Cas A - Chandra/Webb/Hubble/Spitzer composite | Image source: NASA
“Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.”
– Sarah Williams, “The Old Astronomer”
“The Story of the Universe: We Are Made of Star Stuff”
“There’s no doubting the truth of it, the fact that debris from exploding stars littered the earth with the ingredients that would combine and coalesce and conspire to create life. So what? Cool idea, not sure how it applies to anything, I’ve thought, my focus quickly jumping to pressing matters like work, bills, and last night’s pro basketball scores.
I am starting to realize the stardust thing is a pressing matter, probably the most pressing matter of all. It’s something to build our values and lives around. It’s what the world needs now.”
We are pleased to announce a series of audio tapes from Thomas Berry!
In 1998, the cultural historian Thomas Berry released a series of perceptive reflections on our environmental crises and the Great Work of transitioning to an era of human-Earth flourishing.
In these recordings, Berry is in conversation with Brian Thomas Swimme. The audio tapes were produced by Bruce and Pamela Bochte. We are delighted to make them available for the first time in digital form to celebrate Thomas’s inspiration for Journey of the Universe and the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology, which just commemorated the 25th anniversary of its founding on October 20, 1998.
We will be releasing approximately one part of these conversations per month.
Cosmogenesis: Our Common Story
Every Tuesday from January 9, 2024 until February 20, 2024 from 7 PM-8:45 PM ET
Join Penny Andrews, with special guests Matthew Fox, and Brian Swimme for an enlivening 7-week exploration of our inspired origins, a survey of contemporary cosmic consciousness, and envisioning a flourishing future. Grounded in the expansive Deep Time perspective, each week will cover a different aspect of the Universe Story.
Sessions are recorded and are available to watch for paying students. This is a required course for students in the certificate program. Special pricing available for auditing.
“What kind of “leadership” in these times of great upheaval can help pave the way to a flourishing deep future? Seeing our place and role inside of deeptime, thinking long term with the whole mind, and understanding the powers of Cosmogenesis are key. Systems-oriented, creative, and globally-oriented deeptime leaders can inspire and support this pivotal evolutionary moment.”
Awakening Wonder
With Renée Eli
The Center for Education, Imagination, and the Natural World
January 28, February 11, February 25, March 10, March 24
Course Times to be announced (based on number of participants/sessions)
Cost: Annual Paid Subscribers to Beyond the Comfort Zone: $160
Free Subscribers: $235
“We might ask if wonder is given to the human as a grand purpose. What if awe, admiration, and astonishment are ‘spiritual substance’ to feed our human becoming? What if praise is nourishment only the human can provide our world? These questions shine a light on the significance of wonder in a moment, our lives, and at this time on Earth. They also invite us to ask: What frees us to wonder?
In this experience course, we will gather in intimate circles to explore these questions through direct experience of wonder, letting loose the grip of overlays of thought.”
Worldview Journeys: A new transformative learning approach for exploring, exchanging, and expanding worldviews
With Annick de Witt
January 30, 2024
19:00 - 20:00 UTC
Online
“In this event you'll hear the story of the Educational Worldview Journey – a new transformative learning approach that invites students to explore, exchange, and expand their worldviews – developed in collaboration with Utrecht University.
This approach consists of three short (± 4 – 6 hours each) but deep learning journeys that invite students to reflect, converse deeply, dig deeper, and look with fresh eyes at the 'eyes' (i.e., worldviews) they tend to look with. We'll also discuss the challenges we've run into while developing this program, as well as how you may benefit from it in your own teaching.”
"Plant Intelligence, Rights & Ethics"
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
12:00 – 1:00 PM CDT (US Central Time)
Online - Free Registration
Have you ever wondered if plants are intelligent, if they can feel pain, and if they have the right to be treated with respect? Learn about these and other emerging topics!
Join Alessandra Viola, co-author of Brilliant Green: The Surprising Science of Plant Intelligence and of her new book Flower Power (pending in English translation) in a conversation about plant intelligence, plant rights, and plant ethics with moderator Paul Moss, executive director of The Plant Initiative.
Cosmic Walk
Yale Graduate Conference on Religion and Ecology
400 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT, USA
February 23, 2024
On February 23, Sam King will lead a Cosmic Walk at the Yale Graduate Conference on Religion and Ecology. Created by Sr. Miriam MacGillis of Genesis Farm, The Cosmic Walk is an embodied ritual experience in which participants journey through the 13.8 billion year story of the Universe. Click here to learn more about the Cosmic Walk.
Online Learning
Living Waters: A Panpsychic co-operative inquiry with water bodies worldwide
Schumacher College
Tuesdays from March 12 – April 30
Weekly seminars (1½ hours) on Tuesdays at 12:00 noon UK time
Course fee: £399
Online via Zoom and YouTube
Freya Mathews, Peter Reason, Andreas Weber, Stephan Harding, and Sandra Wooltorton will offer videos and weekly seminars. Stephan and Sandra will be joined by Jacqueline Kurio and Ezekiel Fugate to facilitate weekly inquiry groups.
Harnessing the Energies of Love
With Louis M. Savary
4 Wednesdays - Jan. 17, 24, 31 & Feb. 7, 2024
12:00 noon - Online at 2:00 PM Pacific
Cost: $80.00 (Please do not let cost deter you from attending - Ask us about our program funding)
“One hundred years ago, Teilhard identified and named the noosphere, asserting that with the advent of humanity, people began creating a new layer of thought that eventually covered planet Earth. The most recent previous layer was the biosphere, the layer of life that covered Earth. The noosphere, Teilhard said, possessed emergent properties and abilities that the biosphere by itself did not possess, and therefore deserved to be recognized for itself. Teilhard also predicted, but never named, a new layer beyond the noosphere, a layer of love. Identifying and naming this new sphere is essential to harnessing the energies of love.”
The Ecozoic Way: Understanding and Applying the Essential Teachings of Thomas Berry
Eight Week Course with Herman Green, JD, DMin
March 4, 11, 18, 25; April 1, 8, 15, 22 (7:00 – 9:00 PM EST)
This course involves an in-depth study of Thomas Berry’s work. Thomas was a synthetic writer and teacher. Beneath his interdisciplinary and multi-modal work there are patterns that provide crucial guidance for our time. His work has turned thousands of people around and given them guidance. As was once written about him, “We need Thomas to help us understand what is going on; to give us eyes to see, ears to hear, passion to feel, courage to act; to give us ways to explain what has happened; and to give us knowledge of what we authentically may rely on, hope for, and move toward if we are to create a viable future in this dawning new millennium.”
These courses have drawn thousands of viewers from around the planet and include one course on The Worldview of Thomas Berry.
Book
The Great Cultural Awakening: Key to an Equitable, Sustainable, and Harmonious Age
By D. Paul Schafer
Rock’s Mill Press, 2024
“In this remarkable book, noted cultural scholar D. Paul Schafer examines the great cultural awakening that is taking place all across the world--an awakening that is opening the doors to a cultural age…The author concludes by discussing various ways of opening the doors to a cultural age, strategies to harmonize crucial relationships and cultivate spirituality and compassion, the prerequisites for living in a cultural age, and, finally, an exploration of why it is so essential to make the transition from the present economic age to a future cultural age.”
Thomas Berry: The Spiritual and Ecological Vision in his Life and Work
Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace
January 24, 2024
Online Zoom Forum
Click here for more info and to access the recording!
Our Place and Role in the Story of the Universe
Iona University
New Rochelle, NY, USA
January 25, 2024
Sam King facilitated a Cosmic Walk, meditation, and discussion on Journey of the Universe with students in Professor Jim Robinson’s classes at Iona University.
Journey of the Universe Film Screening & Discussion
With Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim
January 13, 2024
Woodbridge Town Library Meeting Room
Woodbridge, CT, USA 06525
Shaping Noospheric Adults with Montessori Cosmic Education: Early Childhood through the Secondary Level
This presentation by Jennifer Morgan, DTN president, was part of the N2 Conference: The Noosphere at 100: The Future of Human Collective Consciousness sponsored by the Human Energy Project, Berkeley, CA, Nov. 17-19, 2023. For more info and to watch the recording, click here.
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