Supporting Those Who Support the Change

For a long time now – going back to this site’s .wordpress.com days – I’ve been promoting occasional events and organizations that spoke deeply to my heart and soul. And today, after a weekend of life-changing personal shifts, SoulPaths is taking the first steps toward its next incarnation – celebrating those who are driving the Great Change our world so badly needs.

I’m thrilled to share the news that Starhawk, under whose direction I spent a life-changing two weeks studying the principles of permaculture design at Earth Activist Training – Starhawk, the culture-changing voice of Goddess spirituality and earth consciousness who led ritual at the WTO protests in Seattle and set up the (permaculture-based) camp for Occupy at McPherson Square in DC – Starhawk, who’s held a vision for empowered, peaceful, grassroots actions for decades now, has now published her book on the topic…

Starhawk will be offering a telecourse on Empowerment Through Collaboration: How to Create Transformative Community through the Evolver Network and Living Mandala, July 2 through August 6, online as a webinar.

Whether you are a street activist, a Transition Town participant, or working out the principles of sustainable living with an intentional household or eco-village, in this course you can “learn how to make your participation in groups, in all of its aspects, an expression of your highest ideals.”

If you have any desire at all to help create the global change that is so badly needed, don’t miss this training. She and her guest speakers will be giving interactive mentoring on topics such as…

  • The Balance of Power and Responsibility
  • Communication and Trust
  • Empowering Leadership
  • Conflict, Trauma, and Dealing with Difficult People
  • Meetings and Facilitation

Oh – and in the interest of full disclosure, yes, as an ambassador of the Evolver Network, I will receive a small commission if you do sign up…..but that’s not why I’m making this announcement. I’m making it because Starhawk’s work is profound and powerful, because it is helping to create the peaceful change our world needs, and because it needs and deserves to be shared widely. Seriously – don’t miss this training.

Black Out Speak Out Canada

On June 4 SoulPaths went dark, in solidarity with organizations across Canada who are protesting chilling provisions in the new Canadian budget bill. The new bill rolls back environmental protections, consolidates the political power of oil interests, and targets organizations fighting for environmental and climate justice.

Why did I take this action? In 2006, I went to visit a friend in Labrador, and spent time camping with her in the virgin boreal forest, learning of the struggle of the indigenous peoples to save their sacred land – nutshimit. I came back awed by what I’d seen of the land and the courage of its people.

See my story of that visit here and the photographs that I took during that trip here:

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This is one of the last remaining great old-growth forests of the world, “third lung of the planet,” literally growing from sand, and at this time when climate change is accelerating with devastating effects, when illnesses in humans, fish, birds and animals are increasing and directly attributable to environmental destruction by human industry, the Canadian government’s only thought is how to roll back environmental laws and protections to destroy this irreplaceable planetary treasure and target the people dedicated to its protection and the lives of future generations — ?

Wherever you are, speak out. Learn more about #blackoutspeakout and sign the petition: http://www.blackoutspeakout.ca