the year of X | january 2010
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Read this online: http://transformativechange.org/docs/nl/transform-201001.html Download printable PDF version: http://transformativechange.org/docs/nl/transform-201001.pdf
what's new
welcome January is named after Janus, roman god of doorways. The first month of the Gregorian calendar, January is the door to the new year. It often signifies renewal, a new start, and a new beginning. January is the month that we celebrate and remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Worldwide, the new year is marked by ceremonies and rituals that let go of the concerns and problems of the past year and welcome the opportunity to face a new year with fresh eyes and renewed commitment. This is a time to reflect on our past transgressions, great and small, to atone, and resolve to do things differently in the coming year. This month's issue focuses on starting at the beginning again by building solid new foundations and honoring resolutions. Enjoy and Happy New Year!
Everything Old is New Again Nearly every Thursday night for the past 5 years, Rev. angel Kyodo williams has offered a dharma talk at the Center. Each [image:Gabriel Robledo]
of them are rich, deep, candid pieces meant to be heard with an
open heart. For the first time, CXC volunteers will be transcribing and compiling each and every talk with the intent of sending them off to be published. Read more...
in SIGHT The Power of Nonviolence
the year of X: horoscope for america's movement for justice
No video? Click #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch ? v=pukqx2UGgso
INcite with angel Kyodo williams
video, he describes how non-violence empowers
Sami Awad is a Peaceworker and the Executive Director of Holy Land Trust in Palestine. In this Global Oneness people to deal with injustice and oppression by breaking down the barriers that prevent people from
In the East Asian calendar, commonly called Chinese Astrology, 2010 is the Year of the Tiger. The Tiger symbolizes strength and protection, a courageous and fiery fighter that keeps away "fires, theives and ghosts."
relating to each other. The Power of Nonviolence | 2:22 min Holy Land Trust Subscribe to CXC on YouTube
in TIME http://transformativechange.org/docs/nl/transform-201001.html
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the year of X | january 2010
The underlying principle of all systems that seek to reflect character traits to us based on the year, month, day or hour of our birth is to give us a window into our basic orientation--our internal operating systems, if you will--so that rather than being limited or boxed in by definitions, we have the opportunity to become our full selves because we're equipped with an insightful compass that signifies where we are. We, in turn, exercise "the precious gift of choice" that is the birthright of human beings, to determine where, exactly, we will go. At their best, astrologers are astute scientists, read into the deeper meaning and drawing hypotheses about how the energy of stars and space influence our paths...not so much fortune-telling, but more a Life weather forecasting. Horoscope for Justice In 2010, a confluence of circumstances and stars align so that we are now kicking off what I'd call The Year of X. Here's my "hour watching"-or "horoscope" for America's movement for justice:
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in TIME CXC is Hiring Center for Transformative Change is seeking two people to help round out our dream team for deep change: - Communications & Events Steward - Bookkeeper/Office Administrator Pass it on... Communications & Events Steward Bookkeeper/Office Administrator The Core of What We Do We're starting 2010 by focusing on the core of what we do, practice.
Join Us for: fearlessYOGA Sunday - Free Class fearlessYOGA Mornings
It seems pretty obvious that the Tiger/ess is collectively emblematic of all the activists that seek positive change in the world. No matter what sign we're born under indvidually, we change agents exhibit the qualities of being ferocious and domineering on the outside, but noble and distinguished on the inside. But we tireless seekers of justice are forged of additional qualities that make us a special breed that show up only once in a lifetime cycle. The usual suspects that we get to point to: King, Gandhi, Suu Kyi, Ella Baker, Black Elk, Mandela, Guevara, Ambedkar...are auspicious figures that seem to appear too far and few between. They are bound together in their diverse struggles to overcome the oppression of their time and space by a less tangible but unequivocally more powerful "X" factor that exponentially multiplied their effectiveness beyond mere tactic, tool or technique. Their engagement of a unique arsenal of internal "weapons" or skills developed as a result of deep and abiding personal practice, expressed and applied in systematic and organizational contexts, catapulted them beyond the ordinary to the Xtraordinary. Beyond the individual to collective. Beyond personal OR political to the profound. Beyond change to trans--"X"formation.
Jo Kata Practice fearlessMeditation Mornings Community Thursdays: Dharma Talk and Dinner or Council Deepen Your Practice in Community Universal Form: Meditation in Action
3 Minutes to Power and Peace Universal Form is a healing practice that incorporates body, breath and energy, with elements of Tai Chi, Yoga, and Qigong. Join us at MLK Civic Center Park and take your practice out in the world. Register today. Universal Form: Meditation in Action fearlessYOGA Teacher Training: Yoga Built for Justice (fYTT) April 2-28 2010 The first, and only, yoga ever designed for agents of social change. fearlessYOGA is a physical metaphor for social justice that offers an accessible approach to practicing yoga through a standard series of multilevel postures that, once learned, can be practiced as a "flow." Register today.
Beyond. Transcendent. near-Shamanic. Talismanic. X. Where we find ourselves now is a unique moment in time in which the ability to dig deep into this internal arsenal to express our full collective selves as the mighty and powerful agents of justice, freedom and love that we are is available to us en masse. We don't have to wait for the random revolutionary savior, but can activate this X-factor ourselves. We can either accept limited concepts about who we are as movement(s) and what we can and cannot do or we can exercise our will, our choice by dropping in beneath the infighting, rhetoric and soundbites to find a truer expression of our noble spirits' search for http://transformativechange.org/docs/nl/transform-201001.html
fearlessYOGA Teacher Training: Yoga Built for Justice (fYTT) April 2-28 2010 27 Days of Change: Spring Practice Period It's not too early to register for 27 Days of Change: Spring Practice Period, March 2-28, 2010, nationwide.
Register today. 27 Days of Change: Spring Practice Period US Social Forum: June 22 - 26, 2010 | Detroit, Michigan For the first time CXC will be representin' at Page 2 of 7
the year of X | january 2010
soundbites to find a truer expression of our noble spirits' search for freedom through our own liberation. We can wait for a messiah, preacher, guru or President to part the raging sea of conservatism or we can disarm the resistance with our capacity for charismatic conversion. Who needs to win when you can win over? Colors and Directions The colors that symbolize this Year of X are:
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Michigan For the first time CXC will be representin' at the US Social Forum (USSF). USSF is one of the most important national gatherings for those who are devoted to social change. US Social Forum | June 22 - 26, 2010
in the CENTER
red, for the fierce passion of our convictions
The Splintered Road to Gaza This is a firsthand account from our
white, for the purity of our hearts
Founder, sharing her experience of the
yellow, for our vast vision, expansive and encompassing as the golden sun, and
Gaza Freedom March.
northern Sinai, Egypt. 30 december 2009. 7:50pm
black, for the great depth and mystery that is the doorway to that Great Beyond, our collective transformation. The four colors that represent all people on the planet are held in our hearts because any real fight for justice is not against but for. For the planet, for the people, for life and for love. For all. The directions? All of the cardinal four, naturally, looking East towards the future with the wind and work of our Ancestors of past coming from the West. The South situates us in this very moment of now, while the North holds the infinite possibility of no-time. With those, we also look to the Heavens above for guidance from Spirit, Earth below for grounding and deep into the Cosmic Center the very core from which we organize.
here we are on the road to Gaza. i am one of what ended up being 65. i was included in the original 100. i got the news that I was selected last night at 9pm. "pack your bags." my friend and coordinator of the media team said. "you're on the list. you're going." Read more... Winter 27 Days of Change | How it Went Twenty-seven people from around the nation participated in CXC's 27 Days of Change this winter. One-third of the participants were local, while the remaining two-thirds live outside the greater Bay Area. For the first time ever, CXC offerred the 27 Days of Change: Winter Practice Period as an entirely virtual
X Qualities Most important are the qualities this Year of X asks us to lean into, cultivate and operationalize. Here are the big ten: First, the ABCs. The "what." Basics we should all live by whether seeking justice in the world or just within ourselves:
experience. Read more... Register: 27 Days of Change: Spring Practice Period
inner PRACTICE Mindful Eating
1. authentic: be who and what you are. no more, no less. 2. balanced: left, right. work, play. give, receive. 3. centered: organized & on purpose from the deep core of your very being
It's that time of year again when so many of us resolve to address habits and behaviors we wish to change. At the top of the list is
Next, the "how" of our actions. Showing up in a good way as individuals, organizations and communities means being: 4. aligned: thought, word and action. all one. 5. integral: complete, whole and radically inclusive. 6. transparent: out loud and proud, come what may. For every purpose, a reason. The "why" or toward what end are the three Ss of Social Justice that must be sought after, procured, cultivated and protected for all: 7. safety: food, shelter, clothing, dancing & moving freely
http://transformativechange.org/docs/nl/transform-201001.html
usually something about weight loss or eating. Before taking anything away, perhaps it will be more useful to add first an exploration of mindfulness and eating. Incorporating the principles of mindful eating can be an effective approach to understanding the way we eat and relate to food. Read more... Mindful Eating by Dr. Jan Chozen Bays Oryoki: Zen Eating Meditation
outer ACTION Page 3 of 7
the year of X | january 2010
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8. self-determination: our way is the way, mistakes, foibles and all.
outer ACTION Communication as Foundation
9. sustainability: we've all got to be here. for a long time. act like it.
| The Relationship Between Nonviolent Communication & Transformation
and finally, without putting these concepts into rigorous, ongoing practice (beheld with joy, appreciation and lots of dancing) we would only have ideas. We need more than dreams and theory, we need praxis, making each quality actionable in our moment-to-moment-tomovement lives, as: 10. Presence: be here. now. As always, both symbolically and in reality, it must be remembered that X is also associated with the unknown...that which unfolds before us beyond even our will and choice. It is how we respond to that unfolding--especially and most poignantly when it is not according to our plan--that is the true reflection of our character and our mastery of those X qualities. It's when the shit hits the fan that we need to stand
It is widely accepted that communication is one of the most important factors in a relationship. How we communicate with others and the quality of the way we interact is a mirror of how we commune with and regard ourselves. Relationship, a sense of belonging, and connection are universal human yearnings. The new year is a perfect time to look at the ways in which we communicate, especially if we resolve to transform. Read more... The Center for Nonviolent Communication Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg
firm in the stink with Fearlessness, Grace and Presence. May you live this Year of X as if your life depends on it. I know mine does.
social CHANGE Climate Change: Losing the Ineffable Climate change is here and now and it is destroying the peoples,
angel Kyodo williams is founder of urbanPEACE and its Center for Transformative Change. A social visionary and leading voice for transformative social change, she is the author of Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living With Fearlessness and Grace.
land, and way of life that has sustained humanity for thousands of years. It is affecting those who are least responsible for global warming: those in developing countries who live in rural areas and whose lives and cultures embody very old traditions and wisdom. When the unsustainable way of life that keeps us separate
Blog: new Dharma: live, love & lead from the heart Facebook: Fan angel here
from each other completely fails, we will need the
Twitter: Follow angel for tweets of wisdom on Change Web: about.angelkyodowilliams.com
more than ever. We must act now before we lose the
wisdom and methods of those we are destroying today ineffable wisdom and ways of living that can save us all. Read more...
angel Kyodo williams' next public talk:
Climate Justice Now!
angel is on sabbatical and next talk is tba. Check here for latest info
in the MIND newDharma Talk
Choosing Freedom Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a brain
Atonement During retreats and ceremony at the Center
scientist who had a stroke that shut down her left brain, believes
participants read the Verse of Atonement. It helps us reflect on all of who we have been so that we can completely accept all of who we are. This particular talk gives us a chance to consider what it might mean to absorb all parts of ourselves, the ugly, the pretty, the humble and the forceful. Verse of Atonement http://transformativechange.org/docs/nl/transform-201001.html
we can choose which side of our brain we operate from. She calls our right brain the "inner peace circuitry." During her stroke, with her left brain "silent" of all chatter, she experienced the "euphoria" of losing the boundaries of her body and "sinking into the universe." Read more... Page 4 of 7
the year of X | january 2010
Verse of Atonement All separation ever committed by me On account of my beginningless greed, anger, and ignorance, Born of my body, speech and mind, I now atone for it all.
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Read more... My Stroke of Insight by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor
"the best workshop i've ever taken. radically changed my work." fearless Meditation is our 3-part signature series that
"We don't want want to cling to the past and drag it with us, but we do
teaches practical meditation in a social justice context
want to learn to trust it. We do want to learn from what has already happened. And the only way we can learn from it is if we be one with
is offered for no charge for agents of social change:
it and say, "And now I atone for it all.' If I'm at one with it now, there's no need to have this sense of something that's dragging behind. It just
every 1st Friday
becomes part of the fullness of who we are." Listen to Atonement
in the BODY
fearless Meditation I: January 15, 2010 | 7pm &
Twelve Months of Fearless Asana | Tadasana Tadasana, also known as Mountain Pose, is the best place
activists, allies & agents of change Commitment to Authenticity Erica Grevemeyer is the Interim Director for Bay Area Nonviolent Communication (BayNVC) She joined the organization in 2003, after acting upon her desire to find meaning beyond financial sustainability in her work and left her software engineering career of 6 years. Prior to that she served 2 years in the Peace Corps in Morocco. She has a BA in linguistics from the University of Chicago and has been a student of Buddhism [image:Karen Muktayani since 1992. Erica, also affectionately known as Villanueva] 'Svani', (short for Sundaresvani, which in Sanskrit means "beautiful voice") has been a regular fixture in the New Dharma Community since 2006. CXC: What does your organization do? How would you describe its programs? EG: BayNVC offers tools to prevent and resolve conflicts and improve relationships. We teach Nonviolent Communication (NVC) to the public and in organizations such as schools, prisons, non-profits, faith communities and corporations. BayNVC is based in Oakland. We have trained people locally, nationally and internationally. Our trainings range from a 2 hour introduction to an intensive year long leadership program. Read more... Learn more about Bay Area Nonviolent Communication
resources for change‌
to start on our new goals and resolutions as it promotes confidence, happiness, and helps us create space in our bodies. Let's start and begin the new year with an emphasis on foundation and confidence. Read more...
wellness & being well Is Your Diet Suffering from too Much Racism? contributor's note: written in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (born January 15, 1929)
We all share in benefits of the contributions of folks like Dr. King, Medgar Evers, Dr. Howard Thurman, and Malcolm X. No doubt, each of us in our own way value some of what they've done. And in the black community, we hope to see more activists step forward to make real transformation blossom right where we live. At the same time, in order to effect transformation the first thing we have to work on is not our communities, it's our health. Read more... Racism's Physical Impact
january wallpaper
Watch brain scientist, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's fascinating TED talk on surviving a stroke. She reminds us of our interconnectedness and how human beings have the powerful gift of choice to embody that connection. Further your own connection with folks by checking out a clip of BayNVC's weekly TV show which focuses on real-life examples of nonviolent communication in action. Finally, check out The Center for http://transformativechange.org/docs/nl/transform-201001.html
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the year of X | january 2010
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nonviolent communication in action. Finally, check out The Center for Mindful Eating's Web site, full of information and resources related to how we nourish ourselves. TED (Technology, Education, Design) Talk | Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor Conflict Hotline | Watch NVC in Action The Center for Mindful Eating
greatness The Great Pyramid and Great Sphinx are situated on the Giza Plateau overlooking the city of Cairo, Egypt. As the only one remaining of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, the pyramid built by Pharaoh Khufu around
quote of the month "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language --even the phrase 'each other'-do not make any sense." —Rumi from Essential Rumi Learn more...
support deep change Center for Transformative Change (CXC) is the first national center entirely dedicated to bridging the inner and outer lives of social change agents, activists and allies to support a more effective, more sustainable social justice movement. We name, frame and advance Transformative Social Change by both developing practices and programs for agents of social change and working in collaboration with leading organizations to help shape this emerging movement. Most importantly, we reflect the field and the movement back to itself, strengthening our collective identity, community and shared vision. This long-term vision for shifting the paradigm of work for justice, changing the WAY change is done, will fundamentally alter broadbased social change at its very core--from inner to outer--resulting in a more just, equitable society for all. Great vision takes great action and our work is not possible without the generous support and partnership of individuals like you. No amount is too small, so make your contribution to deep change today. Donate to CXC Visit the Center's website What is Transformative Change? Find out HERE
http://transformativechange.org/docs/nl/transform-201001.html
2560 BCE reigned as the tallest man-made structure for 3800 years. It is rivaled only by the Great Sphinx, whose builder and likeness are still unknown, as the inimitable symbols of the greatness of the ancient Egyptian civilization. photo copyright 2010. angel Kyodo williams
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Subscribe get your own monthly issues of transform. Forward send this issue via email to a friend now Feedback editor@transformativechange.org Share your transformative story how are you changing the WAY change is done? Registration and other questions 888.XSOCHANGE (toll free) register@transformativechange.org Center for Transformative Change 2584 MLK Jr. Way Berkeley, CA 94704 · USA +1.510.549.3733 Google the Center
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the year of X | january 2010
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Center for Transformative Change is a project of urbanPEACE, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization whose mission to inform, incite and empower a broad-based, presence-centered, transformative social change movement.
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