The Inner Transition of Heart and Soul

 

One of the most important aspects of Transition Initiatives  is an inner transition that touches the deepest levels of our being–our hearts and souls.

We have become so rooted in a consumer culture that we have forgotten who we truly are.   As a result, the spiritual aspects of our lives have diminished in importance and our planet is being destroyed.  We need to open our eyes and see what’s really happening in our world if life on our planet to continue.  We have been distracted by all the “goodies”, gadgets and technologies of modern society.  We have become increasingly isolated and disconnected from each other.   We have carried the American ideals of independence and individualism  to an extreme, and as a result we often feel  lonely, suspicious, fearful and distrustful of others.

A major shift in human consciousness is needed to reconnect with what is most vital in ourselves and enable us to move from an unsustainable to a sustainable human presence on our planet.   Joanna Macy calls this shift The Great Turning. Thomas Berry calls it  The Great Work that faces those of us alive today.

We can consider the following questions to begin our inner transition.

• What is it like to live at this time in the history of our planet?  
• How are we shaped by the society we live in? 
• How is our current economic system affecting us and all life on earth?
• What are our dreams and visions for the future?  What do we feel when we really look at the current condition of our world?   
• Why do we deny, ignore, shut down and reach for readily available distractions instead of looking with eyes wide open at what is happening to our world? 
• What inner resources do we have that will enable us to create a new way of living together while respecting the needs of Nature?

Heart and Soul groups emerge in Transition initiatives to address these questions.  Coming together to honestly and openly explore these issues supports and encourages the consciousness shift that is so essential at this time in our history.

As Joanna Macy says, “…we are beginning to wake up, as from a millennia-long sleep, to a whole new relationship to our world, to ourselves and each other. “   We invite you to join us on the journey.