Shadow to Light:

New Tools for Engagement

in Turbulent Times

Shariff Abdullah

Commonway Institute

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Agenda…• PartOne:ASharedWorld-View

• PartTwo:Consciousness,Cultures,VisionsandValues

• TheVisionof“AWorldforAll”• Invisible,Assumed&ImplicitCultures• DeepConflict&DeepIdentity

• PartThree:ReleasingtheShadow;EmbracingtheLight

• ConclusionCommonwayInstitute

Part One: A Shared World-View

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Taking Personal Action…

• From16feetto16,000feet…• Youcan’tlietome…• 45countriesand120+cultures…• “CreatingaWorldThatWorks….”• ChoosingAnotherPath…

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Taking Action in Turbulent Times…

…What’satStake?

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We face MORAL CHALLENGES…

VaclavHavelCommonwayInstitute

“Our Moral Challenges” include…• Holesintheozonelayer• Politicalcorruption• Homelessness• Emotionalstress• Destructionofcultures• Overgrazing• Childrenascombatantsin

warfare• Violentpoliticalconflict• Spiritualemptiness• Acidrain• Pandemics• Declineinbasicvalues• Increasingdisparitiesinwealth• Racism• Economicandclassdisparities• Warbetweennations• Overconsumption• Urbandeterioration• Regionalfamines• Destructionoftheenvironment• Childslavelabor• Industrialpollution

• Suicide• weaponsofmassdestruction• AIDS• Ethnicunrestandconflict• Civilwars• Publicschoolviolence• Spreadingdesertification• Politicalandsocialalienation• Extinctionofspecies• Sexism• Corporategreedandfraud• Overuseoffertilizersandpesticides• Expandingglobalcorporatism• Destructionoffamilylife• Colonialismandneocolonialism• Homicide• Politicalapathyandmalaise• mentaldisordersinchildren• Terrorism• Unsustainability inallaspectsoflife• Militarizationofouterspace• GenocideCommonwayInstitute

“I sit on a man’s back, choking him, and making

him carry me…

…and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by any means

possible…

…except getting off his back.

Leo TolstoyCommonwayInstitute

Our Moral Challenges are Ignored, because…• We believe that we benefit from the

existence of the problems.• We don’t believe the challenges have a

solution.• We try to solve the problems of Breaker

Consciousness, WITHIN Breaker Consciousness.

• We want the omelet, without disturbing the chicken.

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• Holesintheozonelayer• Politicalcorruption• Homelessness• Emotionalstress• Destructionofcultures• Overgrazing• Childrenascombatantsinwarfare• Violentpoliticalconflict• Spiritualemptiness• Acidrain• Pandemics• Declineinbasicvalues• Increasingdisparitiesinwealth• Racism• Economicandclassdisparities• Warbetweennations• Overconsumption• Urbandeterioration• Regionalfamines• Destructionoftheenvironment• Childslavelabor• Industrialpollution

• Suicide• weaponsofmassdestruction• AIDS• Ethnicunrestandconflict• Civilwars• Publicschoolviolence• Spreadingdesertification• Politicalandsocialalienation• Extinctionofspecies• Sexism• Corporategreedandfraud• Overuseoffertilizersandpesticides• Expandingglobalcorporatism• Destructionoffamilylife• Colonialismandneocolonialism• Homicide• Politicalapathyandmalaise• mentaldisordersinchildren• Terrorism• Unsustainability inallaspectsoflife• Militarizationofouterspace• Genocide

Question: Which parts of this list would have been ELIMINATED, if the election had gone the other way?

Answer: None of it.

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The 12 Global Challenges

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12GlobalChallenges

SecurityWater

Food

Energy

Health

PoliticsEconomics

Education

Habitat

Ecology

Media

Spiritual/Cultural

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12GlobalChallenges

SecurityWater

Food

Energy

Health

PoliticsEconomics

Education

Habitat

Ecology

Media

Spiritual/Cultural

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The13th Factor…

ITALLHAPPENSATONCE.

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Exercise…GlobalChallengesandLocalTurbulence

1. Namethetop3(mostimportant)challengesfacingyourorganization.

2. Prioritize.

3. Cometoconsensuswithyourgroupregardingyourtop3challenges.

BONUS:Howpreparedisyourorganization(orcommunity)indealingwithpotentiallocalturbulence?

1. Security2. Water3. Food4. Energy5. Health6. Politics7. Economics8. Education9. Habitat10. Ecology11. Media12. Spiritual/

CulturalCommonwayInstitute

Results…

1. Security2. Water3. Food4. Energy5. Health6. Politics7. Economics8. Education9. Habitat10. Ecology11. Media12. Spiritual/

Cultural

VancouverGov’tOfficials

1. Health:222. Economics:193. Water:144. Security:145. Education:126. Spiritual/Cultural:107. Food:88. Ecology:69. Politics:510. Habitat:311. Media:212. Energy:1

NepaliStudents1. GovernanceFactors/

PoliticalCollapse:192. Education/Awareness:

183. Conflict/Security/

Peace:124. TranscendentalFactors:

8.5. Communications/

MediaFactors:56. HumanHabitat:47. FoodFailure:38. EnergyFailure:39. EcologicalCollapse:210.WaterFailure:111.HealthFactors:112.EconomicCollapse:0

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Part Two:

Consciousness & Cultures, Visions & Values

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Visions and Meta-Visions…

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The Apollo Vision…

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Our Vision…

AWorldthatWorksforAllBeings

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Meta-Visions…

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Shariff Abdullah:“We can create a world that works for

all beings. We can ACT like we love ourselves, love each other, and love all other beings.”

William McDonough:“[We can] love all the children, of all

species, for all time.”

Mark Anielski:“We can create an economy of

enduring happiness, an economy based on love.”

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Our Principal Transformative Value =

INCLUSIVITY

What is “Inclusivity”?

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l Definition:“WeareOne”l Weareinextricablylinkedtoeachotherl Wearelinked,whetherornot…

- weknow eachother- weunderstand eachother- welike eachother

l EverythingthatIdoto“you”comesbackto“me”insomeway.

Whatis“Inclusivity”?

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l Definition:“WeareSeparate”l Weareforeverseparateanddistinctfromeachother.

l Ican“like”you…andstillseeyouasseparateandinferiortome.(“Tolerance”)

l “Exclusivity”basisofour“-isms”…-Racism (exclusivitybasedonrace/ethnicity)-Sexism (exclusivitybasedongender)

l NOTHINGthatIdoto“you”comesbackto“me”.

Whatis“Exclusivity”?

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EXERCISE…MAHATMA GANDHI ADOLF HITLER

NELSON MANDELA GENGHIS KHAN

DONALD TRUMP THE DALAI LAMA

OSAMA BIN LADEN AUNG SAN SUU KYI

BILL CLINTON MARTIN LUTHER KING

There is no question that these people are LEADERS. And, each one of them is/ was a GOOD leader, each in their own way.

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1. Make a list of leaders you admire (people currently alive).

2. Make a second list of leaders you detest/ don’t like.

• What are the common traits of the “good” leaders?

• What are the common traits of the “bad” leaders?

• What are the traits or qualities that are common to both lists?

• What are the differences between both lists?CommonwayInstitute

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POWER TOOLS

(or, “Tools of Power”)

TOOLS for TRANSFORMATION

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Violenceandthethreatofviolence

• killing• war• deathpenalty• terrorism• threatsofviolenceand/orcoercion• abuse:

• domesticviolence• childabuse• torture

FEAR BASED TOOLS:

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Fear-Based Tools:

•Violence(Threat)

•CoerciveBehaviors

•Misinformation/Disinformation

Culture-Shaping Tools:

•AcceptingBehaviors

•ShunningBehaviors

•ConnectingBehaviors

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CoerciveBehaviors (impliedviolence)• deprivation• lossofliberty-- imprisonment• lossofproperty• lossofrights,privileges&immunities• humiliation

misinformation/disinformation• propaganda

FEAR BASED TOOLS:

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AcceptingBehaviors:• Noticing• Thanking• Appreciating/

celebrating• Copying

CULTURE-SHAPING TOOLS:

ShunningBehaviors:• Noticingorignoring• Laughter/ridicule/

criticism• Separating/ostracizing• Guiltandshame• banishing

ConnectingBehaviors:• Seeing• Listening• Touching

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EXERCISES:• Haveyouhadanyexperienceswith“Fear-Based”tools?Givesomeexamples– asbothperpetratorandrecipient.

• Haveyouhadanyexperienceswith“Culture-Shaping”tools?Givesomeexamples– asbothperpetratorandrecipient.

• Doyouthink“Fear-Based”toolsareeverappropriate?Giveexamples.

• Doyouthink“Culture-Shaping”toolsareeverinappropriate?Giveexamples.CommonwayInstitute

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Next:

DEEP IDENTITY

DEEP CONFLICT

DEEP CONNECTION

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What is

“Deep Identity”?

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l Race/Ethnicity/Culture

l Language

l Class

l Religion

l Gender

Five Aspects of Deep Identity…

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l Howdo“DeepIdentity”issuesofculture,gender,classandreligionaffectthedevelopmentofcommunity?

l Doyourcommunitiesincludepeoplewithdifferent“deepidentities”fromyours?

l Haveyoutriedtoincludepeoplewithdifferent“deepidentities”?Whatwastheresult?

Discussion on Deep Identity

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Exercise…

1. Whatareyour“DeepIdentities”?

2. WhatareShariff’s?(Cometoconsensusatyourtable…)

DEEP IDENTITY ASPECTS:•Race/ Ethnicity/ Culture•Language•Class•Religion•Gender

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Exercise:

• Whatareyourexperienceswith“deepconflict”(conflictsbasedon“deepidentity”)?

• Ofthefiveaspectsof“deepidentity”,whichonesaremostpowerfulforyou?Leastpowerful?

• Doyouhaveanexperienceofbeingaminorityona“deepconflict”issue?

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Poverty,Culture&Class…

Deeper into “Deep Identity”:

The Intersection of Race, Culture and Class…

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“Looter”??

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“Finder”??

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WHATISTHEDIFFERENCEBETWEENTHESETWOPICTURES??

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How “Otherness” is Created…

MyBehavior…• Innocent;normal;

good…• Thebestintentions• [Ifhurtful]:

• Accidental• Notinmycontrol• Someoneelse’s

fault/responsibility

YourBehavior…• Abnormal;deviant;evil…

• Theworstpurposes• [Ifhurtful];

• Purposeful• Underyourcontrol• Your

fault/responsibility

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Part Three:

Releasing the Shadow; Embracing the Light

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The Four Themes:Theme 01: Beyond Violence & Fear: Toward PaxHumana

Theme 02: Beyond Racism, Sexism and Other Aspects of Oppression: Toward Our Common Future

Theme 03: Beyond Poverty & Greed: Toward a Society of True Abundance

Theme 04: Beyond Depression, Despair and Suicide: Toward a Society of Deep Fulfillment

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EXERCISE:

• Whatisthecollective“Shadow”?

• HowistheShadowtransmittedfromonetoanother?

• WhatistheeffectoftheShadow?

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What is “The Shadow”?• “Shadow” is what we fear.• “Shadow” is fear itself.• Shadows get handed down:

• Via culture• via DNA • Via education and training• Via personal experiences• Via secondary information

• Some fears are necessary to living in 3-D; Shadow ones hold us back.

• Minimizing Shadow means minimizing fear.• Each Shadow has a corresponding Light. Can’t

see the light until we minimize the Shadow.CommonwayInstitute

What is the Effect of the Shadow? Personal:

Keeps us small; unenlightenedKeeps us from perceiving RealityMagnifies fearsKeeps us from greatness

Societal:A society based on fears & insecuritiesA society that perpetuates injusticeA society that is fundamentally unsustainable.A society that is immoral.

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What Keeps the Shadow in Place?

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What Keeps the Shadow in Place?DENIAL that it even existsFEAR of what lurks behind itHolding onto a STORY that requires the Shadow:

Eliminating the Shadow invalidates one’s StoryInability to admit wrong means inability to apologize and seek FORGIVENESS

Accepting your Shadow as your IDENTITYInability to face who you have been Inability to face who you will becomeInability to face loss of COMMUNITY (even if its negative)

Fear of the UNKNOWNCommonwayInstitute

What Keeps the Shadow in Place?

Addictions can keep the Shadow in place.

Belief that we are powerless to deal with the Shadow.

Apathy

Tradition

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How is the Shadow Removed & Light Enhanced?

• Using multiple methodologies to address and remove Shadow/ Enhance Light:

• Focusing away from Self and toward the whole/One.

• 12 Steps Approach: • Battle Energy Approach:• Morphic Resonance Approach:

Sheldrake – Morphogenesis

• Targeting Approach:• Creative Visualization Approach..CommonwayInstitute

Is this our TIME?

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Conclusion

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NINE PIXELS…

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Contacts:

www.commonway.org

www. shariff.commonway.org

www.S2L.commonway.org

Email: shariff@commonway.org

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ForHonest,AuthenticCommunicationwith‘TheOther’

• TheChallenge:

• YouwillgetitWRONG.• And,youmaybemisunderstood...evenwhenyougetitRIGHT.• That’sokay!• NOONEGETSIT“RIGHT”ALLTHETIME.• THEREISNO“RIGHT”!

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ForHonest,AuthenticCommunicationwith‘TheOther’

• GOALS

• Increasethelikelihoodthatyou’llgetit‘right’.Understandandbeunderstoodininter-culturalsituations.

• Minimizethedamageswhenyougetitwrong.• Movebeyond‘politicallycorrect’speech,tohonestcommunication.

• Allofusarelearning.Becommittedtocontinuouslearning.

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ForHonest,AuthenticCommunicationwith‘TheOther’

• ThePathForward:

• Acceptthatyouwill‘getitwrong’.Thisispartofthelearningprocess.

• Throwawaytheguiltandtradeitinforknowledgeandenlightenment.

• Learntoreadintentions...notjustwords.• Learntolookattheworldthroughdifferentlenses.

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