Initiatives

yinyangnewicon2
 The Interspiritual Network’s international website (www.interspirituality.com) is now the major website for the global Interspiritual Movement
 
 
See Details Below For these Initiatives of The Coming Interspiritual Age:
 
 
 
 
 
EVENT REPORTS HERE
 

Gathering on Spirituality & Sustainability
 
June 29, 2017. Assisi, Italy
Forum 21 and The Interspiritual Network, co-sponsors
 
Assisi-Event logo 2
 
See: https://unity.earth/roadmap-to-2020/.
Conversations on “Laudato Si’,” the prophetic 2015 encyclical letter on ecology by Pope Francis, on cooperation with the United Nations in the search for integral development, on the Earth Charter & the global educational movement of the Earth Charter Initiative, on indigenous & other spiritual perspectives on Earth-caring & on other leaders in spirituality and sustainability, all in relation to the need to create a regenerative, spiritual, and sustainable ecological civilizations.  This event is now full.
 
 
Crestone Convergence Conference
 
July 23-28, 2017
Forum 21 and The Interspiritual Network, co-sponsors
 
Crestone-Convergence logo2
 
See: https://unity.earth/roadmap-to-2020/.
The Crestone Convergence: Uniting the Tribes for a Livable Future: Local, National and Global Spiritual Unity and Activism. A group of activists, spiritual and secular, will gather to network and share their visions for a sustainable and inclusive world. As well, they will connect personally and as a group with the foundational indigenous and spiritual energies in Crestone, Colorado and share a live music concert and other local activities.  If you are a leader of a constituency in the global interfaith, interspiritual and activist community please feel free to inquire of kurtjohnsonisd@yahoo.com
 
 

WAKING UP AND GROWING UP
 
Events, Programs and Retreats co-facilitated with Karuna (www.lightonkundalini.com)
 
kurtpinkphotokaruna
 
 
Beginning in 2014, Kurt joined kundalini yogini Karuna for a number of events, programs and retreats worldwide.  Karuna is a truly gifted teacher trained in general yoga and Kundalini Yoga (thru masters of the Sikh tradition, Yogi Bhajan and Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, among others) and an expert on nutrition, exercise and lifestyle.  Kurt will be combining his programs on The Coming Interspiritual Age, the integral vision and world shift, silence, meditation and deep dialogue with Karuna’s masteries of yoga and wellness.
 
 
Week-Long Retreat In Costa Rica Every December
 
 “Look Both Ways”
Balancing the Essential Elements of Spiritual Life and Living
 
 
See details of this exciting (and relaxing) retreat annually at: http://www.lightonkundalini.com/events-categories/upcoming-events/and http://www.namastepublishing.com/events
For details about Blue Spirit retreat center see: www.bluespiritcostarica.com
 
bluespirit
 
FEATURE: Kurt Johnson and Karuna in Contemplative Journal
 
“None flies high without the opposing winds” ~ Yogi Bhajan
The global phenomenon known as Interspirituality includes personal and direct encounters not only between followers of the many paths of the world’s myriad spiritual traditions but, in that, intersections among the paths themselves. Wayne Teasdale stressed these two forms of inevitable cross-over throughout his seminal work on Interspirituality, The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World’s Religions [ii]. Such encounter and intersection will inevitably become further amplified as the interspiritual phenomenon unfolds in the ongoing process of globalization.
In the last year we, Kurt Johnson and Karuna, found ourselves experiencing such an intersection as we encountered each other while teaching quite different “spiritual technologies.” What do a former Christian monk/scientist following the radically transcendent path of Advaita Vedanta, and a former Ford model/actress following the radically embodied path of Kundalini Yoga share in common? More than you might think. As Kurt has written in his recent book, The Coming Interspiritual Age, we can anticipate more and more cross–over between such paths, even the most unlikely.
We felt called to explore our respective paths together in the interspiritual context and began to experiment with teaching Advaita Vedanta and Kundalini Yoga side–by–side. We asked whether these paths and methods are, in fact, parallel, companion, complementary, reciprocal, or what?! These questions are even more important in light of the fact that many of our teaching colleagues actually advise their students that such paths should never be mixed. While this caution is readily understandable, our curiosity as to where this caution lies in the evolutionary process of which we are all a part propelled us forward in our experiment. READ MORE
KARUNA how hosts a page at PATHEOS on Yoga, Meditation, Wellness, Fitness, Lifestyle and more:  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/karuna/
patheoskaruna
 

ALTRUISM ROUNDTABLES TO DATE
 

Tracking the Growth of Mainstream Science’s Shift to Altruistic Evolution

Date: April 12th, 2016

A one-day, filmed event focused on the ethical and global change implications of mainstream science’s shift to the altruistic understanding of evolution, as summarized in David Sloan Wilson’s 2015 book in the Yale/Templeton Series in the Foundational Questions of Science: Does Altruism Exist? Culture, Genes and the Welfare of Others (DAE), featuring 20 international well-known experts and thought leaders from sacred and secular roots in a series of three (3) revolving panels that struck a balance between spirituality, ethics, environment, science, sustainability, governance, social justice, arts, economics, and more.

Host: The New York Society for Ethical Culture

Host Sponsors: The National Ethical Service and The New York Society for Ethical Culture

Event Co-Sponsors (alphabetical): The Center for Earth Ethics (Union Theological Seminary), Forum 21 Institute, Friends of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, The Interspiritual Network, Our Humanity Matters, Presence, Inside Out Journeys

Directed and produced by Tanja Andrejasic Wechsler
Filmed by Katina Productions

Video Discussions:

Panel 1:

Moderator: Yanni Maniates and David Sloan Wilson Panelists: Mitchell Rabin, Tanja Andrejasic-Wechsler, Dena Merriam, Diane Berke, Gaston Meskens , Kurt Johnson

Panel 2:
Moderator: Henrietta Weekes, David Sloan Wilson Panelists: John Thatalamil, Anne Klaeysen, Doug King, Richard Bowell, Rev. Deborah Moldow

 

Panel 3:
Moderator: Yanni Maniates, David Sloan Wilson Panelists: Karenna Gore, Carole Hart, Myra Jackson, Rick Ulfik, Robert Kadar, Mahan Rishi Singh Khalsa, Mindahi Bastida Muñoz

 

Published Discussions:

First Rountable:

Steering Toward the Omega Point

featuring written discussions by David Sloan Wilson, Kurt Johnson, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Richard Clugston, Zachary Stein, David Korten, Kevin Brabazon, Doug King, Mike Morrell, Ken Wilber.

Second Roundtable
written discussions soon to be published featuring David Sloan Wilson, Matthew Fox, Steve McIntosh, Steve Farrell, Laura George, Catherine Bell, Tanja Andrejasic Wechsler, Ken Kitatani, Herman Greene, Gaston Meskens, edited by Yanni Maniates

 

Interview with Steve Farrell of Humanity’s Team, Dr. Kurt Johnson and Yanni Maniates on the topic of Evolution and Spirituality, July 16, 2016


Click on the download link below to listen to the Interview or use the download link to load it on your computer.

NB At a bit past the 8 minute mark there is an inadvertent brief musical interlude

 

Dr. Kurt Johnson discusses the Altruism paradigm in these comments at a July 2016 United Nations side-event during the UN High Level Political Forum with thought leaders Richard Bowell and Michael Shewchuk (www.humanevolutionarychange.org).

Kurt Johnson:

Other Speakers:

 

FROM SELF CARE TO EARTH CARE
 
The Ecospirituality and Eco-Ministries Initiative of
The Interspiritual Network, with
United Nations’ NGO Forum 21 Institute
 
 
 
 
FEATURE: Yanni Maniates and Kurt Johnson at www.selfcaretoearthcare.com
 
“History clearly demonstrates that spiritual vision sustains civilization. Without such a vitalizing spirituality, the ultimate heart of religion, civilizations ultimately decline, and are taken over by other systems.” ~ Br. Wayne Teasdale (The Mystic Heart)
Only… an Ecological Age can produce the understanding and the corresponding commitment required to stop the world of exploitation, of manipulation, of illusory money values, of mutual human abuse, of destructive violence so intense that it threatens to put the torch not only to the human city but to the planet itself. We have now acquired the power to turn the earth itself into a vast conflagration. But while we stop one world situation we must create another. Thus the need to awaken the energies needed to create a new world, to evoke a universal communion of all living and nonliving systems of the universe… What is clear is that the earth is mandating that the human community assume a responsibility never assigned to any previous generation. “ ~ Fr. Thomas Berry (The Ecological Age).
Over the past few decades a new vision has been emerging, both consciously and subconsciously, among many different peoples worldwide, both religious and non-religious. It is an evolutionary impetus that is leading us to a world consciousness that leaves behind the conflicts and rigid dogma of the magic-mythic-literalist mind-set and instead guides us into higher developmental levels that are pluralistic, holistic, and integral. READ MORE
 
 
In 2015 The Interspiritual Network, with the UN NGO Forum 21 Institute, and Althea Center for Engaged Spirituality (www.altheacenter.org) launched the From Self Care to Earth Care Initiative.  Its website is at:
 
 
 
From SelfCare To EarthCare
 
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The program was accompanied by companion events in Denver, Boulder, Crestone, Aspen and Carbondale, Colorado.  The video of Ken Wilber’s historic speech at the Denver event, now at YouTube has thousands of views:
 
Ken Wilber’s keynote address at our From Self Care to Earth Care Confererence:
 
 
Ken-Wilber
 
David Sloan Wilson highlighted his historic book on altruistic evolutionary paradigm, as discussed in detail by Ken Wilber. The themes have been followed by extensive blogs and special features at Evolution Institute:
 
 
 
 
Historic Roundtable Discussions Published
 
see also “Resources” at www.selfcaretoearthcare.com

 

THE INTERSPIRITUAL DECLARATION
 
What has become known in common parlance as “The Interspiritual Declaration” includes the various Points of Agreement arising over the last decades from the growing global Interspiritual phenomenon. These are below with the sources of the conferences, associations, organizations and publications that have assembled this consensus over the last number of years.

 

 

Points of Agreement
 
  1. The Nine Points of Agreement (source, the 30-yr. Snowmass Interspiritual Dialogue)[i] 
  1. The Nine Elements of a Universal Spirituality (source, Bro. Wayne Teasdale,The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World’s Religions)[ii] 
  1. The Elements of Interspiritual Education (source, Community of The Mystic Heart with One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, as published in Johnson and Ord)[iii] 
  1. The Eight Shifts Needed in World Consciousness (source, Bro. Wayne Teasdale, The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World’s Religions as published in Johnson and Ord)[iv] 
  1. Evolutionary Developmental Elements (Teasdale’s major 1999 points as summarized by Johnson and Ord 2013)[v] 
 
20150724_163357_resized
The Interspiritual Network and Forum 21 Institute have met with Fr. Thomas Keating annually since 2010. This is the gathering at St. Benedict’s Abbey, Snowmass, Colorado, July 2015.
 
 
1.  The Nine Points of Agreement:
 
  1. The world religions bear witness to the experience of Ultimate Reality to which they give various names: Brahma, Allah, (the) Absolute, God, Great Spirit.
  2. Ultimate Reality cannot be limited by any name or concept.
  3. Ultimate Reality is the ground of infinite potentiality and actualization.
  4. Faith is opening, accepting, and responding to Ultimate Reality. Faith in this sense precedes every belief system.
  5. The potential for human wholeness—or in other frames of reference, enlightenment, salvation, transformation, blessedness, nirvana—is present in every human.
  6. Ultimate Reality may be experienced not only through religious practices but also through nature, art, human relationships, and service to others.
  7. As long as the human condition is experienced as separate from Ultimate Reality, it remains subject to ignorance, illusion, weakness, and suffering.
  8. Disciplined practice is essential to the spiritual life; yet spiritual attainment isn’t the result of one’s own efforts, but the result of the experience of oneness (unity) with Ultimate Reality.
  9. Prayer is communion with Ultimate Reality, whether it’s regarded as personal, impersonal (transpersonal), or beyond both.
bookteasdale
 
 
 2.  The Nine Elements of a Universal Spirituality:
 
1.   Actualizing full moral and ethical capacity
2.   Living in harmony with the cosmos and all living beings
3.   Cultivating a life of deep nonviolence
4.   Living in humility and gratitude
5.   Embracing a regular spiritual practice
6.   Cultivating mature self-knowledge
7.   Living a life of simplicity
8.   Being of selfless service and compassionate action
9.   Empowering the prophetic voice for justice, compassion, and world transformation.
 
kurtpinkphotoBerke_Diane_webEds-Picture-low-res

Drs. Kurt Johnson, Diane Berke and Ed Bastion, the Committee mandated by The Dawn of Interspirituality Conference to create www.interspirituality.com.

 
 
3.  Elements of Interspiritual Education:
 
  1. Teaching interspirituality itself (the journey from interfaith to experiential interspirituality)
  2. Teaching sacred activism (the inherent connection of being and doing)
  3. Cultivating higher consciousness (unity consciousness as an actual experience)
  4. Nurturing individual formation (personal maturation in authentic universal spirituality)
  5. Teaching integral (the integral vision and the developmental view of history)
  6. Community building (building authentic communities of all kinds)
  7. Ministry development (developing interfaith and interspiritual ministry from conventional roles—in religious institutions, chaplaincy, hospice—to entrepreneurial initiatives, creating new roles for interfaith and interspiritual ministry).
 
 
4.  The Eight Needed World Shifts in Consciousness
 
1.   Appreciation of the interdependence of all realms of human life and the surrounding cosmos
2.   Growing ecological awareness, with recognition of the interdependence of humankind and the biosphere, including the rights of all biological species
3.   Dedication to nonviolence, with a commitment to transcend militancy and violence tied to national or religious identities
4.   Embracing of the shared wisdom in all the world’s religious and spiritual traditions, past and present
5.   Growing friendship, and actual community, among the individual followers of the world’s religious and spiritual paths
6.   Commitment to the depths of the contemplative pursuit and the mutual sharing of the fruits of this ongoing journey
7.   Creative cultivation of transnational, transcultural, trans-traditional, and world-centric understanding
8.   Receptivity to a cosmic vision, realizing humanity is only one life form and part of a larger community, the universe.
 
 
5.  Evolutionary Developmental Elements
 
  1. Human consciousness and heart have been evolving toward a maximum potential regarding the kind of being humans can be and what kind of an earth we can create
  2. This has been going on since the known origin of the cosmos, as material evolution and as evolution of consciousness
  3. This is recognized in a fundamental tenant of the interspiritual vision, that the evolution of world religions has been one unfolding experience reflecting the gradual growth of human maturity
  4. This trend is anchored in the universally unfolding experience of “unity consciousness” or  “awakening,” the experience of profound interconnectedness, no separation, and the world of the heart
  5. This unity consciousness has been emerging through all the world’s spiritual traditions
  6. Historically we have witnessed this unfolding in myriad identifiable threads in the world’s philosophies and religions
  7. This unfolding has implications for how we develop our collective skills so that this consciousness can manifest in the world in tangible skill-sets working toward global transformation
  8. This has implications for the innumerable realms and arenas of endeavor, represented by all humanity.

 

[i] Updated from The Common Heart (2006) to add the ninth point from subsequent dialogues and using the combined words of Snowmass and Teasdale, as published in The Coming Interspiritual Age (2013).
[ii] Short version as adapted from Teasdale by The Community of The Mystic Heart (Teasdale’s colleagues network) and published in The Coming Interspiritual Age (2013). The original Nine Elements were not listed by Teasdale in a list but used as subtitles (with additional comments) in The Mystic Heart (1999).
[iii] As published in The Coming Interspiritual Age from the points originally elucidated by One Spirit Interfaith Seminary (New York City) and The Community of the Mystic Heart (Teasdale’s colleagues network).
[iv] Teasdales (1999) list of  (Mystic Heart, p. 4-5) as further used by The Community of The Mystic Heart (Teasdale’s colleague’s network) and published in Johnson and Ord (2013)
[v] Teasdale’s major points, scattered across his inspirational (and less structured) writing style were gathered and summarized in The Coming Interspiritual Age by Johnson and Ord, 2013).
 
Bibliography:
 
Miles-Yepez, Netanel [Ed.].  2006.  The Common Heart: An Experience of Interreligious Dialogue.  Brooklyn NY: Lantern Books.
 
Teasdale, Wayne. 1999.  The Mystic Heart:  Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World’s Religions. Novato CA: New World Library.
 
Johnson, Kurt and David Robert Ord.  2013.  The Coming Interspiritual Age.  Vancouver CN:  Namaste Publishing.
 
Huffington Post:
 

GAIAFIELD COUNCIL AND SUBTLE ACTIVISM
 
 
 
FEATURE: Kurt Johnson, Diane Berke, Grand Father Morning Owl, Oscar Miro-Quesada, and Roger LaBorde on Subtle Realm Activism in the Interspiritual Network
 
 
In 2014, members of this Interspiritual Network—Oscar Miro-Quesada, Kurt Johnson, Roger La Borde and Diane Berke (see their links below) hosted a tele-summit call on “The Emerging Inter-Shamanism Inherent in the Emerging Interspiritual Age”.
An emerging dialogue, cooperation, synergy and co-working, they suggested, would be expected to inevitably arise across persons from the world’s shamanic practices (indigenous and other), the varied landscape of “energy work”, and the contemplative practitioners that connect with ancestral wisdom keepers of their (and others’) traditions.
Brother Wayne Teasdale was himself an active part of this conversation, reflected in his comments in The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World’s Religions.
In fact, over thirty members of this Interspiritual Network, including many authors and spiritual constituency leaders, had been corresponding, or speaking personally, about this for some time—actually for nearly a half-decade or more.
In 2015 we were afforded the opportunity to share our discussions– some of us directly, some anonymously– with members of a similar circle formed around the Gaiafield Network. READ MORE
 

 

Prayers

prayerShinto
prayerMuslim
 
 

prayerJewish

prayerIndian
 
 
prayerHindu
prayerChristian
 
 
prayerBuddhist
prayerAfrican