Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Truly Beaut-i-full And Impactful!

The agenda for last Saturday’s “community gathering” was to introduce New Horizons’ new project, the “Counterculture Community Development Experiment” to participants and the “Principles” that will foster its success.

With just that one day at hand to try out the template now being designed for the project by our board of directors, having “Making Violence Obsolete” as its centerfold, and only a small core group of participants for this initial run through, the impact of what we accomplished in just a few hours still left no doubt in my mind that we have now made a beautiful and impactful beginning.
Bravo! And congratulations to “US” for the take off of this exciting next project.

A “beautiful” set of Power Point slide handouts -- (if I do say so myself as I am the one that created them) -- provided participants with a well-delineated  overview of what we are intent on bringing into widespread application -- a movement perhaps might even emerge from our intention; doing our part to help “make violence obsolete,” G-d willing and the creek don’t rise. These prompted enthusiastic discussion and lively interactions to drive home our objectives. 

The most prominent aspect of our conversations, from my perspective, was the indepth consideration of how exactly -- as Margaret Mead suggested -- “a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world” (i.e. in New Horizons lingo, “make violence obsolete.”). 

I believe most of those present were contemplating the answer to that question I was certain, at least as much as basic formulae go and their applications, I had been learning how to achieve, if only, for more than forty years already; by living "it" not merely thinking about it.

And, of course, there was also the potluck and the camaraderie of hangin’ out on one of our last nice, but a bit warmer than we like, end of August days.

significant part of the answer I am inclined to stress is -- very slowly and step-by-step!   As evidenced by the “takeaways” participants identified as their next action steps in line with our stated agenda, I could see they were already begin to consider that direction too; the pathway to awe -- and -- possibly grant me the privelege of being their guide.

Long time coming!

The single most agreed upon, by a good portion of the group, of the various angles presented tat day was to devote serious, personal attention to altering the following, day-to-day characteristics of polarization in themselves.
  • Emotional barriers;
  • Defensiveness;
  • Communication breakdown;
  • Seeing the “other” as an enemy;
  • Fear, anger, blame, criticism, power struggles;
  • Conflict, withdrawal, avoidance, collusion, secrets, aggression, bullying and violence. 
Nary a participant could attest to being free of each and everyone of these.  So they pledged to begin there.

How about you?  What are your next steps to help "make violence obsolete"?

Coming soon – “Making Violence Obsolete” Seminars, open to the public
Beginning in October.

Next Harper’s Ferry Retreat Center Community Gathering --
Saturday, October 1

Look for details.

Monday, August 22, 2016

Community Gathering To Introduce “Making Violence Obsolete” Principles

So much can happen in the few short months of “never long enough" summer. What has happened at New Horizons during this time is that we discovered our next powerful, community building steps to follow on the progress we made with Coffee House Conversations Project --

New Horizons Counterculture Community Experiment is now in the design, moving forward  stage, with some of its principles and practices ready to be introduced.


Find out more about what we are up to next!

We are ready, already, even this coming Saturday, to begin demonstrating the profound transformative power and strength of our next adventure.


Get in the action! Join us if you can at -- 


Summer In The Mountains at -- 
New Horizons’ Harpers Ferry Retreat Center
Monthly Community-Building Work Days and Potluck Dinners





Next scheduled gathering date: 
Saturday, August 27, 2016


Find out how you can participate.
(September and October schedule of events coming soon!)


Check out details here for this coming Saturday’s tentative schedule.

To request additional details and make your reservations, 
email us at: HarpersFerryNH@aol.com


Monday, August 15, 2016

Make Violence Obsolete!

New Horizons next amazing project, "Making Violence Obsolete."

Find out how you can get involved in – 

“Making violence obsolete”
  1. Take the Spectrum of Love Inventory!
  2. Share your results with friends, family, co-workers and neighbors! Build your own “village” (i.e. exceptional community).
For some good words on bringing "love" into politics, check out --

The New Yorker Magazine, "The Power of "Love" In Politics" by Rebecca Mead 

“Trust Me!  (Ha Ha) Trust You!

Violence can become obsolete, if we start doing more and more of the right things and, together, stop doing the “wrong” ones!”



Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Making Violence Obsolete: New Horizons’ Next Amazing Project


New Horizons Support Network, Inc. proudly announces  

The Counterculture Community Development Experiment:
Frederick County, Maryland Project

Vision -- 

Small “Zones of Peace” Project: Working with others to construct sustainable, community prototypes wherein all forms of violence and deceit can become obsolete

Tag Line: “Making violence obsolete”

Mission Statement – Preliminary, August 9, 2016

To unite diverse groups in Frederick County (and beyond, regionally and nationally) by creating an experimental counterculture approach to community unity based on the development of enhanced communication and conflict resolution skills. 

Counterculture is defined here as a subculture situated within the mainstream whose values and norms of behavior differ from those of the traditional society surrounding it.

History

At New Horizons we have come to believe that violence can someday, conceivably, become rare or even obsolete when improved ways of developing working community structures, healthy communication, and conflict resolution become the norm. 

New Horizons, as a frontrunner, since the mid-1970s, in establishing and sustaining community entities based on this principle, now pledges itself to bringing its knowledge base, experience and skill to Frederick County, Maryland, as our starter experiment, because we believe this county has demonstrated that it has enough of the necessary ingredients to approach our ideal. We envision ourselves supporting the potential for this attainment in Frederick County, Maryland, based on the evolution of our working philosophies and practical applications as we have seen them play out in Frederick

As we do our part to help raise up this already wonderful city/county we will be refining our approach to carry it to other areas. Be a part of the adventure!

Find out how you can become a participating member of this experiment!

More details on the way.

For details and additional information, contact –

Anastasia Rosen-Jones, Executive Director, New Horizons Support Network, Inc.

Cell: 240.409.5347, Email: SuperSleuthDSW@aol.com
Blog site: zonesofpeacenh.blogspot.com