When we talk of transpersonal matters, we usually are relating to individual and there internal processes. I came across an article called Meeting of the Minds by Phil Catalfo this month in New Age magazine that made me remember that the transpersonal encompasses all levels of organization, not only the personal, but also the collective and political. Some small attempts by this Journal to engage a communal dialogue have not been very sucessful, probably because most people don't interact with magazines and journals, at least I don't do so very often. They are sources of information, and we are usually overloaded with information. So how do you get the collective and political to interact in a transpersonal way?
This New Age article is an example of one attempt to do so. It went largely unnoticed by the press except to report it happened. As the article reports, one reporter in previewing the event noted: "washed up world leaders" who would be meeting with "aging New Agers" and the "stifling hot air front...about to hit." Well I did a little investigation on the net in addition to reading the article and found that it related to the Gorbachev Foundation and it was called the State of the World Forum. The participants reads like a kind of fairy tale.
Imagine a conference that featured former President George Bush, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher--and metaphysical physician Deepak Chopra. Imagine former Secretary of State George Schultz and former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney hobnobbing with Buddhist teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, alternative economist Hazel Henderson, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Rigsoberta Menchi Tum. Imagine former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzeninski discuusing "Global Anarchy and the Roots of Human Violence" and eco-feminist Susan Griffin and transpersonal psychiatrist Stan Grof. Imagine mainstream scientist Carl Sagan discussing anything with revolutionary biologist Rupert Sheldrake.
Gorborchev in his no nonsense way is quoted as stating at the meeting: "We are witnessing a crisis of the technology-centered model (of society) ...There is a loss of fundamental spiritual values, the anchors of moral life...We are observing a crisis of ideas; the prevailing ideologies have proven incapable. We are facing a sweeping crisis that challenges our civilization...Indeed, we have to reinvent the paradigm of our existence, rebuild our civilization into one that is more kind to the human being, that protects his rights. ...I'm speaking of a transition to a new civilization, but I believe that the transition is already underway....What we need is to make this transition less chaotic, to prevent cataclysm. This, however, requires that we understand the nature of the transition. The profound essence of the shift is to move away from a technology-centered model to a culture-centered one."
He was reported to close with "We are entering upon a new era of great opportunity. I know a great deal that oculd make me very alarmed, but still I am very optimistic. I believe in mankind, which was able to bring into being a unique civilization on our planet, and I believe we will be able to avoid catastrophe. Let us deliberate. Let us help the people of the world live and solve their problems."
Now this statement is made by a man who was the leader of what not long ago was considered the "Satan" of the modern world. Indeed we have come a long way. According to the article there were no earth shaking conclusions drawn at the conference, but people got together and communicated. That it happened at all was the remarkable significance of this meeting.
Yet another experiment in transpersonal politics is underway on PBS:
In a groundbreaking experiment in American democracy, 600 citizens-- a scientifically selected representative sample of the U.S. population-- will convene in Austin, Texas, to deliberate on some of the key issues facing the nation. As part of the project, they will question the 1996 presidential candidates directly about those issues-- on live television and radio. The National Issues Convention (NIC), set for January 18-21, 1996, at the University of Texas at Austin, is co-sponsored by the University and the nation's 11 Presidential Libraries. PBS will televise the proceedings in three national broadcast -- Jan. 20, 21 and 26 -- produced by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions and moderated by Jim Lehrer of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.
The focal point of the Convention is the "deliberative poll," a new method of public opinion research. Unlike ordinary surveys, which offer only a snapshot of what the public is thinking, the deliberative poll will show what citizens think about the issues as they become more informed about them through study and deliberation. Conceived by University of Texas professor James Fishkin, the NIC deliberative poll will measure participants' attitudes both before and after the Austin gathering, seeking to quantify the impact of the deliberative process on delegates' thinking. The NIC poll and discussions will focus on three broad issue areas: the economy; the state of the family; and America's role in a post-Cold War world.
At a time when the public seems disenchanted with political campaigns and how they are covered, this innovative and provocative forum will offer a unique opportunity for an unfiltered exchange between an informed and truly representative sample of the American people and those who seek their votes. Professor Fishkin, who tested his deliberative poll concept with a national sample of British voters broadcast on Britain's Channel 4 in April 1994 and May 1995, said, "For the first time in American history, we will assemble a microcosm of the entire country in one room to deliberate on key issues in a presidential campaign. It's a daunting challenge, but one that will move the discussion beyond slogans and negative ads."
Since I am a frequent watcher of the PBS NewsHour, I managed to catch a bit of the Republican presidential hopefuls deliberation and all of the Democratic deliberation with Vice-President Gore. I was impressed by the concept. A serious, discussion of the issues, with everyone thying to rise above the politics of the moment. Aside from being impressed by the Vice-President ability to relate to the group and his sensitivity to the nuances of the issues, I was impressed by the process. For once, we were listening to the collective voice of the people, in a setting where differences, color, economic status, political party did not matter. The individual personal was overshadowed by the collective voice of the transpersonal. How the process affected the opinions of the group will be reported on soon.
The message I personally draw from these experiments is that although it is extremely important to work from within upon our own transformation, there is also much work to be done on a collective, political level. I am thankful for both of these experimental, groundbreaking efforts and mindful of the need to pay more attention to this level of organization of reality.