There are consequences to avoiding our fate, especially at the collective level and especially when we have been given stark warning.  In this case, the warning came from Franklin D. Roosevelt and it is as much about the interior domain of the collective as well how it manifests at the highest corporate and government levels.  Clothed by interest groups shaped by fear and greed, the ensuing garment hides self-interest while emphasizing the fine fit of those who have prospered

<blockquote><strong>I AM NOT DONE.... I SHALL PERSIST.... I SHALL RETURN</strong><br />~ Alan Briskin<strong><br />Talmudic Commentary</strong>: &quot;<em>Pshh, Big shot.&#0160; I&#39;ll believe it when I see it</em>.&quot; </blockquote> <p>Dear Friends and Subscribers to Becoming Conscious of Capitalism,</p> <p>When I first began writing, I sought to discover new perspectives about our social and economic arrangements called capitalism.</p> <p>I wrote at the beginning:</

I will be speaking at the Unitarian Universalist Breakfast Forum in San Francisco on Sunday, March 11, 2012. My topic is "The Heart of Collective Wisdom". Come join me! Martin Luther King Jr. Room First Unitarian Universalist Church 1187 Franklin St. at Geary   Breakfast begins at 9:30, program begins at 9:45 and ends at 11:00

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Reflections of an Inspired Talk by Joan Halifax I am told that Buddhist sutras open with the word Nyozgamon, which means 'I heard it like this.'  Hideo Takahashi titled his book on the spiritual teacher Masahisa Goi with these five words. What I like about these five words is that they make room for the listener to reflect back what was treasured while still adding new depth and meaning.  In this way wisdom becomes collective because it is not a possession of any one person.

ALAN JONES WRITES IN THE SOUL’S JOURNEY: “We need to go to hell by entering that place where our longings and desires are trapped. What particular hell do we need to confront? What or who in us is lost and crying out for help? James Hillman implies that going to hell is vital for the soul because 'the cure for the shadow is a problem of love'. How far can our love extend to the broken and ruined parts of ourself, the disgusting and perverse? How much charity and compassion ha

For anyone who wants to believe in the humanizing possibilities of a connected world,here is your anthem. -- Chris Anderson , TED Curator The composer Eric Whitacre invited his online fans to participate in an ambitious attempt to create the world's largest virtual choir. Featuring 2052 performances from singers in 58 countries, the Virtual Choir 2.0 - singing Whitacre's "Sleep" - is the largest assembled online in history, and far surpasses Whitacre's original goal of 900 vo

Check out John Hunter talking at the TED conference on solving the world's problems with his fourth grade class... it's entertaining and touching.... and suggests that in the emergent nature of self organizing groups, there is a human capacity for wisdom that is not written in any manual. Recommended by Noah Blumenthal

"One of the essential qualities of collective wisdom is a palpable sense of connection with each other and to larger forces that is found, for example, in nature, in relationship to our ancestors, and even in relation to a physical place…. People who talk about their experiences of collective wisdom often report a sense of openness and awareness of something larger than themselves. The ability to communicate seems broader, and people are often astounded by the creativity that

<p>The following exercise was developed by Marty Kaplan:</p> <p><strong>Collective Wisdom:</strong><br /><strong>Activities for Attunement, Discernment and Calibration </strong><br /><br /><strong>Name:</strong> Hula Hoop Activity<br /><strong>Number of People</strong>: 6-10<br /><strong>Materials Required:</strong> Hula Hoop<br /><strong>Space Requirements:</strong> Sufficient space for 6-10 people to stand in a circle<br /><strong>Time Requirements:</strong>&#0160; 25 - 35

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This poem was created out of fragments of speech over a three day period, drawing from individual conversations and group discussions I had or witnessed at the annual Berrett-Koehler Publishers Author Co-op retreat.  The language used was specific to the situation but I have been encouraged by others who were not there that it may have a significance beyond its original setting.  I hope it tickles your fancy: Collective Poem We’re running short on time but don’t knock yours

A poem based on phrases and fragments of a speech* given by Deepak Chopra: My grandchildren are here today the most important part for me. Here is my question: What if consciousness was not a byproduct of our brain? What if instead it is the ground of Being, the basement of the Universe in geometric space-time where all co-exists as possibilities. The great Rishi wisdom teachings tell us consciousness cannot be imagined but makes the imagination possible. Can you imagine?

Part One of the Tea Party series is already catalyzing response - witness this exchange begun on FaceBook by Michael Harkins with a reflection about the imagery that accompanies my post: Michael said: "Alan, you put into words many of my same thoughts. I must say I too enjoy the satire of Colbert, but also worry about the fragmentation of America. I can't help but wonder about the image you displayed with your thoughts. It appears to be ...a threshold guardian. These images

If you have to ask what a picture is worth, then you probably can't afford this column. In The Power of Collective Wisdom we wrote "seeking collective wisdom is a conscious attempt to elevate group life from its history of fighting tooth and claw to reach the top of the hierarchy or achieve dominance over others."  And we referred to the human capacity for empathy, compassion, and the role of mirror neurons in allowing for the permeability of emotional life. So check out thes

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The magazine Leadership Excellence dedicated its recent issue to wisdom and wise judgment. Review the entire magazine, including my article, Collective Wisdom: Where has all the wisdom gone in organizations? From my article: Peter Senge writes in the foreword of our book, The Power of Collective Wisdom: “Few words have a longer historical association with leadership than wisdom and few words have less credibility in that association today.” What has happened to account for

This is a short video of Lauren Artress talking about the importance of collective wisdom. Lauren is the founder and creative director of Veriditas , a non profit organization dedicated to introducing people to the healing, meditative powers of the labyrinth.

William Murtha has just come out with a new book, 100 Words: Two Hundred Visionaries Share Their Hope for the Future . The book has plenty of visionaries and my words as well... At the time, I was reflecting on Teilhard de Chardin’s prophetic writings about the nature of the noosphere and how the very nature of our suffering as well as the global threats to our planet would usher in a new form of consciousness. Here are my 120 words: If I were to look into the future, I’d se

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