On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

Timothy Snyder

A historian of fascism offers a guide for surviving and resisting America’s turn towards authoritarianism.

On November 9th, millions of Americans woke up to the impossible: the election of Donald Trump as president. Against all predictions, one of the most-disliked presidential candidates in history had swept the electoral college, elevating a man with open contempt for democratic norms and institutions to the height of power.

Timothy Snyder is one of the most celebrated historians of the Holocaust. In his books Bloodlands and Black Earth, he has carefully dissected the events and values that enabled the rise of Hitler and Stalin and the execution of their catastrophic policies. With Twenty Lessons, Snyder draws from the darkest hours of the twentieth century to provide hope for the twenty-first. As he writes, “Americans are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism and communism. Our one advantage is that we might learn from their experience.”

Twenty Lessons is a call to arms and a guide to resistance, with invaluable ideas for how we can preserve our freedoms in the uncertain years to come.

About the author

Timothy Snyder

Timothy Snyder is Housum Professor of History at Yale University and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences. He received his doctorate from the University of Oxford in 1997, where he was a British Marshall Scholar. He has held fellowships in Paris, Vienna, and Warsaw, and an Academy Scholarship at Harvard.

His most recent book is Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning, published in September 2015 by Crown Books. He is author also of Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin (2010), a history of Nazi and Soviet mass killing on the lands between Berlin and Moscow. A New York Times bestseller and a book of the year according to The Atlantic, The Independent, The Financial Times, the Telegraph, and the New Statesman, it has won twelve awards including the Emerson Prize in the Humanities, a Literature Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Leipzig Award for European Understanding, and the Hannah Arendt Prize in Political Thought.

(Goodreads.com)

(Astrobutterfly.com)

November 2024 is marked by one of the most important ingresses of the year – if not of the decade: Pluto enters Aquarius.

Can we emphasize this shift enough? Pluto’s move from Capricorn to Aquarius marks a profound transition – from tradition and structure to a new era of innovation and collective ideals.

When Pluto enters a new sign (and this only happens once every 20 years on average), our lives, and society as a whole change in unprecedented ways. This is BIG. 

November brings a complete change in perspective as a record 5 planets change signs: Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and, of course, Pluto. There’s potential for major shifts.

As if that weren’t enough, 2 planets change direction: Saturn goes direct on November 16th, and Mercury turns retrograde on November 26th, asking us to reconsider our goals (Mercury in Sagittarius) and evaluating our long-term legacy (Saturn in Pisces).

One thing leads to another, and by the end of the month, we may find ourselves wondering – what just happened?

Let’s dive into the most important transits of the month:

November 1st, 2024 – New Moon In Scorpio

On November 1st, 2024, we have a New Moon at 9° Scorpio. This is a supportive New Moon, trining Saturn in Pisces. 

The New Moon encourages focused commitment and deep introspection (Scorpio), helping us align our goals with our highest ideals (Pisces). With Saturn’s stabilizing influence, any seeds planted now have the potential to grow into a beautiful flower. 

November 2nd, 2024 – Mercury Enters Sagittarius

On November 2nd, 2024, Mercury leaves Scorpio and enters Sagittarius. 

In Sagittarius, Mercury seeks the “meaning of it all.” However, in the pursuit of big-picture truths, it can sometimes overlook important details.

Mercury is in detriment in Sagittarius – but this doesn’t mean it’s not a great placement, or a great transit. While a factual, objective ‘Mercury in Gemini’ mindset is useful when we read the news, for example, life isn’t just about cold, hard facts. 

Sometimes we need a good Sagittarius story. Mercury in Sagittarius is the storyteller of the zodiac. Mercury in Sagittarius weaves together facts and meaning to create a larger narrative.

When Mercury is in Sagittarius, our mind becomes more imaginative and explorative. Our communication, more colorful and engaging. Our perspective of the world broadens, and we start to see the world through the Sagittarian lens of possibilities and adventures.

November 3rd, 2024 – Mars Opposite Pluto

On November 3rd, 2024, Mars (at 29° Cancer) opposes Pluto (at 29° Capricorn). The intensity of this transit has been slowly building up and will reach a peak on this day.

This is an unusually long transit (because of Mars’ upcoming retrogradation) that starts in November and lasts until April 27th, 2025.

Mars and Pluto are essentially in opposition for a record-breaking 6 months! That’s quite something. 

Mars will continue to confront Pluto as it shifts into Aquarius, marking an intense transition. Expect powerful changes and keep an eye on major news developments during this time!

November 4th, 2024 – Mars Enters Leo

On November 4th, 2024, Mars leaves Cancer and enters Leo. 

Somehow, we always notice when a planet moves into Leo, because that’s what Leo energy is all about: making an impression.

This isn’t because Leo is always seeking attention, but because, as the sign ruled by the Sun, Leo naturally radiates light, warmth, and presence. It’s hard not to feel the energy of a planet in Leo.

And with Mars – the boldest of planets – entering Leo, we can expect the temperature to rise pretty much straight away. With Mars in Leo, we’ll find it easier to connect to our hearts and take action from a place of truth and authenticity.

However, this is not your usual Mars transit. Mars will go retrograde on December 7th (at 6° Leo), which means the influence of Mars in Leo is here to stay. 

Mars will move back into Cancer during its retrograde phase and then re-enter Leo on April 18th, 2025, remaining there until June 17th, 2025. We’ll be talking about Mars in Leo for a loooong time. 

Pay attention to the day of the ingress – any themes that surface will likely continue to evolve and play out over the next several months.

November 11th, 2024 – Venus Enters Capricorn

On November 11th, 2024, Venus enters Capricorn. 

Venus is what we like and what we value. Capricorn is ambitious and strategic. When Venus is in Capricorn, we become more intentional and calculated about what we truly want. Our standards naturally rise.

Capricorn likes clarity, so if you are a bit unsure about where you’re at, Venus in Capricorn will help you nail your priorities. Once you know what you want, there’s nothing that is going to stop you from attracting it into your life. 

November 15th, 2024 – Full Moon In Taurus

On November 15th, 2024, we have a Full Moon at 24° Taurus. This is a powerful – and potentially unpredictable – Full Moon because it is conjunct Uranus at 25° Taurus. 

With this super tight orb, there’s no escaping Uranus’ influence; while we may be pushed outside our comfort zones, this aspect will also bring breakthroughs and sudden realizations that will invite new possibilities.

And with Uranus, we always talk about the right type of possibilities – ones that are aligned with our higher purpose.

In addition to Uranus, the Full Moon makes supportive aspects to Pluto in Capricorn (trine) and Neptune in Pisces (sextile), which adds depth and a sense of inspired possibility.

The Full Moon in Taurus invites us to embrace change, let go of limiting patterns, and tune into our intuition for greater clarity.

November 16th, 2024 – Saturn Turns Direct

On November 16th, 2024, Saturn goes direct at 12° Pisces. When Saturn is stationary direct, its influence is amplified, making this a great time for moving stuck projects forward.

In astrology, Saturn is called “The Great Teacher” for a reason: no other planet teaches us as much about life as Saturn does, and no other planet can reward us as deeply.

As Saturn returns to direct motion, we are supported in confronting and resolving past issues or emotional (Pisces) blocks (Saturn) that may have surfaced during its retrograde period.

One key theme of Saturn in Pisces is learning about emotional boundaries. Emotional boundaries can be subtle, ranging from ignoring one’s inner voice and giving in to others’ expectations, to oversharing in an unconscious attempt to gain attention. 

Setting healthy emotional boundaries means (a) trusting and acting in alignment with our true feelings and (b) taking responsibility for our emotions, sharing them thoughtfully with the right people and in the appropriate context.

November 19th, 2024 – Pluto Enters Aquarius

On November 19th, 2024, Pluto enters Aquarius. This is the BIG day: Pluto officially crosses the threshold and begins its 2-decade journey through Aquarius.

Yes, you read that right – 20 years of Pluto in Aquarius! Some of us might even be thinking, “20 years? Will I even be alive in 2044?”.

When the farthest planet in our solar system changes signs, this is a big deal. We are talking about a shift that will impact the very fabric of our society – as well as every single one of us on both a collective and personal level.

This energy isn’t entirely new to us; we already got a taste of Pluto in Aquarius. Pluto dipped into the sign for 6 weeks (from March 23rd, 2023, until June 11th, 2023) and then again for 7 months (from January 21st, 2024, until September 1st, 2024).

Additionally, Saturn and Jupiter’s recent transit through Aquarius (2020-2023) gave us a preview of Aquarius themes and what they mean in today’s world.

But this time, it’s different. Pluto enters Aquarius for good. There’s no turning back. This transit has a solemn, almost fated quality, as if crossing a threshold. 

Pluto will not be returning to Capricorn, and things will never be quite the same. As we conclude Pluto’s long journey through Capricorn, it’s time to set an intention for the next couple of decades.

November 21st, 2024 – Sun Enters Sagittarius

On November 21st, 2024, the Sun enters Sagittarius. Happy birthday to all Sagittarians out there! With this shift, enthusiasm is restored as we get closer to Christmas and other December celebrations.

The Sagittarius season is one of optimism and expansion – it’s the time of year when we celebrate Thanksgiving, Saint Nicholas Day, and other spirited, Sagittarian festivities. 

On December 8th, we also observe Bodhi Day, or the Day of Enlightenment, which celebrates Buddha’s journey to enlightenment, a true Sagittarian celebration of wisdom and higher understanding.

The Sagittarius season is a great time to broaden our horizons, enjoy life’s experiences, and prepare for what the end of the year will bring.

November 26th, 2024 – Mercury Goes Retrograde

On November 26th, 2024, Mercury goes retrograde at 22° Sagittarius. Mercury will stay retrograde until December 16th, when it stations at 6° Sagittarius.

If you have planets or angles between 6-22° Sagittarius (or in the other mutable signs: Gemini, Virgo, or Pisces), you’ll experience this Mercury retrograde more intensely.

During the next three weeks, Mercury will square Saturn in Pisces and oppose Jupiter in Gemini, prompting a thorough re-evaluation of our mindset.

The opposition to Jupiter encourages us to explore big ideas and fresh possibilities, while the square to Saturn will keep us in check, “Is it realistic?”. 

This is a great time to question assumptions, view situations from new perspectives, and arrive at better solutions.

Mercury in Sagittarius is concerned with our long-term goals; this Mercury retrograde is the perfect time to review these goals and adjust them to better align with our true vision and values.

BY ROB BREZSNY | OCTOBER 29, 2024 (NewCity.com)

A masterpiece of Neolithic sculpture: “The Crying CowNational” Parc of Tassili n’Ajjer, Algerian Sahara, near Djanet (Tigharghart) , rock engravings (7000 years old)/Photo: Azzedine Rouichi

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Many people believe in the existence of ghosts. If you’re not yet one of them, you may be soon. The spirit world is more open than usual to your curiosity and explorations. Keep in mind, though, that the contacts you make might not be with ghosts in the usual sense of that term. They might be deceased ancestors coming to deliver clues and blessings. They could be angels, guardian spirits or shapeshifting messengers. Don’t be afraid. Some may be weird, but they’re not dangerous. Learn what you can from them, but don’t assume they’re omniscient and infallible. Halloween costume suggestion: one of your ancestors.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When you attended kindergarten, did you ever share your delicious peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich with friends who didn’t like the broccoli and carrots in their lunch boxes? If so, you may be well-primed to capitalize on the opportunities now in your vicinity. Your generous actions will be potent catalysts for good luck. Your eagerness to bestow blessings and share your resources will bring you rewards. Your skill at enhancing other people’s fortunes may attract unexpected favors. Halloween costume suggestion: philanthropist, charity worker or an angel who gives away peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): For you, dear Gemini, the coming weeks could be the least superstitious time ever. There will be no such thing as bad luck, good luck or weird luck. Fears rooted in old misunderstandings will be irrelevant. Irrational worries about unlikely outcomes will be disproven. You will discover reasons to shed paranoid thoughts and nervous fantasies. Speaking on behalf of your higher self, I authorize you to put your supple trust in logical thinking, objective research and rational analysis. Halloween costume suggestion: a famous scientist you respect.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Which sign of the zodiac is sexiest? Smoldering Scorpios, who are so inherently seductive they don’t even have to try to be? Radiant Leos, whose charisma and commanding presence may feel irresistible? Electrifying Aries, who grab our attention with their power to excite and inspire us? In accordance with current astrological omens, I name you Cancerians as the sexiest sign for the next three weeks. Your emotional potency and nurturing intelligence will tempt us to dive into the depths with you and explore the lyrical mysteries of intimate linkage. Halloween costume suggestion: sex god, sex goddess, or the nonbinary Hindu deity Ardhanarishvara.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In ancient Egypt, onions were precious because they symbolized the many-layered nature of life. Just as some modern people swear oaths while placing a hand on a Bible, an Egyptian might have pledged a crucial vow while holding an onion. Would you consider adopting your own personal version of their practice in the coming weeks, Leo? It is the oath-taking season for you—a time when you will be wise to consider deep commitments and sacred resolutions. Halloween costume suggestion: a spiritual initiate or devotee.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Two of the world’s most famous paintings are the “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper.” Both were made by Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), one of the world’s most famous painters. Yet the brilliant artist left us with only twenty-four paintings in total, many of which were unfinished. Why? Here are two of several reasons: He worked slowly and procrastinated constantly. In the coming months, Virgo, I feel you will have resemblances to the version of da Vinci who created “The Last Supper” and the “Mona Lisa.” Some of your best, most enduring work will bloom. You will be at the peak of your unique powers. Halloween costume suggestion: Leonardo da Vinci or some great maestro.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “When you are faced with a choice between two paths, it’s always better to take the most difficult one.” What!? No! That’s not true! A shamanic psychotherapist gave me that bad advice when I was young, and I am glad I did not heed it. My life has been so much better because I learn from joy and pleasure as much as from hardship. Yes, sometimes it’s right to choose the most challenging option, but on many occasions, we are wise to opt for what brings fun adventures and free-flowing opportunities for creative expression. That’s what I wish for you right now. Halloween costume suggestion: a hedonist, a liberator, a bliss specialist.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio painter Pablo Picasso has been described as a “masterfully erratic pioneer.” He influenced every art movement of the twentieth century. His painting “Guernica” is a renowned anti-war statement. Though he was a Communist, he amassed great wealth and owned five homes. Today, his collected work is valued at over $800 million. By the way, he was the most prolific artist who ever lived, producing almost 150,000 pieces. I nominate him to be your role model in the coming weeks. You are due for a Season of Successful Excess. Halloween costume suggestion: an eccentric, charismatic genius.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian Keith Richards, guitar player for the Rolling Stones since 1962, is a gritty, rugged man notorious for his rowdy carousing. Lots of observers predicted he would die at a young age because of his boisterous lifestyle, yet today he is eighty-one years old and still partying. But here’s his confession: “I never sleep alone. If there is no one to sleep next to, I’ll sleep next to a stuffed animal. It makes me feel secure and safe. It’s a little embarrassing to admit it. It’s important to me, though.” I bring this up, Sagittarius, because I feel that no matter how wild and free you are, you will be wise to ensure that you feel extra secure and supported for a while. Halloween costume suggestion: a stuffed animal or a lover of stuffed animals.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Halloween offers us a valuable psychological opportunity. We can pretend to perform our shadowy, wounded, and unripe qualities without suffering the consequences of literally acting them out. We can acknowledge them as part of our make-up, helping to ensure they won’t develop the explosive, unpredictable power that repressed qualities can acquire. We may even gently mock our immature qualities with sly humor, diminishing the possibility they will sabotage us. All that’s a preamble for my Halloween costume suggestion for you: a dictator or tyrant. If you have fun playing with your control-freak fantasies, you will be less likely to over-express them in real life.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Paganism and astrology have key affinities. For instance, they both understand that our personal rhythms are connected with the Earth’s cycles. I bring this to your attention because we are in the season that pagans call Samhain, halfway between the equinox and solstice. For Aquarians, this festival marks a time when you are wise to honor and nurture your highest ambitions. You can generate fun and good fortune by focusing on lofty goals that express your finest talents and offer your most unique gifts. How might you boost your passion and capacity to make your mark on the world? Halloween costume suggestion: your dream career.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I like how you are opening, widening and heightening! Keep up the good work, Pisces! I am cheering you on as you amplify, stretch, augment and burgeon. Here’s a small alert, though: You may be expanding so fast and so far that it’s a challenge for less expansive people to keep up—even your allies. To allay their worries, be generous in sharing the fruits of your thriving spaciousness. Let them know you don’t require them to match your rate of growth. You could also show them this horoscope. Halloween costume suggestion: a broader, brighter, bolder version of yourself.

Homework: To read my thoughts on the U.S. presidential election, go here: tinyurl.com/ElectionExtra

Published: March 15, 2024 (TheOnion.com)

VATICAN CITY—In an effort to make the church feel fresh and exciting again for youths around the world, the Roman Catholic Church announced Friday that it had added belief in a badass deity with a robotic falcon head to its existing dogmas. “Starting today, the church will officially recognize our newest god, Talontron, a 40-foot cyber falcon that shoots lasers from its eyes,” an excited Pope Francis said in an official press conference, adding that the 6-billion-year-old, all-powerful deity was also able to lay explosive eggs, blow fire from its beak, and screech at such a high frequency that it could melt human flesh. “We understand that today’s generation is less concerned with Jesus’ teachings of love and forgiveness, and far more interested in religious figures capable of picking up a car and crushing it with their talons. Also, this God is asexual, loves skincare, and is best friends with Timothée Chalamet. Ut Falcontron benedicat anima tua!” At press time, the pope also said he hoped to attract more young followers to the Catholic Church by stepping down and being succeeded by the Supreme MrBeast.

By Maria Popova (themarginalian.org)

In 1845, as the forgotten visionary Margaret Fuller was laying the foundation of modern feminism, advocating for black voting rights, and insisting that “while any one is base, none can be entirely free and noble,” she contemplated what makes a great leader and called for “no thin Idealist, no coarse Realist,” for a person “of universal sympathies, but self-possessed,” one for whom “this world is no mere spectacle or fleeting shadow, but a great, solemn game, to be played with good heed, for its stakes are of eternal value.”

But how does a nation, a society, a world concerned with more than the shadowy spectacles of the present identify and elect such leaders to shape the long future?

A century and a half after Fuller, Octavia Butler (June 22, 1947–February 24, 2006) — another rare visionary — offered a glimmer of guidance in her sibylline two-part series set in the 2020s: Parable of the Sower (public library) and Parable of the Talents (public library) — a set of cautionary allegories, cautionary and future-protective in their keen prescription for course-correctives, about the struggle of a twenty-first-century society, Earthseed, to survive the ecological collapse, political corruption, corporate greed, and socioeconomic inequality it has inherited from the previous generations and their heedless choices.

Octavia Butler by Katy Horan from Literary Witches — an illustrated celebration of women writers who have enchanted and transformed our world.

Like Ursula K. Le Guin, Butler straddled the timeless and the prophetic, saturating her fiction with astute philosophical and psychological insight into human nature and the superorganism of society. Also like Le Guin, Butler soared into poetry to frame and punctuate her prose. Each chapter begins with an original verse abstracting its thematic direction. She opens the eleventh chapter of the second Earthseed book with this verse:

Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought.
To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears.
To be led by a fool is to be led by the opportunists who control the fool.
To be led by a thief is to offer up your most precious treasures to be stolen.
To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies.
To be led by a tyrant is to sell yourself and those you love into slavery.

And yet our discernment in choosing wisely, Butler intimates in a chilling short verse from the first book, can so often be muddled by our panic, by our paralyzing fright and pugilist flight:

Drowning people
Sometimes die
Fighting their rescuers.

Art by Margaret C. Cook from a rare 1913 edition of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. (Available as a print.)

With staggering prescience and perhaps with a subtle wink at James Baldwin’s assertion that “a society must assume that it is stable, but the artist must know, and he must let us know, that there is nothing stable under heaven,” Butler lets us know that drowning people do not choose their leaders wisely:

When apparent stability disintegrates,
As it must —
God is Change —
People tend to give in
To fear and depression,
To need and greed.
When no influence is strong enough
To unify people
They divide.
They struggle,
One against one,
Group against group,
For survival, position, power.
They remember old hates and generate new ones,
They create chaos and nurture it.
They kill and kill and kill,
Until they are exhausted and destroyed,
Until they are conquered by outside forces,
Or until one of them becomes
A leader
Most will follow,
Or a tyrant
Most fear.

Again and again, Butler cautions against the blindness of choosing from a state of heightened emotion — the very blindness which political propaganda is aimed at blinkering over the eyes of the electorate with the constant stirring of our most reptilian fears:

When vision fails
Direction is lost.

When direction is lost
Purpose may be forgotten.

When purpose is forgotten
Emotion rules alone.

When emotion rules alone,
Destruction… destruction.

Total solar eclipse by Étienne Léopold Trouvelot. (Available as a print and as a face mask.)

In a short verse evocative of the closing lines of Jane Hirshfield’s stunning poem “The Weighing,” Butler beckons us to become Earthseed — to become “the life that perceives itself changing” — and to effect change with our conscientious choices:

There is no end
To what a living world
Will demand of you.

A century and a half after Margaret Fuller’s admirer Walt Whitman peered at the democratic vistas of a thriving society and exhorted humanity to “always inform yourself; always do the best you can; always vote,” Butler leaves us with this central question of personal responsibility:

Are you Earthseed?
Do you believe?
Belief will not save you.
Only actions
Guided and shaped
By belief and knowledge
Will save you.
Belief
Initiates and guides action —
Or it does nothing.

The shortest verse in the book distills Butler’s largest message:

Kindness eases Change.

Complement with David Foster Wallace on what a “real leader” means and Hannah Arendt on loneliness as the common ground for terror and how tyrants use isolation as a weapon of oppression, then revisit poet Naomi Shihab Nye’s magnificent ode to choosing kindness over fear and Audre Lorde’s magnificent ode to choosing creation over destruction.

Wed, Oct 30 at 7:08 PM

The Edge October 2024 A Newsletter for Evolutionary LeadersView in your browserCalling All Evolutionary Leaders in Service to Conscious Evolution! This Is Our Moment of Choice!Together, we can accelerate the evolution of human consciousness and co-create the future.  Are we ready to step into our power and take an Evolutionary Leap? In This IssueErvin Laszlo’s Upshift SummitLaunch Party of Elowyn: Quest of Time – Anneloes SmitsmanChoosing Earth Update – Duane Elgin (video)Rooting Ourselves in Love ­– Lynne TwistHealing Through Compassionate Awareness – Thomas Hübl (videoELEVATE Your MIND in the Sound Spa – Ivy HyltonDigital Dharma – Deepak ChopraS.A.F.E. –  Linda BjorkThe Teddy Bear Project Goes to North Carolina – Christine BurychMovements of Belonging – Kazu Haga (video)Founding Mothers Proclamation and Progress – Laura GeorgeOur Story and the Purpose of Our Being – David KortenEvolutionary Leaders Receive AwardsThe Spirit of the United Nations Award to Denise ScottoTanenbaum Award to Audrey Kitagawa (with video)2024 Spiritual Leadership Award to Suzanne GiesemannLifetime Achievement Award to Diane L. HaworthLifetime Achievement Award to Jennifer K. HillLife is a Game – Yasmeen TurayhiImpact for Change – Kurt Johnson (video)Recent Publications (including free) – Elisabet SahtourisThe World is in a Trance  – Mitchell J. Rabin (with video)Thank You, Mexico – Xiuhtezcatl Martinez (with video)Summit of Summits – Deborah MoldowIntegral African Conference – Desiree HurtakWilderness & Beyond Conference – Mark DuboisShaped by Earth and Beauty – Julie KrullMay Silence Rise – Rhetta Morgan“Our Moment of Choice”We Answered THE CALL Visit the Evolutionary Leaders YouTube ChannelInvest in Synergy to Power a Transformed WorldErvin Laszlo’s Upshift SummitNovember 15-18 Discover how you can support humanity’s sacred mission through this timely Summit with an amazing line-up of inspiring speakers! Hosted by The Laszlo Institute, the Summit takes place from 15-18 November. Book your seat now by clicking here and receive Dr Laszlo’s latest publication, Our Sacred Mission, as an eBook to get you prepared and excited. https://upshiftsummit.comPre-Alpha Launch Party of Elowyn: Quest of TimeBy Anneloes Smitsman After many months of development (and for me, one of the most challenging times of my life), I’m overjoyed that we can celebrate the end of this year with a special event: the Pre-Alpha Launch Party of our game Elowyn: Quest of Time! We’ll be joined by esteemed guests and dear friends like Evolutionary Leaders Dr. Jean Houston, John Perkins, Lynne Twist, Dr. Anita Sanchez, Dr. Jude Currivan, and many more. During this 2-hour celebration, we’ll give you exclusive access to the teaser version of our web-based Collectible Card Game (CCG), In this innovative strategy game, players confront the archetype of domination personified as Moloch, while using powerful character cards featuring the Future Humans and their allies. As you play, you’ll actually be training advanced AI systems by battling Moloch’s evolving Shadow Arcs. The choices you make will shape how Moloch learns and adapts, making the AI more cunning with each move! Join us to uncover the twist in this quest for a new era – one you could actually look forward to living into!While the full Alpha version of the game is set to launch in early 2025, this teaser will enable you to experience many of the game’s incredible features. Register here or click below to book your seat!www.earthwise.global/game-pre-alpha-register We’d also greatly appreciate your support in spreading the word!Choosing Earth UpdateBy Duane Elgin If you are here, we must be aligned in our commitment to the future of the Earth. We know the importance of viewing the challenges ahead through a whole-systems lens. That’s why we’re excited to share Choosing Earth’s free gifts with you – designed to more deeply explore the interconnected trends, scenarios, and possibilities shaping our planet’s future. These resources – a book, documentary, and guide for groups – offer a rich foundation for understanding and acting in this pivotal time. We invite you to explore and share them with your network to help us build awareness and catalyze meaningful action.Together, we can continue fostering a regenerative future.www.choosingearth.orgChoosing Earth: Choosing Life is a 63-minute documentary that explores our growing planetary crisis, and the opportunity we have to meet this crisis consciously. Through a broad, whole-systems perspective, the film examines key challenges (climate change, inequities, species extinction, overconsumption, and more) and explores the deeper transformation being called forth from humanity, the work of our lifetimes.Rooting Ourselves in LoveBy Lynne Twist  I believe that the world was created and approved by love, that it subsists, coheres, and endures by love, and that, insofar as it is redeemable, it can be redeemed only by love.~ Wendell Berry Times are tense in America right now. We are coming off the two horrific hurricanes that wreaked havoc from Florida to Tennessee. We are facing perhaps the most consequential election in our history. And in the background are the wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East, where the conflict is expanding and growing more savage each day. It is indeed challenging in these times to stay positive, to be grounded in what we are for rather than swept up by what we are against. If we are angry and hateful toward people who are angry and hateful, where does that get us?   It is time for what I call proactivism – living from and taking action for the vision of what we are standing for — focusing our energies on what is possible rather than fearing what might happen. Proactivism calls us to root ourselves in love — love for life, love for this world, love for future generations, love for other species, love for the Earth herself — and that’s a different consciousness.   It’s not hard to find love expressing itself, even in our current maelstrom. Just after Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville, North Carolina, and the surrounding areas, I was heartbroken. I had just spent a week in Asheville at the beginning of June, and it was such a beautiful, even magical place of green hills, magnificent trees, and charming communities. To think of all that was lost made me quite sad. But then I received a wonderful email from a friend who lives there. Meredith wrote: “For every story of devastation and heartbreak, I can share 10 of love and the Best of Humanity.  It is amazing how a natural disaster can offer us the most beautiful opportunity to understand the power of community.”   This is true in disaster after disaster: people respond with love, compassion, and the desire to help others, even when their own lives are in disarray. People risk their own safety to save others. They offer food and shelter, raise money far and wide. They volunteer to clean up debris for neighbors, help with rebuilding, and give all sorts of assistance to folks they may not even know. Generosity, selflessness, and the power of community emerge in the toughest of times – and nobody asks you about your politics.   It is my hope we can keep this vision of a community of love even as we navigate the last few weeks of this election. The stakes are indeed high, but it does not help to dwell in worry and anxiety. Do whatever you can to express your stand, but do so with love in your heart, remembering that nothing can crush the human spirit, and that even in the darkest times our deep humanity comes through. No matter what the outcome, may love and proactivism be your guide….   With love and gratitude, LynneHealing Through Compassionate AwarenessBy Thomas HüblThomas Hübl, PhD explores the intricate relationship between trauma, healing, and spirituality. He explains that trauma is not defined by the events we experience but by our inner responses to overwhelming situations, often leading to emotional, mental, and even societal stagnation. He discusses how we can reintegrate the frozen parts of ourselves to support growth, creativity, and deeper connections, and how healing trauma opens us to deeper love and relational awareness. With consistent spiritual practice, connection to community, and unwavering compassion for ourselves and others, we can face difficult challenges in our lives and overcome the illusion of separation to address critical global issues.ELEVATE Your MIND in the Sound SpaBy Ivy Hylton Peace and Blessings Sound Spa Mind Streamers! Starting Wednesday, October 16, 2024, I have been hosting the ELEVATE “Weekly” mind-reset experience on ZOOM at 8-9 pm. It is a transformative sonic meditation and emotional wellness support group designed to help you reset your mind, elevate your energy, and manifest your highest potential. Through the healing power of sound vibration, mindfulness, visualization, and a community of like minded souls, we will all discover the power of BrainWave Wellness and emotional balance together. BrainWave Wellness is the practice of understanding and optimizing the Brain to improve mental and physical health. BrainWaves can be measured and used to diagnose conditions, and there are several ways to alter brain waves to improve well-being. Understanding the activity of the brain to help improve sleep, release stress, improve focus and master Wellness is the goal for ELEVATE. Absolutely! Our BrainWaves can indeed be influenced by various techniques, allowing us to shift from a state of high alertness to one of relaxation, inner peace and emotional balance. ELEVATE will explore and practice various strategies that can help you “shift the channel” of your mind when needed. Just like adjusting a radio dial to find the right frequency, sometimes we need to fine-tune our focus or perspective to get a clearer understanding of things. What’s on your mind that you’re trying to tune into? Shifting your mental channel can really help in managing stress and enhancing focus. Each of the ELEVATE techniques can help clear mental clutter and provide a fresh perspective in life. Would you like to dive deeper into any specific strategies to ELEVATE your life? ELEVATE welcomes you into a safe space for meditation designed to create alpha waves, a natural anti-depressant and stress reliever that can release neurotransmitter serotonin, boosting energy and encouraging joy.  Join me every Wednesday where we will experience our healing journey together! Register today and become a member of the Wellness Community for MINDFUL Living. Register Here: www.drivysoundspa.com/application.html#/ Payment Link Here: www.drivysoundspa.com/elevate-weekly.html#/Digital DharmaA New Book by Deepak Chopra New York Times bestselling author Deepak Chopra delivers a visionary and unprecedented exploration of how artificial intelligence can revolutionize well-being and open new horizons for personal development. In a world captivated yet bewildered by artificial intelligence, spiritual icon Deepak Chopra, M.D., illuminates AI’s untapped potential to unravel the enigma of consciousness, positioning AI not as a threat but as a catalyst for personal and collective growth. In Digital Dharma, Chopra navigates the balance between technology and expanded awareness, explaining that while AI cannot duplicate human intelligence, it can vastly enhance personal and spiritual growth. Chopra shows readers how the most popular, freely available chatbots can serve as guides through every level of human potential—survival and safety, emotional connection, self-worth, abundance, creativity, wisdom, and the infinite possibilities of cosmic consciousness. AI chatbots offer information, advice, and exploratory avenues of untapped potential about any aspect of human awareness. “My new book, Digital Dharma, explores how AI can revolutionize well-being and open new horizons for personal development.”Order your copy and start your journey today! https://bit.ly/DeepakDigitalDharmaS.A.F.E.A New Book by Linda Bjork PUBLICATION DAY (October 7th)! ! For all my friends and connections in heavy industries and high-risk work environments, I am thrilled to share a whole new human-centric approach to safety and efficiency—what construction executives call “the missing piece to safety.” As of today, you can order it on Amazon as a paperback or ebook. The link is here. About the book: In heavy industries, there’s a well-known but often ignored truth: the human factor accounts for most workplace accidents, with 80% due to people experiencing stress. Yet, when leadership invests resources to reduce accidents, they tend to overlook this critical reality. It’s time for industries like construction, mining, maritime, aviation, and manufacturing to address the root cause of inefficiencies and accidents: stressed and distracted people. Utilizing the untapped potential of Stress resilience, Awareness, Flexibility, and Executive function, the S.A.F.E. platform provides safety leaders and project managers with a powerful, mindful, and human-centered approach to meeting the challenges of today’s high-risk environments. Each chapter shares compelling data and dispels common myths about stress, mental health, and high performance. It delivers actionable strategies and practices to finally break through to vision zero with enhanced safety and optimized efficiency. The S.A.F.E. platform is powered by the transformative findings of the Mindfulness Intelligence® (MQ) method, utilized by Fortune 500 leaders, business owners, and U.S. Army Generals.www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJK161Q3The Teddy Bear Project Goes to North CarolinaBy Christine Burych On October 25, I’ll be joining an incredible organization on the ground in North Carolina to assist families affected by Hurricane Helene. Among the many ways we’re offering support, one small but powerful gesture stands out: handing out teddy bears to children who have been displaced. We’ve already packed dozens of bears, ready to go. These bears will be delivered to a school of kindergarteners returning to class on Monday—each child will be welcomed back with this simple yet comforting gift. It’s unimaginable what these young children are going through—the loss, disruption, and confusion they must feel. But sometimes, it’s the smallest acts of kindness that can make the biggest difference. These bears are more than toys—they represent care, comfort, and a sense of safety in the midst of chaos. The Teddy Bear Project has landed on the ground in Asheville and the need is great. I leave tomorrow to help and we’re looking to supply 53 kindergarteners with teddy bears as they start back to school for the first time. These kids have also lost classmates in the hurricane. If you’d like to learn more about the Teddy Bear Project or contribute to this cause, I encourage you to check out the link below. Every donation, no matter the size, helps bring a little light and warmth to children who need it most. Your support is greatly appreciated!http://teddybearproject.org UPDATE! Notes were written (thanks to students in Stowe and Raleigh), teddy bears were packed and delivered. One note said “You matter.” The little girl who got that bear, took the note off and tied it around her own wrist and said she wasn’t taking it off. Moms needed hugs while kids got bears. Thanks to all those who donated. Please continue to give as we visit other parts of the state. Since September 11, 2001, the Teddy Bear Project has been all around the world to bring comfort to the children suffering in war zones, natural disasters, and now as hurricanes Helene and Milton wreak havoc – here in the US. October 21-26 we will be visiting Asheville, NC – one of the hardest hit areas from Hurricane Helene. While food, clothing and clean water are a priority right now, we plan to be there for the kids with donated teddy bears as soon as we can get in and help. https://teddybearproject.org. We want those who have been devastated by these events to know that there are those who care and want to bring comfort – and teddy bears to the kids. There are groups of kids signing cards right now that’ll be given with the teddy bears, so that each recipient will have someone to reach out to if they want. So they know that there are real people connected to the bears who care about them. Kids Caring for Kids. For more info, or to set up interviews about the project, please contact us via the website or directly at: nina@coeworld.org.~ Dr. Nina MeyerhofMovements of BelongingBy Kazu Haga Imagine a space where you feel universal, unflinching, unwavering belonging. Now, imagine if our front-lines movement work can be seeded from that place. That is the vision for Movements of Belonging, an experimental 5-day gathering for activists and organizers in the greater Vancouver BC area. This gathering is loosely modeled after Yes!‘s famous Jams. I’m so excited to be part of the team organizing this!If you know folks in the Vancouver area who are engaged in social change work and are feeling burnt out, feeling tired of our inability to resolve conflicts within movements, are looking for something more than call out culture, needing to learn how to do movement work in ways that are sustainable, relational and creates space for all of us to show up, please spread the word about this gathering to them! Apply @ https://movementsofbelonging.sutra.co/space/2kuyl8/content* * * * * * *Here’s the graphic recording of the talk I gave at Rutgers last week! So grateful to Rutgers University Diversity for the invite, and to ImageThink for capturing it! The video of my talk is below.Staying Resilient, Drawing a Larger Circle with Kazu Haga Rutgers UniversityFounding Mothers Proclamation and ProgressBy Laura GeorgeThe Founding Mothers Movement (FMM) is a global, women-led initiative to defend democracy, attain equal rights for all women, and end war. In December 2023, FMM started as a collaboratory of the Evolutionary Leaders (EL) Circle. Today, FMM has grown into an international movement that launched on July 5, 2024 with this inspiring video. FMM’s mission is to transition humanity from patriarchy and militarism to Partnership and Peace. We believe empowering Women and ending War are the two keys to humanity’s survival, and we’re building a coalition with four partner groups: Women + Children; Peace + Democracy; Spiritual + Religious; and Environmental +  Indigenous organizations. A progressive plan of this scope and magnitude has never been attempted, and the global coalition FMM seeks to build is unprecedented. On July 20, 2024, FMM inaugurated a reimagined global Women’s Congress, comprised of female futurists, academics, activists and Indigenous leaders. The third session of the Women’s Congress, passed the Founding Mothers Proclamation, which was published on October 2 – the International Day of Nonviolence. The Proclamation lists our solutions to the polycrisis. The Proclamation has been sent to all U.N. Ambassadors and nearly 600 Indigenous tribal leaders, and it will be sent to all Heads of State. In five concise pages, FMM specifically addresses:Gender equity and family violence (work of EL Riane Eisler)Need for a new world peace systemU.N. Security Council stalemateLack of enforcement of world law, andDangers of AI (work of EL Anneloes Smitsman).Moreover, in its first 4 months, the Women’s Congress has passed the following Proposals:WCP #1: Matriocracy Governance SystemWCP #2: Initial Peace Room NominationsWCP #3: Protection of the Mothers of All SpeciesWCP #4: Founding Mothers ProclamationWCP #5: FMM Covenant of CareWCP #6: FMM Dispute Resolution Process​We invite all evolutionary organizations to join FMM. Please register here as a Partner. Then register a female Delegate as your voting representative to the Women’s Congress. Or register here as an individual World Citizen. In breaking news, Marianne Williamson just accepted TWO invitations from FMM:She will be the Keynote Speaker at our 5th Congress on 11/9/24She will be our Keynote Speaker at our Town Hall on 11/21/24.The Town Hall on 11/21 is a PUBLIC event that anyone can attend. It is being broadcast on Jon Ramer’s One World platform and on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@FoundingMothersMovement. And here is the link to the “Fire Ceremony Room” at One World where it will be livestreamed: https://sine-network.zoom.us/j/89846571811. Lastly, FMM is NOT a new non-profit. It is a meta-brand designed to achieve meta-unity. Help us build the Mother of all Movements! ##### Contact: Rev. Laura George, JD Founding Mothers Movement Peace Room Laura@TheOracleInstitute.org Congress@FoundingMothers.worldOur Story and the Purpose of Our BeingBy David Korten David Korten delivered a powerful sermon, “Our Story and the Purpose of Our Being,” for Bainbridge Island’s Cedars UU Church on October 13. “What is our intended human purpose within the larger scheme of Creation? And what does it mean for how we choose to live together?” Listen to the service here – https://bit.ly/3Yw0YIQ. David’s sermon begins at 36:45. You might want to listen first to Fran Korten’s own sermon on October 6 – “The Shift to a New Story.” “We need a ‘new story’ that recognizes we are simply one species among many other species, interconnected with all.” David’s sermon beautifully complemented Fran’s talk – a powerful synergy. Listen to the Oct 6 service here – https://bit.ly/3UiWpix. Fran’s sermon begins at 30:12. Evolutionary Leaders Receive Awards Congratulations! The Spirit of the United Nations AwardPresented to Denise Scotto  The Source of Synergy Foundation (SOSF) is proud to announce that Denise Scotto, Esq., SOSF Treasurer and Vice President and NGO representative of the International Federation of Women in Legal Careers, was selected by the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns (NY), to receive The Spirit of the United Nations Award (SUNA). The award ceremony took place on October 23rd at The Church Center Chapel of the United Nations. SOSF and CSVGC-NY Founder, Diane Williams, had the pleasure of presenting the award on behalf of the committee to Denise.  During her distinguished career, Denise Scotto, Esq. has represented law firms, governments, businesses, non-profits, NGOs, and individual clients, addressing a wide range of matters, from Legal Analysis to Advocacy Strategy, Policy Development, Conflict Resolution, the United Nations System and Cross-Cultural Cooperation. Ms. Scotto’s legal skills and management background served the United Nations Department for Economic & Social Affairs. She has influenced the development of government policies, national and local legislation and education relating to civic participation and engagement. In addition, Denise chairs the International Day of Yoga Committee at the United Nations, providing a valuable link to civil society and playing a key role in raising the profile of this popular day.The NGO Committee on Spirituality,Values and Global Concerns (CSVGC-NY), a Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. (CoNGO), was founded by the Founder of the Source of Synergy Foundation, Diane Marie Williams, who also served as its first chair. She was also the Co-Chair and Co-Founder of the committee in Geneva, where it originated. During the ceremony, Diane shared about the founding history of the two committees in New York (celebrating its 20th anniversary) and Geneva (22nd anniversary). She also shared about spiritual history of the United Nations since its inception in 1945. Tanenbaum Award for the Advancement of Interreligious UnderstandingPresented to Audrey Kitagawa Tanenbaum Celebrates Champions of Religious Diversity at First-Ever Interactive Gala: Peace Made PossibleThe Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding hosted its annual Gala: Peace Made Possible on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at the IAC Building in New York City. Guests were joined by the evening’s Mistress of Ceremony, WABC TV-NY’s Journalist, Kemberly Richardson. This year’s Gala honored individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions towards fostering interfaith dialogue and respect for religious and nonreligious beliefs and practices. The prestigious Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum Award for the Advancement of Interreligious Understanding was awarded to Audrey Kitagawa, J.D. for her remarkable work in uniting diverse communities and advancing mutual respect.  Audrey has had a distinguished career as the President and Founder of the International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation, President of the Light of Awareness International Spiritual Family, Chair of the Anti-Racism Initiative, Chair of the Gender Equality Working Group, and a member of the Advisory Council of the G20 Interfaith Forum. She is the former advisor to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict at the United Nations. When Audrey was asked about hope in these challenging times, she replied, “In 1733, Alexander Pope wrote in his Essay on Man, ‘Hope springs eternal in the human breast.’ We are pioneers, tapping into our creativity to find solutions to our challenges. President Kennedy said that man will go to the moon “…not because its easy, but ‘because it’s hard…’ We are always seeking ways to improve our lives because we are forward looking, and hopeful of what possibilities can bring…”   “Rev. Mark Fowler, Tanenbaum CEO, remarked, “In these challenging times, Tanenbaum’s mission is to find innovative ways to foster mutual understanding across differences. Through interactive exhibits and immersive storytelling, we are not just celebrating those who are making a tangible difference; we are inviting everyone to participate in creating a more inclusive world.”  You can watch a recording of Audrey’s latest webinar, on Ukraine and Russia: The Causes of the Conflict, Diplomacy, and Possibilities for Peace, here, with speakers Prof. John. Packer and Jonathan Granoff, J.D. Humanity’s Team 2024 Spiritual Leadership AwardPresented to Suzanne Giesemann Suzanne Giesemann was celebrated with me via livestream on October 18, 2024, when Humanity’s Team awarded her their 2024 Spiritual Leadership Award in person in Boulder, Colorado.Suzanne wrote, “You can imagine my surprise when Founder Steve Farrell told me it was unanimously decided by their 65-member council, and that this honor has previously been bestowed upon such notable figures as Nelson Mandela (posthumously), Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Neale Donald Walsh, and more! “This Leadership award is not about me. It’s about all of us as leaders in our Awakened Way community and beyond who make an intentional choice to live from higher consciousness in everyday situations—be it the grocery store , the coffee shop , the boardroom , or the family room . “To lead is to inspire and motivate others. That’s what I hope to do with remarks that will light a fire in you and remind you that your soul came here for a very important purpose.”You can share the joy with Suzanne and Humanity’s Team Worldwide Executive Director Steve Farrell at www.humanitysteam.org/special-event-viewing-room. Lifetime Achievement Award from The Visioneers International NetworkPresented to Diane L. Haworth I am deeply honored to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award as a Visionary Leader from The Visioneers International Network. The award “recognizes, honors, and applauds the extraordinary contribution of those leaders among us who step out of the norm, often in the face of adversity, to create, invent and promote new ways of being…” The committee members cited my work with the Be Love Principles and passion to share the message of Divine Love.A heartfelt THANK YOU to the Visioneers for their support and belief in this mission! Lifetime Achievement Award from The Visioneers International Network Presented to Jennifer K. Hill I am deeply honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Visioneers, which recognizes my commitment to being a Visionary Leader. Being included among inspiring leaders like Ervin Laszlo and Jane Goodall is both humbling and a profound privilege. I want to continue living up to this incredible recognition and contribute in ways that uplift and create a lasting impact. https://thevisioneers.ca/visionary-leaders-2/leadersLife is a GameBy Yasmeen TurayhiReprinted from www.facebook.com/yasmeen.turayhi   Life is a game. And it was never meant to be difficult. I’ve noticed that way too many people take life too seriously or create their problems, and spend a tremendous amount of energy trying to solve them. The game of life has a beginning, a middle, and an end. And the wild part is we don’t exactly know when that middle and end will be. We are good at forgetting that this entire experience is a finite one, and yet, so many people assume it will go on forever. Even worse, I’ve noticed that many of us spend a lifetime chasing other people’s dreams and looking for validation from others, and turn away from our hearts, and deny ourselves inner peace and joy, and daily humor and levity. And why? I believe we’ve been programmed to believe that the “sacred” should be the “serious”. I don’t know about you, but I don’t care to take this short finite life too seriously. I find that the highest form of consciousness is having a sense of humor and being able to hold paradoxes and see infinite possibilities. Following someone else’s script and living an assembly-line type of life, rather than creating, directing, narrating, and editing one’s own script is the main delusion playing out in this world today. We don’t need to privilege the outside world to find that sense of inner peace and joy. No one can ever give you a sense of lasting security and joy. It all begins with the self.I’ve also been wondering how many people have free will and agency over their own minds anymore. I guess, how can we with the amount of information that’s being pushed into our scripts all day long? I find so many people are NPC’s (in video game terminology, known as Non-Player Characters), just following along in a script and providing no meaningful action to the main game. I recently told a friend that the way to have agency is to ignore a tremendous amount of information, especially from other people, whose minds are mostly colonized by other people’s scripts and agendas. I’ve observed that deep inner wisdom, our innate intuitive intelligence, and our heart intelligence are what we need to develop and hone in a crowded world vying for the attention of our ego, and playing into our deepest fears and insecurities. I am not interested in playing anyone else’s game, sacrificing my energy, time and attention in someone else’s script. And the best a friend or a partner can do for you is to encourage you to play yours. And to play it well. So, dear reader, do you want to be an NPC, or do you want to be a main Player?Many of you have asked how to elevate and manage your energy, and I’m excited to share my journey and insights with you. After spending over a decade studying natural law, intuition, and the art of energy mastery, I’m offering a special workshop designed to help you bring these transformative principles into your own life. In this online session, I’ll share the tools and practices that shifted my own life into one of tranquility, vibrant health, and high energy. This workshop will combine practical tips, meditative exercises, and energy principles you can easily integrate into your daily routine.  Join me on Thursday, November 7th @ 12 pm PT. I look forward to seeing you there. Here is the workshop link: https://lu.ma/tm06coziHumanity’s Moment of Choice: Impact for ChangeBy Kurt Johnson Humanity’s Moment of Choice: Impact for Change, was produced for the occasion of the annual Global Oneness Summit, a six-day free online event, Oct. 19-24. It follows on our previous September program on the event The Deep and Rapid Transformation Convergence, held at the Synod House of the Cathedral St. John the Divine in New York City on September 19, 2024 in advance of the United Nations Summit of the Future.  This VoiceAmerica Special features global leaders from all these events sharing their visions for IMPACT for positive global change. Guests are Steve Farrell, co-founder of Humanity’s Team & visioneer of the Global Oneness Summit; Diane Marie Williams and Rev. Deborah Moldow from the Evolutionary Leaders Circle of the Source of Synergy Foundation, a major sponsor of the Summit of the Future event; Daniel Stone and Heidi Sparkes Guber, who facilitated the New York City event that hosted over 100 global leaders; Roger Briggs and Randall Libero, who join us with expertise on the role of media in impact; Mariko Pitts of the Holomovment, and Jon Ramer from a number of collaborative global initiatives, who wraps up this examination and assessment of Impact for positive global change.Lastly, the noted September events were in New York City, San Francisco, and Japan, and coordinated by collaborative media. You can find out about all of them at https://unite4peace.org/ and at EVENTS at https://unity.earth/.  Join us for this special program, available 24-7 at www.voiceamerica.com/show/2610/the-convergence.Recent Publications (including free)By Elisabet Sahtouris Here are my promised recent publications. My VISTA book is a free download on my website www.sahtouris.com. My Nature’s Guide to Ending the Diet Wars article, in the current issue of Kosmos Journal, is at www.kosmosjournal.org. Can we agree to re-integrating plants and animals as they were evolved to live together? We can do this by promoting integrated organic farms, as well as by regreening desertified land. The clear energy efficiency of doing so will actually mitigate climate change much better than simply going vegan— www.kosmosjournal.org/kj_article/natures-guide-food/ It argues that everyone working on healthy food should be allies, rather than antagonists, and then leave diet choices to individuals. It includes specifics on Big Ag toxins and synthetic foods fueled by the vegan movement, on regenerative ag, biological evolution, and more.. My chapter on synchronicities is in the new book The Playful Universe: Synchronicity and the Nature of Consciousness, by by Marjorie Woollacott, PhD, David Lorimer, and Gary E. Schwartz, PhD. Here is a sample from my chapter:  Synchronicity in the Evolution of my Worldview Elisabet Sahtouris, PhD (chapter in The Playful Universe)  My life has been a journey full of synchronicities, each of which has contributed to my evolving view of reality, form cosmological to mundane Synchronicities have catalyzed important shifts and expansions in my worldview, from that of a materialist scientist, believing that the brain produces consciousness, to an individual who experiences consciousness in all aspects of the universe and the interconnection of all that exists. In short, synchronicities revealed the deeper reality behind our physical world in undeniable ways. I will first describe a series of related synchronicities that occurred in different times and places, then another single synchronicity unrelated to those, and then my understanding of the nature of a universe that makes synchronicity possible. The first series gives a bit of the early evolution of my journey, and my move to a Greek island, where serial synchronicities occurred involving the Harmonic Convergence, the feathered serpent god, Quetzalcoatl, and a centipede. The second describes a synchronicity involving a magnificent manifestation soon after I arrived in Greece, when exploring the ancient and magnificent theater and healing center complex of Epidaurus. […]Read more in the book!The World is in a TranceBy Mitchell J. RabinExcerpted from www.meer.com/en/82679-the-world-is-in-a-trance Easy to program, easy to persuade, and wait, there’s more! As I bicycle through New York City daily, I see people walking about with their earbuds fastened to their ears and cell phone poised in front of their eyes. While walking on busy, noisy and potentially dangerous NYC streets, two senses of four are completely preoccupied. The other two are largely on pause unless there’s a physical encounter (kinesthetic) or there is a notably foul smell in the air (olfactory). In short, 50% of one’s sensory awareness is unavailable to sense the outside world, or even that there is an outside world. It sounds funny if it weren’t so dangerous and even tragic. It gives the positive power of trances a bad name. Oblivious to one and all, many New Yorkers (and others) are moving quickly through the streets, staring at phones or listening to music on EMF-emitting blue-tooth, earbuds, even if right in front of you. The vicissitudes and dangers of daily life—drunken drivers, fast taxis, food delivery e-bikes speeding by, stressful emotions, a broken curb that was never fixed—all this, all lost to this self enclosed pedestrian, literally endangering his life and possibly others. […] I used to think it was mainly young people, entranced by new technology, attempting to “be hip and cool” who would mainly be “bubble occupants”. It was this same phenomenon I noticed among young people when Walkmen first came on the scene: plugging in, plugging up. But as time has gone on, I have been proven wrong: all ethnicities, all economic classes and all ages have been captured by the “Big Bubble”. The trance is everywhere. […]Read the full article here.Also, enjoy Mitchell’s recent Podcast below on a Natural Cooling System: A Solution to Global Warming: Nature Herself Provides.Mitchell Rabin interviews Jon Schull, co-founder of the Eco-Restoration Alliance, who maps out the bio-sphere’s natural cooling system, which does more to cool the planet naturally, more effectively and more quickly than any other approach, including ending the use of fossil fuels. This incredibly simple and inexpensive method can restore the eco-system back to a sense of relative balance and normalcy in a short period of time – a decade instead of centuries.Thank You, MexicoBy Xiuhtezcatl Martinez  Mexico. Gracias por brillar junta a nosotros. Por recibirnos en nuestro primer show con tanta energía, ternura y amor. Cada momento fue un regalo, mis primitos en la audiencia cantando y sonriendo juntos. A mis tíos y tías que trajeron sus familias de lejos, de Zumpango, Hidalgo, Jalalpa y Morelos. A mis antepasados que nos guillan en cada paso. Nokniwan de Cuentepec que abrieron el espacio con Yaotecame y cantaron en Nahuatl junto a mi. Las lágrimas y letras que dejé con ustedes. Gracias a todos los nuevos fans que que se rifaron cantando todas las letras. Tlazocamati. Este primer show fue de las cosas más padres que he vivido. Itzcuauhtli Tepeyolohtli, mi querido hermano, gracias por ser mi mejor amigo y compañero en realizar esta noche tan especial. Mi tía Matlal por organizar todo los detalles. Ya listo para sacar este álbum, y traer este energía a más ciudades en México, y Latinoamérica. Timokwepaskeh saniman. Regresaremos pronto.Mexico. Thank you for shining with us. For welcoming us at our first show with so much energy, tenderness and love. Every moment was a gift, my cousins in the audience singing and smiling together. To my uncles and aunts who brought their families from afar, from Zumpango, Hidalgo, Jalalpa and Morelos. To my ancestors who guide us every step of the way. Nokniwan from Cuentepec who opened the space with Yaotecame and sang in Nahuatl alongside me. The tears and letters I left with you. Thanks to all the new fans who raffled singing all the lyrics. Come on down. This first show was one of the most parental things I’ve ever experienced. Itzcuauhtli Tepeyolohtli, my dear brother, thank you for being my best friend and partner in making this night so special. My aunt Matlal for organizing all the details. Already ready to drop this album, and bring this energy to more cities in Mexico, and Latin America. Timokwepaskeh saniman. We’ll be back soon.  Full information at https://xiuhtezcatl.com.Xiuhtezcatl – Careful (Official Video)Summit of Summits in Hakone, JapanBy Deborah Moldow Twenty-seven leaders in various fields, most from Europe or Japan, met in September amid the gorgeous scenery of Hakone, Japan for the first international Summit of Summits. Sourced by Peter Koenig, the purpose of the Summit was for leaders of established communities to strengthen and activate civil society as an intelligent force for peace and prosperity. The theme of the Summit, lasting peace and prosperity, was described this way: As we observe governments re-militarizing, it’s time for us, as citizens of the world, to weave our networks and communities together and value peace more than war. The question in the air was what it would take to start a movement. The leaders of the Summit, Peter Koenig and Alexander Inchbald, were committed to open space technology that would bring out the topics on the hearts of the participants. I offered a session on existing organizations and movements with similar objectives: The Source of Synergy Foundation and its Evolutionary Leaders Circle and Evolutionary Partners Network; Holomovement; Humanity’s Team; Unity Earth; We, The World; Unify; the World Upshift Movement; EARTHwise; and others. Many of the participants were unfamiliar with these efforts and grateful to know that humanity is beginning to come together to experience our inherent oneness. On a personal level, I deeply appreciated the sharing of some of the participating Japanese businessmen, who attempted to put into words what the Japanese perspective has to offer the world. It was a beautiful learning.Integral African ConferenceBy Desiree HurtakThere was an inspiring Integral African Conference in Johannesburg South Africa. The conference brought together people from all over the world within the African Integral community to support each other  by the highest good to serve the planet. Evolutionary Leaders Drs. Anne-Marie Voorhoeve and Dr. Aunkh Chabalala were among the key international leaders. In addition, Drs. J.J. and Desiree Hurtak were presenters at the conference.. Much of the conference was centered on the art of spiral dynamics for South African businesses. Spiral Dynamics was created by the late EL member Don Beck and expanded by EL Ken Wilber. https://integralafricanconference.co.za Wilderness & Beyond ConferenceBy Mark Dubois I was invited to speak at the Great Old Broads for Wilderness‘s 35th Anniversary conference:, Wilderness & Beyond, in Estes Park, Colorado on October 14th. It was a remarkable circle of dedicated souls working to give Voice to and protect and restore wilderness, and have fun while they’re at it. Great Old Broads for Wilderness is a women-led national grassroots organization that engages and inspires activism to preserve and protect wilderness and wild lands. Conceived by older women who love wilderness, Broads gives voice to the millions of Americans who want to protect their public lands and wilderness for this and future generations. We bring knowledge, leadership, and humor to the wilderness preservation movement. And, we’re educating communities about the critical connection between healthy public lands and climate change mitigation.I shared emergent questions like: How do we express the interconnectedness we feel in the wilds?,How can we become a bridge those who’ve inherited our disconnection? andHow do we mature activism to be rooted in the power of love, transcending ‘us & them’?It was very inspiring and hopeful to get a sense of how many citizens are involved and all the powerful work being done to leave our world better.Shaped by Earth and BeautyBy Julie Krull I recently attended a creative gathering — four days immersed in nature, art, music, and conversation. It was a time of connection, a time to step away from the busyness of life and feel the earth beneath my feet, the fire of creativity in my heart, and the profound intelligence of nature all around me. As I camped on the land, I felt held by the earth, nourished by great locally sourced food, inspired by incredible artists, and molded by the stories shared around the fire. This experience reminded me of Raw Naked Clay, a poem I wrote about being shaped, about allowing the hands of Life to mold us into something new. Just as clay is shaped by the potter’s hands, we are constantly being shaped — by the forces of nature, creativity, and connection. But it’s more than that. It’s also about surrendering to the process, trusting that there is a larger intelligence guiding us, something deeper that lives beneath the surface, much like the mycelial network that quietly supports Life beneath our feet. During this gathering, I was especially inspired by Louie Schwartzberg, the visionary filmmaker whose groundbreaking work in time-lapse photography unveils the hidden beauty and intelligence of the natural world. Schwartzberg’s film Fantastic Fungi celebrated the mycelial network — a perfect metaphor for how interconnected we all are, not just to each other but to the living, breathing earth itself.IMAGE: Mycelium Dreaming by Autumn Skye Schwartzberg’s work is a reminder of the deep wisdom of nature. Through his lens, we are invited to witness the beauty and intelligence of Life unfolding, frame by frame, in ways that our everyday eyes might miss. His films inspire hope — hope that in our expanding awareness, we can learn to see the world more deeply, more clearly, and recognize our place in the unified web of Life. Schwartzberg’s work echoes the themes of transformation and how Life shapes us; how mystery, wonder, and awe are divine sculptors. […]  For the full article and poem on Medium, click here.May Silence RiseA Poem by Rhetta Morgan May silence rise. May the power of silence within us rise to meet our shadow, silence that is depth and breath, strength of ages, silence of awe of meditation and contemplation. May silence speak without sound, without voice and permeate our times, our concerns, all our heartbreak. May silence saturate us from realms where the laws of nature are made. May we delve beneath the shallow, below the surface, beyond comforting thresholds to remember, we are made of stars. We all want our lives to have meaning. We want peace for our loved ones. May intimate silence, core of our being-ness rise to meet our dismay and guide us to our highest possible unfolding. Amen.~ Inspired by my Quaker colleagues and friendsOur Moment of Choice  Readers on Amazon have said: “This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to shape a better future” and “Wow… what a fabulous game changing book.” Our Moment of Choice is a perfect gift for friends, family – or yourself! And its wide variety of brief chapters by diverse visionaries makes it a great choice for book clubs and study groups. Enjoy!  Learn more about Our Moment of Choice at www.OurMomentofChoice.com “Our Moment of Choice: Visions and Hope for the Future,” with chapters by 43 members of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle is a winner of four awards including a gold Nautilus.We Answered the Call to Conscious Evolution (Help Us to Reach 50,000 – we’re getting close!) Meet some of those who have joined Deepak Chopra, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Gregg Braden, Bruce Lipton and other Evolutionary Leaders in making a Call to Conscious Evolution to collectively help accelerate the shift in global consciousness and create a world that works for everyone.ANSWER THE CALL!www.evolutionaryleaders.net/acalltoconsciousevolution Note the powerful commitments below posted by recent signatories!     This newsletter reaches thousands on the leading edge of the evolution across the globe. Won’t you click here to share it on your social media?Visit the Evolutionary Leaders YouTube ChannelAn Initiative of the Source of Synergy Foundation The Evolutionary Leaders YouTube Channel features numerous short presentations from our private archives where members of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle share the leading edge of their expertise with our community of evolutionary leaders. Explore our playlists and subscribe now to get inspired with the Evolutionary Leaders on YouTube!Invest in Synergy to Power a Transformed World Offer Your Appreciation Here – Thank You!The Edge is a publication of the Evolutionary Leaders of the Source of Synergy Foundation Editor: Deborah Moldow, Associate Editor: Sandra Simon www.evolutionaryleaders.net www.sourceofsynergyfoundation.orgCopyright © 2024 Source of Synergy Foundation, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: The Source of Synergy Foundation, Inc. 697 3rd Avenue, #117 New York, NY 10017 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

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(Contributed by Steve Hines)

The Festival of Samhain/Hallowe’en In current times Hallowe’en is a celebration day centered around horror films, spooky decorations, and the inevitable sweets and snacks:-) However, the origins of this festival lie in ancient times, and align closely with the Wheel of the Year in the northern hemisphere. As Jan says, “Samhain means (from the Celtic) End of Summer. In a sense we have to move ourselves back in time here to properly understand what that means for Autumn as we now know it did not exist in the original Pagan calendar. We were either in Summer (bounty, blessedness and abundance) or Winter (threatening, sparse and demanding).”And Graham agrees: “The truth is, as always, rather more complex. It is a Celtic festival, one with ancient roots and a deep tradition behind it. Modern pagans celebrate it as Samhain, and for them it marks the end of the year.”To read more of Graham and Jan’s thoughts on Samhain/Hallowe’en, and to find out more about the Wheel of the Year celebrations, have a look at this page on the Angel Paths website:angelpaths.com/wheel-of-the-year/samhain-halloween/

“You can never get enough of what you don’t need, because what you don’t need won’t satisfy you.” Dallin Oaks (b.1932) American Religious Leader

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DAILY REFLECTION BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SCHOOL OF PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY

Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church

Gareth Gore

A thrilling exposé recounting how members of Opus Dei—a secretive, ultra-conservative Catholic sect—pushed its radical agenda within the Church and around the globe, using billions of dollars siphoned from one of the world’s largest banks.

For over half a century, Banco Popular was one of the most profitable banks in the world—until one day, in 2017, when the Spanish bank suddenly collapsed overnight. When investigative journalist Gareth Gore was dispatched to report on the story, he expected to find yet another case of unbridled capitalist ambition gone wrong. Instead, he uncovered decades of deception that hid one of the most brazen cases of corporate pillaging in history, perpetrated by a group of men sworn to celibacy and self-flagellation who had secretly controlled Popular and abused their positions there to help spread Opus Dei to every corner of the world.

Drawing on unparalleled access to bank records, insider accounts, and exclusive interviews with whistle-blowers from within Opus Dei, Gore reveals how money from the bank was used to lure unsuspecting recruits—some of them only children—into a life of servitude. He also tracks the ascent of Opus Dei within the United States, exposing its role in bankrolling many right-wing causes, including the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.

In an era of disinformation and deep fakes, here is a real-life conspiracy which hid in plain sight for more than sixty years. Gore tells a shocking story of money and power that spans decades and continents. Documenting Opus Dei’s secret history for the first time, this thrilling work of investigative storytelling raises important questions about the dark forces that shape our society.

(Goodreads.com)