Subtle Activism: What's it all about?
This is the first entry in what will become a regular (monthly) blog from me and other leaders in the field of subtle activism to describe what this growing movement is all about. So what is "subtle activism"? We're defining it as "activities of spirit or consciousness primarily intended to support collective healing and social change" and is thus contrasted with spiritual activities primarily intended to support individual spiritual growth. A leading example is the practice of globally-synchronized meditation and prayer. Other forms include rituals (e.g., Reclaiming's annual Spiral Dance), ecstatic dance (e.g., Earthdance), and deep ecology practices (e.g., Joanna Macy's "The Work that Reconnects"). The main element is that the practice is intended to affect the collective realm, not just the individual. We believe that there is enormous untapped power in these kinds of practices to support collective healing and social change.
I stumbled into subtle activism after a long search for a way to bring together my personal spiritual path with my desire to be involved in the planetary transformation so many of us recognize as the crucial challenge/opportunity of our moment. A major catalyst was a series of global meditation events I helped organize to support the campaign of Dennis Kucinich for President in 2004. I had rarely, if ever, participated in a global meditation before that, but these events were a revelation to me. First, there was an incredible response to our "Call to Spiritual Action" - over 500 emails in my inbox after 48 hours and participants from 26 countries signed up. Second was the exquisite nature of the meditations themselves. In expanding our awareness to connect with the participants in all 26 countries, we created a beautiful global field of many colors. After one event, I felt as though my aura was filled with all the colors of the flags of every country in the world. And it was especially exciting to apply our subtle work to support a political campaign thoroughly aligned with our spiritual values.
Following this thread has led to the development of the Gaiafield Project, a program of subtle activism initiatives developed collaboratively by leaders in the field and the Gaiafield Center for Subtle Activism, an action research center at the California Institute of Integral Studies to advance the study and practice of subtle activism. We have been exploring the use of emerging internet technologies (like videoconferencing and videostreaming) to link individuals and communities around the world for global meditation and prayer events intended to support the highest and best outcomes of worldly situations. For example, last year we organized "WiseUSA 'O8" a subtle activism program that brought thousands of people together in meditation and prayer to call forth wisdom and compassion from the 2008 US electoral process. The highlight of that program was a Global Ceremony on Sunday Nov 2 that linked by videoconference a gathering at a Unitarian church in the heart of Washington D.C. (All Soul's) with a group at the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment in San Jose. The Ceremony was also broadcast by internet radio to a global online audience. This year we're working on a "Healthy Climate" subtle activism program to bring people together around the world to offer spiritual support for those working on climate change.
We're excited to see the field of subtle activism begin to grow after several years of work to lay down solid foundations. A "Subtle Activism Network" has recently emerged to support greater collaboration between a growing number of leading organizations in the field, including Earthdance, Common Passion, Culture of Peace Initiative, AGNT, Vessels of Peace, the World Peace Prayer Society, and the Gaiafield Center for Subtle Activism. The technology to support more sophisticated global meditation events is rapidly advancing. I believe that we are just at the beginning of learning how to harness the subtle but immense power of our collective spiritual intelligence to support the global transition we are called to make.
I stumbled into subtle activism after a long search for a way to bring together my personal spiritual path with my desire to be involved in the planetary transformation so many of us recognize as the crucial challenge/opportunity of our moment. A major catalyst was a series of global meditation events I helped organize to support the campaign of Dennis Kucinich for President in 2004. I had rarely, if ever, participated in a global meditation before that, but these events were a revelation to me. First, there was an incredible response to our "Call to Spiritual Action" - over 500 emails in my inbox after 48 hours and participants from 26 countries signed up. Second was the exquisite nature of the meditations themselves. In expanding our awareness to connect with the participants in all 26 countries, we created a beautiful global field of many colors. After one event, I felt as though my aura was filled with all the colors of the flags of every country in the world. And it was especially exciting to apply our subtle work to support a political campaign thoroughly aligned with our spiritual values.
Following this thread has led to the development of the Gaiafield Project, a program of subtle activism initiatives developed collaboratively by leaders in the field and the Gaiafield Center for Subtle Activism, an action research center at the California Institute of Integral Studies to advance the study and practice of subtle activism. We have been exploring the use of emerging internet technologies (like videoconferencing and videostreaming) to link individuals and communities around the world for global meditation and prayer events intended to support the highest and best outcomes of worldly situations. For example, last year we organized "WiseUSA 'O8" a subtle activism program that brought thousands of people together in meditation and prayer to call forth wisdom and compassion from the 2008 US electoral process. The highlight of that program was a Global Ceremony on Sunday Nov 2 that linked by videoconference a gathering at a Unitarian church in the heart of Washington D.C. (All Soul's) with a group at the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment in San Jose. The Ceremony was also broadcast by internet radio to a global online audience. This year we're working on a "Healthy Climate" subtle activism program to bring people together around the world to offer spiritual support for those working on climate change.
We're excited to see the field of subtle activism begin to grow after several years of work to lay down solid foundations. A "Subtle Activism Network" has recently emerged to support greater collaboration between a growing number of leading organizations in the field, including Earthdance, Common Passion, Culture of Peace Initiative, AGNT, Vessels of Peace, the World Peace Prayer Society, and the Gaiafield Center for Subtle Activism. The technology to support more sophisticated global meditation events is rapidly advancing. I believe that we are just at the beginning of learning how to harness the subtle but immense power of our collective spiritual intelligence to support the global transition we are called to make.
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The Gaiafield Project is a collaborative action research program of the Gaiafield Center for Subtle Activism at CIIS.
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