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TRANSCRIPT
Shadow to Light:
New Tools for Engagement
in Turbulent Times
Shariff Abdullah
Commonway Institute
CommonwayInstitute
Agenda…• PartOne:ASharedWorld-View
• PartTwo:Consciousness,Cultures,VisionsandValues
• TheVisionof“AWorldforAll”• Invisible,Assumed&ImplicitCultures• DeepConflict&DeepIdentity
• PartThree:ReleasingtheShadow;EmbracingtheLight
• ConclusionCommonwayInstitute
Taking Personal Action…
• From16feetto16,000feet…• Youcan’tlietome…• 45countriesand120+cultures…• “CreatingaWorldThatWorks….”• ChoosingAnotherPath…
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“Our Moral Challenges” include…• Holesintheozonelayer• Politicalcorruption• Homelessness• Emotionalstress• Destructionofcultures• Overgrazing• Childrenascombatantsin
warfare• Violentpoliticalconflict• Spiritualemptiness• Acidrain• Pandemics• Declineinbasicvalues• Increasingdisparitiesinwealth• Racism• Economicandclassdisparities• Warbetweennations• Overconsumption• Urbandeterioration• Regionalfamines• Destructionoftheenvironment• Childslavelabor• Industrialpollution
• Suicide• weaponsofmassdestruction• AIDS• Ethnicunrestandconflict• Civilwars• Publicschoolviolence• Spreadingdesertification• Politicalandsocialalienation• Extinctionofspecies• Sexism• Corporategreedandfraud• Overuseoffertilizersandpesticides• Expandingglobalcorporatism• Destructionoffamilylife• Colonialismandneocolonialism• Homicide• Politicalapathyandmalaise• mentaldisordersinchildren• Terrorism• Unsustainability inallaspectsoflife• Militarizationofouterspace• GenocideCommonwayInstitute
“I sit on a man’s back, choking him, and making
him carry me…
…and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by any means
possible…
…except getting off his back.
Leo TolstoyCommonwayInstitute
Our Moral Challenges are Ignored, because…• We believe that we benefit from the
existence of the problems.• We don’t believe the challenges have a
solution.• We try to solve the problems of Breaker
Consciousness, WITHIN Breaker Consciousness.
• We want the omelet, without disturbing the chicken.
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• Holesintheozonelayer• Politicalcorruption• Homelessness• Emotionalstress• Destructionofcultures• Overgrazing• Childrenascombatantsinwarfare• Violentpoliticalconflict• Spiritualemptiness• Acidrain• Pandemics• Declineinbasicvalues• Increasingdisparitiesinwealth• Racism• Economicandclassdisparities• Warbetweennations• Overconsumption• Urbandeterioration• Regionalfamines• Destructionoftheenvironment• Childslavelabor• Industrialpollution
• Suicide• weaponsofmassdestruction• AIDS• Ethnicunrestandconflict• Civilwars• Publicschoolviolence• Spreadingdesertification• Politicalandsocialalienation• Extinctionofspecies• Sexism• Corporategreedandfraud• Overuseoffertilizersandpesticides• Expandingglobalcorporatism• Destructionoffamilylife• Colonialismandneocolonialism• Homicide• Politicalapathyandmalaise• mentaldisordersinchildren• Terrorism• Unsustainability inallaspectsoflife• Militarizationofouterspace• Genocide
Question: Which parts of this list would have been ELIMINATED, if the election had gone the other way?
Answer: None of it.
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12GlobalChallenges
SecurityWater
Food
Energy
Health
PoliticsEconomics
Education
Habitat
Ecology
Media
Spiritual/Cultural
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12GlobalChallenges
SecurityWater
Food
Energy
Health
PoliticsEconomics
Education
Habitat
Ecology
Media
Spiritual/Cultural
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Exercise…GlobalChallengesandLocalTurbulence
1. Namethetop3(mostimportant)challengesfacingyourorganization.
2. Prioritize.
3. Cometoconsensuswithyourgroupregardingyourtop3challenges.
BONUS:Howpreparedisyourorganization(orcommunity)indealingwithpotentiallocalturbulence?
1. Security2. Water3. Food4. Energy5. Health6. Politics7. Economics8. Education9. Habitat10. Ecology11. Media12. Spiritual/
CulturalCommonwayInstitute
Results…
1. Security2. Water3. Food4. Energy5. Health6. Politics7. Economics8. Education9. Habitat10. Ecology11. Media12. Spiritual/
Cultural
VancouverGov’tOfficials
1. Health:222. Economics:193. Water:144. Security:145. Education:126. Spiritual/Cultural:107. Food:88. Ecology:69. Politics:510. Habitat:311. Media:212. Energy:1
NepaliStudents1. GovernanceFactors/
PoliticalCollapse:192. Education/Awareness:
183. Conflict/Security/
Peace:124. TranscendentalFactors:
8.5. Communications/
MediaFactors:56. HumanHabitat:47. FoodFailure:38. EnergyFailure:39. EcologicalCollapse:210.WaterFailure:111.HealthFactors:112.EconomicCollapse:0
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Shariff Abdullah:“We can create a world that works for
all beings. We can ACT like we love ourselves, love each other, and love all other beings.”
William McDonough:“[We can] love all the children, of all
species, for all time.”
Mark Anielski:“We can create an economy of
enduring happiness, an economy based on love.”
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l Definition:“WeareOne”l Weareinextricablylinkedtoeachotherl Wearelinked,whetherornot…
- weknow eachother- weunderstand eachother- welike eachother
l EverythingthatIdoto“you”comesbackto“me”insomeway.
Whatis“Inclusivity”?
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l Definition:“WeareSeparate”l Weareforeverseparateanddistinctfromeachother.
l Ican“like”you…andstillseeyouasseparateandinferiortome.(“Tolerance”)
l “Exclusivity”basisofour“-isms”…-Racism (exclusivitybasedonrace/ethnicity)-Sexism (exclusivitybasedongender)
l NOTHINGthatIdoto“you”comesbackto“me”.
Whatis“Exclusivity”?
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EXERCISE…MAHATMA GANDHI ADOLF HITLER
NELSON MANDELA GENGHIS KHAN
DONALD TRUMP THE DALAI LAMA
OSAMA BIN LADEN AUNG SAN SUU KYI
BILL CLINTON MARTIN LUTHER KING
There is no question that these people are LEADERS. And, each one of them is/ was a GOOD leader, each in their own way.
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1. Make a list of leaders you admire (people currently alive).
2. Make a second list of leaders you detest/ don’t like.
• What are the common traits of the “good” leaders?
• What are the common traits of the “bad” leaders?
• What are the traits or qualities that are common to both lists?
• What are the differences between both lists?CommonwayInstitute
Violenceandthethreatofviolence
• killing• war• deathpenalty• terrorism• threatsofviolenceand/orcoercion• abuse:
• domesticviolence• childabuse• torture
FEAR BASED TOOLS:
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Fear-Based Tools:
•Violence(Threat)
•CoerciveBehaviors
•Misinformation/Disinformation
Culture-Shaping Tools:
•AcceptingBehaviors
•ShunningBehaviors
•ConnectingBehaviors
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CoerciveBehaviors (impliedviolence)• deprivation• lossofliberty-- imprisonment• lossofproperty• lossofrights,privileges&immunities• humiliation
misinformation/disinformation• propaganda
FEAR BASED TOOLS:
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AcceptingBehaviors:• Noticing• Thanking• Appreciating/
celebrating• Copying
CULTURE-SHAPING TOOLS:
ShunningBehaviors:• Noticingorignoring• Laughter/ridicule/
criticism• Separating/ostracizing• Guiltandshame• banishing
ConnectingBehaviors:• Seeing• Listening• Touching
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EXERCISES:• Haveyouhadanyexperienceswith“Fear-Based”tools?Givesomeexamples– asbothperpetratorandrecipient.
• Haveyouhadanyexperienceswith“Culture-Shaping”tools?Givesomeexamples– asbothperpetratorandrecipient.
• Doyouthink“Fear-Based”toolsareeverappropriate?Giveexamples.
• Doyouthink“Culture-Shaping”toolsareeverinappropriate?Giveexamples.CommonwayInstitute
l Race/Ethnicity/Culture
l Language
l Class
l Religion
l Gender
Five Aspects of Deep Identity…
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l Howdo“DeepIdentity”issuesofculture,gender,classandreligionaffectthedevelopmentofcommunity?
l Doyourcommunitiesincludepeoplewithdifferent“deepidentities”fromyours?
l Haveyoutriedtoincludepeoplewithdifferent“deepidentities”?Whatwastheresult?
Discussion on Deep Identity
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Exercise…
1. Whatareyour“DeepIdentities”?
2. WhatareShariff’s?(Cometoconsensusatyourtable…)
DEEP IDENTITY ASPECTS:•Race/ Ethnicity/ Culture•Language•Class•Religion•Gender
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Exercise:
• Whatareyourexperienceswith“deepconflict”(conflictsbasedon“deepidentity”)?
• Ofthefiveaspectsof“deepidentity”,whichonesaremostpowerfulforyou?Leastpowerful?
• Doyouhaveanexperienceofbeingaminorityona“deepconflict”issue?
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Poverty,Culture&Class…
Deeper into “Deep Identity”:
The Intersection of Race, Culture and Class…
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How “Otherness” is Created…
MyBehavior…• Innocent;normal;
good…• Thebestintentions• [Ifhurtful]:
• Accidental• Notinmycontrol• Someoneelse’s
fault/responsibility
YourBehavior…• Abnormal;deviant;evil…
• Theworstpurposes• [Ifhurtful];
• Purposeful• Underyourcontrol• Your
fault/responsibility
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The Four Themes:Theme 01: Beyond Violence & Fear: Toward PaxHumana
Theme 02: Beyond Racism, Sexism and Other Aspects of Oppression: Toward Our Common Future
Theme 03: Beyond Poverty & Greed: Toward a Society of True Abundance
Theme 04: Beyond Depression, Despair and Suicide: Toward a Society of Deep Fulfillment
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EXERCISE:
• Whatisthecollective“Shadow”?
• HowistheShadowtransmittedfromonetoanother?
• WhatistheeffectoftheShadow?
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What is “The Shadow”?• “Shadow” is what we fear.• “Shadow” is fear itself.• Shadows get handed down:
• Via culture• via DNA • Via education and training• Via personal experiences• Via secondary information
• Some fears are necessary to living in 3-D; Shadow ones hold us back.
• Minimizing Shadow means minimizing fear.• Each Shadow has a corresponding Light. Can’t
see the light until we minimize the Shadow.CommonwayInstitute
What is the Effect of the Shadow? Personal:
Keeps us small; unenlightenedKeeps us from perceiving RealityMagnifies fearsKeeps us from greatness
Societal:A society based on fears & insecuritiesA society that perpetuates injusticeA society that is fundamentally unsustainable.A society that is immoral.
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What Keeps the Shadow in Place?DENIAL that it even existsFEAR of what lurks behind itHolding onto a STORY that requires the Shadow:
Eliminating the Shadow invalidates one’s StoryInability to admit wrong means inability to apologize and seek FORGIVENESS
Accepting your Shadow as your IDENTITYInability to face who you have been Inability to face who you will becomeInability to face loss of COMMUNITY (even if its negative)
Fear of the UNKNOWNCommonwayInstitute
What Keeps the Shadow in Place?
Addictions can keep the Shadow in place.
Belief that we are powerless to deal with the Shadow.
Apathy
Tradition
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How is the Shadow Removed & Light Enhanced?
• Using multiple methodologies to address and remove Shadow/ Enhance Light:
• Focusing away from Self and toward the whole/One.
• 12 Steps Approach: • Battle Energy Approach:• Morphic Resonance Approach:
Sheldrake – Morphogenesis
• Targeting Approach:• Creative Visualization Approach..CommonwayInstitute
Contacts:
www.commonway.org
www. shariff.commonway.org
www.S2L.commonway.org
Email: [email protected]
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ForHonest,AuthenticCommunicationwith‘TheOther’
• TheChallenge:
• YouwillgetitWRONG.• And,youmaybemisunderstood...evenwhenyougetitRIGHT.• That’sokay!• NOONEGETSIT“RIGHT”ALLTHETIME.• THEREISNO“RIGHT”!
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ForHonest,AuthenticCommunicationwith‘TheOther’
• GOALS
• Increasethelikelihoodthatyou’llgetit‘right’.Understandandbeunderstoodininter-culturalsituations.
• Minimizethedamageswhenyougetitwrong.• Movebeyond‘politicallycorrect’speech,tohonestcommunication.
• Allofusarelearning.Becommittedtocontinuouslearning.
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