Voices of an Emerging Movement for Conscious Evolution
Celebrating Cosmic, Earth, Biological, and Human History as Sacred
June 2007
Evolutionary Life is an e-magazine for those of us inspired by sacred, meaningful understandings of the evolutionary story of the universe. This story calls many of us to seek a more conscious role in evolution. What should we do with this understanding? How do we sustain our insight? How do we bring the evolutionary worldview into our daily lives and the world? We can use this e-magazine to share news, insights, activities, and resources. It can become an evolutionary space where we gather to inspire, inform, and delight each other, and thereby become more aware of ourselves as the healing, transformational movement we are. (For more, read here...) -- Tom Atlee
LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED?
You can be part of important developments in the emerging movement
for Conscious Evolution. Check out our new
major volunteer opportunities.
NEWS
Conscious Evolution News
Evolutionary and Cosmic Topics in the Mainstream News
More on the Religion/Science Debate
News from Our Favorite Evolutionary Evangelists
FEATURE
ARTICLES
"Are Human's Naturally Good or Bad" by Tom
Atlee and others
"Welcoming Disturbance" by Peggy Holman
"The Common Ground of Peace and Democracy" by
Tom Atlee
"Imagineering and the View from the Future"
by Tom Atlee
"Planet of the Apes" by Robert Wright
"The World's Greatest, Most Powerful Non-Movement"
by Paul Hawken
Interview with Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson
Commentary on Michael Dowd's article on Immortality
POETRY
3 poems
RESOURCES
Videos
Online Resources that Pull It All Together
Awesome Evolutionary/Cosmic Images
Evolutionary Games
Evolutionary Response to Crises
Star-wish Story Podcasts for Kids
Ecological Footprint Quiz
New Book and Film Announcements
Book Reviews
"Evolution is Divine"
OPPORTUNITIES
TO PARTICIPATE
We got help revising "The Pluto Parable"!
Volunteer (and Paid) Opportunities to Further Conscious
Evolution
Reader Participation Questions
EVOLUTIONARY EVENTS CALENDAR
TIDBITS
Evolutionary Quotes
An Amazing Cosmic / Evolutionary Factoid...
A Touch of Humor
CONSCIOUS EVOLUTION NEWS
EVOLUTIONARY
SUNDAY
On Sunday, February 11, 2007, hundreds of congregations of diverse denominations
around the US gathered in their churches to discuss the compatibility of religion
and science and to counter polarizing voices that, in the name of Christianity,
claim that people must choose between religion and modern science. Since 2004,
more than 10,000 Christian clergy have signed an open Clergy Letter proclaiming
that this is a false dichotomy. On Evolutionary Sunday -- celebrating the 198th
anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin on February 12, 1809 -- many of these
leaders brought this message to their congregations through sermons and/or discussion
groups to elevate the quality of the national debate on this topic. 617
Congregations from all 50 States, the District of Columbia, the US Virgin Islands
and five nations participated in Evolution Sunday 2007. Many of those sermons
and other materials are available at the above link.
SHIFT IN ACTION
The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) new "Shift in Action" online
program offers a weekly stream of insight, inspiration, and excitement via tele-seminars
with evolutionary/consciousness luminaries, streaming media, CDs, books, a magazine,
and access to all the networking features of their website. Trial month membership
costs $1.
"OUR STORY"
This is the first in Barbara Marx Hubbard's DVD series "Humanity
Ascending" -- now out and about in the world, with screenings
in South Africa, Tel Aviv and may other places. Her video team is now working
on the question of What’s Next? -- what happens once a person gets turned
on to the evolutionary potential.
THE GLOBAL FAMILY
This network has just celebrated its 20th anniversary. Since December 31, 1986,
its members have seeded thousands of Core Groups to build the resonant field
around the world; facilitated international peace conferences; coordinated citizen
diplomacy in the former Soviet Union; created International Youth Leadership
programs; published four guidebooks; offered workshops; and conducted radio
outreach, gatherings, and trainings in their Core Group Process globally. They
inspire and support individuals to discover their life purpose, find their partners,
and create their right livelihood.
GATEWAY
TO CONSCIOUS EVOLUTION
Teresa Collins is directing this new guided, internet supported journey through
the developmental path of self and social evolution as part of Barbara Marx
Hubbard's Global Community Center for Conscious Evolution. They've also developed
a home study course, and Teresa is working on a Wisdom University Intensive
for next fall on the theme of "Cultivating the Field of Conscious Evolution:
The Path of the Cocreator". Jim Garrison intends to create a Conscious
Evolution chair around this work
EVOLUTIONARY TOPICS IN THE MAINSTREAM NEWS
16 Probable Planets Found
in Milky Way - Galaxy May Have Billions, Scientists Say
By Marc Kaufman
The Washington Post - October 6, 2006
Scientist Finds the Beginnings
of Morality in Primate Behavior
By Nicolas Wade
The New York Times - March 20, 2007
Beyond
Stones & Bones: The new science of the brain and DNA is rewriting the history
of human origins.
By Sharon Begley
Newsweek - March 19, 2007
Study detects recent instances of human
biological evolution
By Nicholas Wade
New York Times - December 10, 2006
First-ever
regrown teeth demonstrate evolutionary trade-offs
By Hamish Clarke
Cosmos Online (ref: Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences)
The Age
of Darwin
by David Brooks
New York TImes - April 16, 2007
A Fin is a Limb
is a Wing
By Carl Zimmer
National Geographic, November 2006
Scientists are tracing the steps through which evolution forged its successes.
They're finding that the same genetic tool kit can build structures both simple
and complex.(see also the evolutionary factoid about
eyes in the Tidbits section of this newsletter)
Dark Matter and Dark Energy: Knowing the
Universe in Detail (Except for That Pesky 96 Percent of It)
By Dennis Overbye
The New York Times, October 24, 2006
The Universe Gives Up Its Deepest Secret:
Scientists have their first detailed 3-D map of dark matter, the invisible material
that makes up most of the cosmos
By Steve Connor
The Independent (UK) - January 8, 2007
Comets
Hold Life Chemistry Clues: They may deliver chemical "seeds" to jump-start
planetary life
By Jonathan Amos
BBC News - December 15, 2006
Massive cosmic explosion
has astronomers stumped
By Brian Handwerk
National Geographic News - December 20, 2006
Astronomers Report Biggest
Stellar Explosion
By Dennis Overbye
New York Times - May 7 2007
Migration from Africa: Skull
suggests Eurasian-like humans were in sub-Saharan Africa around 36,000 years
ago, supports migration theory.
By John Noble Wilford
New York Times - January 12, 2007
Clues to a Single Australian
Migration From DNA Analysis
By Nicholas Wade
New York Times- May 8, 2007
MORE ON THE RELIGION/SCIENCE DEBATE
BEYOND BELIEF
This was a remarkable gathering of scientists and philosophers out of which
came more than fifteen hours of video talks, including calls for the preeminence
of science and reason, descriptions of current developments in the neuroscience
of belief and morality, as well as religious and philosophical perspectives
about belief. Some intense reactions are given in
one selection -- the most cogent of which is from Scott
Atran, rebutting Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and others. All of it is incredibly
stimulating and thought-provoking -- even though there are only glimpses of
the powerful synthesis of science and religion that is emerging from the Great
Story work. Michael Dowd's book Thank God for Evolution! will
soon be stirring up this debate in some very surprising directions...
EVOLUTIONARY
OUTLAWS
This is a humorous imaginary news story about how Kansas has outlawed evolution,
itself, creating some awkward challenges for the police.
THE VARIETIES
OF SPIRITUAL IMPACT
Scientists Bridge the Spirituality Gap: Studying the physical effects of
religious experience
NEWS FROM OUR FAVORITE EVOLUTIONARY EVANGELISTS
Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow have been busy!! They've got new evolutionary parables, a CD of Peter Mayer evolutionary/cosmic songs, and Michael's beautiful, revolutionary new book Thank God for Evolution! Read more about all these developments at their Turtle Log.
We have a special report on Michael's book in the box below.
Michael and Connie also want to share with you a fun photo from the Boulder, Colorado, Community United Church of Christ, who enacted one of Connie's favorite evolutionary parables in their church on "Evolution Sunday" (February 11, in honor of Darwin's birthday -- see Conscious Evolution News, above). The parable they selected was "The Lucky Little Seaweed," written by paleontologist Mark McMenamin.
MICHAEL DOWD'S NEW BOOKTHANK GOD FOR EVOLUTION!
This fabulous new book will available in bookstores on October 5, 2007. Check out version 1.0 of the companion website. We suggest you bookmark this website and check back once a month or so. Much more will be added to it throughout the summer. Those of us who are familiar with Thank God for Evolution! -- or TGFE! (teegeefee), as we affectionately call it -- expect it to be a bestseller, for 4 good reasons: 1. QUALITY: It is very well written and engaging, much in the spirit of Michael's and Connie's sermons and talks, but comprehensive. It has a beautiful, compelling cover. And it is being nominated for a National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize. 2. TIMELINESS: It is being published into a hot media debate between science and religion -- a debate to which TGFE! offers an informed, passionate, coherent and powerful resolution. 3. POSITIVITY: Even people unmoved by the debate are struggling with lives and a world that no longer make sense. TGFE! offers everyone a positive vision of meaning and self- and world-transformation that will likely engage thousands, if not millions of people. We expect word of mouth to be intense. 4. PUBLICITY: Michael -- as most of us know from experience! -- is a natural at spreading the word. He is eager to be on as many talk shows as possible, and is already reaching out to everyone he can think of. He's even got 9 Nobel laureates asking for advance copies of the book! AND he is actively seeking support from this network -- so please take a look at his Opportunities to Participate page. Already kudos are streaming in from leaders across the religious and philosophical spectrum -- from evangelicals to atheists and everything in between. Click here to see advance praise -- from the Vice Director of the Vatican Observatory and Editor at Large of Wired Magazine, to leading theologians, scientists, academics, and world renowned authors; from Unitarian Universalists, Buddhists, and Quakers, to New Thought leaders and a former evangelical megachurch pastor. You may also enjoy seeing Michael's "Author's
Promises". |
Are
Humans Naturally Good or Bad?
Compiled by Tom Atlee
This is a powerful thematic collection of three mainstream articles -- bound
together by a commentary and a bibliography -- which suggest that there is good
evolutionary evidence for and against both alternatives -- and that a third
one is probably even more true. That third alternative presents us with our
real evolutionary challenge: Conscious evolution of ourselves, our cultures
and our social systems....
** Evolutionary Process Arts Column**
Welcoming Disturbance: Critical
Work of the Evolutionary Agent -- but How?
By Peggy Holman
Evolution uses disturbance -- problems, crises, catastrophes -- even falling
in love and getting a great new job -- to transform life. Yet we so often turn
away from these opportunities. What would happen if we met disturbance with
powerful appreciative questions, evocative stories, and deep reflective listening?
The
Common Ground of Peace and Democracy
By Tom Atlee
The idea of "people co-creating desirable lives and futures together"
may be the shared essence of many movements -- peace, justice, democracy, sustainability,
and conscious evolution...
Imagineering
and the View from the Future
By Tom Atlee
Looking back from the future, we can stir up positive evolutionary energy now...
Planet of
the Apes
By Robert Wright
A meditation on why the residents (if any) of the newly discovered earthlike
planet Gliese 581c haven't contacted us, and what their silence might mean for
our destiny and evolution...
The
World's Greatest, Most Powerful Non-Movement
By Paul Hawken
For hundreds of years, millions of people have been quietly and dedicatedly
working on behalf of the earth and their fellow human beings -- and you may
be one of them...
Interview
with Renowned Harvard Biologist E.O. Wilson
Wilson chats about his new book on the intersection of science and religion.
He is clearly a gentle, lovely, wise person. The web link above also includes
a sidebar with links to five other interviews and articles about religion and
the environment.
Commentary
on Michael Dowd's article on Immortality
Steve Burrows comments on Michael's feature article in the Dec 06 issue of Evolutionary
Life, suggesting there's a whole universe to expand into, with vastly longer
lives, and new forms of evolution to be created by humans.
"The Unfolding Journey"
by William Herbert Carruth
"Cyberspace
is Sacred Space" by Hazel Henderson
"The Last Rites
of the Bokononist Faith" by Kurt Vonnegut
VIDEOS
ANSWER
THE CALL OF LIFE
This beautiful and engaging ten-minute video is an introduction to a feature-length
film currently in production, "Call of Life: Facing the Mass Extinction".
Images of our impact on the world are woven into some incredibly beautiful shots
of animals, plants, and people, calling us to action.
IS
THIS OUR FINAL CENTURY?
In a concise, brilliant rendition of the Great Story, Sir Martin Rees, Britain's
Royal Astronomer, takes us from the origins of the universe to the last days
of a dying sun 6 billion years hence, and then explains why the 21st century
is a pivotal moment in the history of humanity. His 18 minute speech to hundreds
of intellectuals (but geared to the rest of us, as well) is punctuated by stunning
visuals of cosmological wonders and peppered with his keen dry humor: At one
point, he mentions that his book, Our Final Century, was published
in the U.S. as Our Final Hour because "Americans like instant
gratification."
ONLINE RESOURCES THAT PULL IT ALL TOGETHER
The Web is becoming a clearinghouse and co-creative resource center for everything
under the sun. Among the resources appearing are compendiums
of invaluable information for those of us who see ourselves as agents of evolution.
Here are ideas, data, visions, know-how and connections needed to be a conscious
evolutionary force in the world. If you try to rush through them, you just might
be overwhelmed, because these sites are BIG, SPRAWLING WONDERLANDS. But if you
take a bit of time to explore them, you will be rewarded beyond your wildest
dreams, and return to them over and over again....
AWESOME EVOLUTIONARY / COSMIC IMAGES
1. Ten of the most BLAZINGLY AWESOME HUBBLE SHOTS of deep space ...
2. THE DEEP FIELD OF SPACE -- a short video that flies deep into another truly awesome "empty" shot taken by the Hubble Space Telescope (a favorite of Connie's and Michael's).
3. THE CASSINI SATURN PROBE SITE, CICLOPS. We keep coming back here because it continues to produce so much breathtaking material. Check out
EVOLUTIONARY AND COSMIC GAMES
EVO:
THE LAST GASP OF THE DINOSAURS
Dr. Jon Host writes: "I've had and played this board game for around
5 years, but I just realized it's a fun way to involve kids with evolution and
a good gift to families that have kids around 12 and up."
SATURNALIAN MOON-GOLF -- See "The tricky virtual golf game" entry in the previous.
EVOLUTIONARY RESPONSES TO CRISES
Getting the
Big Picture and Addressing the Bee Crisis
by Tom Atlee
This unique collection of resources and observations suggest that we can practice
being evolutionary agents by aligning ourselves with the embedded wisdom of
nature (including its evolutionary dynamics) and seeing more fully what's really
going on. Links to videos and imagineering visions, as well as a provocative
exploration of what is killing off millions of bees, make this a powerful introduction
to becoming a part of conscious evolution.
STAR-WISH STORY PODCASTS FOR KIDS
These
podcasts for kids are very sweet, consciousness-expanding free
recorded story-instructions about how to wish upon a star -- a six-minute one
for small children, and a ten-minute one for older children.
ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT QUIZ
These
15 questions tell you approximately how much environmental impact
you have on the planet, compared to others in your country and in the world.
We think you will be surprised...
NEW BOOK AND FILM ANNOUNCEMENTS
In this fascinating
compilation, you'll find announcements of
BOOK REVIEWS
*** *** *** FEATURED BOOK *** *** ***
"One of the most important and helpful books written in our lifetime." -- Michael Dowd
By David Sloan Wilson.
Read the review by Natalie Angier -
"Sociable Darwinism"
in the NEW YORK TIMES
"Rather than catalog its successes, denounce its detractors or in any way
present evolutionary theory as the province of expert tacticians like himself,
Wilson invites readers inside and shows them how Darwinism is done, and at lesson’s
end urges us to go ahead, feel free to try it at home."
LAST CHILD IN THE
WOODS: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder
by Richard Louv
Read
the review and author interview by Sarah Karnosiewicz
Do today's kids have "nature-deficit disorder"? A new book argues
that children desperately need to be able to play in the woods -- and that our
culture's sterile rejection of nature is harming them in body and soul.
EVOLUTION IS DIVINE
"Evolution
is Divine" mugs, t-shirts, buttons, magnets, mousepads, and
teddy bears!
LAST ISSUE WE ASKED FOR HELP...
... revising "The Pluto Parable" -- and we got it, from a home-schooler! Check out this story...
VOLUNTEER (AND PAID) OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER
CONSCIOUS EVOLUTION
SEEKING PASSIONATE,
COMPETENT EVOLUTIONARIES TO HELP US RIDE THE "THANK GOD FOR EVOLUTION!"
RAPIDS IN OCTOBER
Help plan and turn the exploding interest in evolutionary spirituality -- triggered
by the October 2007 publication of Michael Dowd's book Thank God
for Evolution! -- into a vibrant, widespread network of spiritual
communities, cosmic celebration, and conscious evolutionary action to heal and
transform the world. (Note: Michael will be sending a separate email regarding
the above in early June.)
LOOKING
FOR A VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT EDITOR AND NEW DESIGN FOR "EVOLUTIONARY LIFE"
Help edit and produce future issues of this newsletter, to free up Tom Atlee
for other evolutionary work. Or, if you are a web designer, send us your ideas
(and html!) for a nicer format for our online edition.
SEEKING EVOLUTIONARY
WIKI HOSTS
Help launch a groundbreaking participatory, co-created website on evolution,
evolutionary spirituality, and evolutionary activism. It will be an evolutionary
wiki site that looks and acts like Wikipedia.
We're looking for people to support experts and others who come to provide content.
READER PARTICIPATION QUESTIONS
Last issue we asked
What characteristics do you see in yourself
and others, as evolutionary beings?
Pauli Sommer responded:
I find myself capable of a quality of attention that brings forth the highest potential of people in my midst.
Some might think of this as merely being a good listener -- an attribute that is extremely important in the conscious evolution of communication -- but it is more than that.
I allow the rest of the world to 'blur' for awhile and give my full attention -- eye to eye -- remaining like a guard dog to my conscious mind -- in my tenacity to be open and non-judgmental -- so that there is a minimum of subtle interference energetically, thus a very high level of concentration.
I am also able to infuse loving energy and a fascination that exists because of my sheer curiousity which prevails because I truly want to know what is it that is compelling people to think and live the way they do.
Thanks for asking such an intelligent question.
Thank you, Pauli ! What a powerful evolutionary listening model !
In this issue of Evolutionary Life we're wondering:
What evolutionary change would you most like to see in the world?
Send your thoughts to "Evolutionary Life" editor and we'll share them in a future issue.
EVOLUTIONARY EVENTS CALENDAR
This
issue's calendar lists more than a dozen events that aim
to transform consciousness, culture, economics, politics, education, activism,
leadership, life, and the stories that we live -- all filled with diverse luminaries
and learning opportunities. The Calendar also includes Michael Dowd and Connie
Barlow's schedule over the next few months.
** FEATURED EVENT **
EARTHSPIRIT RISING
CONFERENCE - June 8-10, 2007
Bellarmine University Louisville, Kentucky
Join Margaret J Wheatley, Paul Rogat Loeb, Starhawk, Michael Dowd, Connie Barlow,
Kirkpatrick Sale, and Jane Siberry in celebrating and working together to shift
our culture towards Earth Wisdom, in recognition that nature provides the ultimate
answers to the questions of our times. This gathering is especially for ...
• people interested in building a sustainable and compassionate future
• people wishing to foster the emergence of a global consciousness
• people seeking a deeper sense of meaning and enthusiasm in their lives
• people who dream big and take their dreams seriously
EVOLUTIONARY QUOTES
Four great
quotes: Hear from Elisabet Sahtouris on
the evolutionary promise of climate change, Buckminster Fuller
on his evolutionary self, Ilya Prigogine on individual action,
and Ian McEwan on "demonstrably true" religion...
AN AMAZING COSMIC / EVOLUTIONARY FACTOID
THE EYES HAVE IT !
Evolution on Earth has produced a dazzling variety of eyes -- some based on very different optical principles. Arising from a simple patch of light-sensitive cells, modern eyes evolved along totally different parallel evolutionary trajectories. Consider the compound eyes of insects and prawns... the color-vision, fine-focus camera eyes of humans and squids... the very probably parabolic reflector eyes of limpets... the pinhole eyes of a coiled floating shelled Nautilus.... And yet these eyes are far from perfect -- a fact often raised to question their creation by a perfect, personal, all-powerful clock-maker God.
For a peek inside these evolutionary dynamics, here's a fascinating video describing how our eyes very likely evolved through very simple, believable stages, each one of which gave specific advantages to organisms lucky enough to develop them.
A TOUCH OF HUMOR
1. FAITH
AND EVOLUTION - A DEVOLUTIONARY ENCOUNTER
A funny-serious educational 8 minute Twilight-Zone video parody of the religion/science
debate by some folks who think that these debaters are actually arguing on two
sides of the same coin....
2. EVOLUTIONARY
OUTLAWS
A humorous imaginary news story from The Onion reports that Kansas
just outlawed evolution, itself -- making everything that's evolving a criminal.
This produces quite a challenge for the authorities...
Send submissions of evolutionary news, quotes, websites, humor, and other references and materials to editor .
And please tell us what you really like about Evolutionary Life and how we could improve it.