New subject: New message from Duane Elgin

17 May 2021

      This to Robertson Work:  Can you check with Duane Elgin about his possible availability tonight?

BACK STORY:  Rob Work has an online connection with Duane Elgin and mentioned our study group.  Duane offered to speak with us. (See emails below). And see you all tonight, on Zoom, 8:00 Chicago time)
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Time: May 17, 2021 08:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
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Dear Rob, thanks for making this contact with Duane Elgin (via FaceBook and LinkedIn) and his gracious offer to spend some time with us sharing his wisdom about CHOOSING EARTH.
I went to bed thinking it would be helpful to have Duane visit with us midway in the study and answer questions and maybe give a deeper context for Part IV.

As I woke up this morning, it seemed it would be even better if Duane could spend some time with us tonight as a part of our getting organized. — 15 minutes or so if he is available.  COULD YOU CHECK WITH HIM AND LET ME KNOW??  If so, perhaps you could introduce him as well?

The organizing session is scheduled tonight from 8pm to 9:30 pm Chicago time.  We will try to go on line a bit early and then will have tech issues, and welcomes to deal with, so any time after 8:15 would be great.  I know he has a training session that concludes about 45 minutes before that.

A bit about the group.  It looks like we will have 20-30 (or so) folks tonight in the session.  Pretty much everyone has been active with the Institute and other renewal efforts over the years.  Median age is 70+.  Mostly North American.  Mostly privileged.  I think it would be helpful to hear from Duane the aim / intent of CHOOSING EARTH (a movement?); how that is going and hopes and guidance to ensure this study has good impact on us — perhaps answer a few questions as well??

These are some I have, but probably too technical for this.
My big question is whether to go through CHOOSING EARTH just as a book study group or use the Facilitator’s Guide they have developed?
Whether to keep this as a large group with breakouts or split off to several team sized
Several people who have expressed interest have time conflicts, could make most sessions but might miss.  How to include them?

Let me know if this is possible, and thanks again.

Jim Wiegel
“We are all time travelers journeying into the future. But let us make that future a place we want to visit. “       Stephen Hawking

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Dear Jim and colleagues,
Duane Elgin, the author of Choosing Earth, just sent me this message on LinkedIn in response to my request: "I'm happy to join a session. I have highest regards for ICA. I'm happy to answer questions. I would like to learn more about the group that will be attending the zoom meeting.   Kind regards, Duane"  
If you would like to include this in the study schedule, please let me know and I will contact Duane; or you could contact him directly.
Best wishes,
Rob
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Author page for my books: https://www.amazon.com/Robertson-Work/e/B075612GBF
Blogsite: https://compassionatecivilization.blogspot.com/
Website: https://www.robertsonwork.com/
From: Dialogue <dialogue-bounces@lists.wedgeblade.net> on behalf of James Wiegel via Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2021 7:23 PM
To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net>; Order Ecumenical Community <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net>
Cc: James Wiegel <jfwiegel@yahoo.com>
Subject: [Dialogue] Fw: SO FAR, 17 people have responded with interest in studying CHOOSING EARTH over the next couple of months. WE ARE MEETING MONDAY, MAY 17 AT 8 PM CHICAGO TIME TO GET ORGANIZED. JOIN US.
1.  Interested so far:  Richard Alton, Joyce Bonafield, Milan Hamilton, Ellen Howie, Larry Philbrook, Evelyn Philbrook, Lewis Pierce, Martin Rafanan, David Rebstock, Janet Sanders, Carleton Stock, Ellie Stock, Nancy Trask, Dharmalingam Vinasithamby, Edwin Waters, Jean Watts, Jim Wiegel
For the rest of you, send us an email to JOIN US IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.  We will only send future notices to those who are interested.
2.  Monday, May 17 we will get organized for this.  Here is the Zoom link
David Rebstock is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: My Meeting
Time: May 17, 2021 08:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86431860640?pwd=RnhjRmNTSDE0U3B2ZzlhR25GYUo4Zz09
Meeting ID: 864 3186 0640
Passcode: 214122
(full link at bottom of this email)
3.  Currently we are anticipating 9 sessions, on Mondays, from May 24, starting at either 7:00 or 8:00 Chicago time and running for 90 minutes.  We have been in touch with the folks at CHOOSING EARTH and they will let us use their study guide / curriculum if we choose.  Jim is going to participate in a facilitator training the next 2 Mondays to get more inside of their approach.
4.  Here are Proposed Study Group Sessions based on their outline:  does this make sense?
Session 0:  Getting Organized including Our Aims and Approach, Getting Volunteer Leadership (Session Hosts, Small Group Leadership and Technical Producers) Guidelines for Participation, etc.
Session 1: Introduction to Choosing Earth
Recognizing our whole systems crisis and several stories of transition. . . .16
Session 2: Three Pathways Ahead
Collapse, Authoritarianism, and Great Transition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Session 3: Stages of Great Transition I
The Decades of the 20s, 30s, and 40s and the challenges ahead . . . . . . . . 19
Session 4: Stages of Great Transition II
The Decades of 50’s 60’s and 70’s and the timeline for a Great Transition . .19
Session 5: Foundations for the Great Transition — Part I
Aliveness, Waking Up, Growing Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Session 6: Foundations for the Great Transition — Part II
Reconciling, Communicating, Community Building and Simplicity . . . . . . . . .21
Session 7-8 — Optional: Integration
What’s Been Learned? What’s Shifted? What’s Next for You? . . . . . . . . . . . .22
5.  Here is a rough outline for each session:  Does this make sense?
o Welcoming people on arrival
o Conducting (or designating another participant to conduct) a brief meditation for settling and connecting as a group
o Using a check-in process to build group cohesion and shared understanding
o Offering both large group and small group inquiries
o Facilitating whole group discussions
o Describing the reading and exercise assignments
o Conducting (or designating another participant to conduct) a closing process for each session — this could be a prayer, a poem or a simple dedication, like “We dedicate our time together to the well-being of all life.”
6.  TECHNOLOGY  We are assuming to use David Rebstock's Zoom account.  What else will we need?
7.  What is our PURPOSE?  A month or so ago, the Shankland's suggested some aims:  
Rational Aim: To stay current on the Climate Crisis and explore points of engagement for each participant    Experiential Aim: To have a great time in dialogue with colleagues and nudge each other to be effectively involved.
This from the CHOOSING EARTH FOLKS:  "step into a deeper understanding of what is needed to move through the greatest transition humanity has ever made — and to rise to the opportunity of becoming a mature, planetary civilization. Recognizing both challenges and opportunities, our goal is to provide a study guide that supports you — both in terms of content and facilitation.
and this CAVEAT (more on the existential side):  Choosing Earth explores profound changes, threats of collapse, and the real possibility of great suffering for humanity as a precursor to a collective transition. Facing profound change, deep uncertainty and the threat of collapsing civilization are unsettling and anxiety producing. This material can be distressing and evoke feelings of loss, grief, anger, anxiety, and hopelessness. Awakening to these feelings is vital if we are to mobilize our inner wisdom, imagination, and resilience and come to terms with climate disruption, social and racial injustice, economic inequities and more. Therefore, it is important for people to have a degree of maturity, self-awareness and resilience to engage with this material.
8.  MATERIALS:  You can download a free copy of the book on the CHOOSING EARTH website.  Ellen Howie got her librarian to make her a copy!
Jim Wiegel
The unknown is what is.  And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, all that.  Unknown is what is.  Accept that it's unknown, and it's plain sailing.    John Lennon
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On Thursday, May 13, 2021, 08:16:28 PM MST, James Wiegel <jfwiegel@yahoo.com> wrote:
David Rebstock and I are quite interested in looking at this.  See what you think.  Check out the website.  We hope to find a number of you who are interested -- as participants, session organizers, small group leaders, and technical producers.  JOIN US next Monday at 8:00 pm Chicago time to get ourselves organized!!
Home - Choosing Earth
Home - Choosing Earth
The goal of the Choosing Earth Project is to foster understanding of the magnitude, speed and depth of challenge...
The book is available there as a downloadable pdf, or you can purchase it as an ebook at Amazon.  There is also a documentary video accessible and several other resources.  I have been in touch with the organizers and they have made available a 7 session outline and guide for studying the book.
I am hopeful that this can open up a broader conversation, one that can include multiple generations.
Here is a 1 paragraph description that speaks.
Choosing Earth draws upon a lifetime of research by the author and looks a half-century into the future to explore how our world might evolve into a mature, planetary civilization that celebrates the miracle of life. Decade by decade, it describes stages of great transition that realistically could lie ahead. Where many see the single trend of growing climate disruption producing a catastrophic collapse, Choosing Earth sees a purposeful rite of passage for humanity where we move beyond our adolescent stage of development and into our early adulthood. With greater maturity, we can move from exploiting the Earth and each other to caring for all of life — and a sustainable and purposeful future can unfold.
The next paragraph outlines the approach of the book.
As further introduction, it is important to add that, to explore this great transition, Choosing Earth develops three perspectives often missing from the current discussion:
1. Look Wide: Look beyond single factors such as global warming and include a wide range of trends including climate disruption, social and economic inequities, resource depletion, species extinction, population growth, and much more.
2. Look Deep: Look beneath the outer trends such as climate change and species extinction to include the inner realities of evolving psychology, values, culture, consciousness, and paradigms.
3. Look Long: Look far into the future — much farther than the short run of the next five or ten years. Trends that are uncertain and ambiguous in the short run become much clearer when extrapolated to the longer run of the next 50 years.
By looking wide, deep and long, Choosing Earth constructs a realistic story or scenario describing this great transition.
FULL ZOOM LINK.
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Offer of a visit from Duane Elgin, author of CHOOSING EARTH. Sorry for cross posting.

James Wiegel

Robertson Work

Robertson Work

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