Awakening the Human Spirit

Today it was the news of the dolphins that weighed on my heart.  Dead bottlenose dolphins are being washed ashore at an alarming rate.  Many marine biologists state that the dolphins are a litmus test for whether or not an ocean system is healthy or unhealthy.  Clearly, our oceans are in deep trouble.

How long can we pretend that our ecosystems are not under serious threat?  Our unconsciousness and denial of what is happening are staggering.

What has the power to turn things around?  Will we descend into the darkness of fundamentalism and militarism?  Will our unconsciousness continue to allow us to scapegoat the "other" and engage in wars over resources and ideology?

As human beings, is it possible that we are capable of more than this?  Can we connect with the larger, cosmic story of creation and find our way home to who we truly are?  What role can our spirit play in healing the traumas and solving the problems of our world?

Black Elk stated that, "The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that its center is really everywhere, it is within each of us."

This September in Toronto, we will be engaged in an ongoing dialogue series entitled, "Unconscious No More" that seeks to respond to these questions from a paradigm that is emerging to create the future, as well as being rooted in ancient wisdom traditions.   This event, held at Beit Zatoun - a Palestinian solidarity space committed to peace and justice - follows a similar gathering held in May of this year.  That event was an innovative dialogue was held featuring Mohawk knowledge holders and Jungian depth psychologists.  The proceeds of that event were directed towards a groundbreaking trip to the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich where Indigenous teachings and ceremony were brought together with Jungian understandings of the psyche and its process of transformation.

This follow-up event is an opportunity for a deeper exploration of the role the human spirit plays in fostering a truly healthy (whole) human psychology.  This is an important discussion, as it is our wholeness which allows us to respond intelligently to the crises facing our world, and helps us in creating a more humane and sustainable way of living on the planet.

Members of the delegation to Zurich will share their experiences from this trip, and we will continue the process of allowing for a deeper integration and convergence of worldviews grounded in a respect for, and understanding of, the human spirit. This event will feature powerful Indigenous ceremonies, reflections on the trip to Zurich from those who attended, and discussion circles led by pioneers in the fields of psychology and spirituality.

Proceeds from this event will be directed towards a trip being undertaken by Soul of the Mother to Serra San Bruno, Italy to join in prayer with the Carthusian Order of Monks in a ceremony of reconciliation and renewal in the spirit of pluriversal interconnection.  Healing the legacy of colonialism and transforming fascism and fundamentalism are essential tasks of our time.