• Spiritual Practice as Social Action / Social Action as Spiritual Practice, by John Algeo
• Social Artistry and the Making of a New World, by Jean Houston
• Gandhi, Pluralism and the Qur’an, by Jamal Rahman
• Spirituality, Society, and Healing our Veterans by Edward Tick, Ph.D.
• An Experiment in Openness: The Life and Work of Bill Lawrence by Tim Boyd
• Global Climate Change? What’s Really Happening? by Jim Kenney

Theosophy implies a spiritual practice that is life-affirming and world-embracing, rather than life-negating and world-evading. Such a practice follows from the core Theosophical principles (1) that all life is fundamentally one, (2) that everything any of us does affects all of us, and (3) that the world process is not a mistake, but rather is life’s means of achieving greater subtlety, awareness, and unity. Theosophy also holds that the ills besetting the world---poverty, preventable disease, hunger, sexual and economic exploitation, injustice, persecution, war, tribalism, sectarianism, prejudice, and so on---are only the symptoms of a disease, which is ignorance of those core principles. Consequently, although the symptoms must be treated, they can be removed only by curing the disease.

Thus Theosophy calls upon us to spread knowledge of the core principles as the most effective form of social action. The result is spiritual practice (including life-style, meditation, ritual, and teaching) as social action. At the same time, all Fellows of the Theosophical Society are free to engage in whatever other form of social action they find compatible with the Society’s three Objects. The Theosophical Society itself does not engage in social action other than spreading knowledge of the core principles, but leaves its Fellows free to follow their own consciences in such matters.

Historically, individual Theosophists have vigorously embraced various forms of social action as expressions of their spiritual practice. Two notable examples are the Founder-President, Henry Steel Olcott, and the second international President, Annie Besant, both of whom were engaged in seeking justice for the deprived. For example, Olcott became a national hero in Sri Lanka by appealing to the British government in defense of the civil rights of Sri Lankans and by supporting their education and cultural pride. Similarly, Besant became a national hero in India by supporting self-rule and promoting the education and protection of women. Their work was social action as spiritual practice.

A sister organization of the Theosophical Society, the Theosophical Order of Service, does provide an opportunity for collective social action of many sorts. Founded by Annie Besant, today it is active around the world in promoting human rights, child protection, animal welfare, healing, ecology, disaster relief, and similar causes.

Spiritual practice and social action are mutually compatible activities. Theosophy emphasizes the importance of disseminating knowledge of its core principles as the only way to cure humanity of the disease of separateness and selfishness. The Theosophical Society leaves all its Fellows free to alleviate the symptoms of that disease by those forms of social action they find most compatible and effective.

We are living in a time of whole system transition, a condition of interactive change that affects every aspect of life as we know it. On the shadowy side, this includes the many problems we currently face: global warming and other changes in climate, disastrous ups and downs in our interlinked financial markets, worldwide unemployment, more than a billion people living in deprivation, disappearing soils and forests, the angers and actions of the disenfranchised, oppressive governments and corporations, and a stratified economic system that rewards the most greedy among us.

In spite of the negative factors that threaten to destroy us, an emergence of patterns of possibility never before available to the earth’s people as a whole is now occurring. It is true that virtually every known institution and way of being is currently in a state of deconstruction and breakdown. And yet, given the scientific, technological, cross-cultural, and social tools at hand, and given, too, that humanity is searching as never before to cooperate in many areas, it seems feasible that we may be ready to integrate inner and outer dimensions of life in ways which infuse new energy into human development and new purpose and responsibility into social transformation.

Four powerful forces that have risen in this time are propelling the current state of collective potential growth. They parallel and fuel one another. These forces may be described as the re-patterning of human nature, re-genesis of society, breakdown of the membrane between peoples, cultures, nations, and an increase in the depth of spiritual renewal.

Understanding, defining, and working with these forces and their evolutionary potential provide the framework and foundation for the leadership training work of Ms. Houston’s Social Artistry. What is necessary to achieve the transformation of self and society? Business as usual will not get us there. Innovative strategies, initiatives, and approaches catalyzed by imaginative leaders are required.

This presentation and dialogue will explore the worldwide efforts of Houston and her team, as they test a powerful approach to evoke and sustain systemic change. Social Artistry, developed by Houston, goes beyond technical, mechanistic, and bureaucratic solutions to include effective, creative, inspiring, and profoundly human processes. In addition to institutional solutions, Social Artistry includes cultural, personal and interpersonal approaches. Local governments, citizens, NGOs, and businesses are coming together in innovative partnerships to localize the Millennium Development Goals by activating change in physical, psychological, mythological, and spiritual dimensions. Participants in this event will experience some of these processes for themselves.

Gandhi said that for a pluralistic society to flourish, it is essential that its members take to heart three insights.

First, it is a sacred duty of every individual to have an appreciative understanding of other religions. Thus in this workshop we shall explore verses of beauty and wisdom from the Qur’an that have inspired the astonishing number of sages and mystics who abound in Islam. The thirteenth century teacher, Rumi, uttered, "I am a slave of the Qur’an; I am dust on the path of Mohammad." In particular we shall focus on the teachings of the Qur’an regarding the themes of compassion and awareness. The former appears in the Holy Book two hundred times and the latter is the second most used word in the Qur’an. The Prophet Mohammad said, "All that is in the revealed books is contained in the Qur’an; all that is in the Qur’an is contained in the opening surah (chapter) called Fatihah; all that is in the Fatihah is contained in the Basmala." The ‘Basmala’ is Compassion comprising the essence of God and God’s creation. The Prophet Mohammad also said "Move from knowledge of the tongue to knowledge of the heart.’

Second, it is important to acknowledge that every religion has truths and untruths. We shall bring to light verses of awkwardness in the Qur’an about infidels, jihad and the status of women. Islamic extremists take refuge in these verses to justify their actions. To heighten our awareness, we shall examine the historical and scriptural context of these verses.

Third, Gandhi said that if an extremist commits an act of violence, do not criticize that person’s religion. Better, point out to the person insights and verses of beauty from that person’s own tradition. Help that person to become a better Muslim, Christian, Jew or Hindu. This is the way to peace and understanding.

To be able to embrace diversity and differences we have to cultivate what Muslim Sufi teachers call an "inner spaciousness." The Qur’an says that God created diversity so that we might ‘get to know one another.’ We shall examine insights and practices of the Sufis that give us the tools to achieve this inner state.

War’s violence is so severe that it can cause the true self to become distorted or lost for life. Newest estimates state that 30% of Iraq returnees return with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with its multitude of disabling symptoms. Countless more return with severe disabling wounds to body and mind. Our society and the institutions meant to serve veterans are in crisis and at a loss as to how to respond to this massive wounding.

But war does not only afflict our veterans. Whatever our age, generation or gender, our lives are deeply touched by war. Some of us or our fathers, and now mothers, served in war. Since 9/11 and the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, we have all lived in war’s inevitable atmosphere: threat, terror, confusion, grief, irremediable loss and moral turmoil. Whether or not we took a stand, served in the military or lost loved ones, war wounds our spirits for life.

Dr. Edward Tick will explore the inner world of combat, its impact on the social order, and the universal dimensions of veterans’ wounding as revealed through world history, mythology, archetypal psychology, and cross-cultural perspectives. We will examine Post-traumatic Stress Disorder as an identity disorder and soul wound. We will discuss psycho-spiritual interventions and social activism that rebuild veterans’ identities, shrink trauma, and restore wounded dimensions of soul. We will consider what we as activists can do to transform our communities so our veterans can have safe and successful homecomings and how our communities and nation must be involved in healing from war.