In today's fast-paced world, the dream of a connected global community is more than just an aspiration; it is a crucial requirement. Humanity stands at a critical point where technology and communication have the power to create true unity. This transformation urges us to develop a "communion consciousness"—an awakening that highlights our shared existence and the need for thoughtful reflection. By practicing meditation and mindfulness, we can enhance self-awareness, refine our spiritual values, and foster a more positive outlook on the world around us. The Fabric of Global Unity Navigating the complexities of modern life illuminates the necessity for a united community. The increasing interdependence of nations and cultures emphasizes the need for collaboration. For example, international organizations like the United Nations report that approximately 71% of the world's population now lives in interconnected urban areas , reinforcing that we are all linked in a tapestry of humanity. Seeing differences as sources of enrichment rather than division empowers us to create a global community. Each unique culture and tradition adds value, leading to a rich dialogue that promotes unity in diversity. When individuals celebrate one another's backgrounds, we not only learn from each other, but we also cultivate a more empathetic society. Communion Consciousness: A Call to Awareness At the core of this movement is the idea of communion consciousness. This mindset encourages us to connect on a spiritual level, fostering genuine relationships based on compassion and mutual respect. Exploring the essence of humanity transcends borders and fosters deeper understanding. To engage with this consciousness, we can use contemplative techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, and reflective writing. These practices allow us to achieve greater inner peace and awareness. As we understand ourselves better, our relationships with others will thrive. For instance, a study by the University of Massachusetts found that people who practice regular mindfulness report a 54% increase in their ability to empathize with others. A peaceful dawn illuminating a tranquil landscape Centering Spiritual Values In the chaos of daily life, it is crucial to refocus on our spiritual values. Adopting spiritual practices helps us align our actions with our core beliefs, forming a strong base for meaningful living. Values such as love, kindness, and justice will boost our resilience during tough times. Engaging in journaling, prayer, or simply spending time in nature can help reconnect us to the spiritual threads that unite us. Remember, spirituality can take many forms. Whether you find it in a moment of solitude or through communal rituals, each pathway brings us closer to understanding our role in the larger community. The Role of Contemplative Practices Contemplative practices are powerful tools for both personal growth and collective transformation. Through techniques such as meditation, we discover new ways of thinking that resonate within our communities. For example, the nonprofit organization Mindful Schools has taught over 30,000 children mindfulness skills , showing how impactful these practices can be on a broader scale. Engaging in contemplative practices also inspires a collective belief in positive change. This optimism can foster environments where collaboration flourishes. When we participate in meaningful activities, we promote a culture of unity, understanding, and empowerment. A tranquil lake reflecting a serene sky surrounded by lush vegetation The Optimism of a Transforming World When we wholeheartedly embrace the vision of a transformed world, hope becomes a centerpiece of our global consciousness. Hope reminds us that our future can differ from past struggles and can offer a fresh start. Research indicates that 75% of people believe positive social change is possible , demonstrating the potential for a hopeful global community. Recognizing our interconnected experiences allows us to draw strength from one another. By inspiring each other, we can take actions that uplift and empower our communities. When we unify our voices around mutual goals, transformative change becomes attainable. Creating a Global Community Building a strong global community is a journey that requires commitment from us all. Here are some steps that we can take to foster these connections: Engage in Active Listening : Create space for discussions where every voice is valued and contributes to a collective understanding. Practice Compassion : Extend kindness and empathy towards others, recognizing that everyone has a unique story to share. Get Involved in Collaborative Projects : Step into community service or global initiatives that align with your skills and passions. Celebrate Cultural Exchange : Embrace diverse art, music, storytelling, and traditions that highlight our global richness. By taking these steps, we cultivate a supportive environment that champions unity and resilience. A Future of Hope and Connection Humanity is on the brink of a significant transformation toward a communal consciousness. By recognizing our interconnectedness, we can become change agents and invite others to embark on this path with us. As we nurture our inner selves, we plant the seeds for unity and growth. This journey creates a space where hope can thrive, leading to a flourishing interconnectedness. Together, through shared visions and contemplative practices, we can work toward a brighter future that embodies the essence of a true global community. In our quest to explore the unknown frontiers of global consciousness, let us work to weave a new fabric of love, compassion, and solidarity for generations to come.

Here's a list of some upcoming online and Rogue Valley in-person, eco-spiritual activities that may be of interest to you. Check back, as this post will be updated during February as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in March 2025. Don't be intimidated by the scope of this list; choose to participate in what calls to you. February 1-7, 2025 - The annual UN observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week was first proposed at the UN General Assembly in 2010. The World Interfaith Harmony Week is based on the pioneering work of The Common Word initiative . "World Interfaith Harmony Week provides a platform—one week in a year—when all interfaith groups and other groups of goodwill can show the world what a powerful movement they are. The thousands of events organized by these groups often go unnoticed not only by the general public, but also by other groups themselves. This week will allow for these groups to become aware of each other and strengthen the movement by building ties and avoiding duplicating each others’ efforts. Events are centered on common fundamental religious commandments: Love of God, Love of Neighbor; and Love of the Good. This formula includes all people of goodwill. It includes those of other faiths, and those with no faith." In conjunction with World Interfaith Harmony Week the Charter for Compassion  is having a 14-day journey of Living Wisdom: Meditations and Practices for a Compassionate Life. February 4, 2025 , at 6 a.m. PT - The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) will be having a virtual event with Dr. James Hansen entitled Global Warming Has Accelerated: An Intimate Conversation with Leading Climate Scientists. This is billed as  a "discussion on groundbreaking research that reveals the unexpected drivers behind the recent unprecedented rise in global temperatures." Register here . February 5, 2025 , at 3 p.m. PT - Unity Earth 2025, as a part of UN World Interfaith Harmony Week, partnered with IAMC and The Interfaith 'Ohana of Hawai'i to bring Ancient Sacred Traditions: Healing Wisdom for Modern Times - an event featuring leaders from Indigenous nations who will share the healing wisdom of their ancient traditions. Here's the Zoom Link: http://zoom.us/j/6060001111 February 5, 2025 , at 4:30 p.m. PT - The BTS Center  is offering   Lament with Earth ,   the third of five seasonal programs created in collaboration with The Many , "to hold contemplative space for grief in community with music, poetry. Learn more and register February 6, 2025 , from 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Chaplincy Innovation Lab is offering a Zoom webinar Spiritual Care by and for the Spiritually / Religiously Unaffiliated Register here if you are a subscriber. February 10, 2025-March 17, 2025 , Mondays 9-11 a.m. PT - ProSocial World is offering A free six-week online seminar led by Raj Sisodia and David Sloan Wilson: From Friedman to Darwin: An Evolving Paradigm for Economics, Business, and Management. " This graduate level seminar is an exploration of paradigm change in economics, business, and management. In contrast to the current dominant paradigm, exemplified by Milton Friedman’s profit maximization model, the new paradigm is based on evolutionary science; hence our title “From Friedman to Darwin.” Register here . February 10 & 17, 2025 , from 4-6 p.m. PT - Center for Christogenesis is presenting in two session on Zoom Ilia Delio speaking on Old God, New God: New Theologies . Register here . February 13, 2025 , at 4 p.m. PST - Faith in Place's montly call will be on the hot topic: Geothermal Solutions for the Midwest February. L earn how tapping into the Earth's heat can help combat climate change and advance just and sustainable energy solutions. Hear from experts including Ashley Besic from Building Decarbonization Coalition . Register here. If you missed their January Monthly Call: 2025 Climate Outlook or wish to rewatch the session, the recording is now available. February 21-23, 2025 - Citizens Climate Lobby is having their Greater Pacific Northwest Regional Conference in Vancouver, WA: Cultivating Climate Champions . This is "an intensive learning and sharing experience for new and experienced CCLers alike. You’ll get a chance to hear in-depth about the policies CCL advocates for, build your skills, and connect with your fellow advocates." Register here . February 28, 2025 - last day to apply for Seeds of Radical Renewal - a new hybrid in-person and online leadership course offered by Emergent Magazine from August 6 – September 28, 2025 , with in person September 25-28, 2025 meeting at Whidbey Institute , Clinton, WA. Their intent is to facilitate "a deeper immersion into the practical application of spiritual ecology and adaptive leadership. This course will introduce emerging leaders to the values of renewal, reciprocity, and reverence in building relationships with human and more-than-human communities and offer mentoring on applying those values to real-world projects." More information and registration here. March - October 2025 , at various days and times - The BTS Center is offering Walking the Wild Edges: Spiritual Accompaniment Circles for Challenging Times ,   monthly online gatherings plus an optional half-day retreat guided by skilled facilitators and open to spiritual seekers of all kinds. Learn more and register March 16, 2025 , from 1-4 p.m. PT - Ecumenical Ministies of Oregon’ s annual Interfaith Earth Summit will take place in communities across Oregon on March 16. With a focus on climate safety and health, learn how we can work together to protect our community from climate change. This gathering is both in-person and on Zoom, held simultaneously with other communities across the state. Sign up at https://emoregon.org/event/oregon-interfaith-earth-summit-2 March 27, 2025 - EcoAmerica and Blessed Tomorrow are organizing a National Faith + Climate Forum .   Congregartions are invited to register as a host location by Thursday, March 17, 2025 . Learn what hosting entails !  Blessed Tomorrow provides hosts with: On-site and Technical Checklists, Participation Guides, Promotional Support, Registration Management, Event Platform. April 25, 2025 , from 3:30-7:00 p.m. - Earth Day at SOU at the Farm. May 2-4, 2025 - Center for Christogenesis ’ upcoming annual conference, Rethinking Religion in an Age of Science: From Institution to Evolution . This virtual event will explore "how a renewed understanding of religion can invigorate planetary life and human evolution in our age of technology." Speakers will include Bayo Akomolafe , Diana Butler Bass , Ilia Delio, John Haught , Grace Ji-Sun Kim , and Thomas Jay Oord . More information here. May 28–June 2, 2025  - The Haden Institute  is having their   2025 Summer Dream & Spirituality Conference : Sacred Cosmos, Sacred Soul   in Asheville, NC and virtually. Apply here . This Conference will offer “a new framework for thinking about God, religion, and spirituality in an age of quantum physics and evolution – one that transcends the obstacles of dogmas in religious traditions. Ilia Delio, author of The Not-Yet God , offers a way forward for a vision of God and the Cosmos that is deeply satisfying for both the mind and the heart. She engages the insights of Carl Jung, the Jesuit scientist-theologian Teilhard de Chardin, and process thinkers.” “At the 2025 Haden Summer Dream and Spirituality Conference, we will explore the insights of Jung’s analytical psychology, modern science, and ancient mysticism. Dream work, contemplative practices, rituals, and creative embodiment will ground these insights into a personal and practical spirituality of love and connection to the whole of the Cosmos.” September 2025 to June 2026 - The Center for Wild Spirituality is now making plans for their Seminary of the Wild Earth  program (their foundational, year-long, eco-spirituality certificate) and their Vocational Eco-Spirituality  certificate (specializing in Eco-Spiritual Direction or as a Wild Guide) . Click here  to join the waitlist for their 2025 cohort. Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions, as they deem appropriate.

Here's a list of some upcoming online and Rogue Valley, in-person, eco-spiritual activities that may be of interest to you. Check back, as this post will be updated during January as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in February 2025. Don't be intimidated by the scope of this list; choose to participate in what calls to you. January 1-7, 2025 , at 1 p.m. PST - The Unity Earth community is having 7 Days of Rest 2025 - "a free, co-creative annual global event dedicated to the healing and replenishment of the planet and all its inhabitants." The "primary objective is to create a sacred collective space and time away from the busyness as usual for us to reflect together, as a species, how we can realign with our hearts, with each other, and with the intrinsic intelligence and order of nature." Join FB Event HERE Join us in Room One - http://zoom.us/j/6060001111 One World is a " deep beloved community of networks to unite humanity and restore Mother Earth." The main sponsor is Purpose Earth . January 3, 2025 - Application deadline for BTS Center and Chaplaincy Innovation Labs offering of Conversation Circles: Being Chaplains in a Climate-Changed World. This training will be for 12 sessions over 6 months from February – July 2025. Several days and times are available. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all Conversation Circles are filled; upon acceptance, commitment forms will be due by January 17, 2025 with a $200 program fee or request for financial assistance. Registration information here . January 8, 2025 , at 10 a.m. PST, - UCC is holding a Climate Action Commissioning Service to prepare ourselves to take action in the coming year. The 2025 theme is "Planting Seeds of Hope ." Rev. Michael Malcom, the Executive Director for Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People's Justice Council. will be leading the service. Register here . January 11, 2025 , at 10 a.m. PST - Southern Oregon Citizen's Climate Lobby is meeting at Pony Expresso, 175 Lithia Way Ashland, OR. The National call will feature Lucero Marquez, Associate Director of Federal Climate Poicy with the Center for American Progress. They will also discuss the Los Angeles fires and the Greater Pacific Northwest Regional Conference in Vancouver Washington, Feb 21-23rd. To get the Action Sheet click here. January 12, 2025 , from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. PST - Ecumenical Minsitries of Oregon is having an Interfaith Legislative Forum - a free Zoom overview of legislative issues of concern to the faith community. Their goal is to have legislators inform the audience of the issues and priorties facing the Oregon Legislature in the coming 2025 session. Confirmed legislators to date include Senators Dick Anderson, Chris Gorsek and Lew Frederick and Representatives Rob Nosse, Ed Diehl and Pam Marsh. Want to know how to be most effective in your advocacy efforts? Register here. January 13, 2025 , from 2:00-3:30 p.m. PST via Zoom - Alan Journet of SOCAN will discuss Federal & State Projects and other political issues. If you would like to join the team, please contact    Alan@socan.eco January 15, 2025 - May 21, 2025 - Deeptime Network is offering an   Advanced Deeptime Leadership and Wellbeing Program , Click to register. January 22, 2025 , at 11 a.m. PST - P roject Drawdown Executive Director Jonathan Foley, Ph.D., will discuss Getting Back on Track: How New Leadership and More Strategic Actions Can Best Address Climate Change Now - the importance of putting our energy toward new approaches and finding the right levers to solve climate change. Register here. January 22, 2025 - Becoming ProSocial -This guided journey will introduce the basics of the ProSocial method and provide weekly peer-group meetings to discuss, explore and deepen the work. Participants will be supported in identifying and working on their particular collaborative needs and goals.  Unlock 15% OFF on the course with code BPJAN15 until Jan. 17th. Register Here. January 22 – February 26, 2025, Wednesdays, 5– 6:30 p.m. PST - Cobb Institute is offering an Introduction to Process-Relational Thought & Practice , as part of earning a Certificate in Process Though & Practice . E nrollment is limited to 35 students and no new registrations will be accepted after February 5, 2025. More information and registration here . January 22, 2025 , from 6-8 p.m. PST, - Dr. Alan Journet of SOCAN is presenting a  session on Climate Change in Southern Oregon: Trends, Impacts, and Projections , both online via Zoom and in person at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center, 569 Hanley Rd, Central Point. ,The session, will cover the effects of global warming such as drought, heat waves, reduced snowpack, and floods, and their implications for wildfires, ecosystems, biodiversity, agriculture, and forestry..  Registration  fee is $15. January 23-25, 2025 - Process & Faith is offering a Renewing Faith Online Conference . During this multi-day online event, presenters will "explore several core themes of Christian faith – not academically, but in “big conversations” and practices." Renewing Faith : A Call for Reimagination and Renewal Renewing God : Deep Listening, Creativity, Transformation Renewing Jesus:  Atonement, Salvation Renewing Message:  Preaching, Scripture Renewing Worship:  Liturgy, Creeds, Sacraments, Aesthetics Renewing Spirit:  Practices, Religious Experience Renewing Community : Education, Outreach, Service Process and Faith is a multifaith network for relational spirituality and the common good." More information and registration here. January 28, 2025 , at 4 p.m. PT - Elders Climate Action is offering a National Call & Action Party (following) with the topic: Is Cleantech’s future "Clear or Cloudy" under the Inflation Reduction Act? with Climate & Energy Journalist, Amena Saiyid. Register here. January 29, 2025, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. PST - The topic of SOCAN 's January General Meeting will be Climate Action and the Oregon Caves with Sue Densmore, Executive Director of the Friends of Oregon Caves presenting. Sue will summarize the research of  Assistant Professor at Oregon State University  Katie Wendt , who is undertaking climate history research in the caves. This month SOCAN will be meeting at the Talent Public Library, 101 Home Street, Talent, OR. Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions, as they deem appropriate.

"In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) gave us a comprehensive plan for a sustainable world by 2030. Although we have accumulated much knowledge about the climate crisis, poverty, public health, and other social ills communicated in the SDGs , we seem to lack the inner capacity to deal with our increasingly complex environment and challenges." Inner Development Goals (IDG) was created as global movement "to bring attention to the inner capacities we must develop to confront the great challenges of our day. IDG is a non-profit, open-source initiative committed to fostering inner development towards more sustainable futures. They research, collect, and communicate science-based skills and qualities that help us to live purposeful, sustainable, and productive lives." The IDG initiative was first introduced at the MindShift Digital Conference in April 2020 at the Stockholm School of Economics. Since then t here have been three IDG Summits. The 2025 IDG Summit will occur October 15-17, 2025 in Stockholm. Click here for more information and registration. Gib Bulloch captures the unique spirit of IDG Summit in his latest piece for The Beautiful Truth magazine: Why Sustainable Development Must Start with Inner Development Gib explores why reaching the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) must begin with inner growth. As the graphic above shows, there are five main pillars to the inner development framework: Being: This is your relationship to self. How might we deepen our relationship to our thoughts, feelings and body to help us be more present, intentional and non-reactive when we face complexity? Thinking: Our cognitive skills. Not in short supply in the very brilliant, but too often these skills are linear and narrow in the business world. Can we expand them by taking different perspectives, evaluating information, and making sense of the world as an interconnected whole? Relating: Caring for others and the world. Can you name anyone who’s against that? It’s more than just appreciating each other. It’s about challenging ourselves to feel more connected to future generations and the biosphere and to create more sustainable systems and societies for everyone. Collaborating: What are our social skills? They’re not talking about social media skills here. It asks us about our abilities to include, hold space, and communicate with stakeholders with different values, skills, and competencies. Acting: Enabling change. The doing to balance the being of the first goal. Can we find the courage and optimism to break old patterns, generate original ideas and act with persistence in uncertain times?" I became aware of IDG through the November 27, 2024 IDG Revolution Podcast, Season 1, Ephisode 6 , where Dr. Max Klau interviewed Sheila Hassell Hughes , the Chief Operating Officer of the nonprofit Human Energy that was founded to introduce the science of the Noosphere as a source of meaning for future generations in our globalizing world. In 2023 Noam Chomsky recorded The End of Organized Humanity for the The Poetry of Predicament Podcast.. Living Resilience/Deep Academy has a mission of service "to bring the most potent support, tools and practices to those who are courageous enough to face, full frontal, our predicament-laden world." They offer support, training and safe container for the profound and demanding inner work that these times and this global transformation call for. #IDGSummit  #InnerDevelopmentGoals   #Sustainability   #GlobalGoals   #InnerGrowthOuterChange #HumanEnergy #IDGRevolution #LivingResilience

In his 2007 book Integral Consciousness and the Future of Evolution: How the Integral Worldview Is Transforming Politics, Culture and Spirituality author Steve McIntosh discusses integral spirituality, which he suggests "can bring about the evolution of our culture's overall spirituality through an expanded philosophical understanding of the spiritual natue of the primary values of beauty , truth and goodness ." There have been many attempts by philosophers to provide concise definitions of beauty, truth and goodness: Thomas Aquinas defined beauty as "unity, proportion and clairy." Alfred North Whitehead defined truth as "the conformation of appearance to realty." Immanuel Kant defined goodness by reference to the categorical imperative which says" Act according to those maxims that you could will to be universal law." Here are some of McIntosh's defenitions: Values -  "goals, ideals, desires, intrinsic qualities, standards of perfection ) serve to energize consciousness and culture and nourish these internal systems with meaningful sustance." Beauty - "When we look out at the external world around us, we describe its most exquisite features as 'beautiful.' Spirit appears to us in the object world as delicate loveliness, bold drama, and sublime elegance, all of which are forms of beauty . " Truth - "In the internal realm of thoughts and ideas, those which exhibit the most quality are the ones that are the most accurate, the most descriptive of reality and the most useful at providing solutions; when we look for spirit in the subjective realm, it most often looks like truth ." Goodness - "In the intersubjective realm of human relations spirit is revealed through kindness, compassion, fairness, forgiveness, mercy, and justice - actions guided by the value of goodness ." In 2023 Steve McIntosh  launched The Developmental Politics Project   to promote how developmental philosophy’s perspective "synthesizes and harmonizes values  from across the political spectrum. The strategies it uses to widen perspectives and integrate politically opposed viewpoints are neither left, nor right, nor centrist. Its theory of change is that culture and consciousness coevolve when people expand the scope of what they can value ." Here are the sources Robert Reich "currently relys on for the truth ": The Guardian Democracy Now Business Insider The New Yorker The American Prospect Americans for Tax Fairness Economic Policy Institute Center on Budget and Policy Priorities ProPublica Labor Notes The Lever Popular Information Heather Cox Richardson Robert Reich Substack

Here's a list of some upcoming online and Rogue Valley, in-person, eco-spiritual activities that may be of interest to you. Check back, as this post will be updated during December as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in January 2025. Don't be intimidated by the scope of this list; choose to participate in what calls to you. December 6, 2024 , at 4:00 pm - 5:00 p.m. PST - Center for Christogeneis is presenting a free online discussion: Can Science Be a Form of Faith? A Discussion of Teilhard’s Vision . "Teilhard de Chardin, a pioneering thinker at the intersection of science and religion, envisioned a cosmos in which matter and spirit are entangled in an evolutionary journey toward ultimate unity. He suggested that science is not only a method for understanding the material. " Free. More information here . December 11, 2024 - Presencing.org is offering 4D Mapping Online Training online through U-School.. " 4D Mapping , a cornerstone of Theory U and Social Presencing Theater (SPT) practices, is designed to inspire and support emergent transformational change. Tapping into embodied creativity and collective wisdom, this powerful practice helps us uncover deeper structures that keep systems stuck and identify potential leverage points for systems evolution." More information and registration here . December 11, 2024 , from 4-6:30 p.m. - The Association of Pittsburgh Priests is presenting Cathonomics: Toward a More Inclusive, Sustainable World Economy with Anthony Annett. He who will go through the ten principles of Catholic Social Teaching outlined in his 2022 book “ Cathonomics ” and show how these are aligned with social democracy. Anthony Annett is a Climate Change and Sustainable Development Advisor at the Earth Institute , Columbia University. Working closely with Religions for Peace , he leads the Earth Institute's initiative to strengthen the engagement of the world's religious communities in the climate change and sustainable development agendas. Inspired by Pope Francis and motivated by what he believed was a crisis of ethics during the global financial crisis, he dove deeply into the Catholic social tradition and other approaches like the civil economy paradigm. This journey eventually led him to leave the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and into Cathonomics. More information and registration here. December 12, 2024 , at 4 p.m. PST - Faith in Place is having their final Monthly Call of 2024 where we’ll come together to celebrate our shared accomplishments and look ahead to the opportunities awaiting us in 2025. Register here. December 14-15, 2024 - Matthew Fox Legacy Project and Immaculate Heart Community in Los Angeles is presenting (online and in person) Advent 2024: A Great Comming - Creation Spirituality and the Renewal of Religion, Humanity and Holy Mother Earth . Art as meditation includes music and Corita Kent's collage box making. Information and registration here. December 14, 2024 , from 3-5 p.m. PST - In place of a December General Meeting, SOCAN will host a Winter Solstice Party at a SOCAN activists’ home near Jacksonville. Please register   using this link , as it will help them plan the party. (Location and directions will be sent to those who register.) You’re encouraged to bring an appetizer or dessert, but it’s not required. Wine, beer, and sparkling water will be provided. If you want a different drink, please bring it with you. December 16-18, 2024 - N2 2024: The Noosphere & The Global South is an international & interdisciplinary conference in Morocco " fostering creative collaboration for intentionally and ethically steering the future evolution of global consciousness." “N 2 ” signals the exponential pace of the evolution of the noosphere and the reality that the next century will far exceed the last in rapid and radical change to the global mind. “N 2 ” also suggests how the noosphere amplifies our access to human understanding - beyond the individual “n of 1.” If you haven't already, explore the N² 2024 website to preview the conference themes and speakers . There you will be able to register for the conference for free, participating either in person or virtually via livestream. Once you register, be sure to look out for emails from them providing updates on the conference schedule and previews of upcoming speakers. December 18, 2024 , from 8-9 a.m. PST - Deeptime Network is offering  Free information sessions about their upcoming program   January 15, 2025 - May 21, 2025 Advanced Deeptime Leadership and Wellbeing Program , Click to register. December 31, 2024 - SOCAN will NOT have a monthly meeting in December. They will celebrate Winter Solstice on Saturday, December 14. January 8, 2025 , at 10 a.m. PST, - UCC is holding a Climate Action Commissioning Service .to prepare ourselves to take action in the coming year. The 2025 theme is "Planting Seeds of Hope ." Rev. Michael Malcom, the Executive Director for Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People's Justice Council. will be leading the service. Register here . January 22, 2025 , from 6-8 p.m. PST, - Dr. Alan Journet of SOCAN is presenting a session on Climate Change in Southern Oregon: Trends, Impacts, and Projections , both online via Zoom and in person at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center, 569 Hanley Rd, Central Point. ,The session, will cover the effects of global warming such as drought, heat waves, reduced snowpack, and floods, and their implications for wildfires, ecosystems, biodiversity, agriculture, and forestry.. Registration fee is $15. Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions, as they deem appropriate.

Here's a list of some upcoming online and Rogue Valley, in-person, eco-spiritual activities that may be of interest to you. Check back, as this post will be updated during Novembe as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in December. Don't be intimidated by the scope of this list; choose to participate in what calls to you. November 2, 2024 , from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. PDT - The Center for Building a Culture of Empathy is hosting an Online Empathy Summit , focused on exploring the empathy circle as a foundational empathy movement practice. More info and Zoom link here . November 6, 2024 , at 10 a.m. PST - On the day after the election, the UCC Council for Climate Justice will host a Climate Action Assembly to assess implications of the election results and begin to plan ahead. Their special guest speakers will include Robin Lewis, the Climate Equity Director for Interfaith Power & Light-DMV, and Abigail Cipparone, the Domestic Policy Advocate of the United Church of Christ's DC Office. Register here. November 7, 2024 , at 1 p.m. PST- Global Kinship (exploring the noosphere) is presenting their monthly webinar from Creation Spirituality Communities : The Individuality and Universality of our Stories with Harvey Honig and Jean Scott-Honig. Harvey is a former ordained Lutheran minister, Jungian analyst, and Instructor at the Chicago Jung Institute , He is the author of the book, A People's Guide to an Interfaith Christian Theology in a Time of Transformation ; Jean Scott Honig is a spiritual healer and counselor. Register Here November 7, 2024 , from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. PST - Elders Action Network is sponsoring part II of Difficult Conversations Workshop . No matter who wins the election, we’re going to need to talk—civilly! Do you have the skills to keep your cool in this overheated political environment? The Building Bridges project is delighted to once again sponsor a two-part workshop by Kern Beare, originator of the Difficult Conversations Project. Register here. November 11-22, 2024 - Delegates from around the world will convene in Baku, Azerbaijan for the 29th   Conference of the Parties on Climate (COP29) . November 12 & 19, 2024 , at 4 p.m. PST - The Center for Christogenesis offers a two-part workshop with Sheri Kling on Healing our Collective Pain: Worldviews, Dreamwork, and Transformation . Register here . The fee is $75 for access to both sessions. Session 1, Nov. 12:   Worldviews ,  Fragmentation & Integration  – this session "introduces the integrating resources available from the thinking of Alfred North Whitehead and Carl Gustav Jung." Session 2, Nov 19 :  Dreams & Transformation  – this session "explores dream work as an embodied spiritual practice for transformation and how dreams may actually be encounters with God in the world and in our lives." November 13, 2024, from 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm - Teilhard’s Omega Point: Does Evolution Have Direction? with Ilia Delio. How to participate? Join Steve McIntosh’s Zoom group – the Zoom group is a monthly forum on the evolution of consciousness and culture. Free. More Info here. November 14, 2024 , from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. PST - St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle has a monthly climate conversation on Zoom on the second Thursday of each month. November, it is Eat Pizza for the Planet: Making Meals that Reduce Climate Change. Two of the top 10 things people can do to reverse global warming are reducing food waste and eating a plant-rich diet. We’ll dig into the details to find out what we can do. Click here for more info and the Zoom link.   November 14-21, 2024 - Thomas Hübl, Founder of Pocket Project has organized Climate Consciousness Summit "a unique experience that intertwines the climate and healing movements, and find meaningful ways to connect and contribute." More information and registration here. November 16, 2024,  from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. PDT - Blessed Tomorrow is offering a live, virtual Christian Climate Ambassador Training to "equip you with the knowledge, hands-on experience, and resources to speak and take action on climate change in your home, neighborhood, place of worship, community, with policymakers and beyond." Register here. November 16, 2024 , from 6 to 8 p. m. PST– Southern Oregon Climate Action Now  (SOCAN) will mark its 12th year of passionate climate advocacy and education with " Sips for Sustainability ,“ at Bellview Grange , 1050 Tolman Creek Rd, Ashland, OR. This will be a social and fundraising event. with live music from the Bill Scholer Band, an array of wines, beers and non-alcoholic beverages, and the excitement of a mystery wine sale and eco-friendly raffle, attendees will have the chance to connect, reflect, and contribute to meaningful climate action. A donation of $20 is suggested. RSVP to isabella@socan.eco December 14, 2024 , from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. PST - St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle has a monthly climate conversation on Zoom on the second Thursday of each month. December, it is Reduce Plastic to avoid Gigatons of Carbon Emissions. They’ll discuss the places we use plastic, how to avoid it, alternatives to plastic, and innovative solutions. Click here for more info and the Zoom link. Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions, as they deem appropriate.

Here's a list of some upcoming online and Rogue Valley, in-person, eco-spiritual activities that may be of interest to you. Check back, as this post will be updated during September as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in November. Don't be intimidated by the scope of this list; choose to participate in what calls to you. October 8, 2024 , from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. PDT - SOCAN is having a Candidate Forum . SOCAN has invited all candidates for the current Jackson County Board of Commissioners race, Oregon House Districts 4, 5, and 6, plus Oregon Senate District 2 and Federal Congressional District 2 to the forum. The presentations will take place at the Medford Public Library, 205 S. Central Avenue, Medford, OR. The forum will be followed by an optional 30-minute meet and greet during which candidates and voters will have a chance to continue discussion. October 15, 2024 , at 9:25 a.m. PT - Maud Powell, Associate Professor of OSU Extension Small Farms program, will be a guest on the JPR's Jefferson Exchange, discussing her program to support small farmers suffering from living on the frontlines of climate change. October 15, 2024 , from 4-5 p.m. PDT - Citizen's Climate Lobby is having a Zoom meeting for CCL volunteers interested in becoming CCL Group Leaders. Click here to join , or go to zoom.us , click "Join" in the menu, and enter the meeting ID: 273-716-354 October 15, 2024 - November 19, 2024 , Tuesdays from 4-5:30 p.m. PDT - Deeptime Network   is offering a 6-week course with Brian Thomas Swimme, assisted by Jennifer Morgan: Cosmogenesis: Autocosmology as a Spiritual Practice . This is a required course for the Advanced Deeptime Leadership Program starting in January 2025 for those who have not done the 9-month DT Leadership Program. The cost is $171 for members.  Register here. October 16, 2024 , from 3-5:30 PT - Convergence and The Berkana Institute are having an online discussion with Matthew Fox, Brian McLaren, Margaret J. Wheatley, and Cameron Trimble titled Post-Doom Spirituality , You can attend the live conversation and will receive the recording to watch at your convenience. Registration fee is $35. Register here . October 17, 2024 , from 5:30-7:30 pm,  - SOCAN is having a Rogue Climate Volunteer Gathering and mini-orientation of the Electrification Campaign for new folk joining the campaign co-facilitated by long-term volunteers. They will also do an introduction to door-to-door canvassing since that is their current organizing focus. These monthly gatherings are always potluck style and themed to add a fun element. It is not required to bring a dish to participate. This month’s theme is Farm to Table, fresh farm ingredients. October 17, 2024 - Southern Oregon PBS is presenting the premiere of their new documentary series, Energy Horizons . This six-part series takes us on a journey to understand the importance of energy, climate change, and resource depletion, along with potential solutions across Oregon. The show takes us across the state, exploring current successes in renewable energy, frontier technologies in development, and the challenges around energy storage and transmission. The series includes interviews with SOCAN co-facilitator Alan Journet, and SOU Sustainability Director Becs Walker. Episode 1: Energy Horizons: Transition – Resource Depletion and Pollution October 17 , 8 p.m. (Repeats 10/19-7 p,m; 10/20-2 a.m.; 10/20-6 p,m,) They explore Oregon’s energy landscape, environmental challenges, and possible ways forward. Keegan and Tripp traverse the state of Oregon to examine why energy is so vital to us and how Oregonians are building our future. Episode 2: Energy Horizons: Solar Revolution – Rooftops and Farm Fields October 24 , 8 p.m .(Repeats on 10/26-7 p.m.; 10/27-2 a.m.; 10/27-6 p.m.). We learn about solar energy and the explosion in rooftop solar adoption and options for non-homeowners across Oregon. Episode 3: Energy Horizons: Offshore Wind – Potential and Controversy October 31 , 8 p,m, (Repeats 11/2-7 p,m,; 11/03-2 a,m,; 11/03-6 p,m,) Oregon has long maintained a robust wind energy sector. Now, with the new interest in the powerful winds off Oregon’s South Coast, the potential is everywhere, but amid its promise, conflict, and tensions are rising. Episode 4: Energy Horizons: Frontier Tech – Wave, Geothermal & Hydrogen November 7 , 8 p,m, (Repeats 11/9-7 p,m; 11/11-2 a,m; 11/11-6 p,m,) This fourth episode in a 6-part series looks at the future of renewable energy in Oregon. It includes niche, or further-future ideas, like wave, geothermal, and hydrogen. While still in development, these ideas reveal Oregon as a major player in future energy research. Episode 5: Energy Horizons: How Energy Moves – Storage & Transmission November 14 , 8 p,m, (Repeats 11/16-7 p,m,, 11/17-2 a,m, 11/17-6 p,m,) This fifth episode in a 6-part series covers how we can make renewable energy available with investment in energy storage and transmission essential for a new energy future. Whether it's rolling out transmission lines across valuable farmland or building massive storage facilities on Native American sacred lands, changes to our grid are embroiled in bureaucracy and controversy. Episode 6: Energy Horizons: The Long Game – Energy & The Future November 21 , 8 p,m, (Repeats 11/23-7 p,m; 11/24-2 a,m; 11/24-6 p,m,) Note: Episodes 4, 5, and 6 will premiere in November and are subject to change. October 22, 2024 , from 10 a.m. to noon PDT - John Cobb & Friends Gathering features David Korten: For the Love of Life: Finding Our Way to an Ecological Civilization Register here . October 22, 2024 , at 4 p.m. PDT - Elder Climate Action (ECA) is having a monthly call on Zoom: Navigating Climate & Election Anxiety with Tamara Staton . Tamara Staton co-founded her local Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) Chapter in Portland, Oregon in 2012 and stepped up as Regional Director for the Greater Pacific Northwest a few years later, supporting leaders and expansion efforts in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, and 3 Pacific Island territories. Register here October 29, 2024 , from 4:30-6 p.m. PT - The Center for Christogenesis is partnering with WCCM Meditation & Community to offer an online presentation by Ilia Delio: The Unfinished God in a Techno-Driven Universe . The presentation will be followed by a response from Laurence Freeman, a monk of the Benedictine Congregation of Monte Oliveto , Director of Bonnevaux , and the World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM). Register here. October 29, 2024 , from 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. PDT -   SOCAN   is having its Monthly Meeting on How Climate Change is Impacting Oregon Farmers. It will feature Maud Powell, Associate Professor of OSU Extension Small Farms program, discussing her program to support small farmers suffering from living on the frontlines of climate change. The meeting will take place at the Medford Public Library, 205 S. Central Avenue, Medford, OR. October 2024-March 2025 , from 4-5:30 p.m. PT - The BTS Center   is offering online " Navigating Climate Spiritual Care: A Learning Community for chaplains, pastors, educators, lay leaders, and spiritual seekers ,  on Monday evenings twice monthly from October 21, 2024 through March 10, 2025. The program fee is #200 . The application deadline is September 15, 2024. Register here . November 12 and 19, 2024 , at 4 p.m. PT - The Center for Christogenesis is offering a two-part workshop with Sheri Kling: Healing our Collective Pain: Worldviews, Dreamwork, and Transformation . Sheri D. Kling, Ph.D. , is the director of Process & Faith with the Center for Process Studies and interim minister of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bradenton, FL. Register here. Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions, as they deem appropriate.

Inside Climate News reports that a 2021 " Eco-anxiety Study (with a sample size of 10,000!) found that about 75 percent of 16-25-year-olds from 10 countries, including the United States, said “ the future is frightening, ” and 83 percent think " people have failed to take care of the planet .”  Aspen Global Change Institute  ( AGCI) reported that " the biggest ever stand-alone survey of climate opinion , conducted by the United Nations and the University of Oxford, found " more than half of people globally are more worried about climate this year than they were last year." This year, the UN Development Programme  surveyed   73,000 people in 77 different countries (one of the largest surveys of its kind.) and found that 80 percent of respondents want their governments to do more to act on climate change. 72 percent said they want a swift transition away from fossil fuels. And 56 percent of those surveyed said they think about climate change “daily or weekly.”  So how do our emotions about climate change either motivate us or immobile us to take action? A June 2024 Research Review by AGCI investigated the effect of four emotions ( guilt , anger , hope , and sadness ) on support for four different policy types: Personally costly policies (e.g., a tax on gasoline) Regulatory policies (e.g., rules to limit pollution from factories or power plants) Proactive policies (e.g., new investments in solar) Climate Justice policies (e.g. providing restitution for losses. They found that: Feelings of guilt lead people to support personally costly actions . Feelings of hope about climate change lead people to support proactive climate policies. Feelings of anger or sadness about climate change lead to more likely to support proactive policies (not climate justice). Feelings of anger are more likely to support proactive climate policies (not regulatory). Feelings of fear are more likely to support regulatory, policies because they are a way to protect themselves from harm. People who feel fear, as compared to the other emotions, are more likely to support all four kinds of policies . The Aspen Institute’s This Is Planet Ed   program "prepares children and young adults to thrive in a changing climate and empowers them with climate knowledge." Their work Supporting Students ,  "p rovides resources and technical assistance to community leaders and serves as a place to bring diverse groups of people together to drive equitable climate action." In August 2024 This Is Planet Ed released its   Higher Ed Climate Action Plan , which  calls for a systemic approach to climate education at the university level.  University of San Diego's Adaptive Mind Project  (ADP) research emphasizes community connections and social support as key coping mechanisms for the emotions that accompany traumatic events. Strong social connections can increase psychological resilience to major life changes and traumatic events. "Various studies imply, that messages about climate threats should be paired with concrete guidance for how acting with others can prevent great harm. Though the threat is great, solving this existential climate crisis is entirely possible, and informed communications is critical to motivating action." ~ Sarah Spengeman, PhD

Tripp Fuller 's Homebrewed Christianity Theology Beer Camp 2024 , which takes place in Denver, CO is also "the ultimate online gathering for theology buffs" October 18-19th , from 8-11 a.m. PT. Virtual ticket s are available for $75, which include a live stream of the main stage for all plenary and main stage breakout sessions, followed by a link to all TBC recordings. This includes keynotes from Ilia Delio , Catherine Keller , Diana Butler Bass , Brian D. McLaren , John J. Thatamanil , Joerg Rieger , & Gary Dorrien . Plus  a special online-only keynote from John Dominic Crossan . Ilia Delio , OSF, PhD , is a Franciscan Sister of Washington, DC, and an American theologian at Villanova University specializing in the area of science and religion, with interests in evolution, physics, and neuroscience and the import of these for theology. She is "the single finest exponent of Teilhard’s vision and its relevance for science and cosmology in the twenty-first century." Catherine Keller is a Professor of Constructive Theology at Drew University. who practices theology as "a relation between ancient hints of ultimacy and current matters of urgency." She teaches courses in process, political, and ecological theology. Within and beyond Christian conversation, she has all along mobilized the transdisciplinary potential of feminist, philosophical, and pluralist intersections with religion. Diana Butler Bass is an author, speaker, preacher, and commentator on religion and contemporary spirituality. She is " one of the most sought-after writers and speakers for mainline and liberal Christians, and her entire corpus of work remains relevant for the issues of today." Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. He is "a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” – just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good." John J. Thatamanil is a Professor of Theology & World Religions at Union Theological Seminary and Director, Insight Project: Theology & Natural World Joerg Rieger is the founder of the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt University, In his Religion & Justice podcast Rieger shares insights on "deep solidarity," a concept that unites various forms of exploitation across class, race, gender, and environment to foster resilient alternatives. He highlights how ecological care and human liberation are intertwined. He also challenges pie-in-the-sky religious ideals, calling for faith traditions to actively engage in building tangible alternatives to capitalism and environmental degradation. Gary Dorrien is an American social ethicist and theologian . He is the Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and Professor of Religion at Columbia University , both in New York City, and the author of 18 books on ethics, social theory, philosophy, theology, politics, and intellectual history. John Dominic Crossan is a New Testament scholar, historian of early Christianity, and former Catholic priest who was a prominent member of the Jesus Seminar , and an emeritus professor at DePaul University . "For the last 200,000-ish years planet Earth has been rocking humans. I’m not sure the other species have decided if we are much of a blessing, but in the meantime we may as well look into creating a more beautiful community of life together." ~ Tripp Fuller

Here's a list of some upcoming online and Rogue Valley, in-person, eco-spiritual activities that may be of interest to you. Check back, as this post will be updated during September as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in October. Don't be intimidated by the scope of this list; choose to participate in what calls to you. September 6, 2024,  from 4-6 p.m. PDT - The Center for Christogenesis  will offer a webinar: Returning Religion to the Prophetic, with Ilia Delio , who will explore "a renewed meaning of Teilhard de Chardin's vision of religion and evolution in a world that seems to be out of control, and our role in bringing about a more just and unified world." Tickets are $30. Register here. September 9, 2024 , every Monday at 3 p.n. PDT - Creation Justice Ministries is holding Vespers with Creation for this upcoming Season of Creation! For more information and to register visit creationjustice.org/vespers . September 14, 2024 , at 10 a.m. PDT - Southern Oregon Citizens' Climate Lobby meets at Pony Expresso in Ashland. The speaker this month on the national call is Dr. Dan Ariely Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University and a founding member of the Center for Advanced Hindsight. To learn more, download the CCL Action Sheet by clicking "Get the Action Sheet", click here September 22, 2024 , from 3-4 p.m. PDT - Faith in Place  has announced that "Lama Rod Owens, a black Buddhist southern queen and an internationally acclaimed teacher whose teachings center on freedom, self-expression, and radical self-care, will deliver the annual Environment & Spirituality Summit  keynote address."  Register here. September 28-29, 2024  - The Unitarian Universalist (UU) Climate Justice Revival   will equip UU congregations to enter a new era of climate action with the theme: Reimagine Together: From an Extractive Age to a New Era .  More than 175 UU congregations nationwide have announced their participation in the Climate Justice Revival weekend, Hosted by the UU Climate Justice Coalition and Friends, Interested congregations can find information at the UU Climate Justice Revival website . Register your congregation here. October 15, 2024 - November 19, 2024 , Tuesdays from 4-5:30 p.m. PDT - Deeptime Network is offering a 6-week course with Brian Thomas Swimme, assisted by Jennifer Morgan: Cosmogenesis: Autocosmology as a Spiritual Practice . This is a required course for the Advanced Deeptime Leadership Program starting in January 2025 for those who have not done the 9-month DT Leadership Program. The cost is $171 for members. Register here. September 24, 2024 , from 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. PDT - SOCAN is having a Rogue Valley community gathering where individuals have the chance to share food and company with other climate-concerned people! This event will allow climate activists across the valley to share hopes, dreams, and ideas related to our fight for a healthy environment and a stable climate for future generations." This event will be held at the offices of partner organization Rogue Climate at 205 N. Phoenix Rd Suite 255, Phoenix, OR, RSVP to Isabella@socan.eco October 2024-March 2025 , from 4-5:30 p.m. PT - The BTS Center is offering online " Navigating Climate Spiritual Care: A Learning Community for chaplains, pastors, educators, lay leaders, and spiritual seekers , on Monday evenings twice monthly from October 21, 2024 through March 10, 2025. The program fee is #200. The application deadline is September 15, 2024. Register here .   Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions, as they deem appropriate.

August 25, 2024 , at 1 p.m. PDT - Tripp Fuller of Homebrewed Christianity is presenting a live stream conversation: Unlocking the Future: Teilhard de Chardin Meets Artificial Intelligence with Ilia Delio  from Center for Christogenesis . Register here. "Are you ready to explore the cosmos of thought and technology? Dive into a fascinating journey with Professor Ilia Delio as she delves into Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's visionary work. Discover how his groundbreaking ideas illuminate our understanding of the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a philosophical explorer, or simply curious about the intersection of faith and science, this conversation promises to be an illuminating experience you won't want to miss!" On July 21, 2024 Tripp Fullers's Process This podcast interviewed theologian, AI pioneer, and computer scientist Dr. Anne Foerst as part of his Artificial Intelligence series. "Anne offered a deep dive into the fascinating intersection of AI and theology, urging us to consider the profound ethical, social, and theological questions as we march into an increasingly AI-driven future. As a member of MIT’s earliest explorations of embodied AI, she brings a unique perspective to a conversation increasingly shaped by the emergence of large language models of AI." "Dr. Anne Foerst is a Professor and chair of Computer Science at St. Bonaventure University. She teaches Computers and Society, Cybersecurity Ethics, and other interdisciplinary courses. She is also the director of the individualized major program at SBU. Her research focuses on the theological implications of Artificial Intelligence and the personhood of robots. Previously, she worked as a research scientist at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was also affiliated with the Center for the Studies of Values in Public Life of Harvard Divinity School. While in the artificial intelligence lab at MIT, she served as a theological advisor for the Cog and Kismet projects, two attempts to develop embodied, autonomous social robots that resemble human infants in their ability to learn and develop more mature intelligence levels." Check out Anne's 2005 book   God in the Machine: What Robots teach us about God and Humanity . Watch the conversation here on YouTube

August 27, 2024 , at 6 p.m. PDT - SOCAN's August monthly meeting will be Farming Sustainably at SOU, a field trip to the SOU farm at 155 Walker Avenue, Ashland, OR, to explore how its operation serves that goal. "Sustainable living simply means managing our resources today such that current generations can benefit but not such that we compromise the ability of future generations also to benefit.  In a climate-changing world, sustainable living includes farming sustainably." Participation is free and open to the public.  For information on the exact gathering location and parking, visit the SOCAN Calenda r.

Here's a list of some upcoming online and Rogue Valley, in-person, eco-spiritual activities that may be of interest to you. Check back, as this post will be updated during August as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in September. Don't be intimidated by the scope of this list; choose to participate in what calls to you. Enrollment will open in August for the School For The Great Turning 's The Essential Joanna Macy course , which runs Sept-Oct 2024. The course is facilitated by Lydia Violet Harutoonian and crafted by Joanna Macy. " In today’s moment of intersecting, accelerating planetary challenges, Joanna’s teachings continue to be a profound resource, for orienting ourselves to what’s going on, and finding our ways to stay present and contribute to this world we love." Register here, August 5, 2024 , at 5 p.m. PDT - Th!rd Act presents Elders for Kamala . " Join some of the nation's iconic older Americans: from faith leaders to iconic entertainers to high-ranking government officials as far back as the Carter administration. Hear from Jane Fonda , Bette Midler , Akaya Windwood , Bill McKibben , Rebecca Solnit , Rev. Lennox Yearwood , Terry Tempest Williams , Gus Speth , Judith LeBlanc , Kathryn Grody ,   John Kerry and many more for an hour of strategy and inspiration." Register here. August 8, 2024, at 4 p.m. PDT -   Deeptime Network   has launched Deeptime Cafe on second Thursdays (4-5 p.m., PDT), and third Fridays (9-10 a.m., PDT). This will be a time for followers of the Deeptime Network to spend unstructured time together, share news, resources, and know-how, and become 'zones of activation" and "fields of synergy." During August this will be free and open to everyone; starting in September the Deeptime Cafe will be open to Premium Members for $8 per month.   Register here . August 8, 2024  (time not announced yet). -  SOCAN 's   Legislature's Joint Transportation Committee is having a Listening Session on Transportation Funding  in preparation for the 2025 Session, at the Medford Public Library. August 12, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. PDT - Th!rd Act is offering a virtual Welcome to Third Act: Let’s Get Started inviting volunteers to learn about Third Act's campaigns, Working Groups, and how you can plug into our growing network. Register here. August 13, 2024 , at 7 a.m. PDT - Replay of an AI for Good session on Taking the Pulse of the Planet. Head to the "Stages" area to watch the session and "accelerate the United Nations' sustainable goals." Register here . August 15, 2024 , at 10 a.m. PDT - Th!rd Act  is also offering an online, monthly Contemplative, Mindfulness Meditation Practice  with Sharon Salzberg . A meditation teacher since 1974 and a co-founder of the  Insight Meditation Society  in Barre, Massachusetts, Sharon is the author of 13 books on the topic and is part of the G arrison Institute’s Pathways to Planetary Health .   Register here . August 27, 2024 , at 6 p.m. PDT  - SOCAN's August monthly meeting will be Farming Sustainably at SOU,   a field trip to the SOU farm at 155 Walker Avenue, Ashland, OR, to explore how its operation serves that goal. August 28 to October 31, 2024  -  ProSocial Action Lab  will be running two cohorts to serve a variety of schedules and global time zones . Over 10 weeks, groups from around the world will be paired with a ProSocial coach, and together, will learn and share how we can work together more effectively.  Register here . September 6, 2024, from 4-6 p.m. PDT - The Center for Christogenesis will offer a webinar: Returning Religion to the Prophetic with Ilia Delio , who will explore "a renewed meaning of Teilhard de Chardin's vision of religion and evolution in a world that seems to be out of control, and our role in bringing about a more just and unified world." Tickets are $30. Register here. September 22, 2024 , from 3-4 p.m. PDT - Faith in Place  has announced that "Lama Rod Owens, a black Buddhist southern queen and an internationally acclaimed teacher whose teachings center on freedom, self-expression, and radical self-care, will deliver the annual Environment & Spirituality Summit  keynote address."  Register here. Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions, as they deem appropriate.

Inside the Movement (ITM) is " a team of climate activists and journalists - the folks at EarthRise, Fossil Free Media , One Earth , The Solutions Project , and The YEARS Project . ITM is an aggregator "putting the actions, campaigns, stories, successes, challenges. and reflections of the climate movement in one place." " In a rapidly intensifying informational age that coincides with intense societal divisiveness and extreme weather, we’re often left wondering: will technology save us? With new technological advances every day, we are hopeful they can aid in transitioning us to a renewable energy system. But with all of this new tech at our fingertips, we shouldn’t forget that using our voices (the non-AI-assisted version!) is the best tool we'll ever have. Here’s how we can use them: Tell U.S. Banks to stop funding the climate crisis by expanding fossil fuel production. Ask your representatives to update archaic mining laws in the face of renewing mining industry. Demand the Department of Justice launch an investigation into Big Oil’s decades of lies , deception, and greed. Celebrate this week’s Wins for the Planet featuring how corporate workers are holding their employers accountable for their climate promises, and where federal dollars are being allocated for climate solutions.   Check out the latest voices in the movement , most interesting science , and best shareable videos ." "[Inside] The Movement is a newsletter and action toolkit for the climate movement. It is updated weekly and is here for you to change the world." Subscribe here. Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions as they deem appropriate. —

Donald Trump at the RNC made very clear his intention, if re-elected to office in 2024, to abandon efforts to reduce the causes of man-made climate change and "make America the dominant energy producer in the world, by far".... by " streamlining the permitting process, and ending market-distorting restrictions on Oil, Natural Gas, and Coal." Number 1 on the RNC agenda: "Unleash American Energy - Under President Trump, the U.S. became the Number One Producer of Oil and Natural Gas in the World — and we will soon be again by lifting restrictions on American Energy Production and terminating the Socialist Green New Deal. Republicans will unleash Energy Production from all sources, including nuclear, to immediately slash Inflation and power American homes, cars, and factories with reliable, abundant, and affordable Energy." In contrast, Evergreen Action says: Kamala Harris Is the Climate Champion We Need . They emphasize that "Vice President Harris has a long track record standing up for climate and environmental justice:" "As Vice President, she cast the deciding vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), unleashing billions of dollars to build the clean energy future we need and has traveled the country standing up for good union jobs. " The Inflation Reduction Act enhanced or created more than 20 tax incentives for clean energy and manufacturing." As the second-highest-ranking official in the most climate-accomplished administration in US history, her leadership has been central to initiatives that are changing peoples' lives for the better around the country. As a Senator from California, she introduced the Climate Equity Act , paving the way for the equity investments made in the IRA, and has been a leading voice for environmental justice her entire career. As California's Attorney General, she took big oil to court and won—siding with communities against their polluting projects and forcing them to clean up their messes. As District Attorney for San Francisco, she established one of the first environmental justice units in the country." "The choice before us could not be starker. As a nation, we can have Big Oil's hand-picked agents of destruction Donald Trump and JD Vance , who are for nobody but themselves." Craig Segall says, " They would tear apart this country to enact Project 2025’s fossil vision . " See Section 12 of Heritage Foundations' Project 2025. "Or we can have Vice President Harris, who is for the people. Whose career has been dedicated to public service and a safe climate, and who can deliver the thriving, inclusive clean energy economy we know is possible." Listen to the July 23, 2024 podcast of Outrage + Optimism - U.S. Election Special: Is a Win for Harris a Win for Climate? President Biden leaves a legacy of making significant environmental strides during his tenure as President. Kamala Harris has a strong record on climate action, is motivated by a deep sense of justice, and has significant skills as a prosecutor. A Harris victory would mean optimism for the future of climate action and environmental policies. A July 23, 2024 article in the New York Times also explores Can Kamala Harris Finish Biden's Climate Agenda?

In her 2020 book Re-Enchanting the Earth: Why AI Needs Religion , Ilia Delio says: "The shift from the individual to the posthuman in the second axial period calls for a new religious expression." She quotes Frank Newport who says, "Institutional religion is coming to an end." Referencing James Emery White , she notes: "The rise of the Nones - spiritual, but not religious - signals the rise of a new religious consciousness, without the trapping of institutional life." A theology of evolution understands 'God' as "neither fixed nor otherworldly, but the inner creative power of wholeness and unity, impelling cosmic evolution toward the personalization of being in love." This scientific/pantheistic worldview sees "matter as porous and permeable, while divinity is chaotic, unstable, and overflowing. God enters into materiality and rises up and through evolution." Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955), a scientist (paleontologist) and Franciscan priest " developed a highly progressive, cosmic theology which took into account his evolutionary studies." Teilhard thought that a "religion of the earth" must replace a "religion of heaven" and that science and religion are not incompatible, but two aspects of one reality. Ilia Delio has updated and extended Teilhard's thoughts in line with new scientific understandings calling for a Church of the Planet. In The Not-Yet God (2023) she offers a new myth of "relational holism," in the search for a new connection to divinity in an age of quantum physics, evolution, and cultural pluralism. David Felton, in his February 1, 2024 column on Progressing Spirit , interviews Michael Zimmerman of the Clergy Letter Project , "a grassroots organization consisting of clergy from around the world who’ve come together to not only promote the belief that science and religion can and should be considered compatible, but to show that there are advantages to both science and religion if the two are seen working hand in hand instead of being at war with one another." The Clergy Letter Project members come together at least once a year for Religion and Science Weekend "to move the dialogue between religion and science a little deeper." Religion and Science Weekend was held this year from February 9-11, 2024 with the theme: Religion, Science and the Common Good., 151 Congregations representing 35 States and the District of Columbia, and 6 countries participated in the Religion and Science Weekend. As of 7/17/24, a total of 17,357 signatures appeared on The Clergy Letters . NPR reported earlier in 2024 that Pew Research finds that "nones" (people affiliated with no religion) now outnumber Catholics and Evangelical Protestants. He notes that "many of these unaffiliated Americans point to the church’s anti-science stance as one of the main reasons for their disaffection." However, Gallup 2019 research finds that despite the advances of science still "forty percent of U.S. adults ascribe to a strictly creationist view of human origins, believing that God created them in their present form within roughly the past 10,000 years." A new theology of evolution will help humans appreciate our inter-connectness with all that is and inspire an attitude of sustainability. This may take some time because of institutional inertia and nationalism, but the need for this transition is urgent because of disruptions due to global warming, species extinction, the threat of potentially escalating wars, and other factors.

Here's a list of some upcoming online and Rogue Valley, in-person, eco-spiritual activities that may be of interest to you. Check back as this post will be updated during July as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in August. Don't be intimidated by the scope of this list; choose to participate in what calls to you. July 5, 2024 , at 6:30 p.m. PDT - Third Act Oregon is presenting a free, in-person, and live-streamed event at First Unitarian Portland, OR: An Evening with Bill McKibben. The renowned climate activist, author, and journalist will talk about "what’s bringing him joy, what gives him hope, and why he believes that working together, we can have a huge impact on making our world a better place for generations to come." Register here . July 6, 2024 , 10 a.m. - noon PDT - Jackson County Master Gardeners Sustainable Living Series: Drip Irrigation 101 , is being offered at the OSU Extension Auditorium, 569 Hanley Rd., Central Point -- $15 per person. July 8, 2024 , at 1:00 p.m. PDT - ProSocial is offering a free research seminar with Robert Styles: Conscious Multilevel Cultural Evolution: Theory, Practice, and Two Case Studies . Register here . July 8-12, 2024 - The Center for Open and Relational Theology   is having its ORTCON24   at Grant Targhee Resort in the Grand Teton mountains of Wyoming, "This in-person conference "brings together scholars, leaders, pastors, and activists... providing workshops, lectures, and social activities to deepen relationships and present new ways of imagining God and the universe." Information and Registration:   https://c4ort.com/ortcon/ July 9, 2024, from 6-7 p.m. PDT - SOCAN is offering Zoom training for giving testimony at the Forward Oregon Transportation August 8 event. Zoom link   Contact Alan Journet for more info. July 9, 2024 , from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. PDT- The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hold the second public workshop for the Clean Fuels Program 2024 Rulemaking to discuss its draft OR-GREET 4.0 model and simplified calculators. The purpose of this workshop is to provide an opportunity for interested parties and DEQ to discuss the draft model and provide feedback. While DEQ has convened a Rulemaking Advisory Committee for this rulemaking, this workshop is not a meeting of that committee. July 11, 2024 , at 4 p.m. PDT - Deeptime Network will launch the Deeptime Cafe on second Thursdays (4-5 p.m., PDT), and third Fridays (9-10 a.m., PDT). This will be a time for followers of the Deeptime Network to spend unstructured time together, share news, resources, and know-how, and become 'zones of activation" and "fields of synergy." During July and August this will be free and open to everyone; starting in September the Deeptime Cafe will be open to Premium Members for $8 per month.   Register here . July 8-13, 2024 - " Th!rd Act is working groups in actions across the country to demand that Wall Street banks stop using our hard-earned retirement savings to fund the climate crisis ." As Summer of Heat's Elders Week  kicks off on July 8th Third Act is presenting a recorded Contemplative Service to provide spiritual grounding for the week. Created by Rev. Dr. Jessica McArdle, this 18-minute service includes interfaith chants, prayers, petitions, and an immersive guided forest meditation. Register here. July 15, 2024, from  6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. PDT - Ashland Together is having "an empowering conversation about Fire, Climate Change, and Community at Carpenter Hall, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer St., Ashland, OR. Special guests are Marko Bey (founder & Executive Director, Lomakatsi Restoration Project, and Belinda Brown (Tribal Partnerships Director). July 15, 2024 , from 7-8:30 p.m. PDT - Pachamama Alliance  is sponsoring a private, preview screening of the unreleased documentary: We Are Guardians   about the Indigenous protectors of the Amazon rainforest , at the Varsity Theatre in Ashland, This will include a Q&A period with the Director, Get Tickets here . ($10-$50 sliding scale) July 16, 2024 , at 10 a.m. PDT - Th!rd Act is also offering an online, monthly Contemplative, Mindfulness Meditation Practice with Sharon Salzberg . A meditation teacher since 1974 and a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, Sharon is the author of 13 books on the topic and is part of the G arrison Institute’s Pathways to Planetary Health .   Register here . July 17, 2024 , at 6:00 p.m. PDT - SOCAN   and the Oregon Conservancy Foundation  are sponsoring a presentation by Lloyd Marbet and Cathryn Chudy   “Nuclear Power, Unaffordable at any Size”,   at the   Metaphysical Library, 1757 Ashland St., Ashland, OR. July 18, 2024  at 5:30 p.m. PDT - Rogue Climate  is having its Monthly Volunteer Gathering at their office in Phoenix, OR. July 21, 2024 , from 10 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. PDT - The School For The Great Turning is offering an online Somatic Practice and Support Group with Carl Rabke of Embodiment Matters " guiding us through explorations of the somatic foundations for soul work, helping us respond to these challenging times with grounded, spacious, embodied presence.". $25. Register here. July 23, 2024, from 1-2 p.m. PDT - The BTS Center is offering a taste of Navigating Climate Spiritual Care Learning Community. This online gathering with the hosts Rev. Alison Cornish and Nicholas Collura will allow you to find out more about the Learning Community, meet the facilitators, and ask any questions you might have . Register here. July 30, 2024 , at 6:00 p.m. PDT - SOCAN is having its Monthly General Meeting at the Medford Public Library, 205, S. Central Avenue, Medford. where Bill Gorham will speak on Oregon’s Proposed Floating Offshore Wind Project . August 8, 2024  (time not announced yet). -  SOCAN's   Legislature's Joint Transportation Committee is having a Listening Session on Transportation Funding   in preparation for the 2025 Session, at the Medford Public Library. August 28 to October 31, 2024 - ProSocial Action Lab will be running two cohorts to serve a variety of schedules and global time zones . Over 10 weeks, groups from around the world will be paired with a ProSocial coach, and together, will learn and share how we can work together more effectively.  Register here . September 22, 2024 , from 3-4 p.m. PDT - Faith in Place has announced that Lama Rod Owens, a Black Buddhist Southern Queen and an internationally acclaimed teacher whose teachings center on freedom, self-expression, and radical self-care, will deliver the annual Environment & Spirituality Summit keynote address.  Register here. Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions as they deem appropriate.

October 15, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PDT - Deeptime Network is offering a six-week program Cosmogenesis: Autocosmology and Spiritual Practice ( s teps to Planetary Consciousness, Deep Belonging, and Participation in an Evolving Universe) with Brian Swimme , assisted by Jennifer Morgan , on Tuesdays: October 15, 22, 29 ; and November 5, 12, 19, 2024 . The Observer level is $190 and the Participant level (limited to 20 with Zoom discussion) is $450. Register here . This is a required course for the Advanced Deeptime Leadership Program starting in January 2025, for those who have not done the 9-month DeepTime Leadership Program. This past year (September 2023 through April 2024) the Deeptime Network offered their nine-month Deeptime Leadership & Wellbeing Program : Life and Leadership that Start with an Evolving Universe , which started Sept. 20, 2023 (with or without a Certificate.) There were three modules. Module One:  Introducing the New Cosmology   Module Two: Applying the New Cosmology Module Three: Deeptime Leadership Practicum Prospective participants were invited to join one module at a time or sign up for all three and discern if this was right for them. To watch their 2023 discernment video recording   click here . Deeptime Network is creating a community through three levels of membership: Free; Basic at $2.75 per month; and Premium Membership at $8 per month. which offers access to many courses for free; participation in discussions; forming groups; promoting your work on their social media; and events such as: July 20, 2024 , from 4-5:15 p.m. PDT - Deeptime Network offers Kosmic Vespers  online for its members. August 17, 2024 , from 4-5:15 p.m. PDT - Deeptime Network offers  Kosmic Vespers  online for its members. August 31, 2024 , from 8:30-10 a.m. PDT - Deeptime Network offers Contemplating Our Sun  online for its members.