harvesting our life, change, and practice | transform. | aug 2010
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Read this version online: http://transformativechange.org/transform/journal/201008.html Download printable PDF version: http://transformativechange.org/transform/print/201008.pdf This month's transform.: http://transformativechange.org/transform/2010/08/
welcome
what's new 27 Days of Change | Fall
The ninth month of the lunar calendar is known as Ramadan in the Islamic calendar and is the holiest month . Traditionally we are at the phase in the year when the power of the god wanes as the power of the goddess waxes: the purposeful, solar energy of Leo yields to the fertility of Virgo, bearer of grain and the future harvest.
Practice Period Designed for activists, allies & agents of social change, Practice Periods are 27 days of daily inner practice in the midst of our
August has been celebrated as a time for harvest. The Feast of Lammas (from the old English word hlaf-maesse or loaf mass) is celebrated in English-speaking countries as a way of welcoming the harvest. During the celebration "participants bake ritual bread and cakes as an offering." The Egyptian calendar notes the Chief Festival of Thoth (the god who invented magic, music, writing, mathematics, astronomy, etc.) as a time when new patterns of earthly order were determined to re-establish divine design after the flood waters receded. Both are festivals, celebrations of harvest.
urban lives.
We can utilize the leonine energy of August to help us take more of a leadership role in realizing our true purpose, if we so choose. Similarly, Ramadan is understood as the time to burn away unhealthy ways of the past, the end of which is marked with a bountiful feast. We can use this time to let the fires burn away all that is ready to die and make room for the new life to come. What will you decide to harvest this year? What are the ingredients that will create the life you want to live?
to promote justice, relieve suffering, enhance
Read more... Cultivating Compassionate Politics Workshop | September 12, 2010 Countless activist organizations are engaged in political efforts to improve public policies in order opportunities, and protect the environment. And in the personal and social sphere countless individuals have learned how to engage skillfully in compassionate actions that foster self-development, spiritual growth, productive group dynamics, and community service. If activist organizations incorporated more of those personal and social lessons into their political efforts,
"Allah, the personal name of God." Inscribed in Islamic calligraphy on one of eight medallions. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey. image: angel Kyodo williams
http://transformativechange.org/transform/journal/201008.html
might they attract more compassion-minded individuals and be more effective?
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harvesting our life, change, and practice | transform. | aug 2010
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individuals and be more effective? Read more... First Annual Sangha-Palooza | September 11, 2010 Sangha-Palooza is the first allsangha East Bay Meditation Gathering of its kind -- bringing together mindfulness practitioners from diverse sitting groups, sanghas, religious and secular organizations, as well as individuals interested in cultivating present moment awareness from all over the East Bay. Read more...
living on the right: bearing witness to the bend towards justice INcite with angel Kyodo williams
in SIGHT Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days documentary film trailer
Istanbul, Turkey. Five times per day, throughout this enigmatic city, the calls to prayer, or Ezan, ring out, initiating an exodus from homes, offices and even busy tourists shops and restaurants. "Allahu Akbar" - God is most great. It is Ramadan, the month of fasting and the mood alternates between the quiet introspection compelled by taking neither food nor water from sun-up to sun-down during some of the longest days of the year, and the burst of celebration (and relief) of the breaking bread for iftar, the breaking of the fast. When the muezzin calls, Istanbullus answer by making their way to any one of nearly 3000 active mosques. Even with its secular government, established in 1923 by the real Young Turks, the Republic of Turkey boasts a 98% muslim population and more mosques per capita than anyplace in the world: 85,000 or 1 for every 350 citizens.
No video? Click: http://www.youtube.com/watch ? v=bzdhBo4pbgE
This video is the trailer of the documentary Simply Raw:
Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days, which chronicles six Americans with insulin-dependent diabetes switching their diet and getting off insulin and medication. Simply
Raw has sprouted the Movement to Reverse Diabetes Naturally (RDN Movement), which aims, yes, for the reversal of diabetes naturally, and even bigger aims. The RDN Movement to connect the way we treat our
"Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa llah" - I bear witness that there is but one God. "Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah" - I bear witness Mohammed is a messenger of God. "Hayya 'ala-salat" - Make haste towards prayer.
center (our body and our gut) to the impact that we drive socially, environmentally, culturally, and yes even politically. Eat-Reel | The original filmmaker's website for localized work in the Movement to Reverse Diabetes Naturally
From this vantage point, it is hard to comprehend the furor generated around the placement of just one mosque, that of the proposed Cordoba Mosque and Community Center in New York City's lower Manhattan. For the record, it is not on the World Trade Center site, it is near. Two http://transformativechange.org/transform/journal/201008.html
The worldwide community of the Movement to Reverse Diabetes Naturally Subscribe to CXC on YouTube
in TIME Page 2 of 8
harvesting our life, change, and practice | transform. | aug 2010
blocks away. And for those of us that didn't know, the fact of longstanding mosques, 4 and 12 blocks away, was illumined by the New York Times. Each stood peacefully in the shadow of the Twin Towers for decades. Both mosques overflow with ever-increasing numbers of believers during this holiest of months. One is conservative by Islamic standards, maintaining separate prayers spaces for men and women, the other, considered to be the most progressive in the nation, is led by a woman. It is the prayer leader of the latter, most progressive of mosques that was inspired to build the community center as a symbolic bridge of healing through mutual exchange. A better candidate couldn't be found even abiding by our quasi-racist criteria.
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CXC: The Only Full Range of Practices Designed for Social Change Agents
Universal Form and Jo Kata Practice in MLK Civic Center Park fearlessYOGA Sundays Community Thursdays fearlessYOGA and fearlessMeditation Mornings Experience and Taste the Documentary at CXC |
Notwithstanding its overwhelming predominance of Muslims, Turkey lays claim to a history of religious tolerance that cannot be ignored. In 1492 as Columbus delivered claim over native lands to Spain, 200,000 Sephardic Jews were delivered into freedom from the Inquisition by Ottoman's Sultan. Some 15,000 French Jews were saved during the Holocaust. As home to the prophetic purveyor of peace and love, Jalal ad-Din Rumi, Turkey still seats the Christian Orthodox Patriarch and on September 12, a referendum for a new constitution seeks to extend human rights and religious freedom while limiting the historically long arm of law in exchange for greater democracy, transparency and balance.
Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days 27 Days of Change | Practice Period Drop-In Sitting and Public Garden CXC August Practice Schedule
in the CENTER SIT for Change has Changed! The social justice-a-thon puts on its greatest celebration. Register and pledge now for the SIT-A-Thon, a call for activists
As the capital of empires for 800 years, Istanbul has much to teach the economic capital of America's Empire. The main point being this: all empires fall. In their wake, what they leave behind is a legacy. It can be a legacy that glorifies the past to be regaled in rubble and ruins, or it can be a legacy that sets the course for the future. An admirable post-empiric future is one that learns from the mistakes of arrogance past and matures into a principled elder state exhibiting universally moral characters of tolerance, compassasion, restraint, temperance and seeking to become unequivocally just.
into Transformative Change through practice, held at the Center itself! Read more... Take a Stand...SIT for Change | Saturday, September 18, 2010 Join the movement for Transformative Social Change. On Saturday, September 18, 2010, celebrate the National Day
"Hayya 'alal-Falah - Make haste towards success.
for Transformative Change. People, communities, and organizations across the country join together to Take
Critics argue that the name Cordoba represents the triumph of Islam over Christianity as that of the grand mosque of the same name built in Spain on the site of a former Christian Church. What they fail to mention is the church site was purchased, not seized, and that it was Christians who turned the 500-year old mosque into a cathedral. It is more likely the beauty the "defied any description" that inspired the name.
a Stand...and Sit for Change by participating in events featuring various forms of transformative practice. Read more...
from the FIELD Reflections from Detroit: Transforming Wellness &
Perhaps they should have chosen a different name. Perhaps they should have chosen a different location. Perhaps they should have cowered into a corner waiting for elections and the ensuing political strawgrabbing to pass. Maybe then they could have quietly found themselves a place in the pitiful America expounded by the Tea Party. Or perhaps they should just join Barack Obama in that small corner of Islamophobia that has been painted—which he ran full speed into—and retract the
http://transformativechange.org/transform/journal/201008.html
Wholeness In this reprint from Incite!'s (Women of Color Against Violence) blog, Cara Page shares her insights on healing justice, her work, and attending the US Social Forum.
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harvesting our life, change, and practice | transform. | aug 2010
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mosque altogether. Cara Page is a Black queer organizer, artist, healer,
But that would be a shame.
poet living in the state of things in Atlanta, GA. She comes by way of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts to her
A shame upon them, the politicians that would trounce on the moral foundation America seeks to claim as its underpinning, not only for political gain, but to fuel their unyielding rage that a black man with a muslim name presides in their White House.
home. She is inspired by and works with the KINDRED southern healing justice collective, INCITE!, Project South, Southerners on New Ground, UBUNTU, the Young Women's Empowerment Project and the Atlanta Transformative Justice Collaborative. She is committed
A shame upon every single one of the 68% of Americans purported to be against the mosque who love their own freedom but would withhold it from others under the guise of everything from security to sensitivity. Sensitivity to social, racial, cultural and religious minorities has never been our strong suit. As a nation built on stolen lands by people stolen from their lands, developing true moral character is our only hope for
to remembering our memories of resilience and
redemption.
piece in memory of my ancestors and allies. We will find
resistance to transform continued slavery and genocide. I come by way of Black Seminole, African American and Austrian ancestry a mixed creed despite eugenic laws that would render me dead or expendable. I write this our way home again and again despite bloodshed and
But most of all it is a shame on us, the rest of the Americans who have not yet stood alongside Mayor Michael Bloomberg in his eloquent—and
oil spills; despite the misplaced and displaced; despite
unshakable—defense of the right of the mosque to be built. Shame on all us for not responding with the vitriol reserved for when one's very
home...and make a way out of no way.
life and liberty depends upon it, because it does. Shame on any one of us that allows themselves to believe this is not their issue, that there are more important things, or worse, that have chosen to ignore the matter altogether.
the forgotten memories we will always find our way Read more...
inner PRACTICE Off the Grid | The Importance of Being Unplugged personal narrative by Karen
If you take the time to divine the conscience of the moral universe, as
Muktayani Villanueva
Unitarian Theodore Parker did 160 years ago, you can bear witness to its trajectory. Time has proven there is right and wrong side of history.
I recently returned from a 10day trip to New Mexico. I was
On wrong side were Axis and Central powers, the Nazis, the Confederates, the slaveholders, Jim Crow . Always on the wrong side
invited to join a gathering of good people, mostly
are fascists, oppressionists, segregationists, fundamentalists, persecutionists, misogynists, racists and intolerants of every stripe.
Ceremony. For eight days we camped and I was off the
Time and time again, that moral arc named by Parker and memorialized by Dr. King, course corrects the petty side excursions we are witnessing
queer women, who meet annually for Sun Dance grid. Meaning, I had no access to Internet, emails, voicemails, twitters, facebook, blogs, project
today and bends, ever so powerfully, towards justice.
management software, task lists, traffic, noise
"Al-salatu khayru min an-nawm" - Prayer is better than sleep.
water. No television, no computers.
pollution, etc. There were no toilets nor any running Read more...
It is time for the left to learn to live firmly on the right. How long will that take?
outer ACTION La Plazita Institute | Culture
As King often reminded us, "Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
Heals
Let us bear witness to that, inshallah.
out of Albuquerque's South
As salaam alaikum. Ramadan Kareem.
http://transformativechange.org/transform/journal/201008.html
La Plazita Institute is a grassroots organization based Valley. Their mission is "to strengthen community and enable youth to leave behind a destructive lifestyle by tapping into their own
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harvesting our life, change, and practice | transform. | aug 2010
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behind a destructive lifestyle by tapping into their own roots to express core traditional values of respect, honor, love, family, and community." La Plazita Institute
—yours in truth, aKw
has been serving New Mexico's communities through programs for youth and families who "have fallen
with gratitude to Ibrahim and Istanbul's Rumist Café for their generosity in sharing iftar. dedicated to the lives of Americans,
through the cracks of conventional institutional support."
Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Afghanis, Iraqis, believers and non-believers alike who lost their lives on September 11 and the
Read more...
enusing aftermath of nine years of unjust war. Curious? Listen to the full Ezan audio here
La Plazita Video Page
angel Kyodo williams, is founder of urbanPEACE and it's Center for Transformative Change. Happily, she is no longer its director, but the official Intellectual Guru Emeritus. A social visionary and
La Plazita Institute Donate to La Plazita Insttute
social CHANGE Butoh and My Right
leading voice for transformative social change, she is the author of Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living With Fearlessness and Grace.
To Heal In this reprint of Judith Kajiwara's
Blog: new Dharma: live, love & lead from the heart
piece, "Butoh and My
Facebook: Like angel here
Right to Heal," she
Twitter: Follow angel for tweets of wisdom on Change Web: http://about.angelkyodowilliams.com
explores the social history of this art form, its effect on the individual, and the impact that it has on society-at-large.
angel Kyodo williams' next public talk: Is September 18 as part of SIT for Change @ CXC
Butoh breaks down barriers between people,opening up uncomfortable feelings that have been repressed for many, many years.
newDharma Talk
Read more...
NewDharma Talk | Facing Those Scary Places Before things are ready for harvest they must be sewn, tilled, watered, weeded, and cultivated. And nothing grows strong without a lot of manure!
in the MIND What does it mean to live as our "Higher Selves"?
Whatever you're practicing, with intention or without, consider what you'd like to harvest in your
First, we have to get rid of our internal clutter - that excess
life this year--and listen to this month's talk (taped at Spirit Rock) for rich inspiration. Manure is often the thing most needed in our gardens. Listen to Facing Those Scary Places Download text of Facing Those Scary Places
"baggage" we've been recycling for decades and even lifetimes! Not only baggage accumulated in our garages, but baggage on our bodies, in our minds, in our hearts all of which are conditioned responses that are familiar, safe, yet prevent us from living as our Higher Selves. Read more
activists, allies & agents of change
fearless Meditation is a 3-part signature series that teaches practical meditation within a social justice
Albino Garcia, Sr. | La Cultura Cura Chicano/Native activist, Albino Garcia is the Executive Director and Founder of the grassroots organization La Plazita Institute located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and established in 2004. He grew up in Chicago and is no stranger to the streets; his background closely mirrors that of the populations that La Plazita Institute http://transformativechange.org/transform/journal/201008.html
framework. It's offered for no charge for agents of social change.
"the best workshop i've ever taken. radically changed my work." fearless Meditation I: September 3, 2010 & every 1st Friday | 7pm
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serves. He has done extensive healing work with youth, veterans, and gang members. His leadership style is grounded in traditional culture, and he is known and respected for approaching challenging situations with creativity, honesty, inclusiveness, and innovation. La Cultura Cura, according to Albino Garcia, is the core around which he does his work and lives his life. It is related to traditional culture and to undoing the effects of "mainstream, capitalistic, American dream culture" by recognizing the importance of connecting and being in good relationship with one's traditional heritage, whichever hemispheres it happens to come from. Garcia says, "For me to change, I had to journey past all those ugly identities that were placed upon me-that I accepted and adopted-and go back to that real sense of who I am, to the original spark that connects everything...[That] first state is [about] going deep, deep inside and going beyond all the ugliness that you might have experienced and [of having] been told who you are, and going back to the beauty and connection and gathering [of] all those pieces of who you really are and building upon that as a foundation."
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in the BODY Twelve Months of Abhaya (fearless) Asana | Kapotasana
Kapotasana, also known as Pigeon Posture, is one of the backbends and hip openers of the Warrior Series. It is a great posture for finding opening in the thighs, abdomen, shoulders, heart center, and particularly the hips. Read more...
wellness & being well Eating with the (Ever-in-Flux) Harvest As late Summer brushes up to
Read more...
Autumn, nature spreads out to us a unique platter, nutritionally and
resources for transformative change‌
psycho-spiritually. While we
Learn about the Islamic calendar month called Ramadan and its relationship to the lunar cycle. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the
enjoy some of the year's richest fresh harvests, at the
High Holy Days in the Jewish religion. Read more about these holidays, the Jewish calendar and the lunar cycle. The EcoCalendar is a
happen within the living vegetation. There is wisdom in
comprehensive listing of Bay Area environmental and social justice classes, workshops, exhibits, tours, films, and events.
rhythmic bodies.
same time an invisible transition has already started to mirroring these baby transitions within our own bioRead more... Growing Power
Ramadan (calendar month)
Divine Raw Foods
Ezan/Adhan (call to prayers)
The Garden Diet Recipes
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and the Jewish calendar The EcoCalendar
aug wallpaper
quote of the month "Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance and none can say why some fields will blossom while others lay brown beneath the August sun. Care for those around you. Look past your differences. Their dreams are no less than yours, their choices no more easily made. And give, give in any way you can, of whatever you posses. To give is to love. To withhold is to wither. Care less for your harvest than for how it is shared and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace." —Kent Nerburn Learn more...
support deep change
master dome An amalgamated wonder of Byzantine architecture, Orthodox Christian celebration and Islamic grace, the Hagia Sophia remains one of the great religious sites of Istanbul‌and the world. For nearly 1000 years, it
transform. is published by the Center for Transformative Change (CXC)
existed as the world's largest cathedral, built and preserved with the mathematical genius of architecture,
CXC is the first national center entirely dedicated to bridging the inner
protected by the vision and humility inspired by spirit
and outer lives of social change agents, activists and allies to support a more effective, more sustainable social justice movement.
and the love of God. Just shy of 102 feet in diameter, it is the great dome of
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Just shy of 102 feet in diameter, it is the great dome of
We name, frame and advance Transformative Social Change by both
the Hagia Sophia that commands the most attention
developing practices and programs for agents of social change and working in collaboration with leading organizations to help shape this
and marvel. Controversy continues over whether the
emerging movement. Most importantly, CXC reflects the field and the movement back to itself by publishing the transform. blog and
reveal the mosiac assumed to be underneath: that of
monthly journal, thus strengthening our collective identity, community, and shared vision.
the Qu'ranic Verse of Light (24:35) that begins: "Allah is
stunning Islamic calligraphy should be removed to Christ as Master of the World. What shows instead is
the Light of the heavens and the earth." Architecturally, in Christianity and in Islam, the masterful dome
This long-term vision for shifting the paradigm of work for justice,
continues to inspire.
changing the WAY change is done, will fundamentally alter broadbased social change at its very core--from inner to outer--resulting in a
photo copyright 2010. angel Kyodo williams
more just, equitable society for all.
Download this image as wallpaper with or without calendar for your desktop.
Great vision takes great action and our work is not possible without the generous support and partnership of individuals like you. The publication of transform. is made possible by your direct contribution. No amount is too small…so make your contribution to deep change today. Donate to CXC Visit the Center's website What is Transformative Change? Find out HERE
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Center for Transformative Change is a project of urbanPEACE, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization whose mission to inform, incite and empower a broad-based, presence-centered, transformative social change movement.
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