This notice was sent around about a month ago on the civicprep list.

Im quite familiar with Noetic Sciences, have attended a conference of theirs down in Palm Springs which was EXCELLENT, and have a good friend who has served for many years on their Board of Directors. (The group was started by former astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell, ScD, Apollo astronaut and the sixth man to walk on the moon, and author of Psychic Exploration and The Way of the Explorer).

How IONS describes themselves...

For 25 years, the Institute of Noetic Sciences has been at the forefront of research and education in consciousness and human potential. From the beginning we have pursued this inquiry through rigorous science.

We honor open-minded approaches and strive to bring discernment to our work. We are not a spiritual sect, political-action group, or single cause institute.

We are a nonprofit membership organization that both conducts and sponsors research into the workings and powers of the mind, including perceptions, beliefs, attention, intention, and intuition. We are bold enough to inquire about phenomena that don't fit into the conventional scientific model. We educate the public about the latest findings through our publications, conferences and website; and we support community building by providing ways for members and colleagues to share their experiences and ideas with one another through community groups, online discussion groups, our Pathfinding project, and other networking opportunities.

http://www.noetic.org/

I would LOVE to attend. Who knows? ;-D

Diane

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We at IONS have been addressing the topic of Sustainability through our Pathfinding Project. We will be focusing on:
 Community Building - Global and Local
 Future Generations
 The Environment

You might be interested in the following:

THE INSTITUTE OF NOETIC SCIENCES
IN COLLABORATION WITH ITS
St. Louis Community Group
Presents

PATHFINDING: CREATING A WORLD THAT WORKS FOR ALL
St. Louis, Missouri
July 7  9, 2000
at
The Chase Park Plaza

This is your personal invitation to actively participate in one of the most important gatherings of individuals committed to making a difference, to create a sustainable world, one community at a time.

Conference Purpose:
Like many of us, you may have concerns about what is considered reality in today's world. This is the world presented as real by the media and many of our institutions, but one that often doesn't correspond with our everyday experience. But, also like many, you probably haven't had many opportunities to connect with other like-minded people to exchange ideas and insights about what the world is--and what it could be.

At this meeting of minds and hearts, the First Annual St. Louis Pathfinding Conference, you will get this opportunity.

Conference Process:
Our interaction at the meeting will be supported by a process known as The Cafe. This process, which will be led and enriched by Sharif Abdullah, Angeles Arrien, and Mark Dubois, is based on the assumption that people have a need for meaningful connection with each other, and that that connection must include meaningful discussions of fundamental issues.

It is the perfect process for learning together about paths that can be created to reach a world that works for all--ones we can put to use in our own lives and communities. It is a process designed to fully engage every participant, every person who matters. And we all matter.

Conference Participants:
We are inviting members from all segments of the our community--all ages and all perspectives--to engage in this meaningful discussion about fundamental issues, so that the meeting will be a microcosm of our communities. And, we are inviting the entire Institute of Noetic Sciences network to join us, including over 300 community group leaders from all over the United States, and from many parts of the world.

Come prepared to listen, share, and learn so that you can return to your communities as a Pathfinder!

Conference Leaders:
Sharif Abdullah is a leading proponent and catalyst for inclusive social, cultural, and spiritual transformation. He is founder and current president of Commonway Institute, dedicated to the creation of a society reflecting our deepest spiritual values. Initially funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, the institute is designed to build inclusivity, understanding, and civic engagement among diverse groups. He received a B.A. in psychology from Clark University in Massachusetts and a juris doctor degree from Boston University. Sharif has worked with thousands of individuals and facilitated scores of transformation, empowerment, and leadership sessions for various public and private clients, including city and county governments, federal agencies, the United Nations, major corporations, and organizations in the fields of personal growth and global transformation. Sharif is the author of The Power of One: Authentic Leadership in Turbulent Times, and Creating a World That Works for All. In addition, he has published many articles on values, personal and cultural transformation, and empowerment. Sharifs international work for inclusivity has taken him to seventeen countries on five continents. In 1998, at the invitation of President Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic, Sharif participated as a delegate to the Forum 2000 conference in Prague. Sharif will be with us for the entire weekend to present, facilitate, and participate in building Sustainable Communities locally and globally.

Angeles Arrien is an anthropologist, educator, award-winning author, and corporate consultant. She lectures nationally and internationally, conducting workshops that bridge cultural anthropology, psychology, comparative religions, and mediation skills. Her work with multi-cultural issues, mediation, and conflict resolution has been used with the International Rights Commission and the World Indigenous Council. She is an associate professor at two Bay Area graduate schools, the California Institute of Integral Studies and the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. She is a Fellow at the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Dr. Arriens research and teaching have focused on values and beliefs shared by humanity cross-culturally, and on the integration and application of multi-cultural wisdoms in contemporary settings. She actively supports the vision of the Gorbachev annual State of the World Forum Conference. Her work reveals how indigenous wisdoms are relevant in our families, professional lives, and our relationship with the Earth. She is the author of The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary, published by Harper Collins, San Francisco and Signs of Life: The Five Universal Shapes and How to Use Them, winner of the 1993 Benjamin Franklin Award. In addition, she has written numerous articles and teaching modules on a variety of topics. Angeles will be with us to share her wisdom on how each of us can make a positive difference for Future Generations.

Session Purpose:
We know that the future, perhaps the survival, of humanity depends on our raising more aware, fulfilled, compassionate, and wiser future generations. IONS is supporting a program to apply (a) recent research in behavioral, social, and neuro-sciences along with (b) the common spiritual lessons of our enduring wisdom traditions toward more effectively raising our youth. This includes ways to better meet their fundamental needs, modify outmoded learning processes, enhance self-esteem, promote better parenting skills, incorporate rites of passage, elicit inner understanding and wisdom, rally community and family support, and other aspects.

Mark Dubois is the International Coordinator for Earth Day 2000. His background includes: Founder/Director of WorldWise (Grassroots Campaign for International Bank Reform supporting NGO pressure to ensure environmental, social and economic sustainability of bank loans), International Coordinator Earth Day 1990, Co-founded the International Rivers Network, Co-founder and Director of Friends of the River, and over 30 years of active involvement in International Environmental Liaison and Networking. He has served on numerous boards and Action Committees. He is the recipient of the following awards: Nations Top River Environmentalist, Beyond War Award, Global 500 award of the US Friends of the U.N., River Conservationist of the Year, and The Giraffe Award to site a few. He has been invited to join us in the Pathfinding process of: Inquiry, Vision, and Action, to create a sustainable Environment for all.

Also invited to join us:

Wink Franklin, President - IONS
The IONS Stewardship Council

Mr. Barry Wolfer who heads up the IONS Future Generations Initiative IONS Community Group leaders from all over the world have also been invited to Create a World that Works for All.

WHAT IS Pathfinding?
Making a difference requires a special skill: It means linking efforts to change society with changes in our own lives. Much well-intentioned work focuses on changing the world, on the big picture, but these efforts often turn meaningless if not connected to what we believe and how we actually live. Ultimately, we are the change we seek in the world.

These assumptions are central to the Pathfinding Project, an initiative based on three activities: The first is seeking to understand the present state of the world and the areas of our personal lives we consider most important Inquiry. The second is creating positive images of the future that, magnet-like, pull us in the direction we desire Vision. The third is identifying specific paths by which we can develop a more just, compassionate, and environmentally sustainable society Action.

~ What are some of the underlying fundamental or societal issues that we need to be aware of?

~ What are the most interesting ideas being considered today that could lead to a healthier environment?

~ How can work be redesigned to serve our children several decades from now?

~ What inner qualities can we nurture that will be most helpful in the next century, and how can we develop them?

So, in a sentence: Pathfinding is a network of people, supported by the Institute, connected by a common process for creating a positive future and committed to transforming our own lives and the world around us. The project is an opportunity to envision a future that resonates with our mind and hearts so clearly it inspires us each day to make it a reality.

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Conference site:
The conference will be held at the Chase Park Plaza, a local landmark situated in Midtown St.Louis and adjacent to Forest Park, site of the 1904 Worlds Fair. Forest Park contains museums, a zoo, well-maintained paths for cycling, roller-blading, walking, or an early morning run, and many shaded or open areas for tai chi, yoga, or meditation. In addition, this location offers exposure to diverse St. Louis neighborhoods (a crucial element of any relevant issue being discussed at the conference), is close to mass-transit transportation, and is a short taxi ride from a wide variety of ethnic restaurants and cultural experiences. The Chase was completed in 1929 and heralded as one of the most nearly-perfect hotels ever built, it has been restored to be an all suite hotel with ample meeting space and services to guarantee a memorable conference experience.

Room reservations: Please contact the Chase Park Plaza and ask for the special IONS Conference rate of:
$125 for a One-Bedroom Suite
$159 for a Two-Bedroom Suite
Phone: 314-633-3000

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Details and Registration Information: Attendance will be limited to 300 to ensure maximum participation

Friday night July 7: Commons Cafi - Time: Registration 5:30p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Saturday July 8: Pathfinding Sessions - Registration 7:30a.m. - 5:15 p.m. Adjourn

Sunday July 9: 8:00a.m. Introductions - 12:15p.m. Lunch buffet - 1:30 p.m. Next steps - 2:30pm Adjourn

Conference Registration: If you register by:
March 31 IONS members -$145ea. Community Group Coordinators - $130

April 1 IONS members -$165ea. Community Group Coordinators - $150

Non-members - $185ea. (note: IONS associate memberships are only $35.00 to qualify for the member rate)

Registration refund deadline: June 1, 2000 minus $50 processing fee. No refunds after June 25, 2000.

Registration includes: Attendance to all sessions, Friday July 7  Sunday July 9, Friday night refreshments, Sunday luncheon

Continuing Education Credits offered by the Institute of Noetic Sciences are available to: National Certified Counselors-Nurses-Social Workers-California LCSW and MFCC

Conference Registration Information:

http://www.noetic.org/ions/events/sevents.asp

(Look down the events list)

Please make all checks payable to: Institute of Noetic Sciences
Please send registration information and payment to the address below:
For information contact: Gregg Ganschaw (314) 984-0133, Fax (314) 821-4335, GreggG@swbell.net

(Please indicate any special services required in order for you to fully participate in the Conference:)

-- Anonymous, April 24, 2000