For millions of years, human beings have gathered around FIRE to bring forth wisdom…and understanding…to help respond to the challenges of their time. Through ritual, music, and movement,  our ancestors celebrated the cycles of nature and their place in the cosmos. Through respectful dialogue they listened to each other’s wisdom. And in silence they opened to the Great Mystery for guidance on the journey of life.

 

Today, we find ourselves at a crucial moment in the evolution of the United States of America and, for all of humanity. As a country, we face great economic uncertainty and a diminished international reputation.  As a species, we face unprecedented planetary challenges in the form of global warming, mass extinctions, overpopulation and many other grave environmental and social problems.

Yet at this critical hour we are also witnessing the birth of an astonishing possibility for humanity. A possibility to come together, as never before, across religions, cultures and political orientations – a possibility to awaken the brilliance of our collective human wisdom so that we may evoke the tenderness of our collective human Heart; A possibility to recognize ourselves as Earthlings who share a planet that is precious to us all.

Today, as we approach a critical moment of choice for our country and our planet, we gather together, again, as one human family, in a circle that spans the nation…and is felt around the world. Today…we gather around the fire of the HEART… soul to soul…mind to mind…heart to heart.

Let us join together…again…to listen in the stillness for wisdom. Let us call forth wise and compassionate leadership…in ourselves and in our political leaders…regardless of the election’s outcome…for the benefit of the entire Earth community…and for the next seven generations.

We invite you to be with us during this time of deep reflection for our first ever WiseUSA global event.

May Wisdom Prevail in the USA ;  May Peace Prevail on Earth

---

 

A non-partisan, free global meditation and prayer program, designed to draw forth wise leadership from both politicians and citizens during and beyond the U.S. presidential election.

—

California Institute of Integral Studies Announces WiseUSA ‘O8 —   Global Meditation Program Aimed at Influencing the American Election   Millions of People Participate in Subtle Activism Starting Oct. 1st   to Call Forth Wise Leadership in America
SAN FRANCISCO –September 19, 2008 — Gaiafield Center for Subtle Activism (GCSA), sponsored by the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), announces the launch of WiseUSA ‘O8, a non-partisan, free global meditation and prayer program to run from October 1st to November 6th 2008, designed to draw forth wise leadership from both politicians and citizens during and beyond the U.S. presidential election.
By using leading-edge Internet technologies to link millions of people from around the world in meditation and prayer during the U.S. electoral process, WiseUSA ’08 calls upon Americans to use their deepest wisdom as they consider and cast their votes for President this November.
Since the outcome of the upcoming U.S. election will affect the rest of the world, this program also invites the global community to support the American people in this process.

“The WiseUSA ‘08 event is evidence of a new kind of spiritually-grounded, grass-roots, international and tech-savvy civic engagement,” says Sean Kelly, Ph.D., chairman of the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Program at CIIS and co-founder of GCSA. “It asks people to actively participate in the American political process from the deepest place of wisdom, beyond geographical boundaries and even the partisan divide.”
It is estimated that more than a million people from around the world will participate either in public gatherings or from their own homes in teleconferences/audio webcasts, interactive web discussions or as part of their personal practice. During the teleconferences and web-discussions participants will learn about and apply “subtle activism,” discuss what it means to live from a place of wisdom, and explore other ideas about what can be done to support the emergence of wisdom in American politics and daily life.
“Many people believe that there is a rising global consciousness –an understanding that we are all connected and therefore responsible for each other. WiseUSA ‘O8 is designed to call on that interconnectedness for the highest purpose and deepest wisdom of the American people,” said David Nicol, Director of GCSA. “The desire for harmony, abundance, safety and freedom crosses political lines, so together as a group of Americans we will meditate and pray for a wise outcome,” Nicol continued.

Event Detail

The program starts on Wednesday, October 1st with a series of teleconferences and audio webcasts featuring spiritual teachers from around the world. It will culminate in a 13 day intensive program that runs from October 25th to November 6th.  This interactive program will peak on November 2, 2008 in a Global Ceremony featuring meditation, prayer and music which will simultaneously bring together public gatherings in Washington D.C., San Jose, Los Angeles, and New York.  All locations will be linked by videoconference and the event will be broadcast live online to hundreds of groups and tens of thousands of individuals worldwide.

Featured speakers include — Marianne Williamson, Gabriel Cousens M.D., Alfredo Sfeir-Younis, David Spangler, Lynne Twist, Corinne McGlaughlin and Max Simon.

Partnering Organizations

WiseUSA ‘O8, is co-produced by many leading non-profit organizations including– CommonPassion.org, World Peace Prayer Society, Culture of Peace Initiative, Vessels of Peace, Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, Wisdom of the World and Zambuling Institute for Human Transformation and is artistically directed by Emmy Award winning composer, Gary Malkin.
About Gaiafield and Subtle Activism The Gaiafield Center for Subtle Activism was launched in June of 2008 as an action research center to advance the study and practice of subtle activism. Subtle activism is defined as a spiritual or consciousness practice, such as prayer, meditation, ritual or ecstatic dance – intended to exert a subtle healing influence on the world at large. The concept of subtle activism is based on the idea that all things in the universe are, at the most fundamental level, related and interconnected, a perspective that is emerging in a wide variety of intellectual disciplines — from quantum physics, to ecology, to economics. Subtle activism also builds on the new picture of consciousness emerging from various fields of studies, where consciousness is understood as a non-local field in which humans are embedded, rather than a mere epiphenomenon of biological processes located in individual human brains. In this view, humans are not fundamentally separate from the field around them and are continually being influenced by it and, through our focused thoughts, intentions, and states of mind, can have an influence on this field. GCSA aims to connect people around the world through love, compassion, and awakened consciousness to support collective healing and positive social change.

The Intention Participants will be asked to focus on the following intention in their daily practice of meditation and prayer:   We, the people, the ancestors of our great, great grandchildren call forth the deepest wisdom and highest compassion from the heart and soul of America, for the benefit of the entire Earth community and the next seven generations. May wisdom prevail in the USA. May peace prevail on Earth.

Additional information

It does not cost anything to participate. For more details about or for specific information about the events visit: http://www.gaiafield.net or contact  David Nicol — dnicol@ciis.edu 510-525-9516/510-299-5698 or Joseph Giove  — jgiove@commonpassion.org 925 215 4017.
To see the trailer visit — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCzffrwiZ5E