Suffering And The Challenges (And Rewards) Of Leaning In

This Week: Thursday, July 10

The Possible Society In Motion Radio Show!

Suffering And The Challenges (And Rewards) Of Leaning In

With Anastasia Rosen-Jones and Jack Slattery

Thursday, July 10, 2014 6:30 p.m.

Hear The Podcast!

In this episode Anastasia picks up threads from the central story of the last program, “When Worlds Collide.”  In the scenario recounted in that show, what might have become a head-on collision between Jewish and Christian ideologies was averted through artful strategies and the intention of the involved parties to lean in toward one another.

Rather than polarize, a potentially highly-charged interpersonal snag became an opportunity for growth and greater understanding.

Jack adds his reliably astute perspectives to the mix along with afew of his own stories that reflect challenges and struggles that can lead – or not – to the kinds of successes, deriving from applying the principles of the “The Lean In Legacy Template.”

Again the on-air portion of this show continues with a conference call forum discussion.  Guests are welcome to join in at: 712.432.0600, access code 640883 (also recorded).

If you miss the original broadcast, please contact New Horizons, the show's sponsoring organization, for access code for the conference call recording. Contact details available on blog site.)

Turning the ideal into the real

Chopping wood, shoveling snow: high ideals and practical applications

Last Sunday was a beautiful day out here in the mountains where New Horizons is slowly but surely revitalizing its training and retreat center. Our concern that day was, however, not much about the ideal. Rather it was the ordinary demanding  our attention. We had only two sticks of wood left from our former abundant supply, courtesy of Bobby Lowery, sawmill owner. And, a severe snowstorm with another period of freezing temperatures was on its way.

Saturday night I looked at the dwindling remnants of firewood, knowing that wood gathering was top priority. OMG! On the one hand, we might be just fine. And, on the other we might be at risk; without electricity etc. for days. You just never know how things will fall out here, especially in these days of extreme weather conditions.

We had a good plan, however, based, for sure, on the principle of “leaning in.” By early afternoon we were well on our way; “doing” that which New Horizons represents; not merely talking community-unity, but doing and being it.

The trio at hand-- Sue, chairperson of our remodeling committee with her truck, Chris, our handy man with his heavy-duty chainsaw, and me, the best-intentioned gofer when it comes to practical endeavors such as wood gathering -- was well-aligned with our intentions to care for our small zone of peace; first things first; high ideals -- and -- practical applications.

(I can, still, barely change a light bulb. So you know success, other than organizing projects and bringing people together would, for sure, not rest on me. It takes a village, even a teeny, tiny one, right?)

Long story short: Off we went to the wooded areas of our retreat center property to assure winter storm survival out here.

Within a brief few hours, we had cut (that’s Chris), gathered, hauled, loaded and unloaded the truck (Chris, Sue and I) and stacked enough wood, two and one-half truckloads, indoors to last for a time. We would definitely make it through the cold, snowy days to come; all done with optimum, harmonious pulling together. Synergy, ummm, good!

Laughing and refreshed by the rare, above fifty degree weather and sunshine, Sue marveled at how well we had all worked together.

I tell you this story to bring home one important, but relatively small point:

High ideals and practical applications are what is behind New Horizons’ devotion to Murat Yagan and the prototypical Kebzeh community he built around him in Vernon, B.C.. Synergy, ummm, good!

Working well together, that’s how we all should/could be; "one for all and all for one"; averting crises. Certainly not passively allowing them to infiltrate our lives or, worse, propagating and perpetuating them.

New Horizons, unlike those who have, for many years, lived near Murat as have his students in Vernon, B.C., is not a spiritually-based community development effort.  No, indeed!

Humane and ethical principles, spiritual or not, are not dependent, however, upon one like-minded ideology as practiced by those in Vernon in their very exceptional community. The community traditions of ancient Abkhazia, as Murat has passed them on, can be interpreted and applied to all kinds and colors of people – and – collective endeavors. Any community, group or organization that wishes to and puts forth the effort, as New Horizons has done, can develop, over time, into an exceptional community.

New Horizons, as it is today, teaches community development skills and mentors individuals, groups, organizations and small communities to overcome polarization. Our methodology; much of it derived from Murat (and my earlier mentor, Martin G. Groder, M.D.), thus, helps  people develop into exceptional community participants. Be they leaders or followers.

Teaching people the fine art of building bridges across the rivers of diversity that separate us from one another in modern, mainstream America is our aim.  If this is what you are after, you learn to keep whatever has the potential to divide to the side and go for the common ground at its highest. Be it spiritual, cultural, gender-based and/or political.

Thus, last Sunday, one hard-core hermit, Chris, one former anti-Semitic, recovering Jewish American princess (me) and dear Quaker Sue, had a grand time working happily together to assure warmth for a possibly endangered mountain side dwelling; the New Horizons training and retreat center.

As happy as the birds outside my window, now, feasting at the bird feeder, Sue and I put the show and tell steps of Murat’s Seven Ways to Knowledge aside and simply got into the doing, the feeling (oh so happy) and the being. Which is, of course, how real deal peace buddies do it!

Possible Society in Motion Project Suggests Potential for Reversible U.S. Trends

Press Release

Contact: Anastasia Rosen-Jones Phone: (240)409.5347

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      October 25, 2013

Possible Society in Motion Project Suggests Potential for Reversible U.S. Trends

The Possible Society in Motion Project, today, disclosed preliminary findings from its four year, in-depth study. The study was created to assess the values, attitudes and activities of individuals in the evolving social and political climate of the U.S.A. Launched January 1, 2012, the study is due for data collection wrap up December 31, 2015. (Extended to December 31, 2016.)

The study has identified the following five U.S. trends thus far:

1.   Better than 90% of interviewees have no significant relationships beyond their like-minded groups.

2.   Better than 90% of interviewees are unmotivated to interact with others beyond these groups.

3.   Better than 70% of those interviewed spend more than two hours per day as arm chair coaches, reading about, listening to, contemplating and criticizing our national leaders.

4.   Better than 70% of those interviewed believe they are powerless or lack the skills or other resources to impact our national social and political crises. (Upgraded to 90% per Anastasia, June, 2014.)

5.   Better than 65% of those interviewed believe that internet conversations can affect national politics though they are uncertain as to how.

“These trends could be reversed by the simplest, most direct efforts. How citizens “elect” to treat one another, personally, is the key issue here,” states Anastasia Rosen-Jones, lead researcher of the study. Based on these findings, New Horizons Support Network, Inc., sponsors of the Possible Society in Motion Project, will next seek to investigate how citizens perceive that they might take steps to alter personal, daily patterns to counter those that separate citizens rather than unify them.

Anastasia Rosen-Jones, New Horizons’ Executive Director, the stepdaughter of a Holocaust survivor, stated, “I am continually aware that my “mom” survived the Holocaust because ordinary people acted in remarkable ways during tragic times. If lives were saved out of the Holocaust by ordinary people doing extraordinary things, we ought to be able to do even more, in the U.S.A. To our way of thinking, at New Horizons, even this one example, of a personal nature, is illustrative that if people choose to give conscientious consideration, even to unknown others, we can be the change we are after, without making it all about our elected officials.”

In light of these preliminary findings, New Horizons and the Possible Society in Motion Project are asking citizens to consider offsetting the dysfunction of our elected leaders. The key action of New Horizons’ Possible Society in Motion Project is to encourage people to “lean in” to others with a central question that asks:

What is the one something you can do today on a grassroots level to make a difference in your neighborhood or elsewhere on your local level?

To participate in the study or find out details and information about it, please visit the New Horizons Small “Zones of Peace” Project blog site: zonesofpeacenh.blogspot.com. Also tune in to New Horizons’ Possible Society in Motion Radio Show: www.blogtalkradio.com/smallzonesofpeace. 

Ms. Rosen-Jones can be reached at: 240.409.5347 or zonesofpeacenh@aol.com.

-End-           

Are you “really” walking your talk?

Watch for tomorrow’s press release announcement!

"Possible Society in Motion Project Reveals Potential for Reversible U.S. Trends"

Find out how “attitude” scores points as well as “action” with New Horizons!

For starters, though, think of it mathematically.

Ask Anastasia,
Super Sleuth.

•  If more than 100 people have been interviewed, thus far, through the Possible Society In Motion Project. 
• And fewer than 10% were found to be actively “walking the walk,” across the board, no holds barred, best possible humans in all they say and do, working to build the best possible society, could you really be one of the “good guys”?
• Or, are there, perhaps, some flies in your ointment, visible, at least, to the professional, "Super Sleuth" eye?

Check yourself out –

Are you someone who:

1. believes yourself to be worthwhile;
2. is committed to treating others with caring and compassion;
3. is willing to examine and learn from mistakes;
4. invests in truth and seeks out the higher levels of consciousness;
5. has the commitment to set achievable goals and the  energy to carry them out;
6. believes yourself to have an integral place in the universal order;
7. has faith and trust in a Higher Power?

Or, are you someone who:
  8. hides your true identity;

2.     9. believes others are enemies or that some people are okay and others are not;
10. blames, criticizes  or judges others and/or yourself and/or is an elitist

11. isolates yourself and/or limits your potential;

12. is controlling, resistant and/or defensive to feedback from others;

13. discounts the opinions and emotions of others;

14.  leaves relationships when conflict arises?

Give yourself plus points for items #1 -- #7. Take off points for items #8 -- #14.

Interested in a personal analysis of the significance of your answers as they relate to building the Possible Society In Motion?

Ask Anastasia, Super Sleuth. 

To participate in the study or find out details and information about it, Anastasia can be reached at: 240.409.5347 or zonesofpeacenh@aol.com.

Also tune in to New Horizons’ Possible Society in Motion Radio Show: www.blogtalkradio.com/smallzonesofpeace.

Preliminary study findings will be the topic of this Thursday’s show. 

Dial in: Thursday evening, October 24 6:30 p.m. 347.237.5351.

Be a part of the Possible Society In Motion unfolding.

From here to there in our brave new world

Well, now that we’ve got it what do you (and I) want to do with it, our brave new world, begun the “morning after” election day?

See if you can take a look at the situation without blaming or criticizing; i.e. playing the victim of the "others," whoever they may be). And, without falling into the “life by media, life by internet, life by celebrity” trap.

That’s a big one, that last one, isn’t it?

It is so easy these days to live vicariously with all the open portals for money-making or at least getting “hit points” out of how you spend your resources; your days, nights and weekends, online.

I’ve got an idea for you, if you think you might like a bit of real, live human contact with an ever-unfolding adventure of higher consciousness and meaningful connections.

Stay tuned in, but only briefly, to what will be posted here. Only long enough to pick up some tips here and/or from our Possible Society In Motion Radio Show on New Horizons Counterculture Development Model and how we ae guiding and supporting others, as well as ourselves, to live by our Small “Zones of Peace” iniative’s signature quote –

"We do best to begin by carving out territories or zones of peace in our personal relations where violence and deceit won't be used." - Mahatma Gandhi

Then go on out for a walk or a hike or a tennis date, a conversation at your nearest coffeehouse, or find out how you can join New Horizons at one of its upcoming community building gatherings.

(Next New Horizons Community Building Event at Harpers Ferry, scheduled for Saturday, September 22.)

We are all about “leaning in” and getting past the Pretender Peace Buddy Syndrome and its accompanying symptomology (See this link, “Are you someone who…”, section 2, attributes of the Dark Side Warrior) that are peddled your way to keep you coming back and paying out, now with instant gratification perks, to the advantage of others at the expense of all, eventually.

Try people building. It starts on the ground and makes its way up high.

It’s essentially free, sans the investments of your mind and heart and the rewards are priceless!

More to come.

"Real Deal" and "Pretender Peace Buddies" Topic To Be Aired

The “Real Deal” Peace Buddy has come to be New Horizons’ symbol of an individual, genuinely, doing his/her best to “walk the walk” of the Possible Human, Possible Society and, being a viable role model for others doing likewise.

This week our Possible Society In Motion Radio Show, acknowledges Jim Wagner, award winner of the New Horizons’ 2012 Peace Buddy Award, for his outstanding efforts in this area.

Jim, a Frederick County, Maryland, local peace activist, environmentalist, minimalist and practicing Quaker, will join Jack and myself this week to share his perspectives on daily living and his vision for a possible society in motion.

Honored with this award, Jim’s congruency, of values, principles and actions, won my (Anastasia) admiration during interviews with him for the Possible Human, Possible Society Study. The board members of New Horizons unanimously affirmed my recommendation to grant Jim the award. The study is presently ongoing through December 31, 2015.

On this show I will offer a few remarks on the distinctions found, thus far, through the study on the differences between “Real Deal” and “Pretender Peace Buddies.” The topic will be taken up in greater detail in coming shows.

Jack Slattery will, again, join me as co-host for the show.

Check this link for show details and time. And, do please join us for our conference call-in discussion following the on-air broadcast.

Election demographics showed us this, but not this –

Study Report

Ok, the majority of our voters chose Barack Obama to lead our country. The demographics especially spotlighted that minorities, women and students have a far different value system than what Mitt Romney and the GOP seemed to want to foist upon us.

But they didn’t yet tell us this –

Now that we’ve got our election results settled, for the time being, there is still a whole lot that is up to us to tackle, other than voting. That is, if we truly want to become a country with a highly diverse population that works well together, for the good of all.

If the “good of all” is truly our desire, as the demographics seem to suggest, how can we go about achieving the result?

Main point: How exactly do we go about overcoming the polarization that shows up in our politics?

From our Possible Human, Possible Society Study –

• Better than 85% of the people we interviewed report that their vision of a healthfully functioning U.S.A. includes building bridges to overcome the problems of diversity that hinder unity (i.e. overcoming polarization).

So far about eighty of our targeted 400 by December 31, 2015 have been interviewed.

• Fewer than 10% of those interviewed say they make any effort, at all, to interact with people who are markedly different from themselves.

‘Markedly different’ is described as having differences of ethnicity or culture, religion, value systems or viewpoints including political perspectives.

Contemplate this, if you will, and the significance of fewer than 10% of the collective in our country being unwilling to interact in meaningful ways with anybody distinctly different from themselves. Especially in a country where more and more people, every day, are born who are, most likely, different than those with whom you grew up and/or have ever known, especially if you are white.

This sampling includes individuals from each of the four sub-groups for our study.

Question: If you are ready to accept (especially if you are white and middle class) that you are living more and more in a world full of strangers and strangeness, is there anything different that you think you might be willing to do to help this country be all that it was meant to be and can be?

More to come.

Among our discoveries

Study update information

If you have been following the line of our Possible Human, Possible Society Study adventure you, no doubt, are aware that the baseline objective of the study is:

To discover to what extent various individuals and sub-groups within a given locale (presently focusing on residents living within the one hundred mile radius of the Washington, D.C. White House) embody the characteristics necessary to be active agents of community unity in the U.S.A.

Anastasia,
Super Sleuth
 

In other words:

To discover who is really walking the walk for unity in the U.S.A.!

With this goal in mind, to date we have identified two basic citizen modes which we are becoming accustomed to categorizing as:

• “Real Deal Peace Buddies”
• “Pretender Peace Buddies.”

You can find some descriptive details about these by checking the links above. And, further details on our Peace Buddy Project at this link.

So far it appears to our “doing our best to be objective” analysis that “Real Deal Peace Buddies” have one major identifying characteristic in common:

They are informed and actively engaged participants in the “what’s happening now” activities in their local communities as well as concerned -- and possibly involved with -- national and global village matters.

Pretender Peace Buddies, on the other hand are characterized by the following types of behaviors, (each without accompanying, active problem solving involvement of some type):

• Intellectualizing and/or debating issues;
• “Spiritual bypassing” earth plane concerns (i.e. pray and give it up to God);
• Book club discussions;
• Anger;
• Complaining;
• Criticizing the actions of others;
• Arrogance and/or elitism;
• Detachment and/or disinterest or apathy.

Of course, please remember that our Possible Human, Possible Society Study adventure is still only just begun. We have a lot to learn and must be certain, ourselves, to remain a part of solutions rather than instigating problems. So we will hold our final, official assessments until we have found out more.

In the meantime, look for our “Real Deal Peace Buddy” Profiles, beginning soon, hopefully, by the end of next week with (again hopefully) at least one profile each month in the near future. But, who can possibly know what the distant future will bring.

Anastasia

Today up in the mountains, now being inundated by stink bugs on the holiest of Jewish holidays, the Day of Atonement, to which I wish these awful bugs would take heed.

Pretender Peace Buddies Are People Who –

See how you score on the items below.

And, don’t be afraid to see (and even admit it openly) that you have a few dark spots. Twelve Steppers do it every day and look at the transformative power of these lives. Everyone has a dark side and a light. I do for sure (How do you think I came to know the dark side so well? I’ve lived it as well as taught it and treated it for more than thirty-five years.)

On that score, the dark side/Pretender Peace Buddy side, ssk yourself, “where is my dark side hiding?” You will be miles ahead on the noble path, if you know the answer to this question. The dark side is simply the shadow you that hides behind a mask. Knowing this is why Anastasia The Storyteller blog is so much about my acknowledging the 1,000 masks I wear and my struggle to take them off. Notice how hard I have to work at it. But I know from years of experience that the pain from this struggle births new life in me. What joy and liberation lie just past the dark night; the pain is well worth the gain.

Once you’ve honestly checked yourself out on this one, again read about the Compassionate Warrior’s journey that is the Peace Buddy’s basic training in the excerpt from my book Exploring Your Dark Side: The Adventure Of A Lifetime.

Pretender Peace Buddies are people who –

• Mask their hidden agendas behind a surface self*;
• Believe that others are enemies or that some people are okay and others are not (Or, as in Animal Farm (by George Orwell), believe that some people are more okay than others; 
• Judge, blame or criticize others and/or themselves and/or are elitists or excluding of others;  
• Isolate themselves and/or limit attainment of their highest potentials;

• Are controlling, resistant and/or defensive regarding feedback from others; 
• Discount the values, opinions, emotions and needs of others
•  Leave relationships when conflict arises.

 (This last item has been my number one, all time high dark side/Pretender Peace Buddy behavior. Have you any idea how lethal withdrawing from people can be to both yourself and others? I know it for sure. And it is not a pretty picture.)

*A senior Transactional Analyst colleague of mine, Claude Steiner, M.D., wrote a brilliant fairy tale on this subject, The Warm Fuzzy Tale, a definite teaching tale still today, many years later. For me, a poignant part of this fun story has always been about how some people cover up their prickly dark side to make it look almost like cotton candy. They can look pretty but don’t get too close; after awhile close can feel cold and prickly.

"Real Deal" Peace Buddies Are People Who –

Are you a "real deal" Peace Buddy?
See how you score on the items below.

Then read about the Compassionate Warrior’s journey that is the Peace Buddy’s basic training in the excerpt from my book Exploring Your Dark Side: The Adventure Of A Lifetime.

"Real Deal" Peace Buddies Are People Who –

• Believe themselves to be worthwhile; 
• Are committed to treating others with caring and compassion;

• Have the commitment to set achievable goals and the motivation to carry them out;
• Are willing to examine and learn from areas of conflict and/or mistakes;
• Invest in truth and clarity;
• Believe themselves to have an integral place in the universal order;
• Turn away from elitism and any notions of “others” as enemies;
• Actively seek out opportunities to bridge areas of difference and alienation from others.

Be a real deal Peace Buddy!

The world needs all it can get!

"Real deal" Peace Buddies

Okay, now that I’ve liberally bathed myself in the gift that was a lift, I am just about ready to put that Pretender Peace Buddy Pod affair behind. And, open the way forward for new energies to flow into New Horizons beautiful initiatives; the Small “Zones of Peace” Project and the Possible Human, Possible Society Study. As captain of our ship, I am, more or less, responsible for putting the wind back in our sails and charting our most advantageous course forward; the pathway of progress.

We’ll not abandon whatever muddle and mess may still need attention. Not leave clutter behind us, forever and ever, mind you, as I believe in completing one’s grief work, letting go of a loss, when its work is thoroughly complete.

One doesn’t necessarily have a definitive time table for tidying up human affairs. As a dear friend of mine suggested,

“It will take as long as it takes. And be done when it’s done.”

A line (paraphrased here) from the noted teacher, Steven Levine, also, comes to mind,

“Grief work is a process, not an event.”

Both thoughts suggest, to my mind, how it is that a bus ride can become a labryintth-like progression rather than simply an excursion. Such as the myriad considerations on a tour bus do when someone, even a group/pod of someones, leaves the bus, way before it can even come close to its destination.

Okay. Now for some next steps.

Pledged from here forth to begin:

• Putting time and life affirming energies into acknowledging some of the wonderful, dedicated “real deal” Peace Buddies that have already come to so generously contribute their time and energies into our Possible Human, Possible Society mission; wholehearted aiding our discovery of who is walking the walk for U.S.A. unity and how they are doing it in their own particular style.
• Telling some of these Possible Human, Possible Society stories in the words of the walkers.

Coming soon!

And, sometime, soon after that, we will formally announce, here, online who has been given our first year’s Peace Buddy Award winner and why.

Read this link to remind yourself what New Horizons means by a Peace Buddy. Check it out, also, to discover what you might do to qualify for next year’s award, to be officially announced at next year’s Abkhazian Dinner, as it was, also, this year though it was temporarily buried while we cleared away our clutter.

Always, of course, in the words of old country Jewish tradition, “G-d willing.”

Dancing With The Dark Side

Though some of us are more thoroughly and elegantly civilized than others, the fact remains that beneath a platform of social amenities, the savage self in each of us resists being wholly civilized. It is, for better or for worse, simply not our nature to be totally refined, at least, not by the standards of others. Herein lies humanity’s greatest challenge and the answer to the puzzlement --

"How is it possible that 6.9 billion people can all claim to want the same thing (peace, security, opportunity, prosperity, happiness, and love) and be singularly unable to get it"? Neale Donald Walsch,

To honor both the strivings of the interviewees of our Possible Human, Possible Society Study and the teachable moments derived, thus far, from our recent Abkhazian Dinner, let us take up this topic, dancing with the dark side, for a bit. Dip into to it, meander here and there and return again and again to one of my most passionate interests, exploring the dark side, which I hold to be the single, biggest adventure of a lifetime!

When I recently read an online posting by several respected conflict resolution mediators (Beware of the Dark Side?), lamenting the fact that practioners in this field were, perhaps, not being as effective as they might in dealing with certain emotions, I was both uplifted and frustrated. At issue here, in the online piece, was a discussion of the apparent challenge to conflict resolvers, mediators, etc. of our most primitive emotions; a topic I have addressed full well throughout my close to forty years in the mental health field. Amidst my frustration is the strongly known truth, as I know it, that transforming the dark side to its true place of higher consciousness and functioning is not only a skill, it is an art of the highest merit.

The ability to dance with the dark side and raise it up demands a lifetime of commitment, discipline and unending challenge, endurance and courage, sometimes not unlike entering a cage with some very big cats and coming out of that cage alive. Every caution is needed so as not to be endangered by a blood-letting claw. (I admit to my own life being at risk on more than one occasion “dancing with the dark side.”)

The dark side lives inside each and every one of us. So we best know how, if we don’t already, to respect it, live companionably with it, dance with it, and, yes, definitely transform it to its highest manifestation, the Compassionate Warrior that we, hopefully, see in all of our peace activists.

Writes Eric Berne, M.D. in What Do You Say After You Say Hello?

“…. Whoever is not aware of this force in his personality has lost control of it. He has not confronted himself and cannot know where he is headed.”

We have managed to continue the evolution of the species without being able to fully harness and direct our innate, instinctual savagery. It tests all in its time, professional and non-professional alike. This is the age-old challenge that has faced humankind since before recorded time; it is the law of the jungle, still with us today. Degrees and other credentials do not qualify anyone to escape beyond the pale. Though some aspects of the testing do become easier with experience.

Of course, the dark side is alive and well wherever there is conflict. It is alive and well, even where peace seems to proliferate. And, of course, the presence of the dark side tests us, sometimes mercilessly, and is, often, beyond the skill level of those trained in mediation and conflict resolution, even the best of these.

Some of our Abkhazian Dinner’s most teachable moments arose out of our "dancing with the dark side" which, truth be told was not, in this situation, particularly evil. This was merely an instance of a bit of uncivilized misbehavior, awaiting the proper timing and wattage for the light to shine upon it. Still it had its sting and it had its consequences. Thus it attracted the spotlight of New Horizons, as you can see by recent blog postings.

However, the incident has been a turning point for us, allowing a point to be made here, the dark side when heeded rather than ignored is truly one of the gatekeepers at the threshold to our higher consciousness and, thus, our evolution as a species.

My hope, thus, evoked by the generous invitation that this online posting that I read evoked in me is that respect, perhaps, even reverence, is deserved for those frontline conflict resolution and mediation practioners, both the new and the seasoned, for the sheer courage and artistry of their endeavor, dancing with the dark side. May their frontline efforts never be seen as less than the huge giving that it is.

Transforming the dark side, “the determined-to-survive, no matter what warrior” that resides in the very deepest recesses of each and every one of us, is truly the adventure of a lifetime.

Don't miss out! Don't run for cover!

(For now, for the truly courageous, the tough stuff comes through Anastasia, one-on-one. However, our new Bus Ride Story Adventure, also, offers some tools and guidance for this adventure of a lifetime, transforming the dark side, personally and collectively, in a relatiely benign fashion.)

Take your personal Dark Side/Compassionate Warrior inventory at this link.

See what your Compassionate Warrior needs for its nurturing.

Or for a guided Dark Side inventory and your personalized map on how to transform it to its highest good, the Compassionate Warrior, contact Anastasia at: zonesofpeacenh@aol.com..

Check out excerpts from my still unpublished, Exploring Your Dark Side: The Adventure of A Lifetime (By Marcia Anastasia Rosen-Jones. Copyright Random House, 1998) --

"....about the mysterious capability the personality’s most powerful biological influence – your survival instinct and how it spontaneously assists you to either reach the highest levels of consciousness, health, compassion and spirituality or to self-destruct." M. Anastasia Rosen-Jones

The Pretender Peace Buddy Pod

There was an incident at the Abkhazian Dinner and several more that became the fallout from the original. I’ve been hedging about what occurred. It was not comfortable to publicly reveal what happened. I trust you will understand and, perhaps, be moved to examine your own actions in situations similar to what I did in this one.

But today I pledged to remove the masking I’ve been doing. I cannot do the revealing all at once. It will take time. But in the interest of preserving the integrity of New Horizons’ two main initiatives; the Possible Human, Possible Society Study and our Small “Zones of Peace Project, today I begin to come clean about my beating around the bush.

I thank you for your patience.

Please keep coming back to read what will be revealed here in the coming month ahead about our challenging incident that brought me to identify a pretender peace buddy pod in the midst of our Possible Human, Possible Society Study. I have pledged -- to myself and my board of directors -- to clean up my act in honor of our coming annual board meeting, scheduled this year for August 11 or 12 (tba.)

I will do my best to tell the story back and forth between our two blogs. And do it in the most compassionate way that I can. May the highest good be our reward.

A Thought For Today: Quote From Anne Frank

Possible Human, Possible Society Study Report

An interesting trend showing up in the study.
What do you make of this?

Responding to the study question below:

Do you have one or more people in your life that you consciously and actively practice peace-building with on a regular basis?

Peace Buddy definition: A Peace Buddy is someone with whom you currently have an ongoing, conscious relationship that has as its intent a striving for the highest levels of integrity, clarity, mutuality and even synergy (beyond cooperation and consensus).

Better than half of the people interviewed so far, prefer to interact, primarily, with like-minded others. Of course, that runs true to human nature. Most of us are most comfortable with people that are like us. The challenge here, however, is that this proclivity suggests, by interpretation, that most of us might have some work we could do in this area. That is, if we are truly seeking to build unity amidst the diversity of this country; folks being increasingly tolerant of others and really at-home-comfortable with differences. We can help community unity building along by purposefully expanding the number of people we are willing to invest in as “peace buddies.”

Particularly, by making an effort to interact with at least one or more people who are markedly distinct* from ourselves in terms of ethnicity or culture, religion, value systems or viewpoints including political perspectives in ongoing, conscious relationships. A few years back, I set myself to this task and it was challenging! So much so, in fact, that I got discouraged and gave it up for awhile. But practice what you preach, Anastasia, right? Now I am reminded that for the good of the whole, I need to purposefully get back to that intention.

Thought For The Day
"Diary Of Anne Frank"

Thought For The Day

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

Diary of Anne Frank

* "markedly distinct" doesn't refer to someone, for example, who goes to your same church but is from another country or a different race. Or someone you talk with at an event or so. I mean someone who might be different enough to really push your hot buttons that you have to stretch yourself to befriend.

One person I sought out was Muslim and I am of Jewish heritage. I heard a voice inside of me telling me (the idealist me -- the "Why can't we all just get along with each other ME?") -- "Be careful here this man might want to kill you." Fears and judgements lurk, often unconsciously, in almost everyone. So the "markedly distinct peace buddy" challenge I am speaking of here is the one that you might avoid that would, thus, be a stretch for you. Just because that is how it always has been up until now when you purposely take on the challenge