A New World at the Speed of Love with Gregg Braden

From climate change to social change, from increasing levels of human conflict to collapsing national economies, it’s heartening to know that we already have the technological solutions to the greatest challenges of our lives today. When we realize the truth of this statement, the question we ask is universal: Where are these solutions today? The answer to this question highlights the greatest challenge we face as individuals, communities and as a society — Do we love ourselves enough to shift the thinking that makes room in our lives for what we know is possible in our heart? In this module, Gregg will explore the new world that is emerging in our lifetime, how the thinking of the past is the greatest obstacle to ending the suffering in our lives, and the hidden truths that allow you deep resilience as you navigate the fear and uncertainty of our emerging world.

From Separation to Oneness: Vandana Shiva

From Separation to Oneness, from Monoculture to Diversity.

After a PhD thesis on non separability and non locality in Quantum theory, Dr Vandana Shiva studied non separation between forests, soil and water, the Green revolution in Punjab and the relationship between violence against nature by chemical agriculture and emergence of violence in society. Since then, she has kept working on the link between seeds, plants, soil, climate, and biodiversity.

Perfect Brilliant Stillness by David Carse (audiobook)

 

In what the author calls ‘the fine print’ at the start of the book, David Carse wrote: ‘There are many books out there that will help you to live a better life, become a better person, and evolve and grow to realise your potential as a spiritual being. This is not one of them…almost every popular spiritual teacher in America and Europe is teaching that ultimate spiritual enlightenment…can now be yours; and that reading their book or attending their seminar will help you toward that end. This book will tell you that these ideas are absurd, because it’s quite obvious that neither you nor anything else has ever existed….’ He then concludes, ‘That said, enjoy’. We think you probably will.

Tibetan Tradition of Mind Training | Watch Documentaries Online | Promote Documentary Film

Synopsis: In this introduction to the mind training (lojong) tradition, Geshe Dawa explains the history and practice of mental transformation. Coming from early Indian Buddhist masters, this important, practical tradition became central to all the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. The most sophisticated and rigorous system of positive psychology ever devised, the mind training teachings uphold phenomenological existence while denying any underlying essence, thereby providing a powerful tool for both simple and profound change.

The talk marks the opening of “Bridging Worlds: Buddhist Words and Works,” an exhibition in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 2007 visit.

Source: Tibetan Tradition of Mind Training | Watch Documentaries Online | Promote Documentary Film

Plant Intelligence and Human Consciousness Panel

Monica Gagliano has single-handedly pioneered the revolutionary new field of Plant Bioacoustics, which is providing the most powerful evidence to date that plants possess forms of cognition that could constitute “personhood.” Michael Pollan, who has studied the human-plant relationship in such classic bestselling works as The Botany of Desire, has now turned his attention in his new book How To Change Your Mind to what cutting-edge research on psychedelic substances (which are nearly all derived from or modeled on plant molecules) is revealing about human consciousness. These two brilliant visionaries engaged in conversation hosted by J.P. Harpignies, Bioneers Senior Producer.

Plant Communication with Pam Montgomery

Plants and trees give us our very life. Without them, we wouldn’t have our breath, tissue, food, cognitive abilities of “higher mind,” emotional stability, and spiritual guidance.

Because of our close symbiotic relationship, we share a common ground with the plants that surround us. Our life-giving connection with the green beings is inherent in our humanness and our birthright is to be intimately related.

Communicating effectively is one of the foundations in a relationship that builds to a co-creative partnership. We all know how to communicate with plants… this innate knowledge lives within us, but has been forgotten due to the chaotic nature of our day to day lives.

Animal emotions and empathy with Frans de Waal

Do animals show empathy? Are there any signs of morality in animal societies? Can a monkey distinguish right from wrong? And what are the standards of what is right and what is not? Does morality evolve in time both for human societies and animal societies?

It is hard to imagine that empathy—a characteristic so basic to the human species that it emerges early in life, and is accompanied by strong physiological reactions—came into existence only when our lineage split off from that of the apes. It must be far older than that. Examples of empathy in other animals would suggest a long evolutionary history to this capacity in humans. Over the last several decades, we’ve seen increasing evidence of empathy in other species. Emotions suffuse much of the language employed by students of animal behavior — from “social bonding” to “alarm calls” — yet are often avoided as explicit topic in scientific discourse. Given the increasing interest of human psychology in the emotions, and the neuroscience on animal emotions such as fear and attachment, the taboo that has hampered animal research in this area is outdated. The main point is to separate emotions from feelings, which are subjective experiences that accompany the emotions. Whereas science has no access to animal feelings, animal emotions are as observable and measurable as human emotions. They are mental and bodily states that potentiate behavior appropriate to both social and nonsocial situations. The expression of emotions in face and body language is well known, the study of which began with Darwin. Frans de Waal will discuss early ideas about animal emotions and draw upon research on empathy and the perception of emotions in primates to make the point that the study of animal emotions is a necessary complement to the study of behavior. Emotions are best viewed as the organizers of adaptive responses to environmental stimuli. If you like this kind of stuff you should read: Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?

David Korten – Replacing the Suicide Economy

David Korten is an economist, author, activist, and prominent critic of corporate globalization. He is perhaps best known for his bestselling 1995 book, When Corporations Rule the World – an examination of market libertarians’ twisting of famed economist Adam Smith’s teachings and a vision of an alternative sustainable economy based on small-scale, localized cooperative enterprises. He was named an Utne Reader visionary in 2011. His publications are required reading in university courses around the world. Korten is also the cofounder and chair of YES! Magazine, a nonprofit publication focused on sustainability, alternative economics and peace.