Meetings > Meeting Notes > September 2, 2007
Overview | Calendar | Meeting Notes
September 2, 2007
- Reports from the recent IONS conference from Dave, Elizabeth and Kathy
- General discussion including: Relationship between brain and mind (inspired by this past edition of the Shift magazine) and the curses and blessings of the ego (and the differentiation between the problem of the ego and the problem of the ego with a problem)
- Resources, events and movie recommendations!
- Next meeting Sept. 16th at Mary’s house.
Conference Reporting by three individuals fortunate to attend
Close to 1000 people at the yearly conference in Palm Springs. Those of us who went felt a powerful transformative energy that felt higher and higher each day. The conference was intellectually varied and stimulating, heart stimulating, with broad topics and presentations, if not a bit overwhelming in its breadth. There was as much activism as science. However, this was up against the backdrop of a beautiful resort in the Palm Springs dessert that was lovely, but a poor example of sustainability (as contrasted with Oregon’s own dear Breitenbush. Go to the IONS web site to put in a plug for a new location- Portland, perhaps- that is more aligned with the ecological sustainability supported by IONS).
Elizabeth found the Heartmath presentations particularly riveting, including the reminders that:
- the electromagnetic field of the heart is so much more than the brain.
- the research on biofeedback teaches us how to be in the heart and radiate that loving heart energy.
Presentations on global mind and heart addressed a variety of global coherence monitoring systems that measure earth fluctuations, and this included the random generators that become non-random before significant social, political, & ecological events.
The conference also did an intention experiment, measuring light through a fiber-optic cable with the goal to slow down time.
Marilyn Schlitz, Tina Amorok & Cassandra Vieten presented material from their forthcoming book, The Art and Science of Transformation, which is due out in January and covers 10 years of research on the topic. Paradoxical messages were given: to get the ego out of the way, and how to use the ego to power intention.
A presentation on dreams included discussion of an IONS dream website to capture our collective dreams and analyze them for collective premonitions based on Jung’s collective unconscious. See below for the website to log onto and post your significant dreams.
Kathy M. went to the conference as a reporter for the New Connection magazine, so look for an article in their next issue with even greater details.
General Discussion
Issue #16 of Shift (Sept.-Nov., 2007) is filled with great articles on the brain and mind, despite the fact that a number of us found parts of it relatively incomprehensible. Some of us with a strong interest in neuroscience thought the issue was fabulous, and highly recommend reading it cover to cover.
Dorothy shared a recent Oregonian article that shared some scientists opinions that out of body experiences are simply the misfiring of the brain. This led to discussions on our collective interest to not bother about convincing everyone about the legitimacy of experiences such as out of body experiences, but to look for and discuss the value and meaning of such experiences amongst those of us who appreciate these sorts of unusual states of consciousness.
Discussion followed re: the place of the body in the experience of consciousness, with a number of us marveling at the body as an opportunity to express consciousness in a coherent organized, human way, and the use of “body mindfulness” to facilitate the expansion of awareness.
Bruce Lipton’s vision of the future was discussed.
Andrew Harvey’s
sacred activism group was presented. See below for web site.
Van Jones’ 3
waves of transformation were discussed (he presented at the conference):
1st. conservation 2nd. NIMBY, 3rd. How to invest in solutions
Body Talk
by John Veltheim was brought up by Dale.
Ego discussions and clarifications of what the ego is and isn’t, and how the word is used to mean different things by different people, thus the need to clarify what we’re talking about when we use the word “ego.”
Resources, Events, and Movie recommendations
- Tapes of the conference presentations: Dave bought tapes of the lectures and would love to share these, perhaps at presentations at the Rose Villa
- Dreams: Dr. Stephen Aizenstat,PhD, clinical psychologist and founder of Pacifica Grad. Inst. Coming to Portland Oct. 12th and 13th. Evening lecture Friday Oct. 12th, $12. At Unity Church. Workshop $60. - $85 Sat. Oct. 13th. For details, see the Oregon Friends of Jung website: http://www.ofj.org/calendar/2007-2.htm#Two
- Events: Edgar Mitchell will be coming to this area brought by the Vancouver Wash. IONS group. Details?
- Movies:
Zetigeist available online at zeitgeistmovie.com
Journey of Man Imax now playing at the Spruce Goose near McMinnville
The 11th Hr. playing at Cinema 21 - Websites of interest:
psiarcade.com/gaia to post dreams to track our collective Gaia unconscious.
andrewharvey.net/sacred_activism.html sacred activism site of A. Harvey with email contact info for his school of sacred activism.
Respectfully submitted,
Harriet Cooke