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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.

How do the policies of Project 2025  reflect the published RNC Platform? How does the Heritage Foundation's blueprint for changing the Federal government, if the Republican candidate is elected, compare with the RNC Platform? Shouldn't objective science be viewed independently from political policy? My July 23, 2024, Rogue Valley Voice blog post  Drill Baby Drill?  focused on how the RNC convention made clear Republican policy intentions to abandon serious efforts to reduce the causes of man-made climate change in favor of fossil fuel interests. The July 19, 2024 edition of Scientific American takes a broader look, spelling out What to Know about Project 2025’s Dangers to Science.   The Republican Platform On July 8, 2024, " the Republican National Committee (RNC) Platform Committee adopted President Donald J. Trump’s 2024 Republican Party Platform." That day's press release lists " 20 GOP Principles, Roadmap to Make America Great Again ." Republican "America first" priorities regarding the economy favor a smaller federal government; fewer restrictions on fossil fuel production; stimulating American manufacturing growth and American job creation; protectionist international trade policies; strengthening border security, fighting immigrant crime; and an isolationist foreign policy of dominance through increasing armaments (an iron dome missile defense shield.) Conservative social policies emphasize traditional binary gender and family identity; an anti-abortion stance; controlling school curriculum; resistance to gun control; and reversing current voter rights. Appeal to Christian nationalism underpins support of this agenda. Project 2025 Although the 2024 Republican Presidential candidate now attempts to distance himself somewhat from Project 2025, " in 2022 Trump said the Heritage Foundation—the think tank that authored Project 2025—would ' lay the groundwork and detail plans for exactly what our movement will do.'" "Although Trump is not among its 34 authors, more than half are appointees and staff from his time as president; the words “Trump” and “Trump Administration” appear 300 times in its pages. At least 140 former Trump officials are involved in Project 2025, according to a CNN tally . It’s reasonable to expect that a second Trump presidency would follow many of the project’s recommendations.' " ~ Scientific American Project 2025 - Presidential Transition Project - Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise is about "taking the reins of government" with proposed changes of specific Federal governmental Departments in common defense, general welfare, the economy, and independent regulatory agencies. Their " goal is to assemble an army of aligned, vetted, trained, and prepared conservatives to go to work on Day One to deconstruct the Administrative State." The 2023 book of 878 pages is a conservative blueprint for "creating policy solutions... based on the core principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. The closing word is"onward", but many American believe it is actually "backward." On July 9, 2024 PBS News offered A look at the Project 2025 plan to reshape government and Trump’s links to its authors Resources Here's a link to the 2024 Democratic Party Platform (note: although this was released August 18, 2024 references in the document are primarily to President Biden rather than Kamala Harris.) Our Economy from the Bottom Up & Middle Out Economic Progress Investing In America Good Jobs Small Businesses Agriculture Fighting Poverty Ending Special Interest Giveaways 2. Rewarding Work, Not Wealth Cutting Taxes For Working Families Making The Wealthy & Big Corporations Pay Their Fair Share 3. Lowering Costs Health Care & Prescription Drugs Child Care, Home Care, & Paid Leave Gas & Groceries Corporate Greed Housing Education Social Security, Pensions, & Medicare 4. Tackling the Climate Crisis, Lowering Energy Costs, & Securing Energy Independence Producing Cleaner, More Affordable Energy Lowering Energy Costs Creating Clean Energy Jobs Reducing Pollution & Making Polluters Pay Environmental Justice Building Climate Resilient Communities Conservation Global Climate Leadership 5. Protecting Communities & Tackling the Scourge of Gun Violence Gun Safety Policing & Public Safety Criminal Justice Violence Against Women 6. Strengthening Democracy, Protecting Freedoms, & Advancing Equity Judges Voting Rights Stopping The Influence Of Special Interests Reproductive Freedom Women’s Rights Racial Equity Lgbtqi+ Disability Tribal Nations Combating Hate & Protecting Freedom Of Religion Freedom Of The Press Arts & Humanities D.C., Puerto Rico, Territories 7. Securing our Border & Fixing the Broken Immigration System Securing The Border Expanding Legal Immigration & Deterring Illegal Immigration 8. Advancing the President’s Unity Agenda Beating The Opioid Epidemic Investing In Mental Health Protecting Kids Online, Strengthening Americans’ Data Privacy, & Promoting Competition Ending Cancer As We Know It Meeting Our Nation’s Sacred Obligation To Veterans And Military Families 9. Strengthening American Leadership Worldwide Europe Indo-Pacific China The Middle East & North Africa Western Hemisphere Africa Strengthening The U.S. And Global Economy Leading With Diplomacy And American Values Strongest Military In The World PBS News offers a broad perspective on What is a party platform? Here’s how they’re made and what you should pay attention to. CNN offers an annotation of the 2024 Republican Party platform, noting it is their first new platform since 2016 which "mainlines the former president’s policies and makes Trump himself a focus of the party. It is a fraction of the length of the 2016 platform and written in Trump’s voice." Trump’s signature motto, Make America Great Again" is now the official tagline of the Republican Party. The Non-profit and non-partisan American Presidency Project hosted at the University of California, Santa Barbara has an analysis of the 2024 Republican Party Platform (as of July 8, 2024) and the 2024 Democratic Platform (as of August 19, 2024). Although now out of date, Diffen attempts to catalog recent differences between Democrats vs. Republicans. One still relevant reader comment is that "The Republican party is  not conservative. The Republican party has no platform anymore. The platform since 2020 is whatever Trump says it is. It has become a cult, not a political party."

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.

What does it feel like to live near an incinerator that burns trash? On July 18, 2024, Story of Stuff will delve into that question in their latest mini-documentary Burning Injustice .   "Burning Injustice is a powerful short documentary that follows the inspiring journey of Latino activists, John Mataka and Bianca Lopez, as they lead a fight against one of the last trash incinerators in California. Set in California's Central Valley, the film exposes the devastating health consequences of pollution and highlights their tireless efforts to close the facility for good. Through their unwavering determination, they call for environmental justice and a safer future for their community." " The Story of Stuff Project is an environmental nonprofit focused on anti-consumerism and putting people and the planet over profit." Find the Story of Stuff on social media: Facebook , X , and Instagram . #environmentaljustice   #incinerator   #california   #airpollution   #environment   #waste   #wastemanagement   #zerowaste   #justice   #documentary   #shortdocumentary   #trash

This past fall, 2023 I took an OLLI course called Unraveling the Mysteries of Consciousness . John Kalb, the instructor defined "consciousness" as "a sensory and inner awareness of one's mental activity and sense of self, as well as the environment." But there are many different theories of consciousness including: Global Workspace Theory - Consciousness is a form of information processing, broadcasting data to other brain centers. Higher Order Theory - introspective awareness of, and reflection upon, one's thoughts Integrated Information Theory - mathematical and computational Neurobiological Naturalism Theory - a highly complex emergent phenomenon the result of a long evolutionary process Orchestrated Objective Reduction Theory - quantum phenomenon at work Panpsychism Theory - consciousness is everywhere D ual-aspect Monism Theory - considers mental and physical as two aspects of one underlying undivided reality that is psychophysically neutral. Wolfgang Pauli , Carl Gustav Jung , Arthur Eddington , John  Wheeler , David Bohm , and Basil Hiley are the originators of this approach which is inspired by analogies with modern physics. Beast Machine Theory - Neuroscientist Anil Seth proposes that consciousness is merely a result of 'controlled hallucinations' that are our brain's attempt to keep us alive. We experience the world and the self with, through, and because of our living bodies. When we agree about our hallucinations, we call that "reality." The philosophical underpinnings of consciousness can be characterized as follows: Physicalism/Materialism - The universe is made of physical stuff, and consciousness states are either identical to or somehow emerge from a particular arrangement of this physical stuff. Idealism - Consciousness or mind is the ultimate source of reality, not physical stuff or matter. The problem is not how the mind emerges from matter, but how matter emerges from the mind. Dualism - Consciousness (mind) and physical matter are separate substances or modes of existence. Functionalism - Consciousness does not depend on what a system is made of. Therefore physical brains are not strictly required. Mysteriamism - Human beings are currently incapable of fully understanding consciousness and we may never will. "Science and religion are not in contrast, but they need each other to complete themselves in the mind of a man who thinks seriously." ~Max Planck Federico Faggin   is an Italian physicist, engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur best known for designing the first commercial microprocessor , the Intel 4004 . The   Faggin Foundation  "supports the scientific study of consciousness at US universities and research institutes. "Faggin's curiosity about consciousness started in the late eighties when he asked himself if it was possible to make a conscious computer. After decades of research he states: "Despite being much more powerful, today’s computers are not one bit more conscious, than the computers in the early sixties." According to Wikipedia, Faggin in his book Irreducible: Consciousness, Life, Computers, and Human Nature , (2024),  proposed a theory on consciousness according to which consciousness is a purely quantum phenomenon , unique to each of us... Consciousness is therefore not linked to the functioning of the body and can continue to exist even after the death of the body." Faggin says "Consciousness is the capacity to perceive and know the world and ourselves. We know our unique selfhood by experiencing it as qualia (the sense of self) within our consciousness. Similarly, the outer world produced by our sensory-brain system is portrayed in the form of qualia “projected” in the space outside of us." Faggin goes on to say, " Each of us experiences two different realities: the inner reality of sensations and feelings (called qualia) and the outer reality of objects interacting in space and time. We believe that the outer aspect is objective and that the inner aspect is the subjective domain of consciousness. These two realities reflect each other in some form, though they are fundamentally different." The website of Essentia Foundation says they "aim at communicating in an accurate yet accessible way the latest analytic and scientific indications that metaphysical materialism is fundamentally flawed. Indeed, clear reasoning and the evidence at hand indicate that metaphysical idealism or non-dualism—the notion that nature is essentially mental—is the best explanatory model we currently have. "Over the past few decades evidence has been accumulating in foundations of physics, neuroscience and analytic philosophy that materialism is false." ~ Essentia Foundation In the YouTube video above, Essentia Foundation recommends Frederico Faggin'   two books in English: Irreducible: Consciousness, Life, Computers, and Human Nature  (2024) Silicon: From the Invention of the Microprocessor to the New Science of Consciousness  (2021) Check out Fagin's list of other "quotes from some of the brightest minds in the history of human science" here. "This is a participatory universe that depends for its very existence on human beings." ~ Deepak Chopra & Menas Kafatos In 2007 Deepak Chopra and Menaz Kafatos wrote the book You Are the Universe: Discovering Your Cosmic Self and Why it Matters . The book presents a worldview where consciousness is primary rather than derivative (as a materialist would see it.) The authors assert: "We are creators of reality, living in a consciousness universe that responds to our minds... Mind and matter are different states of the same thing - the field of consciousness... Reality consists of shifting, interchangeable states that emanate from one source: consciousness... Qualia occurs within consciousness and has no dimension... The monist view is that 'everything in existence is part of the body of God'... The universe is in you... Your purpose is to align yourself with the creativity of the cosmos." Chopra and Kafatos draw from Planck, Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, Paul, Schrodinger, and others to provide answers to nine mysteries: What came before the big bang? Why does the universe fit together so perfectly? Where did time come from? What is the universe made of? Is there design in the Universe? Is the quantum world linked to everyday life? Do we live in a conscious universe? How did life first begin? Does the brain create the mind? The authors acknowledge three inspirational conferences: Center for Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona Science and Non-Duality (SAND) Sages & Scientists - The Chopra Foundation "Science has failed entirely to say where consciousness originated... maybe consciousness is woven into the fabric of the universe - a very old notion to which physics is just catching up." ~ Deepak Chopra, Metahuman

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 June as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in July. May 31 - June 2, 2024 - Creation Spirituality Communities is presenting Reimagining Our Story: Hope for the New Humanity - an in-depth exploration of the new humanity in the evolving cosmos, with keynote speakers Matthew Fox and Brian Swimme. Registration and details: on site, or online. Click Here June 1, 2024, from 9 a.m. PDT - The American Teilhard Association is having its Annual Retreat 2024 with Rev. Dr. John Philip Newell speaking via Zoom. Click here to register. Newell's 2021 book Sacred Earth Sacred Soul focuses on Teilhard de Chardin’s spirituality and vision. Newell's upcoming book (August 2024) The Great Search: Turning to Earth and Soul in the Quest for Healing and Home follows in the tradition of authors such as Barbara Brown Taylor, and Rob Bell, who leave church but remain spiritual, "forging a new path toward a true spiritual home by embracing a deep connection to the natural world." June 3, 2024, from 4 - 5:30 p.m. PDT - The Center for Christogenesis is presenting a webinar with Ilia Delio, Making the Choice for a Highly Personal God. This talk will focus on "Christianity as a mutation of consciousness, a breakthrough in awareness of the experience of God. We will focus on the stories of Jesus of Nazareth, his experience of God, and the human person as the tabernacle of divinity. The ideas of Carl Jung and Teilhard de Chardin on individuation and personalization will be discussed, and the relationship between religion and evolution will be engaged. Tickets cost $35 Register here. June 12, 2024, at 2 p.m. PDT - IRAS is presenting their monthly webinar on Science, Religion, and Society, featuring: David Brin, author, artist, playwright, futurist, and 2024 Alumnus of the Year at California Institute of Technology, speaking on Imagination and Prediction in the Age of Science. The IRAS webinar is free, but registration is required. Please register here for the June 2024 Webinar June 12, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. PDT - The BTS Center is presenting Lament with Earth, the last of five seasonal events honoring the pain of loss through the liturgical year - the Season of Via Positiva, featuring All Beings co-hosted by Radical Joy for Hard Times. More information and register here. June 13, 2024, at 1 p.m. PDT on Zoom - Global Kinship is presenting a webinar:  About Our Evolution: Themes and Revelations from the 2024 CSC Gathering. Penny Andrews, Daniel Barber, and Gail Ransom, will lead the Global Kinship community in an update on the mix of ideas shared at the 2024 Creation Spirituality Communities gathering on Cape Cod and how they might affect our evolutionary edge. Register here. June 15, 2024, from 3-4:30 p.m. PDT - Global Kinship is presenting Kosmic Vespers led by Penny Andrews, with Mary Ann Wamhoff, Bob Isenberger & Gail Ransom on three Saturdays of summer. June 15 - In the Depths of Awe;  July 20 - The Dance of Creativity and Cataclysm; and August 17 - Uni-verse (One Song). To register or for more information, contact Penny Andrews at mingeicenter@gmail.com June 15-22, 2024 - World Unity Week 2024 is a celebration of unity and peace - a free online event that aligns global observances like the mid-year solstice, International Yoga Day, and UN Refugee Day with a vibrant tapestry of interconnected groups, organizations, and visionary individuals. June 18 - August 20, 2024, Tuesdays from 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PDT - InterSpiritual Meditation (ISM) is offering a 9-week course of 90-minute sessions: A Holistic 7-Step Mindfulness Practice. More information and registration here. June 4 to July 17, 2024, and October 1 to November 12, 2024. - ProSocial World is offering in two sessions: a seven-week, online course: Becoming ProSocial: Building Trust and Collaboration in our Groups and Networks. The experience is being offered The cost of the course is ‍$300, Click here for more information and to register June 28-30, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, & 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday. PTD - The Peace Village Festival will take place at Jackson Wellsprings Hot Mineral Springs Resort in Ashland, Oregon, This is one of the largest summer music, and wellness festivals in southern Oregon. For more information check out their Facebook page or follow them on Instagram 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.

The Kalapalo are an indigenous people of Brazil. They are one of seventeen tribal groups that inhabit the Xingu National Park. Neolithic humans constructed a powerful mode of communication - the ritual - to create community and awaken to a larger dimension of self. "There is perhaps no more significant challenge today than the invention of processes that will enable us to move from the fragmentation of our nation-states to the unity of our Earth community - to feel in a primary way that we are earth, we are universe. That is who we are first and foremost; everything else second. ~ Brian Swimme, Human Energy Project The short films of the Human Energy Project "sing a new cosmology," one that begins with a primordial birth that begins 14 billion years ago and develops into stars and galaxies, living planets, and human consciousness. The "powerful being" that we sing of is that of the global organism that is emerging - the noosphere! "We are the nervous system of this global organism that is breaking into awareness of itself, just at the moment when it is needed most. We invite others to join us in this work as together we create a song of a flourishing Earth community."

June 12, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. PDT - The BTS Center is presenting Lament with Earth, the last of five seasonal events honoring the pain of loss through the liturgical year - the Season of Via Positiva, featuring All Beings co-hosted by Radical Joy for Hard Times. More information and register here. "To create space for these feelings, The BTS Center — together with The Many, an extraordinary group of songwriters, spoken word artists, and liturgists — has created Lament with Earth — five seasonal events featuring original music, poetry, rituals, images, scripture and videos to reflect different seasons of loss through the liturgical year. These events are interactive, inviting you to pray and sing along. You are invited to bring your own sense of loss and sadness. We lament together and also share that which has been a balm to our grief, strengthening us for the work we know awaits us." “In a healthy environment, our first spiritual moments are moments of awe and wonder, and delight. The mystics call this the Via Positiva. When we allow these gifts to penetrate our souls the organic response includes: gratitude, reverence, and joy.” ~ Matthew Fox