Meeting 17 July 2008 - Quakerism and CI

The Event

This is a session to bring together the stored wisdom and practice of Friends with the new research and thinking from the field of Collective Intelligence, Wisdom and Consciousness (CIWC). It will include an introduction to the core concepts from the field of CIWC, and an exploration of what Quakerism has both to offer and to learn from this body of thought and practice. The event is not intended as just an intellectual consideration of these topics, but will also embody both the Quaker "do-how" and the insights from CIWC in the very process of exploring them. The session is a full day workshop July 17^th at Powell House, in Old Chatham, NY.

Context

In the secular world growing numbers of people are turning their attention to how a collective body becomes intelligent, conscious, and even wise. This seems to be emerging from a recognition that almost all of our institutions are failing to solve the basic problems we collectively face in the world, that they function at very low levels of consciousness and that something else is possible. There is a growing understanding that these failings cannot be overcome without paradigm shifting changes in the basic architectures that govern our lives. In this way collective intelligence, consciousness, and wisdom can become global phenomenon, not just local ones.

Meanwhile, for over three hundred years, Quakers have been stewards of deep forms of practice that actually achieve a collective level of consciousness that matches and sometimes even surpasses that of the individuals in their groups. Quakers have built a stunning array of practices and comfort with those practices. At the heart of these is discerning a 'Sense of the Meeting' through clerked meetings for worship with particular care to writing minutes. It also includes such practices as clearness committees, threshing sessions, worship sharing, eldering, traveling minutes, the releasing of friends, all of which rely on community discernment of the movement of the spirit.

These are powerful and beautiful forms that have been revealed to Quakers, but more important is what is yet to be revealed. What are the discoveries from the CIWC research field that Quakerism might consider in order to grow in its being and doing? What can Quakerism provide from its own grounded experience to enrich the discipline of CIWC, and therefore empower the world beyond its own community?

Facilitators

The workshop will be facilitated by Jean-François Noubel, a CIWC researcher, pioneer and founder of theTransitioner.org, and Eric Harris-Braun, a member of Old Chatham Monthly Meeting.

TheTransitioner.org is an international, independent and not for profit organization that does research and development on collective intelligence, wisdom and consciousness. All of the materials and results it produces are directly offered into the public domain. TheTransitioner.org works on new technologies and methodologies that will improve the governance capacity of humanity and its organizations. The development of a decentralized, democratic global monetary system, driven by civil society, is at the heart of its commitments (http://openmoney.info). Through its seminars, conferences, publications and media events, TheTransitioner.org supports people and organizations that are pioneers in the evolution of social life.

Logistics

The event will take place at Powell House, the conference and retreat center of New York Yearly Meeting, in Old Chatham, NY. See directions.

Date: July 17^th, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, includes lunch

Cost: $35

Registration: Please contact Eric Harris-Braun (eric AT Harris-Braun.com) or +1 518 781 0465.