@jennifer-morgan
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Hello Ed,
This upcoming conference in November sounds like something you would be interested in: The Inside Story: Consciousness, Nature, Transcendence; A transdisciplinary conference on Mind, Matter, Meaning and Mysticism. It’s at Villanova in Philadelphia. Top speakers in this field.
More soon!!!
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Great question Ed! And so glad to see you on the Network! You’ve always added thought provoking comments.
Many of us just came from the Big History conference at Villanova University in Philadelphia. Big History is evidence based and focuses on a grand narrative of the universe, starting with the Big Bang. It was started by scientists and historians. The first conference, held in Grand Rapids about 8 years ago and succeeding conferences were quite hostile to spirituality and to religion in general. In this last conference, the hostility was still there, but greatly diminished. I think there’s a recognition that when you’re talking about cosmology — and a grand narrative of the universe is a cosmology — it’s impossible to keep spirituality/religion outside of the discussion.
Re your question about secularized spiritual practices moving into the mainstream, I would say YES that’s happening.
At the conference, a panel lead by Orla Hazra, Prashant Olalekar and my self on Big History and Ritual explored secular ways of using ritual to internalize a science based story of the universe. For thousands of years, ritual has been a means by which humans internalized their relationship to the cosmos, bonded with each other, and discovered their sense of place and meaning. It can be used powerfully in a secular setting as many are discovering. Craig Benjamin, one of the founders of the International Big History Association, participated in this session and said that his students do better academically when they have a mindfullness practice.
At the Big History conference, An Emergent Universe Oratorio, composed by DTJN member Sam Guarnaccia, used a traditionally religious format to tell the story of the universe and was performed in the church at Villanova. Beautiful and powerful. The church pulsed with energy.
Over the last 35 years or so, many Catholic sisters have been at the forefront of developing rituals to tell the story of the cosmos. The Cosmic Walk, developed by Dominican Sr. Miriam MacGillis, doesn’t rely on any religious language.
Our professional development courses on the Network in Deep Time Education are aimed at evoking inner transformation in a secular context. https://deeptimejourney.org/deep-time-education/
In the next news feed I’ll highlight this important conversation. Thanks so much for starting it Ed. Others will be coming into the discussion.
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Terrific Britt!!
By way of introduction to everyone else in this conversation, Britt is collaborating with a number of other Montessori teachers and they are doing fantastic anti-bias work. Very powerful. Going deeper. Britt, can you share more information about the conference that’s coming up in June? Thanks so much for what you’re doing.
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Thanks for these posts Orla and Noha!. Please do let us know what happens Orla. We’re in the final hours of Labor Day Holiday Weekend here in the US.
I’m wondering Orla and Noha if it would be helpful to lay out the principles that undergird an integral approach. That way people could assess their decision making in all spheres in the light of such principles.
We developed deep time principles for education, but there’s a huge need to extended and develop principles for
the political sphere and governance as you say Noha. There are many on the Network interested applying such principles in all spheres. Maybe you could get something started. I can work with you!Jennifer
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Everyone,
Though I can’t respond in a deep way right now, I wanted to say how moved I am by your posts and this conversation. Thanks Noha for your on the ground observations and I wholeheartedly second what Di said, “Please keep contributing.” Joyce, let’s talk about the Pandora channel though it may need to wait a bit since there are other project coming into manifestation right now.
Jennifer
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Thanks so much for this Joyce. The power of music is such a powerful opener as Sam’s and Joyce’s work so clearly show. Thanks again Peter for bringing up the importance of mindfullness and other modes of knowing when combined with the cosmic narrative become far more transformative. People may also be interested in knowing that Joyce and Maureen Wild are leading a retreat at Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center in June. Here’s a link to the listing in the member events calendar.
https://dtnetwork.org/events/cosmic-symphony-of-love-unfolding/
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Fascinating posts! Based on what a number of you are saying, Cosmic Education provides a context that can best cultivate compassion and understanding in an embodied way when combined with immersion in nature (Gwen), music (Sam), and experiences of mindfullness (Peter). Lisa, thanks for what you say about lower elementary and they’re readiness to be global citizens.
Kyle, are you combining Big History with immersion in nature, music and/or mindfullness at the secondary level. Peter, do you explicitly link cosmic ed with mindfullness? Di, I know you’ve have a lot of experience with intercultural communication, do you link cosmic ed (deep time perspective) with embodied ways of knowing?
I saw an African drumming program with elementary age children just a few days ago and it struck me so powerfully that hearing the story of the universe and having the children drum as part of the story is another fantastic way to embody the story, as dance would be as well. When I do storytelling, I like to have the students act out some part of the story. Thanks Peter for bringing up the importance of embodiment. It’s one thing to understand something intellectually, quite another for it to resonate powerfully through you body and to link those sensations to your thoughts. At Cosmic/Earth Literacy program at Genesis Farm (with Miriam MacGillis) where I first got my start in this work, the program combined intellectual exploration of the universe story with drama, artwork, meditation, music, walk in woods and gardening. I think that’s why people were so profoundly moved by the experience. Learning this work at a conference removed from sunlight and the outdoors is not the same thing. Jane Riddiford and Rod Sugden are doing amazing work with teaching the story inside gardens in the heart of inner city London. If you’re not familiar with their work do go to Rod Sugden’s profile page and look at the “resources” he’s added. Here are the page showing the resources he’s added. The two minute trailer of the Big Bang Summer School gives you a glimmer about how they do it. He and Jane gave a great PD program in the PD series.
https://dtnetwork.org/people/rodsugden/resources/myresources/ -
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Fantastic Jonathan. YES! I will be marching and I know there’s a group of Religious Naturalists organizing as well. Based on experience with the Women’s March it’s very difficult to find each other, but it WOULD be so fun if we could get organized to meet somewhere. Anyone want to take that project on? I can send notices to the Network about it!!!!!
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Hi Di,
Harnessing the energies of creativity is certainly what we need now . . . a crucial and decisive driver of evolution. So sorry you had trouble with adding a resource. There’s info about how to add resources on the FAQS page under “About” on the menu bar and there’s a video tutorial on the home page. Right under “The Deep Time Framework” video. Let me know if these help and what else we can do to make the process easier. Once you’ve done it a couple of times, it becomes very easy, but there are always those first few times to get through.Actually, this may be the best way to post these poems and invitation to discussion, inside a Forum topic. So all good. But that doesn’t take away the frustration of your earlier efforts.
Jennifer
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Hi Jude,
Sorry for the trouble. I had a copy of your earlier post and we were going to re-post it today after deleting the persistent three duplicates. But now you've taken care of that. We just moved the site to a new much better host but there were some glitches in the transition. Thanks so much for your contributions to this stunning conversation, and please please if you have any trouble on the site whatsoever contact the site directly at [email protected] or write to me personally at [email protected]. We're on it! 🙂
Jennifer
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Thanks so much Mike. I really appreciate your comments. The Principles of Deep Time Education are very much still evolving. I was wondering what you think of the use of the word “Love.” Love makes some people squeamish or dismissive. What better word could there be? I have dinner with Claire Durand, another Network member, last night and we tried on the word “Reverence” which is such a powerful word and describes very much I think we’re hoping for here in the sense that reverence for the Earth and Universe is crucial for entering into the the larger creativity of the Universe to bring about a flourishing future. Other words I’ve used scientists use are “Cherish” and “Devotion,” a word that Teilhard used. Does reverence sound to churchy? It says more than the word “Respect” which feels more distant. Any thoughts would be most helpful! Thanks for your on-going contribution Mike!
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Thanks Imogene. My pleasure, and thanks to you too Terri. And thank Kyle for noticing the repetition. I did a minor revision and yes Terri I did add my books (thank you!) and re-posted. It’s the same link as before, but here it is again:
https://dtnetwork.org/resource/principles-of-deep-time-education/
Looking forward to spreading the principles along with descriptions of the upcoming professional development programs. Step by step.
If you notice anything else, be sure to make a comment. Afterall, it’s an unfinished Universe! We’ll just keep on revising . . . just as the Universe does. The 7th principle re structure and continuum will be the most important area of development as we link together the levels into a continuum, drawing on the wisdom of so many teachers and teacher trainers who are already doing it!
Love to all,
Jennifer
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Hello Everyone,
So sorry it’s taken me this long to revise the Seven Principles of Deep Time Education. There’s a lot happening behind the scenes right now with computer programming and organizing of the upcoming professional development programs which will start in January. Super excited about what’s coming and their potential. Please find the revised version here which has integrated the suggestions I’ve received thus far.
https://dtnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Principles-of-DTE-10-21-15PDF.pdf
Again, this is a new version is certainly not the last. I always like the phrase “provisional but not arbitrary” . . . that’s what this new version is . . . provisional but not arbitrary. Feel free to send any further suggestions.
Enjoying a beautiful golden fall day here in Princeton.
Sending all my best,
Jennifer
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