PANGEA Phenomenon Rocks the World

"An incredibly inspiring event!! It brought me both tears of joy and sadness on several occasions. Best four hours spent in front of the television EVER!"

Zaadz Became Gaia (and we survived)

My Gaia Online Community Blog:
Gaiadotcom began life as "Zaadz" which is Dutch for seeds. Zaadz had quickly developed into the most profound online community I participated in. When Gaiam bought Zaadz last year we (bonded online friends) were concerned they would use our goodwill for commercial gain(!) but they are proving good stewards of a precious space.

700 Eco-Porta Potties in Glastonbury!!

Australian eco-porta potty wizard, Hamish Skermer, has just landed in England to oversee the installation of 700 eco-porta potties at Glastonbury Music Festival: A First! The MOST!!(that England has ever seen). Hamish is there by invitation because he has proved it's possible in the most extreme conditions (blistering sun, 1000s of people, days on end.. He ranks as a hero in my book. NATURAL EVENT: "Changing the World From the Bottom Up"

"We're Ready" One Minute Shift (IONS Winner)

This video, produced by 13-year-old Shannon Leonard and his friends for the IONS "One Minute Shift http://www.noetic.org/emails/SIA/oms/email.htm, expresses a heartfelt call from youth who are ready to make the change to living more sustainably. They pointedly ask if we’re ready to do the same.


What is "Noetic"?

The word "noetic" comes from the ancient Greek nous, for which there is no exact equivalent in English. It refers to "inner knowing," a kind of intuitive consciousness—direct and immediate access to knowledge beyond what is available to our normal senses and the power of reason.

What are 'Noetic Sciences'?
Noetic sciences are explorations into the nature and potentials of consciousness using multiple ways of knowing—including intuition, feeling, reason, and the senses. Noetic sciences explore the "inner cosmos" of the mind (consciousness, soul, spirit) and how it relates to the "outer cosmos" of the physical world.

The institute explores consciousness from three perspectives:

(1) First-person perspective — Supporting individuals exploring and developing their own subjective consciousness (e.g., meditation and other spiritual practices). Emphasis on inner knowing and personal transformation.

(2) Second-person perspective — Exploring and supporting transformative relationships and intersubjective consciousness (e.g., compassionate dialogue, community building, a global wisdom society). Emphasis on transformative learning and collective wisdom.

(3) Third-person perspective — Gathering data about objective physiological correlates of consciousness (e.g., research using rigorous scientific protocols, including experiments in psi, mind-body healing, and subtle energies). Emphasis on scientific understanding.

The Institute is not a spiritual association, political-action group, or a single-cause institute. Rather, we honor open-minded approaches and multiple ways of knowing, bring discernment to our work, and support diversity of perspectives on social and scientific matters.

We are a nonprofit membership organization located in Northern California that conducts and sponsors leading-edge research into the potentials and powers of consciousness—including perceptions, beliefs, attention, intention, and intuition. The Institute explores phenomena that do not necessarily fit conventional scientific models, while maintaining a commitment to scientific rigor.

How IONS Came To Be
The vision for creating the Institute of Noetic Sciences came in 1971. Nations throughout the world had galvanized around the exciting frontier of space exploration. The potential for scientific understanding of our world seemed unlimited to a naval air captain named Edgar Mitchell. He was a pragmatic young test pilot, engineer and scientist; a mission to the moon on Apollo 14 was his "dream come true." Space exploration symbolized for Dr Mitchell what it did for his nation as a whole—technological triumph of historical proportions, unprecedented mastery of the world in which we live, and extraordinary potentials for new discoveries.

But it was the trip home that Mitchell recalls most. Sitting in the cramped cabin of the space capsule, he saw planet Earth floating freely in the vastness of space. He was engulfed by a profound sense of universal connectedness—an epiphany. In Mitchell's own words: "The presence of divinity became almost palpable, and I knew that life in the universe was not just an accident based on random processes. . . . The knowledge came to me directly."

Picture of Outer SpaceMitchell faced a critical challenge. As a physical scientist, he had grown accustomed to directing his attention to the objective world "out there." But the experience that came to him in space led him to a startling hypothesis: Perhaps reality is more complex, subtle, and inexorably mysterious than conventional science had led him to believe. Perhaps a deeper understanding of consciousness (inner space) could lead to a new and expanded view of reality in which objective and subjective, outer and inner, are understood as co-equal aspects of the miracle and mystery of being.

After his safe return "home," Mitchell sought out others who likewise felt the need for an expanded, more inclusive view of reality. They resolved to explore the inner world of human experience with the same rigor and critical thinking that made it possible for Apollo 14 to journey to the moon and back. In 1973, this small group of explorers founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences—derived from the Greek word nous, meaning something close to "intuitive ways of knowing." (Dr Mitchell's story is told in the book The Way of the Explorer: An Apollo Astronaut's Journey Through the Material and Mystical Worlds).

The mission of these noetic scientists was, and has been, to expand our understanding of human possibility by investigating aspects of reality—mind, consciousness, and spirit—that include but go beyond physical phenomena. They seek to seek to understand the inner world as thoroughly as we have the outer world—based on the premise that what finds expression in the world at large is a reflection of our interior landscape. Today, three decades later, the institute carries out its mission as a worldwide research, education, and membership-based organization in Petaluma, California.

Over the years, we have sponsored hundreds of projects, including a comprehensive bibliography on the physical and psychological effects of meditation, an extensive spontaneous remission bibliography, and studies on the efficacy of compassionate intention on healing in AIDS patients (see our Research section for detailed information on our scientific endeavors). Since 1987, the institute has published a magazine (now called Shift: At the Frontiers of Consciousness) that highlights the broad field of noetic sciences also played a key role in the development of the popular Heart of Healing television series and book (shown by Turner Broadcasting in 1993).

In the year 2000, the institute expanded its scope by purchasing 200 acres of land in Northern California for our offices, scientific laboratory, and retreat center. Today we have nearly 30,000 members and close to 300 community groups worldwide. We invite you to join our organization and get involved as we continue to actualize Dr Mitchell's vision of deep exploration of consciousness, self, and society.

MAY BIRTHDAY!!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARPER... 2 YEARS OLD,
MAY 11, 2008

Price of Rice Rockets

New Paper Paradigm

Crane Paper Company in all its 200 and more years in business, has never used paper for trees. Cotton rags; Yes. Denim rags; Yes. Old dollar bills; Yes!!  Trees..... No!

Architect Bill McDonough says: "Imagine this design assignment: Design something that makes oxygen, sequesters carbon, fixes nitrogen, distills water, accrues solar energy to make fuel, makes complex sugars and food, creates microclimates, changes color with the seasons and self replicates. Why don’t we knock that down and write on it...?"

The only reason we're still making a ton of paper from trees is that the infrastructure is in place. Otherwise it would make no sense at all. 

World Without Oil: We're Still Playing...

THE FUTURE "Play it – before you live it."℠

"THE END IS NEAR" -'Peak Prophet' snapped this one ($4.68 at the pump)

AND, HERE FOLLOWS.... A COOL FLOWGRAM I MADE (approx 2 mins)
___________________________
"World Without Oil is the first alternate reality game to engage the Internet's collective intelligence and imagination with a real world problem: a global oil shock. The serious game for the public good ran from April 30 to June 1, 2007, and has been hailed as groundbreaking work that uses a new, net-native game storytelling medium to engage mainstream audiences and spark collective learning and action."

The website for World Without Oil (WWO) Alternate Reality Game (ARG) was set to launch on April 30, 2007 with a game "Headline" pretending that gas was heading to $4 gallon. The day before the game launch the San Jose Mercury News headline read: "$4 gallon Looms at the Pump"... Perhaps because the subject was so close to the bone WWO proceeded to draw in an unprecedented number of non-gamers (never before played an ARG).

The newly launched WWO website got 60,000 hits from all over the world. In the end there were 1900 active players, many more 'lurkers' (tracking the game).

The game ended after simulating the first 32 weeks of the oil shock, but its effects continue, as game designers analyze its unique gameplay and we all watch the continuing drama with global oil prices and supply.
________________________________
WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE:
World Without Oil (WWO) has now earned:
Honors for Activism (SXSW) and Games (Webby)
Environmentally Themed Art (01SJ)
Technology in the Service of the Environment (Stockholm Challenge).

Best activism site winners World Without Oil celebrate onstage at SXSW.
http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/03/sxsw-its-the-we.html

On stage at SXSW: That's Ken Eklund, WWO director, & Jane McGonigal (victory arms)
______________________________________________
Jane McGonigal is one of my sheroes:

“Making the world a happier place” : )

March 11, 2008 in activism, conference, game design, world without oil

Tags: avantgame, dan hon, keynote, mcgonigal, six to start, soulja boy

WWO’s own Jane McGonigal delivered the closing keynote at the South By Southwest (SXSW) conference, and her theme was “the future of happiness” featuring of course “games as the ultimate happiness engine.” World Without Oil was a case study in her talk, which may seem odd, as one doesn’t normally associate an oil crisis (real or simulated) with happiness. But as she spelled out in her talk, the latest research on happiness shows otherwise. As Jane aptly put it, “happiness is not (just) a warm puppy”; lasting happiness actually has more to do with doing something worthwhile with people you like, and that’s WWO all over. See Jane’s slideshow (and Soulja Boy dance) via her blog, Avant Game (edit) and a transcript of her talk by ARG mastermind Dan Hon of Six To Start. (photo by Ken Eklund)

http://wwolives.wordpress.com/

Artist's rendering of McGonigal's keynote address at SXSW.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)

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Luke Susumu is my Pangea Phenomenon!

Luke & Friends Momoko...

Born in Aylesbury, England, of Scots-Irish and Scandanavian -New Zealand descent, Luke went, when he was barely bi-ped, to be raised in his mother's native land, New Zealand ('Aotearoa': Land of the Long White Cloud), together with his two older brothers.

Today he turns 22 years old, can jest and 'parlay'(!) with his Chinese and Korean friends, besides graduating from his university with a major in Japanese.

But that's not all together why he is a Pangea phenomenon to me: this guy saved his bus money (for launching his dreamed-of Japanese life) by walking the miles to and from uni every day, with his iPod, rain or shine, singing out loud every blessed song that appealed to him; favorites spanning time and place and generation.

Luke baby Mags snuggle

He is not bound by cultural norms, by ageist protocols, nor by some diminishing self-consciousness (in the words of Marianne Williamson: 'who am I to be so brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are we not to be...?"). Luke Susumu McFarlane gets this home truth.

This guy, whose little smile came into our lives and melted our hearts is the same spirit who, 22 years later, wooes and wows his neighbors, teachers, friends and family only now, it's a big, broad smile and evermore mirth in a trans-continental reality!

That smile...

That smile!

Dear Luke, we (The World!) celebrate you; all that you are and all that you bring, on this 13^th day of May, 2008 ~ your 22^nd Birthday!

This Flowgram is dedicated to you:
http://beta.flowgram.com/f/p.html#4OLLLCR1Y7ESGI

You Rock!

Pangea Day Phenomenon

"An incredibly inspiring event!! It brought me both tears of joy and sadness on several occasions. Best four hours spent in front of the television EVER!"

Dear Global TED Community,

The above comment is typical of the amazing torrent we've been receiving from all over the world in response to Pangea Day, the TED-backed global film event that broadcast on Saturday. You can read more of the comments below.

But did you see Pangea Day? What was your experience? And what would have made it better? Please write to us: feedback@pangeaday.org. No one has ever put on an event quite like this before, so it's really important to me to hear the collective wisdom of the TED community.

If you missed it, or want to revisit, there's a one-hour highlights package here and all the films can be viewed on the pangeaday.org website. Or check out the LA Times' write-up.

A giant thank you to the many people in the TED community who made this day possible. It's been truly thrilling to see Jehane's TED Prize wish, that seemed so impossible two years ago, turned by you into dazzling reality.

- Chris

Chris Anderson
TED Curator.

Here follows just a small sample of the thousands of comments we've already received.

Barbara A. from Mexico
This has been one of the most inspiring and beautiful events I have ever experienced.
Let's never forget what we all felt and experienced today.

Organizer DR from Dominican Republic
As the only organizer of a public event in the Dominican Republic I was pleased incredibly. The show exceeded my expectations completely...

karima saad from United Kingdom
I am speechless. But i am sure of one thing, that while i was attending Pangea Day in London, those 4 hours were felt as if i was part of the whole world as one community, rather than countries divided by borders.

Cmsilva from Portugal
We joined 45 in a private event in portugal. It was great. Next year we'll be more, for sure.

Carolyn from United States
Thank you for doing this. I laughed, I cried, I was enlightened, I was moved and touched and inspired. I watched almost the whole thing without getting up. Too bad I had to watch it alone...

Marina from Brazil
If I had to express my experience in words, I would not be able to. These were the best movies I have seen as an expression of art. And all the movies combined, just changed my way of thinking....

Marcosncosta from China
Loved the event. Hope next year it can be bigger and better.

Galleher from United States
The Alaskans gathered in Anchorage to be witness to this global campfire were inspired and appreciative

LIDIA from Argentina
I didn't know that Pangea existed. I feel too moved to speak and happy that so many people feel that really all of us are ONE.

Biriscalin from Romania
We all are "Pangea Day". We all represent one earth, one life. Now is time to act !

RicardoSilva from Portugal
I've been using the internet since the 90's, but this is truly the first time that I feel that here, for brief hours, was a global community talking. I hear people from Canada to Pakistan, Shanghai, New Zealand, Chile, Romania...

CassieBrady from United States
I have always dreamed of a united world. I never knew how to act on my dreams, so I am so happy that it is finally happening. Imagine peace. Imagine a global community not separate countries. This is what the world needs.

Jacqui from Jamaica
I wish that this had been a public event here in Jamaica for people from all walks of society to see. It was truly a spectacular event , I sat riveted in front of the television.

Sana from United Arab Emirates
Hugs and love from United Arab Emirates.... It aint little...Its a big start considering we are thousands of miles apart and felt the same last night...

Light Sister from United States
Thank you all so much for this World Consciousness Raising Event. In my 59 plus years of life, I have never felt so hopeful about the direction this world is taking...

Nabeelkarim from Pakistan
There are matters greater than that of political, economical and social nature...they are the environmental and humanitarian ones!!! it is clear that a change is required...and each and every one of us can make a difference.

Marcusmeisel from Austria
Austria says thank you for all this work of love, passion, and devotion that went into realizing this dream come true.

Danna from United States
Pangea Day was an incredibly inspiring event!! It brought me both tears of joy and sadness on several occasions. Best four hours spent in front of the television EVER!

Divamover from United States
Several hours after the "end" of Pangea Day 2008, I am especially moved to see such an outpouring of support and longing from the US. I cannot help but believe that there are many in the US who want a united world...

Umc59 from Canada
i just stumbled onto the last half hour of the pangea day show here in toronto and am sooooo happy i did. i'm 48 yrs old and i got the most wonderful feeling of finally belonging to a community that speaks to me.

Rhea from India
I am 23 years old and I just finished watching the Pangea Day broadcast. it's 4:00 am here and I couldn't go to bed without writing to you and telling you how beautiful, thought provoking it was.

Nabeelkarim from Pakistan
Just for starter...each one of us could just start by helping just one person/or doing something good.....once a day....

IBelieve from Canada
Hello World; What an amazing day! I laughed, shed tears of joy, smiles of love, and tears of compassion.

Sherryl from Australia
A powerful vision and enormous drive has brought Jehane's dream to reality. Confucius c. 500BC said; In his teaching the wise man ...opens the way but does not take them to the place. Pangea Day has opened the way....

Much more feedback here and here.

Pangea Day ~ it's happening now!!

Check out my Pangea Day Flowgram:
http://beta.flowgram.com/f/p.html#KYC15G3ACGNZ6M

(2 films of 24 picked from 2500)
COMBATANTS FOR PEACE

Egypt/United States

In this gripping short documentary, we meet a former Israeli soldier and a former member of the resistance in the Occupied Palestinian Territories who have renounced violence to try and find a peaceful solution to conflict through a group called Combatants for Peace. In a meeting of the organization, we see how former enemies who have lost loved ones are able to see past their tragic pasts by focusing on their common humanity.
Website: Combatants for Peace



Jehane Noujaim is the director of, among other films, the award-winning documentaries Control Room and Startup.com. Raised in Cairo, Egypt, she attended Harvard University and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Visual Arts and Philosophy. She has worked for MTV's News and Documentary Division as a segment producer for the series Unfiltered, and as a director and cinematographer on films such as Born Rich, Only the Strong Survive, and Down from the Mountain. In 2006, Noujaim won the TED Prize, an annual award in which the recipients are granted a wish. Jehane's TED Prize wish – to create a day in which the world comes together through film – was the catalyst for Pangea Day.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

PALE BLUE DOT
United States

In 1990, Carl Sagan persuaded NASA to use the Voyager 1 spacecraft to take a photograph of the planet Earth from a distance of 4 billion miles. The result was simply arresting: a portrait of our home as a tiny, fragile speck of blue adrift in an unimaginably vast sea of space. In a commencement address for the public release of the photograph, astronomer Sagan offered these profound words:

Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every 'superstar,' every 'supreme leader,' every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

Intrigued? Inspired? Get involved...

Carl Sagan Foundation
Carl Sagan Homepage
Voyager
NASA
SETI