaf uit soos wat hy of sy deur die nageslag onthou wil word. Versamelings van eietydse geskrifte en notas is dikwels meer onthullend omdat dit nie geskryf is met die oog daarop om een of ander historiese indruk te skep nie. Om hierdie rede voel ek dat Nelson Mandela se onlangs gepubliseerde ‘Conversations with Myself’ meer van homself onthul as sy outobiografie “Long Walk to Freedom” – en dat in baie opsigte ook meer roerend is.

Die boek bestaan uit `n relatief ongestruktureerde versameling uittreksels van Mandela se korrespondensie, ongepubliseerde geskrifte, onderhoude en aantekeninge wat hy op sy ou Satoer kalenders gemaak het. Die versameling sluit verskeie reproduksies in van notaboekies en korrespondensie in Mandela se sterk, volronde en selfversekerde handskrif – wat min verander het oor die dekades van weerstand, gevangenskap en, uiteindelik, vrylating.

Vroeë uittreksels wys op die grondslag van Nelson Mandela se politieke persona in Xhosa tradisionele instellings:

“Western civilisation has not entirely rubbed off my African background and I have not forgotten the days of my childhood when we used to gather round community elders to listen to their wealth of wisdom and experience. That was the custom of our forefathers and the traditional school in which we were brought up.”

Dit wys ook op sy daaropvolgende politieke ontwikkeling – insluitend sy houding teenoor kommunisme. In antwoord op `n vraag oor of sy bywoning van kommunistiese party-vergaderings hom nie simpatiek teenoor kommunisme gemaak het nie, het hy gesê:

“No, no, no , no, no, no. … No it was interesting. I wouldn’t say it was liberating. And that is why I attacked the Communists, you see, when I became involved politically. And I didn’t think it was liberating. I thought Marxism was something that actually was subjecting us to a foreign ideology.”

Die uittreksels onthul duidelik dat Mandela een van die leidende voorstanders was vir gewapende stryd – teen die besware en tradisies van die ANC-leierskap in daardie tyd:

The Chief Albert Luthuli, Yengwa and others opposed this (the armed struggle) very strongly. So we knew of course that we were going to get a position from the Chief, because he believed in non-violence as a principle, whereas we believed in it as a tactic…”

Alhoewel daar geen twyfel kan wees oor die frustrasies wat jong militante ANC-lede in daardie tyd ervaar het nie, glo ek dat Mandela se besluit om gewapende stryd voor te staan, takties en in beginsel, verkeerd was. Die gewapende stryd het `n beperkte militêre betekenis gehad – maar dit het die konflik tot `n nuwe vlak laat toeneem en het onvermydelik gelei tot groter bitterheid, wedersydse verwyte en lewensverlies aan alle kante.

Mandela se besluit het ook noodwendig gelei tot sy eie inhegtenisname en verhoor, waarin hy en sy medebeskuldigdes verwag het dat hulle ter dood veroordeel sou word.

Dit het anders verloop en daaroor is almal dankbaar. Met kalmte en dapperheid het hy die vooruitsig dat hy die res van sy lewe in die tronk sou deurbring, in die gesig gestaar. Sy skrywes onthul nogtans die diepe smart wat hy ervaar het om van sy familie geskei te wees:

“I have often wondered whether a person is justified in neglecting his own family to fight for opportunities for others. Can there be anything more important than looking after your mother approaching the age of 60, building her a dream house, giving her good food, nice clothing and all one’s love?”

Mandela het op roerende wyse sy gedagtes uitgedruk toe sy seun gesterf het in `n motorongeluk in 1969:

“The blow had been equally grievous to me. In addition to the fact that I had not seen him for at least sixty months, I was neither privileged to give him a wedding ceremony nor to lay him to rest when the fatal hour had struck….All these expectations have now been completely shattered for he was taken away at the early age of 24 and we will never see him again.”

In `n brief aan sy vrou Winnie in Junie, 1969, het Mandela sy opvattings oor die ontembare gees van die ware revolusionêr neergepen:

“Honour belongs to those who never forsake the truth even when things seem dark and grim, who try over and over again, who are never discouraged by insults, humiliation and even defeat.”

Dít was meer as bloot lippediens. In Desember, 1984, het hy die moontlikheid van vroeë vrylating ferm geweier, toe sy nabye familielid Kaiser Matanzima hom toevlug gebied het in die Transkei. In stede daarvan het hy hom berus by die vooruitsig dat hy die res van sy lewe in die tronk sou deurbring:

“The ideals which we cherish, our fondest dreams and fervent hopes may not be realised in our lifetime. But that is besides the point. The knowledge that in your day you did your duty, and lived up to the expectations of your fellow men is in itself a rewarding experience and magnificent achievement.”

Soos ons almal weet is Mandela se dapperheid en geloof uiteindelik in 1990 ten volle erken toe hy vrygelaat is. Dit het hom in staat gestel om `n leidende rol te speel in die onderhandelings vir `n nie-rassige grondwetlike demokrasie. In daardie tydperk is ons verhouding dikwels onder groot druk geplaas deur voortdurende gesiglose geweld. Mandela het nie gehuiwer om my te beskuldig van medepligtigheid aan die geweld nie – en ek het altyd gewonder of dit `n weerspieëling van sy werklike opinie was, en of dit bloot toneelspel vir die politieke galery was. Die uittreksels uit sy boek dui aan dat hy werklik – ondanks al die stappe wat ek en die regering gedoen het – gedink het dat die regering, op die heel minste, niks gedoen het om die geweld te stop nie:

“My experience and that of my comrades in the ANC is that the De Klerk government shows no will at all, of wanting to adequately deal with this crucial problem.”

Mandela het `n venynige aanval op my geloods ná die Boipatong-slagting, waarin hy beweer het dat die ‘onuitgelokte slagting van onskuldige mense’ deel was van `n regeringsplan. Die WVK se amnestiekomitee het daaropvolgens bevind dat IVP-hostel inwoners alleen opgetree het en dat daar geen betrokkenheid van die regering was nie. Natuurlik is ek nooit `n verskoning aangebied nie.

Ek vind Mandela se opvattings oor geweld ietwat onopreg. Hy moes geweet het van die ANC se eie noue betrokkenheid in die mini-burgeroorlog teen die IVP waaraan die meeste van die sterftes toegeskryf kan word. Hy moes ook begrip gehad het vir die enorme risiko’s toe die ANC in Junie 1992 besluit het om te onttrek aan die KODESA-onderhandelings en toe hulle die regering tot `n val wou bring deur rollende massa-aksie – ‘n proses wat later bekend sou staan as die Leipzig-opsie. Tot sy krediet was dit Mandela wat sy kamerade terug gelei het na die onderhandelingstafel, ná die Bisho-slagting.

Ten spyte van enige kritiek wat `n mens mag hê, is die man wat na vore tree in ‘Conversations with Myself’ `n indrukwekkende figuur, nie net in die Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedenis nie maar ook in die geskiedenis van die twintigste eeu. Hy het voortgegaan om as President `n uitnemende rol te speel in die proses om Suid-Afrika se erg verdeelde mense te verenig en versoen.

NewsAlert is sent by the FW de Klerk Foundation (Registration number: 031-061-NPO)
Telephone : +27 (0)21 930 3622 | Fax: +27 (0)21 930 3898
info@fwdeklerk.org | www.fwdeklerk.org | www.cfcr.org.za
P.O. Box 15785, Panorama, 7506, South Africa

“Someone wants you afraid; I want you empowered.”

sharif — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:52:54 +0000

Howdy–

In so many of our current national debates, there is fear-mongering ON ALL SIDES. People shouting and screaming about “death panels” in the health debate. Other people afraid of gun-toting men in para-miltary uniforms attending the debates.

This is the “Agenda of Fear”, in full bloom. Somewhere out there, somebody wants YOU to be afraid. Fearful people are easily manipulated and controlled. On the Left as well as the Right.

I have a different agenda. I want you to WAKE UP. I want all of us to be empowered. I want us to realize that fear, like joy, is a choice.

Do I get afraid? Of course. Do I allow my fears to change my vision, my values or my course of action? No.

During my recent (March/April 2009) visit to Sri Lanka, I had both my fear and my resolve tested. For years, Sri Lanka has been plagued by the infamous “white van gangs”, the modern-day equivalent of the Nazi “brown shirts”. Men riding around in white unmarked vans have been beating, killing and intimidating the opponents of the current government. Their most famous “white van” assassination was Lasantha Wickramatunga, editor of the “Sunday Leader” newspaper, in January, 2009. In a chilling post mortem editorial, Mr. Wickramatunga named his murderer — the current President of Sri Lanka. I believe his editorial “And Then They Came for Me” is a MUST READ. The first line of Mr. Wickramatunga’s chilling post-mortem editorial: “No other profession calls on its practitioners to lay down their lives for their art save the armed forces and, in Sri Lanka, journalism.” Please click on this link to go to the Sunday Leader article: click here.

One dark night, as I was walking the five blocks from my office at Sarvodaya headquarters to my apartment, I saw out of the corner of my eye a white van pull up and slow down next to me, so close I could touch it.

I jumped out of my skin. I turned to face the van, my mind racing. Should I run? The nearest Sarvodaya security gate was blocks away. Stand and try to negotiate? Nonviolently resist?

As I prepared myself, the white van kept going. It had slowed down to negotiate the speed bump I was standing near.

In hindsight, this is a humorous anecdote. I can assure you, at the moment it was not. For days, I seriously considered giving up my apartment and moving behind the security gates of the main Sarvodaya campus, or not working until my usual 9 or 10 pm.

I did neither.

I remembered what I had written in “The Power of One: Authentic Leadership in Turbulent Times”:

“Fearlessness does not mean that you do not experience fear; it just means that you don’t let it stop you from doing what you have to do.”

I also say, “A person who does not experience any fear is reckless, dangerous and probably in denial.” Rather than deny my fear, I acknowledged it. (Easy to do when my hands were shaking so much after the incident, it took me awhile to unlock my door.) But, once acknowledged, one can move past the fear, to the point of personal empowerment.

So, I invite all of my friends, on the Left as well as the Right, to just “GET A GRIP”. Even if the sky is indeed falling, your fear reactions will mean that you are unprepared to deal with the fall. Take a deep breath, return to your inner place of power, and decide to face our collective future with positive joy. It beats all the alternatives.

Peace,

Sharif

Coming Events for August and September, 2009:

sharif — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:56:55 +0000

Howdy—

Thoughts on awards: Thanks for the outpouring of kind words and thoughts around the “Champion of Peace, Reconciliation and Forgiveness” award I received recently. Such an award is both an honor and an obligation… I must never “rest on my awards”, forgetting that the next challenge for peace and for forgiveness lies ahead of me. I will always have yet another opportunity to either screw up or get it right… the application of our spiritual and moral values in the context of “real world” experiences. What I “did” is the past – what I am doing, right now, is what’s relevant.

Peace,

Sharif

Coming Events for August and September, 2009:

15 August, 2009 – Vancouver, WA: IONS Community Meeting:

For those who are in the Greater Portland area, please come to this event! I will be presenting from the new book, “Seven Seeds for a New Society”.

We have created and we support a way of being, an “operating system”, based on exclusivity and adversarial relationships – a “Breaker” operating system. That entire system has become toxic to our planet and our own lives. Now, for our sake, the sake of our evolving humanity and for our planet, we must create a new “relational” operating system. This talk will describe how we can become real agents of change.

You don’t have to be a member of IONS to attend. Please see organizer Dottie Koontz’ info:

Sharif Abdullah who was our presenter a couple of years ago, has written a new book and is coming to talk about it. Sharif is the founder of the Commonway Institute and has worked in the US and many countries around the world helping to create a world that works for all. He has an affiliation with the Institute of Noetic Sciences as one of the “changemakers”. He has written a study program that has been used all over the country to learn “Engaging the Other”. He has written some brilliant material on how “enemies” see the world and has compiled a People’s Constitution from hundreds of interviews with Sri Lankans of all ethnic backgrounds. I hope you will come and participate in this program

We gather at 6:30pm for connection and munchies. Circle begins at 7pm.

Dottie Koontz

360-397-4472

15917 NE Union Rd #14

Ridgefield, WA 98642

19 August, 2009 – Portland, OR: Commonway Community Gathering at Koru House:

Please join us for a presentation and informal discussion of my newest book, “Seven Seeds for a New Society”. I will talk about the basic concepts in the book, as well as what led me to write it at this time.

We all know the ills of our society… we get bombarded with alarmist information, from the Left and the Right. What we lack is a coherent vision and strategy to attain that vision. “Seven Seeds” is the catalyst for that vision!

What are the “Seven Seeds”?

SEED #1: The Offering

We need a new perspective on seeing our challenges and a vision of our future.

SEED #2: Seeing the Problem

We have created a toxic way of living on this planet. The default option is that we don’t make it. But, there is another way. Our problems are driving us to “Plan B”, a new way of looking at humanity.

SEED #3: The Solution

Humanity is evolving to a new way of being. There are many books and many teachers who advocate a transformation of human consciousness. We are taking the next step: advocating the evolution of humanity, for the purpose of saving ourselves, all beings, and the Earth. For some of us, it will be the “end of the world”. For others, the beginning.

SEED #4: Principles and Values

Our current society is dominated by one primary value: money. Religions that are based on exclusivity have failed to supply the way to a 21st Century that works for all. We must transform to a society based on our universal spiritual/moral principles and values. Our prime value must be enhancing the Web of Life.

SEED #5: The Relational Operating System

ROS is based on inclusivity, abundance and relationships with all beings. Our current operating system is based on fear, adversarial relationships, exclusivity, scarcity and greed. We need a change.

SEED #6: The Relational Agents

We are conscious supporters of a relational operating system. We are moving away from behaviors that support and reinforce the fear-based, adversarial, exclusivist, scarcity-based operating system. We can end the Breaker system by becoming conscious, and behaving accordingly.

SEED #7: Next Steps for Humanity

We are unleashing a centuries-long vision of a world that works for all beings. With this long-range vision, we can then see the steps we must take to co-create our future.

Date: Wednesday 19 August, 2009

Place: Koru House, 1704 SE 22nd Ave, Portland OR

Time: 7:30 to 9:30 SHARP (come at 7:00 for tea and fellowship)

Cost: Come prepared to buy the book!

{NOTE: The Vancouver and Portland events will cover essentially the same ground. Feel free to chose one or the other… or, choose both!}

16-19 September, 2009 – Greater Detroit, MI Area: Multiple activities centering around “International Peace Day”

If you are near the Detroit area, please mark your calendars for “International Peace Day” activities during the week of 16-19 September, with various school visits, evening workshops and seminars, culminating in my keynote address at the “Peace Day” multicultural program on 19 September. For information on the Michigan events, please contact Rev. Matthew E. Long (248) 891-4365 www.peaceunitychurch.org

25-30 September, 2009 – Bay Area, CA: Multiple activities, centering around SF State presentation: “Reinventing the World”

For those who are in the Bay Area: I will be there at the end of September, helping to kick off Kenn Burrows month-long “Reinventing the World” discussion speakers. (Other speakers include friends Bruce Lipton, David Korten, Tom Greco and Joanna Macy.) For more information, contact:

Kenn Burrows
Institute for Holistic Health Studies
San Francisco State University

Stay tuned for other activities in the Bay Area! (If you want me to present to your group or organization, please contact me at 503-281-1667.)

NON-EVENT: No “Tele-Seminar” for August…

There are some outstanding technical issues with the “Maestro Conference” format that I was planning to use. Rather than try to rush the process, I decided to wait until the techno stuff gets resolved.

I have various plans for the Fall, including:

A “classic” training series, for those who are new to Commonway.
A multi-part series that follows the “Seven Seeds” outline.
A series of informal evenings, where the topics are chosen by the participants.

Stay tuned!

Upcoming Events…

sharif — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:44:15 +0000

Upcoming Award:

I was recently informed that I am to be the recipient of the “Champion of Forgiveness, Nonviolence and Peace” award, by the New Thought Center for Spiritual Living. For more information: http://www.newthoughtcsl.org/

From their flyer:

Sunday, August 2, 2009

13th Annual Celebration

The Worldwide Forgiveness Alliance (www.forgivenessalliance.org) founded the first International Forgiveness Day the first Sunday of August, 1996. Over 20 cities and 9 countries celebrated International Forgiveness Day last year. Rev Noel McInnis was a founding member.

The focus of the International Forgiveness Day is to honor those identified has Heroes and Champions of Forgiveness, Nonviolence and Peace. These people exemplify the power and benefits of the healing power and benefits of forgiveness and nonviolence. They also serve as outstanding role models, which are so desperately needed.

Upcoming Radio Interview:

I recently recorded an hour-long interview with Steve Bhaerman for his Heartland Security Radio Show.

http://www.worldpuja.org/heartland-security.php

Steve has been a friend and “co-conspirator” for quite awhile. You may know his “alter ego” self – “Swami Beyondananda”. Through humor, “they” are working on the same point of awakening that is the mission of Commonway. I think you will enjoy this interview!

The Internet broadcast is Tuesday, August 4th at 11 am PT, (2 pm ET) and is re-broadcast at 6 pm PT / 9 pm PT. Give it a listen, and tell us what you think. Listen here http://www.worldpuja.org/heartland-security.php You will need to sign up, but there is no cost or obligation.

Upcoming Tele-Seminar??

Those who were able to participate in the recent “Maestro Conference” tele-seminar reported back a very satisfactory experience with the new technology. As a presenter, it was simply amazing to be able to break people into small groups, ask for questions and actually SEE who wants to ask a question…

The Maestro Conference folks have offered the technology to me for the month of August. I am considering putting together a short tele-seminar series. I am considering one of two topics:

I am considering “Our Collective Shadow”, focusing on how we address issues of race, poverty/class and other sensitive issues from the perspective of inclusivity and a world for all.
I am also considering “The Challenges of Nonviolence”, focusing on the ongoing violence in Sri Lanka and how that violence is our challenge to evolve to a more appropriate form of humanity on our planet.

Would you be interested in another “quick” tele-seminar? Which one? Let me know…

Buy the Book!!

I’ve heard from quite a few people that they’ve tried to purchase “Seven Seeds for a New Society” from Amazon or Barnes and Noble, to no avail. The “global” distribution stuff won’t be completed for another month or so…

And… if you purchase through one of the multinational corporations, virtually ALL of the money benefit of the book goes to THEM. Commonway receives less than 75 cents when the book sells through Amazon or B&N. That compares with several dollars that come to Commonway when you purchase direct from our printer, www.lulu.com.

So… click on THIS LINK http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/seven-seeds-for-a-new-society/7396858 which will take you directly to my book. Thumb through a few pages… then BUY IT! Now! (Actually, buy two! One to keep, one to wave around to show your friends…)

Peace,

Sharif

Sri Lanka Update: July, 2009

sharif — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:43:18 +0000

I continue to monitor the LACK of progress in Sri Lanka since the end of the war. Now, months after the crushing defeat of the Tamil Tigers as a military force, there are STILL hundreds of thousands of innocent Tamil civilians locked in detention camps, with no relief in sight.

Today, the trustworthy and independent International Crisis Group, quoting the International Herald Tribune, stated in part:

“War Without End”,
Robert Templer in International Herald Tribune

21 July 2009
International Herald Tribune

The guns have fallen silent in Sri Lanka’s bloody civil war, but the deep wounds of ethnic animosity have not even begun to heal. An estimated 300,000 Tamil civilians remain essentially prisoners in internment camps run by a Sinhalese-dominated government.

To begin easing the deep mistrust between the communities, donor countries will have to pressure the government to be as serious about securing a just peace as it was earlier this year about winning the war.

)To read the entire article, click here: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=6234&l=1)

The promises of the Sri Lanka government to close the prison camps can now be seen for what they are: empty gestures to mollify the Sinhalese people into complacency. The government is not listening to the international community, donor countries, international NGO’s… the Rajapakse government is only listening to the sound of its own voice.)

(Believe me, if the Tamil Tigers still existed, I would be just as critical of them for using the innocent Tamil civilians as “human shields”. But, they don’t exist — the government’s wiped them out. In a perverse way, the brutality of the Tigers acted as a check on the brutality of the SL Government.)

What is needed in Sri Lanka is the same thing that is needed in a dozen other countries with out of control governments (and/or out of control insurgent groups like the FARC, Taleban, etc)… in these situations, the people need a VOICE that is independent of the government and insurgents, one that is aligned with the deepest values of all of the people. People in the Sudan, in Zimbabwe, in Burma and in Sri Lanka need a nonviolent way to hold their violent rulers IN CHECK.

Stay tuned… I predict this situation will get much worse before it gets better…

Peace,

Sharif

“Seven Seeds for a New Society” Now Available!

sharif — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:25:59 +0000

Seven Seeds for a New Society

My newest book, Seven Seeds for a New Society is available NOW!

“Seven Seeds” is emerging at a critical phase of our time here on the planet. Many of us can see an unprecedented catastrophe looming on humanity’s horizon. I believe that we can still avert that catastrophe – a crisis caused by the arrogance of the exclusivist “Breaker” mindset. It is not too late to take the next step in our human evolution – moving out of our “caterpillar” phase (consuming everything in sight), into our transformative “butterfly” phase, casting beauty everywhere.

There is still time for all of us (including our President) to engage in “Plan B thinking” – if we’ve struck an iceberg, we are NOT getting back to “normal”. Trillion dollar life support for institutions that are TOO BIG TO EXIST gets us nowhere. “Plan B” is: “let’s do something different”.

The change of consciousness is already in motion! You already understand this. Others, including our brilliant President, will eventually get there. We can help this process by being CLEAR that this is not a “Progressive” (or “Conservative”) agenda. Those are just two different ways to articulate an ADVERSARIAL point of view. That separating, exclusivist point of view has gotten us all in trouble, no matter which side you are loyal to. It’s time to free ourselves from our limiting thoughts and viewpoints. “Seven Seeds” was written to show us how.

“Seven Seeds for a New Society” provides you with a very concise tool to engage people in the conversation on how to transform our society from its current toxicity to one which reflects our deepest values.

Do you notice how often conversations stay stuck in discussing “the problem” and don’t go on to solutions and visions? Do you notice how people can talk about what they DON’T want easier than discussing their hopes, dreams and visions? “Seven Seeds” is designed to help us past those conceptual barriers.

PLEASE HELP ME SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT “SEVEN SEEDS”. I don’t have a huge advertising budget. I don’t have a paid publicist or a staff cranking out press releases. What I’ve got is you. Acting together, we can raise awareness and consciousness, better than a hired marketing staff.

1. Buy the book! To order, go to the Commonway website and follow the directions: http://www.commonway.org/seven-seeds-for-a-new-society. (In a few weeks, you will be able to buy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and also from your local bookseller.)

2. Encourage others to buy the book. We all have “networks” that we belong to. Some are only a few dozen people. Others are in the hundreds or thousands. Regardless of the size of your list, please tell folks on your lists that (1) you are buying this book, and (2) you encourage them to do the same. (Don’t forget to send them a copy of the webpage link.)

3. Print out a copy of the two-page flyer. Pin a copy to your church’s bulletin board. Make another copy for the community board at your coffeehouse or café. Leave a copy on top of your desk, for your nosy office mates to have something to look at! (At the bottom of the web page is an attachment for the printable version, in PDF format.)

Let’s work together to get this in front of as many eyes, minds and hearts as possible, to catalyze the next steps on our evolutionary path.

Lao Tzu said that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”. Our journey of 6,800,000,000 hearts and minds begins with your first contact.

Peace,

Sharif

PS: For the observant: you may have noticed a title change. I am still writing “Spirit on Earth: An Operating System for a Spiritual Society”, which will definitely relate to “Seven Seeds”. But, talking about two books with one title was confusing even me! “Seven Seeds” should be considered a stand-alone “prequel” to “Spirit on Earth” when it comes out sometime next year.

PPS: On the printer’s website (www.lulu.com), “Seven Seeds” is listed in the “Religion and Spirituality” category. That’s simply the “least bad” category available from their website. They don’t have categories for “Consciousness”, “Current Affairs”, even “Politics” or “Ethics”. (I could have listed it under “Horror”, or even “Cooking”, but I’m not sure many people would have gotten the joke.)

Announcing my newest book: “Spirit on Earth: An Operating System for a Spiritual Society”

sharif — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:17:58 +0000

Howdy–

A lot has shifted for me in recent months. I want to share that with you, and give you some news on my new book and related activities.

The recent events in Sri Lanka have affected me deeply. The Sri Lankan government’s willingness to kill and imprison an entire population in pursuit of their goal to eliminate the Tigers is appalling. Even more difficult for me has been Sarvodaya’s silence in the face of this nightmare. Because of confidentiality, I cannot go into the details of this matter. However, suffice it to say that they are NOT following my STRONG advice.

In the face of this setback for peace, in the face of the temporary triumph of violence and fear, I asked myself a question: have I wasted the last 14 years?

The answer that came back from that introspection was a resounding NO! I have learned a lot from my international work, in Sri Lanka, in Cuba, in Argentina, in Russia, in Venezuela, in many other places in the world. I have understood what makes societies work, and I’ve learned when and how they fail. I’ve learned the difficulties of keeping to one’s values in the face of adversity, and how easy it is to go along with popular opinion, even when that opinion violates your core values. I’ve learned what it means to be alive in the beginning of the 21st Century, and what it’s going to take to create a world for all beings.

I have also been searching through over 100 distinct cultures, looking for the common spiritual threads that unite humanity and connect us with the Divine. And, I’ve found them.

Every year, I use my birthday as a time to reflect back on my life, to look at how things have been and where I’m going. (I turned 58 in March.)

For the past 50 years, I have been witness to the NEED for a new society. For the past 30 years, I have been ENVISIONING the system that will lead us to that society.

For the past 15 years, I have been both discovering and field-testing the elements of a new operating system in places like Sri Lanka, Cuba, Argentina, Bali and now Nepal. I have learned what works (regardless of how improbable or unlikely) and I’ve learned what doesn’t work (despite how good it looks on paper).

And, for the past several months, I’ve been writing down what I have learned about Spirit and society. So, on the 20th anniversary of “The Power of One” and the 10th anniversary of “Creating a World That Works for All”, I am doing a new book, my most comprehensive.

My working title is: SPIRIT ON EARTH: AN OPERATING SYSTEM FOR A SPIRITUAL SOCIETY. Our challenge: to practically apply our spiritual values in the world, in a realistic way that we can save humanity and save the Earth. My goal is to envision a system that can work in Oregon and in Egypt, in New York and New Delhi, in Kathmandu and in Chattanooga. I am articulating what I call the “Relational Operating System”, as the replacement for (and antidote to) Breaker systems such as capitalism, communism/ socialism and any other human system based on separation and exclusivity (including most religions as practiced).

We know quite well what doesn’t work. Our problem is that we don’t know what will. For the first time in human history, our technology has outstripped our imagination. Recently, one of my critics wrote: “If socialism has failed we might as well embrace our coming extinction.” Isn’t that sad? In his self-limited mind, there are only two thoughts in the world: capitalism and communism/socialism. You can only have one or the other…

My new book will offer a solution to this dilemma.

I plan a very unique 3-step presentation/ rollout for “Spirit on Earth”:

COREBOOK: First, there will be a short “corebook” that will contain the essence of the concept. The corebook will be “launched” on 14 July (my late mother’s birthday, as well as the French Bastille Day – a good enough time to talk about the liberation of humanity… from itself). I am aiming for the corebook to be about the size and length of “The Power of One”.

I intend to offer this corebook as SHAREWARE! People will pay for it as they can, and to the degree they derive value from it. The intention is to BROADCAST “Spirit on Earth” widely. The goal here is maximum impact… well beyond the “usual suspects” that have populated Commonway’s database. I am also looking for some definitely non-traditional distribution methods. I’m going to seek some funding (probably from Fetzer Institute) to support the distribution.

SOURCEBOOK: Next, I will write and publish a “full” text of the concept. I am aiming for a December, 2009 publication. This will be available in a more traditional format. The sourcebook may be attractive to a publisher (especially if the launch of the corebook is successful).

THREE IN-DEPTH BOOKS: Depending on what happens with the sourcebook, I intend to write up to 3 other books in 2010 or 2011, one each on Consciousness, Economics and Power. (Most of the text has already been gathered.)

In addition: I intend to offer a series of new workshops and seminars, all based on how to understand and implement the Relational Operating System.

What I need from you is three things: spiritual support, networking support, and financial support.

1. Spiritual Support: One of the things that I learned from Sarvodaya: focused spiritual activity can shift the “psychosphere” the field of human thought. All it takes is focused will. Through your prayers, affirmations and meditations, you can help me to establish this one thought: “IT IS TIME FOR US TO LIVE OUR VALUES”. That will help prepare the ground for “Spirit on Earth”.

2. Networking Support: Each of you is part of a network. Some are obvious, like Facebook or MySpace. Others are less obvious (and more “human”): your church group, your school groups, your neighbors. By seeding the question – “WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR US TO TRULY LIVE OUR VALUES?”, you will be helping me to prepare the ground for what I hope will be a major dialog on our future as humans on this planet.

3. Financial Support: I am working as full time as my schedule allows (while monitoring the situations in Sri Lanka, Nepal and elsewhere, and doing some fee-based contract work during the summer). What I need from you is financial support. The more financial energy I get from you, the less I have to stop writing to do fee-based work to cover expenses.

I have already received a few generous donations, totaling over $1,000 toward my goal of $8,000 to complete this book by mid-July. This money will keep Commonway going, as well as allow me to hire a page editor, cover designer and other behind-the-scenes people who turn a collection of ideas into a BOOK.

Those who donate $100 or more to the corebook development and launch, will get a “Producers” credit in the book itself!

To Donate: Click on the “donate” button on the lower left-hand column on any page of the Commonway website: http://www.commonway.org/. After making your donation, please send me an email saying that you would like the funds applied to the “Spirit on Earth” book launch. (And remember: I still accept donations the “old fashioned” way: paper checks made out to “Commonway Institute” and mailed to:

COMMONWAY INSTITUTE

P.O. BOX 12541

PORTLAND, OR 97212

If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Peace,

Sharif

Next Steps in Sri Lanka

sharif — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:48:35 +0000

A quick update: according to both Sri Lankan government sources and Tamilnet, the LTTE (also known as the “Tamil Tigers”) have been militarily defeated. Vellupalai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Tigers, has been killed, along with all senior LTTE leaders. The government reports that all Tamil civilians formerly used as human shields by the Tigers are under its control (although TamilNet reports many civilians still hiding in bunkers).

For an in-depth analysis, please see the excellent article by my friend Dr. Jehan Perera of the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka: http://www.peace-srilanka.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=132:first-steps-to-be-considered-in-post-war-phase&catid=1:latest&Itemid=121.

I want to take a second to acknowledge Jehan for his courageous and consistent voice for peace in the face of the drumbeats of war and violence. Right now in Sri Lanka, people who speak out against the violence have been beaten and killed. (The infamous “white van gangs”, mobile death squads that no one can seem to find, will stop at home or office, beat or kill journalists or other public figures, then speed off. There’s never been an arrest.)

It takes a clear sense of mission and a lot of personal integrity to be a voice for peace and nonviolence. In these times, silence can be construed as complicity. It takes real guts to say not just what is popular or what is politically expedient – to say what is TRUE.

As I think about Jehan, my thoughts go to another Harvard-trained lawyer, this one from Chicago. I think about the Chicago lawyer speaking out for peace at a time when the drumbeats of the Iraqi War drowned out all reason in America. Once Americans woke up from our orgy of violence, once we saw the true costs of the war (in dollars, blood and spirit), we turned to him and made him our President.

So Jehan, keep speaking out. Stay as safe as possible. “Temple Trees” (the Sri Lankan Presidential residence) awaits. [For more on Jehan’s work and writings, click here: http://peace-srilanka.org/]

Reactions and Predictions:

I shed no tears for the passing of the LTTE or its leader, Prabhakaran. The goal of the organization was always unrealistic and its methods always brutally violent. I am not sorry to see them go.

I do lament the orgy of violence, and the bloodlust that still grips the island. With upwards of 20,000 of their fellow-citizens killed or maimed in the recent fighting, with their country and their economy in tatters, I believe the celebrations in the capital city of Colombo are ill-advised and will be short-lived. The costs of this war will be more than the country can bear.

As bad as things are, I believe the situation is poised to get MUCH worse. Is it possible for a “failed state” to get “FAILED-ER”? War crimes, summary executions, extensive use of prison/ concentration camps and the possibility of ethnic cleansing are distinct possibilities.

So, what happens next? It’s anyone’s guess, but here are a few benchmarks or milestones you should pay attention to in the near future:

The next 3-6 days:

Are international observers granted access to all former battle areas?
Are international observers and international/ independent media granted access to all refugees?

(If not: expect a massive cover-up of war crimes, summary execution of suspected LTTE cadres and sympathizers, and bulldozing the “safe zone” battlefield to conceal the extent of non-combatant deaths.)

The next 3-6 weeks:

Are the refugee camps opened and unlocked? Are people residing in the camps only because they WANT to be there, not because they are FORCED to be there? (Of course, it is reasonable to restrict people from returning to areas that have not been cleared of landmines or have other health and safety hazards.)
Are detention camps for LTTE combatants open to Red Cross inspection?
Are the Sri Lankan people given full information on how much the war actually costs, in human lives and in financial expense? (The government stopped publishing casualty figures months ago, similar to the Bush Administration not allowing photos of flag-draped caskets returning from Iraq.)
Has the government initiated and opened a national dialog on the long-term solution of the underlying ethnic issues that gave rise to the LTTE? Have all parties and constituencies been invited to participate?

(If not: expect summary execution of LTTE combatants and ethnic cleansing.)

The next 3-6 months:

Is insurgent violence receding (or eliminated)?
Is there a reduction and removal of the police state security apparatus (fewer checkpoints, less population screening, fewer “high security zones” in the North and East)?

(If yes: this would be the first indication that the violence of President Rajapakse’s military offense against LTTE is yielding a non-violent result.)

Next year:

Is there a rise in post-traumatic stress related factors (the already astronomical suicide rate goes higher; alcohol and drug use up, domestic violence on the rise)?
Is there more violence on the island than in 2003 (the first full year of the Ceasefire Agreement)?
Is there a rise in communal violence?

(If not: Sri Lankans can then legitimately celebrate the victory of May, 2009.)

Three years:

Is there a meaningful devolution of power that protects the rights of ALL Sri Lankans, including Tamil and Muslim minorities?
Has Sri Lanka moved off of the list of “failed states”?

Stay tuned. The first benchmarks are less than a week away.

Peace,

Sharif

Commonway Visioning

Why I am going to “Occupy Portland”…

Who are the Nine “Leaders of Societal Transformation”?

A Review of Mandela’s Autobiography — By His “Opponent”

“Someone wants you afraid; I want you empowered.”

Coming Events for August and September, 2009:

Upcoming Events…

Sri Lanka Update: July, 2009

“War Without End”, Robert Templer in International Herald Tribune

21 July 2009 International Herald Tribune

“Seven Seeds for a New Society” Now Available!

Announcing my newest book: “Spirit on Earth: An Operating System for a Spiritual Society”

Next Steps in Sri Lanka

“War Without End”,
Robert Templer in International Herald Tribune

21 July 2009
International Herald Tribune