Conscious Community Intention
I am here for mutual support to practice the universal Virtues of Love, Integrity, Courage, Service, and Respect as a way to grow spiritually and to become a catalyst for the emergence of a new society.
I connect from my heart, to share my personal stories of inspiration and challenges in living the virtues everyday and learn from others as they share theirs.
We gather to support each other's passions to make a better world and weave the good already happening in our communities into a more unified power for change.Do you believe in something far greater than yourself?
IT'S TIME!
America is awakening—one community at a time. Come join us where we can make the most difference—right here in northern Nevada. The Conscious Community Campaign is part of a broad network of individuals and organizations dedicated to spiritual awakening and social renewal. Check out the many ways you can plug in!
Only spiritual awakening to something greater than ourselves can address societies' most pressing problems and answer our most heartfelt needs and aspirations.
We have come together to connect the good so that we may generate a tidal wave of goodwill that we hope will spread throughout our region and the rest of the world.
There is so much division and fragmentation: by politics, religion, race, etc. and this division extends right down into our communities, where, in many cases, neighbors rarely connect anymore.
Don't wait for an awakening to come from the top down—from society's leaders. Ensnared by divisive special interests, they can't address our root problems: the loss of human connection and caring among neighbors, family, friends, and community.
Americans are more concerned about our moral and spiritual meltdown than they are about contentious political issues. They have seen the materialistic side of the American dream spin out of control and how this has led to so many of the major problems we see today.
Can we believe in something greater than ourselves? Instead of always arguing about our differences, can we spend more time building the world that we want right now?
We can be "lighthouses in a foggy world"— each of us has a role to play in this great awakening. Beyond our differing beliefs, we are all people - people with a lot of Good to share. Through cultivation of the Good, we all can be a light and a source of strength within our families, with friends, to our neighbors, workplaces, community, and to everyone we meet. It is a choice, no matter what the world "throws"at us, a loving choice is always an option.
The Conscious Community Campaign works to connect the Good, the silent majority of people in any community who are already making a difference and those who would like to make more of a difference in the lives of others.
By connecting neighbors and others through shared virtues that we all care deeply about, such as love, integrity, courage, service and respect, we have begun to build a solid foundation to solve community's problems working from the bottom up.
Let's continue the work to bring our smaller lights together so that we can build a great beacon of hope to our whole community and world. Imagine northern Nevada, with thousands of people consciously connecting in this way. There will be generated such a tidal wave of goodwill that loving our neighbor will become an everyday occurrence.
We can start right where we live. Tear down the walls that separate us by demonstrating love in action. Every loving act that we perform, no matter how small fosters the awakening of ourselves, our families, then cities, nations, and the world.
Why Build Conscious Community?
America is divided from within. Political and religious differences have left many to feel that they are in “warring” camps. Lack of civility and disrespect have become the norm and positive spiritual and civic virtues are not at the forefront of our lives. The result is a breakdown of family and community order where the bonds of community that hold us together unravel as materialism and consumerism are valued above the spiritual needs of the individual, family, and community.
Observing the current spiritual and civic state of our country is painful to those of us who care. When we are worried about whether a child will come home alive from school, something is terribly wrong. It's time for personal and community-wide renewal to re-weave the bonds that connect all of us as one extended family.
Merck Family Fund Study: Yearning For Balance
A study by the Merck Family Fund gives support to the premise that society is out of balance. According to the study, the majority of Americans (more than 80 percent) feel our lifestyle is not aligned with our interior values. Materialism, greed and selfishness seem to increasingly dominate American life and crowd out the traditions and values of our society rooted in personal responsibility, family and community. While most of us hope to achieve financial security, according to the study, our deepest aspirations are non-material ones. (more)
It's Time For A Wake-Up Call
Have you noticed that it takes personal tragedy or a natural or man made disaster like Hurricane Katrina or September 11 to wake us up from our preoccupation with the everyday demands of our materialistic society? It is only then that we seem to change our perspective, pull together as a team, and go beyond our man made differences. But why wait for a tragedy? It's time to live this way every day!
Finding The Common Ground
Recognizing common virtues, forging a common vision, and translating them into a community-wide effort are needed if we are to have any hope of moving beyond the polarization and fragmentation prevalent today. It's time to connect the “Good.”
Conscious Community Campaign
The good news is that many people and organizations are already trying to bring balance back into their lives and make a difference in the community. The Conscious Community Campaign is a grass-roots movement to bring together those people and organizations in a consolidated effort to build a more intentional community where spiritual and material needs are in balance, and to engage the whole community to participate. It’s time for citizens to be proactive and not wait for society’s institutions to initiate a solution. It’s time to raise our awareness and take responsibility for our part in creating the culture that we hope for.
The Vision
To build and grow spiritual awareness and engage in social renewal for the betterment of our community and the world.
The Purpose
To serve as a catalyst for action to do “Good” in the community, and to create a purpose-driven community by focusing on the Good we do; the Good we are yet to do; and how we can actualize the Good in our lives and in the community as a whole by Living Our Virtues Everyday.
The Virtues
The following list of virtues were the result of input from the community and from looking at the "core values" of many social institutions including service groups such as Rotary Club; business; the US Military and police departments; non-profit and civic organizations; religious groups; city governments; etc.
It is evident that all sectors of our society share a belief that these virtues are important, but, in reality, they may not be at the forefront of our daily life.
LOVE
Power that connects
***Compassion, Kindness, Generosity, Forgiveness, Humility, Patience, Joy, Appreciation
INTEGRITY
Doing what’s right. Ability to hold together and properly regulate all of the elements of the personality
***Authenticity, Responsibility, Honesty, Trustworthiness, Balance, Self-Reliance, Simplicity, Honor
COURAGE
Strength to do what’s right, overcome fear, adhere to a higher standard no matter what happens.
***Strength, Perseverance, Acceptance, Dedication, Discipline, Restraint, Nobility
SERVICE
An ethic of “Service to Humanity” in daily life.
***Goodwill, Sharing, Caring, Involvement, Community
RESPECT
To demonstrate positive regard for ourselves and others.
***Mindfulness, Fairness, Civility, Cooperation, Dignity
The Plan
We have begun a community-wide campaign during the Summer 2006. This includes a comprehensive public relations effort to promote awareness that leads to action. We are forming ongoing teams of like-minded individuals who want to make a difference (who meet at regular times once a month) to discuss the "good" we are doing already and the "good" we intend to do in our personal lives. Teams have started to do "good works" together by initiating "service projects" throughout the community that started in June 2006. We are also planning a community-wide service project in September prior to a community-wide Celebration at Bartley Ranch on September 30th, 2006 from 1-6 PM.
Connecting the Dots With Teams
Teams are the basic unit of the campaign organization. Teams (up to 12 people) meet once a month and are open to everyone. They are not closed meetings but are offered at different homes and community locations to be convenient to our busy schedules. We encourage the development of leadership within the teams so that those who have the desire can form their own teams, thus expanding the number of people involved. And, we envision teams forming within organizations throughout the community—within workplaces, schools, religious and social groups. We can connect the dots with teams as the vehicle for promoting positive virtues throughout the community and by bringing together diverse organizations for common effort. (more)
We Need Your Participation
This is an open community-building process where your input is not only appreciated but essential. Help us to create a chain reaction of Goodwill---personally, in our families, in our community, and eventually, the world.
- Volunteer to help us spread the word.
- Do A Kind Act! Then, post your Intentional Acts of Kindness on our online forum so others can appreciate your gift.
- Live Our Virtues Everyday! Join a team and do team initiated service projects. Next team meetings are August 8th, 9th, 13th, 16th, and17th. Call Terry Bertschinger at 852-7123.
- Raise Your Awareness! Come to a monthly community meeting. Next meeting is August 28th, 4685 Lakeside Dr., 6:30 PM.
- Connect the Good. Attend the Fall Celebration and bring your friends and family for a day of fun, music, and other activities.
- Have your organizations endorse the Conscious Community Campaign. E-mail rflyer2@yahoo.com.
Raise Your Awareness
To something greater than ourselves.
Spiritual awakening. Social renewal. Big ideas—alot of misunderstanding.
Ultimately, all social, economic, and political conflict arises from spiritual root causes. Only spiritual awakening to something greater than ourselves can address societies' most pressing problems and answer our most heartfelt needs and desires. It's time for citizens to be proactive and not wait for society's institutions to initiate a solution. It's time to raise our awareness and take responsibility for our part in creating our future culture by the way that we live today.
Spiritual awakening is about demonstrating love and service in action, day in and day out. It's not about beliefs that could divide us—in this way, we bring together people of all beliefs to share a common vision and engage in common social action.
Only love can heal ourselves and families, communities, our country, and world. Those who believe in the possibility of a world at peace can start building that world in the here and now—at home, with our family, neighbors, with friends, in the workplace, in the community, and everywhere you go.
Do a Kind Act
Can you serve something greater than yourself?
Harvesting produce for families in need at the Northern Nevada Food Bank Farm.
Assisting "shut in" seniors at Lucky Lane Mobile Home Park.
Working with the RSVP program, we collected 150 pieces of luggage to give dignity to children who were displaced from their homes.
There is such joy in being of service to others. Service is a two-way street. We share the gift of ourselves because it enriches us, not just to be a "do-gooder." It doesn't take any specialized knowledge to be of service—in your family, at work, on the streets, wherever you are, you can be of service to humanity. The greatest people we know are not famous celebrities or people with titles and degrees, but those who do the most service. The truly great is the "servant" of all.
The Conscious Community Campaign takes a hands-on approach to being of service. We are a catalyst for action and social renewal. We are building a network of relationships between individuals and organizations.Connect the Good
Let's build the world that we want instead of always fighting against the one that we don't like.
Our community is fragmented and divided into differing religious and political beliefs; by income; by ethnicity; special interests; etc. So many times, we fight against what we don't like about other ideas and beliefs. While we hold dear our causes and affiliations, can we start to build the world that we want right now instead of always fighting against the one that we don't like?
The Conscious Community Campaign is not a typical organization—our community already has lots of groups doing a lot of good. Instead, we are a broad network that acts as a catalyst to bring people together—connecting the dots. We offer a practical strategy to enable northern Nevada to become stronger by weaving a cohesive social network. We make this happen by connecting people: by growing goodwill teams, doing ongoing service activities, bringing neighbors together, connecting individuals with community organizations, community meetings and celebrations.
Intention:
I am here for mutual support to practice the universal Virtues of Love, Integrity, Courage, Service, and Respect as a way to grow spiritually and to become a catalyst for the emergence of a new society.
I connect from my heart, to share my personal stories of inspiration and challenges in living the virtues everyday and learn from others as they share theirs.
We gather to support each other’s passions to make a better world and weave the good already happening in our communities into a more unified power for change.
What is a weaver gathering?
Ordinary people share stories about how we have been able to demonstrate the virtues in all sorts of real life situations. We receive inspiration, inspire others, grow spiritually, and weave connections between us that radiate out into the total community. It has created some amazing results in people's lives and has acted as a catalyst for the creation of many new projects to make the world a better place.
Growing together
We support spiritual growth by sharing what works for us to build authentic relationships. We also set powerful intentions for areas of our life that we choose to grow further. Speaking simply and directly from the heart generates energy in the group whose power is greater than any individual, allowing miracles to happen.
We Can Change the World
We seek to transform the world through love and service leaving it better than how we found it rather than simply coping and conforming to it. We are vessels of love, and hold ourselves capable of being of ever expanding service to humanity.
WHAT HAPPENS?
- Welcome and introductions
- Facilitator sets intention by reading statement above and guidelines below, then moment of silence
- Share personal stories of demonstrating virtues in every day situations
- Share intentions to work on a particular virtue in a real life situation
- Share passions, projects, and needs (including personal) to make the world a better place
- Closing circle, facilitator begins, then participants can share their feelings/prayers followed by silence
- Follow up community weaving
GUIDELINES
- Speak simply and directly from the heart and keep comments brief. Please, no “cross talk.”
- In the virtue stories section, we ask that you share personal stories about what has worked for you.
- The intention part of the meeting is used to share areas that you personally want to work on.
- In the sharing passions section, please state briefly what you are doing and very succinctly what you need. If you don’t have anything specific, you could share any personal needs/requests like help dealing with personal issues. State the issue clearly and what you need to address it.
- This is not a therapy session to solve personal issues.
- Refrain from discussing polarizing political or religious beliefs or promoting your business. This is a time for sharing real experiences based on the 5 Virtues and not designed to be a philosophical discussion. We focus on building the unity of the group, speak from your heart, and highlight what we have in common rather than what divides us.
- We encourage everyone to participate and to have the opportunity to speak once before anyone speaks a second time.
- Please respect everyone’s point of view and allow others to speak without interruption.
