• Late fall and winter bring less light, darker days

These are natural times for some people to feel “down”. But sometimes, this “down” feeling may be simply reminding us of “process”. That is, everything changes. Dark-light-dark-light- etc. So “down” might be relieved by flowing and remembering that nature changes on Her own. (nothing works for everyone, but –if you can– also negotiate with negative inner voices+care better for yourself ). What methods worked for you?

• Where do your best ideas come from?

Our best sources are: 1. DREAMS, 2. PEOPLE, and 3. NATURE. That’s why we will soon go skiing in the high Oregon mountains–it’s snowing there now! It was in the Alps and near Oregon mountain tops that three book titles arrived; Shaman’s Body, Processmind, Metaskills, and Dance of the Ancient One. Finally, thanks dear friends and critics who keep us awake to our incredible complexity and the mystery of life.

• There are too many shootings in the News.

AGONY!! people dying! So let’s be realistic. Make guns less available in the US. AND let’s dream more. Perhaps some people get into extreme states to compensate a problem in the general public. Problem? People don’t “shoot straight,” which means we don’t talk directly enough about what we experience with ourselves and others.

• End of the World Dec. 21st?

Well….Yes! Some say ancient Mayans implied this. Whether they did or not, it’s important that our present cosmopolitan consensus reality “ends,” that is, transforms. Many would be happier if we were more “realistic”,(e.g. about guns) but also more Aware of the Dreaming Intelligence in our deepest layers. Our so called “real world” is preceded in consciousness by a sense of a fuzzy, quantum like, altered, dream-like world. Knowing this deep layer connects you to your creative-spirit, helps with personal, organizational and world conflict! So, now and then, let the world go… and Dream While Awake! Let your dreams come more into life.

• Wow, we are still Here!

Wonderful, it’s the end of December, and our planet is still here! Have happy holidays and don’t forget to dream now and then, even while you are awake.

• Quantum Mind, new edition thanks to DDX

The Deep Democracy Institute has republished a new edition of Arny’s Quantum Mind: Click here for more ==> Quantum Mind: The edge between psychology and physics.

• The Battle for Home Birth?

During supervision classes the other evening, Dr Agnes Géreb, champion of homebirths from Hungary spoke. She is home-prisoned for her attempt to humanize medicine. A great woman.

• About the First Chapter of the Tao Te Ching

In the 1st chapter of the ancient book, “The Tao Te Ching” it says, “the Tao that can be said is not the eternal Tao”. It’s been years since Amy and Arny first read this. Now we understand: the Tao or situation/conflict that can be described needs the “eternal” Tao. This is your deepest most relaxed, detached self, processmind. It’s your deepest intelligence found behind dreams, and appears in near death experiences. Some call it by the name of their “God”. Now comes the challenge: helping ourselves+others to sense and use this processmind in the midst of everyday life.

• Completing a New Book

Have you ever labored a long time and then finally completed writing something?! Whew, what a job! Arny just finished revising a new book using “Einstein space-time” together with processwork’s “dreaming”. Something Amy and Arny have been practicing in many places around the world. Whew! What a job. Dreams told Arny he was done with this book for now. It will be published later this year by DDX and is called, “Dance of the Ancient One”. Dreams move us.

• Deep Democracy? A brief Update

Deep D. is a next step for more sustainable democracies. Here is a “simple” update for our work with organizations and governments faced with apparently impossible conflict. http://www.aamindell.net/1293/deep-democracy-politics/a-brief-summary/

• Try Going Backwards!

“Following the unwanted, unintended message goes against collective belief, which says that if you follow the unknown, it will lead you off the edge of the known world.  We all think that when we get to the edge of the known world, we will surely fall off.  But process work shows the roundness of our universe.  It shows that if we have the courage to follow unintentional signals to their edges, we do not fall off, but discover new worlds.” From Amy and Arny’s  “Riding the Horse Backwards”, Look forward first– but then try going backwards… it works

• Can Beaches Dance?

Can BEACHES DANCE? Or were we just “imagining” this dancing figure, created by water on the beach, with her head in the sea? Perhaps she is there, with her mind in the waves, moved by the wind and the moon’s gravity. Perhaps she is showing how to relate to nature while working in this world.

• WorldWork 2nd Training on the coast.

awesome large group of people (from 17 nations) using new meditation methods to connect to the universe!! They gave us hope about finding new forms of detachment and using it where it’s needed; in the midst of social, financial and relationship issues. We can see new kinds of leaders emerging, not just women and men who seem permanently polarized.

• Processmind in the News

We Just learned that In 2012, Arny’s books, “Processmind” was in “ForewordReviews” top 10  finalists award for the best mind, body, spirit book of the year.

• 2nd Training Communities?

2nd Training communities? Yes, we are considering beginning a 2nd training community consisting not only of all processwork people, but anyone, anywhere interested in and hoping to use their deepest self, (processmind) to avoid being permanently polarized inside and outside themselves. –This means finding your dreammaker’s mind, and living close to it, even in everyday reality, in organizational and political situations as well! what do you think? .. Why call it “2nd training”? Because it makes certain that you will be able to use all your first psychological and spiritual trainings when you need them. The purpose of this community is to inspire one another to bring the dreaming to life..at least some of the time.

• The Role of Psychology in helping address Climate Change

We are thankful to Prof. Catherine Gautier-Downes for her summary of the June 2 climate change weekend. See clips from open forum, and brief reviews of various sessions at the following link: http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/~gautier/about1.html

• Second Training, what’s that?

Our world needs leaders with “2nd Trainings.” From worldwide experience, we know leaders need–Basic 1st training skills in dealing with individuals+groups+also 2nd training abilities. These are “eldership” skills; e.g. react, but also recall the “enemy” is also a person; stay in touch with deepest self even while in a conflict or facilitating; work with all kinds of people; remain centered in the fire, etc. Our OCCUPY WORLDWORK seminar is Sept.7-9 on the Oregon Coast

• Signal Awareness

=Secret to Life. Notice how rabbit follows process. 1 ear open to the outside, 1 ear to the inside world. Rabbit is advanced, most of us need a 2nd training to be inside-out at the same time

• Enlightenment?

Yes, realizing that each of us is a part of a relationship/group/nation and also a facilitator! So be a quiet bystander but also a leader! Fight or run away like normal, but also make a home for all even under tense +diverse face to face circumstances. In a 2nd training, sit in the fire–but don’t get burned. See the opponent’s worst energy as a possible personal power. It’s easy to say…and enlightening to try! Have you tried?

• The God Particle!

Is Higgs particle a god? Scientists nicknamed the Higgs, the “god particle” because all known particles come from it,+because the Higgs hangs around so briefly it’s almost invisible. But CERN scientists in Geneva caught a glimpse of a Higgs-like particle this week. So? Now we know our standard particle physics model is ok. Next step? Explain or accept why we can’t see 95% of the universe, i.e. dark matter+dark energy. In psychology that 95% is probably connected to the “essence-field” we call processmind experience.

• Occupy the Future

Socialism didn’t work well. Capitalism is full of problems. History shows that demolishing old or creating new political and financial systems may help temporarily, but has never been sufficient to resolve our human problems. You can kill the “big boss” so to speak, but not the inner tendency of everyone to be a “boss”. It’s a role in everyone! Each of us — yes everyone!– can be unconscious of dominating others by ignoring or not noticing feedback. So…while fighting the unwitting use of power today, we need to also explore new awareness-based political systems, with people trained in democracy, or deep democracy’s group process awareness. Together, everyone’s awareness with oneself, friends and organizations can help world change. …of course there will always be conflicts and troubles…but in principle we may be able to move through them more quickly than we are now, with our present worldwide political systems. So…Occupy -express the role of the boss, then Occupy and express the deep seated sense of the community’s power, then follow the dialogue…and help things change!–see discussion on Arny’s public Facebook page.

• CLIMATE CHANGE FORUM: Is Climate Change as Urgent as some believe?

Thanks to climate scientists Drs. Catherine Gautier, Jeff Kiehl, and the Deep Democracy Institute’s Ellen and Max Schupbach and Stanford Siver, many experienced an amazing dialogue-debate at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland that we facilitated. Everyone witnessed polarized sides for and against green climate change politics, and everyone, yes just about everyone went deeper into the science, the psychology, art and spirituality of community making! We have never seen anything like it, and it gave us great hope for the human race, and for our planet herself. Perhaps climate change is not just a problem, but an opportunity teaching us how to work and live together.

• WORLD LEADERS!

Leaders-World Facilitators-Politicians. Remember, everyone in your organization is you +paradoxically a role in the group. Every one seeks to be valued by you +all. All are needed to create a community that realizes its visions. Leave someone out, and you’ll have trouble later on. Help make world business, politics+communities places where all parts+roles are eldered by (y)our deepest self (system mind-processmind). Thanks for trying. see discussion at: http://www.facebook.com/Arnold.Mindell

• OH, GREECE! on the eve of elections

(Thanks to Lily Vassiliou for a helpful report on Europe and the world’s involvement in Greece’s problems).

Ohhh Greece! When we think of Greece, we are reminded of the fears and agony we saw in the people. We recall the unprocessed contemporary and also historical European conflicts waiting for everyone to process. And we are also reminded of the mainstream media’s marginalization of the amazingly powerful “wealth” of the unbeatable Greek spirit. At the deepest level, Greece is a potentially brilliant and deeply feeling model of how to meet with adversity!   We suffer with Greece, and at the same time, we believe in Her.   (See the amazing June 16+17 Facebook discussion about Greece at http://www.facebook.com/Arnold.Mindell )

(2 weeks after the previous June entry) Congratulations to Vasiliki Katrivanou for teaching processwork in Greece, and for now getting into the Greek parliament! Perhaps there will be more process-oriented group processes in your nations capital.

• LONDON May 3-6

London seminar was a homecoming, experiencing so many people, ready to not only  support the diversity characteristic of all world issues, but also the subtle background unity, the flow turning diversity into a dance with many colors. Thanks to all who were there

• Processwork as an Art and a Science

Preparing our May Portland classes we rediscovered process mysteries. The overall patterns of what happens to individuals and relationships are predictable. But the moment to moment path is unpredictable and mysterious. That makes processwork both a science and an almost shamanistic art that can, and can’t be taught.

• Occupy, A New Movement

Occupy: a new and important movement. We love the occupy direction, pointing out the diversity between the 1 and 99%. Now we need a renewed occupy movement; one in which all roles are occupied, the 1 and the 99%, and where the dialogue between them is occupied on the streets for all to see. That would be the beginning of a new world. (Thanks dear occupy friends for your questions about what might come next.)

• Racism in America

Racism in the USA! In US news, George Zimmermann killed Trayvon Martin, a black 17yr old. This brings up the US’s history and prevalence of racism. We need to resolve racism, and everyone can help. Realize the social rank you have in your culture (remember color, race, religion, gender, sex.orientation, $, age…). Being unaware of rank can hurt others with less rank. Realizing this helps everyone, in the US and worldwide. So remember istory, remember rank, help us all awaken. Practice open forums! Care for yourself +others. (See the book, “Sitting in the Fire” for more.)

• Athens: April 20-22nd

• Zurich April 28-30

Zurich By Day. A wonderful case seminar with scenes from everywhere, including near death, coma, addictions, family culture changes, and organizations.

Zurich by Night. A Worldwork City open forum supported by the city at the Volkshaus, building of the people. We focused on the town becoming so expensive, the original Swiss must move out. This worldwide city problem is called Gentrification. Amazing to see the Swiss talking about things together, yes, in the open, all 600 plus. More hope for our little planet.

Thanks to the IAPOP conference here and the Processwork Institute in Zurich for setting it up! It was just amazing to see what used to be a very quiet people, talking, even woofing together.

• Dreams Explain Body Experiences
  

We remind ourselves about forms of medicine. Don’t forget (as we often do) your dreams may explain body experience. Perhaps you are “ill”, but from a deeper viewpoint your body and “mind” are dreaming about parts of yourself to discover.

• Doing and Not-Doing

“Doing”-pushing is normal, but tiring. “Not-doing”? Thanks to Lao Tzu, Arny met “not-doing” 50 years ago; i.e. being his normal self, but also letting the “universe” be his/our process guide. Today, with and without awareness, “not-doing” sometimes just happens! Helpful ideas pop up+even surprise Arny! in the midst of UNESCO problems in Asia, U.S. climate change conflicts, city social issues etc. Our little planet needs all of your cognitive thoughts, and also your “not-doing”- dreaming. Know yourself, and be surprised if helpful things pop up out of you.

• What is Worldwork?

Worldwork is our term for bringing together many people in open city meetings, organizations, or family systems, and encouraging them to communicate to resolve problems. W.W. developed methods for large group work, partly because personal+social issues, world problems of all kinds are often difficult, emotional, personal, historical +global issues. Our world needs us all, to bring our issues  and use our awareness!

• ATHENS, ZURICH, LONDON

We very much look forwards to joining our many old and new friends, in Athens, especially thinking of social changes there, Zurich, thinking there about supervision but also about helping the City of Zurich with its conflicts, and London, connecting with various groups in our seminar there….