Common Ground: Conciousness in Action

October 2004 | Editor’s Note

Conciousness in Action

The annual Bioneers Conference has been hailed as a “life-changing” experience by many participants. And judging from the roster of speakers at the 15th Bioneers gathering — from October 15-17 at San Rafael’s Marin Center — it is easy to see why. Some of our most progressive leaders, thinkers, and environmental activists will present an inspiring array of workshops devoted to “visionary and practical solutions for restoring the Earth and People.”

Two weeks before our national day of reckoning, Bioneers offers exactly what is missing from the sordid spectacle of mainstream media’s election coverage — an authentic look at the real issues confronting America. Among the speakers, Commonweal’s Charlotte Brody and Michael Lerner, media progressives Amy Goodman and Don Hazen, ecologist Dennis Martinez, author Terry Tempest Williams and others will address environmental health and social justice, the media and democracy, corporate reform, and sustainable economics. These issues will not go away on November 2.

Bioneers is a place where and ideas for a new humanity are disseminated and consciousness moves into action. (This year, the conference will be broadcast via satellite to schools and communities across North America, from Anchorage, Alaska to Washington, DC). Accordingly, this month’s Common Ground highlights the work of two Bioneers speakers: Resurgence magazine editor Satish Kumar and Sausalito-based author Paul Hawken (Natural Capitalism, The Ecology of Commerce). The life-path of Kumar — a former Jain monk best known for walking 8,000-miles to persuade leaders of the nuclear powers to forego war — provides a testament to right livelihood. And in an exclusive, special report, Hawken reveals some troubling truths about the Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) industry. The SRI’s industry original mission was to influence corporations to be socially responsible, to be good and green, not just greedy. But Hawken argues that, today, the term SRI is so loosely defined and widely applied that it has become meaningless. He now calls for industry-wide reforms.

We are confident that breaking this controversial critique nationally (it is appearing in all five of Dragonfly Media’s monthly publications) will prompt a healthy debate. In an upcoming issue, Common Ground will offer SRI leaders a chance to respond to Hawken’s criticisms.

Also in this issue: “Himalayan Visions,” Brian Harris’ stunning photos of Tibet, illuminate the sight-saving work of Seva. Gary Gach (”Rexroth Revisited,”) recalls poet Kenneth Rexroth, a visionary who godfathered the SF literary scene. In “Dressing for the Revolution,” Kate Coleman remembers her arrest 40 years ago during the Free Speech Movement’s occupation of Sproul Hall. And for this month’s “Journeys” essay, Tai Moses offers a moving account of an Oakland vigil mourning those who have died.

Finally, in “One Soul, One Vote,” Deepak Chopra explains why spiritual seekers should vote. Election day provides an opportunity to put consciousness into action. Voting, he argues, affects the world as surely as the Buddha’s hand in a mudra of peace. And on November 2, we must vote as if our future — and our democracy — depended on it.

We hope this issue shows how much we’ve grown since becoming a monthly last May. Our parent company, Dragonfly Media is growing, too. If you enjoy Common Ground, you can take a look at the best work of our sister publications in Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver and Chicago — now available online at our newly re-designed website.

— Carl Nagin

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