Events:
		I was honoured to receive an invitation from Sesto Giovanni Castagnoli and Gabriele Castagnoli asking me to attend the 5th WSF World Spirit Forum in January 2008, in Arosa, Switzerland. I'm not able to make it this time but am equally as honoured to contribute a written piece* to this exciting, inspiring event.  5th WSF World Spirit Forum (WSF), January 20th to 23rd, 2008, Arosa, Switzerland “(X) Change Consciousness”  A collaboration on the questions:  - Does the Global Climate Change demand a Global Spirituality? - How to use Our Knowledge wisely?  By Dana Mrkich Al Gore has predicted we are at an important threshold of time, and has stated we have about 10 years before we reach the point of no return with our climate, unless we start making major changes right now. There are many who say they don’t believe the world is going to change in our lifetime. I think this viewpoint isn’t taking into consideration the fact that Mother Earth appears to have issued an ultimatum: Change or perish. I believe this is what the Mayan 2012 prophecies are referring to: we have until then to change, or face the consequences. It’s our choice which road we go down.  In An Inconvenient Truth Al Gore says that the one element missing in turning our climate change situation around is the political will. I agree, yet feel that we as an awakened humanity need to unite, now more than ever before, to demand this change in will. I went to a climate change rally in Sydney and the sentiment expressed by Senator Bob Brown said it perfectly: Earth has supported and nurtured us for generations. It’s now time for us to return the favor. Humanity is at a crossroads, and we have in front of us a choice. A new chapter in our evolution lies before us, personally and collectively. Will the title of this chapter be the destruction of humanity, or the transformation of humanity? The choice is ours, and the time to decide is now. My vote is for transformation, and we’d better get on with it! As is the case when turning any large moving vehicle, we cannot wait until the last minute to change the direction we are heading in. The time to take action is now.  Awakening to who we really are, living life with a conscious awareness of our inner self, is key to creating positive change in our world. Yet awakening and awareness on their own do not automatically lead to inner peace, world harmony and a balanced Earth environment. Awakening, awareness and knowledge are great gifts. Knowing how to apply them in the right way, with right action, is our initiation into wisdom. Wisdom is the secret ingredient that now needs to be applied to our climate change crisis. It is time to put our consciousness into action and to act consciously, in this situation and all others. It is time for us all to be part of a Wisdom Generation, one that not only awoke just in time, but did something with our awakening. It is time for us all to do our bit to help create a new reality for our world. A higher perspective gives us the vision to create a new reality, but it is physical action that sets creation in motion, giving life to our ideas and ideals. Spiritual insight shows us the way to our greater potential, but it is our humanity that takes us there, step by step. It is one thing to know our true self as a concept, it is another thing entirely to become our true self by giving voice to it every day, expressing our authentic feelings and following our heart. So too, it is one thing to have faith that a better world is around the corner, it is another thing to confront reality as it is and ask ourselves what we are doing to create this better world.  As part of the Wisdom Generation, we are being called right now to a new kind of enlightenment, one that takes all that we have discovered on our inner journeys into the outer world. It’s time to get out of our caves and take whatever enlightenment we have into the real world, into this crucial issue of climate change, into corporations, governments, politics, schools, media, health and social systems. We have been waiting for the world to change, meanwhile the world is waiting for us to act.  "This is not the time to stay at home, but to go out and give yourself to the garden. The dawn of joy has arisen, and this is the moment of union, of vision." –Rumi This new kind of enlightenment challenges us to embody, act upon and live all that we know. It calls us to fulfill our human need to take action and engage with world events just as we have been fulfilling our soul need to awaken and evolve.  We need a new definition of enlightenment, one that we can take with us everywhere we go. This new enlightenment is an attitude, it is a perspective, it is a way of being. It engages with people, it doesn’t look down from the mountain-top while humanity struggles. It doesn’t hide in stillness, but uses it to feel deeply and empathetically. It merges consciousness with action, and action with consciousness to create conscious action. We can’t continue to experience unity in our meditative states yet perpetuate separation in our physical lives. It is not ‘unspiritual’ to make some noise and challenge the system! Far from it, this is our highest duty right now. The New Earth isn’t just going to appear magically — we have to create it! So, how to know what the best thing is for you to do? There are over 6 billion of us, and therefore over 6 billion pieces of the puzzle each with a contribution to make. I don’t know what your specific contribution is meant to be, but I do know how you can find out – your true self will show you the way.  Your true self already knows exactly what to do in each moment. It is encoded to head toward your personal, and our collective, best possible reality and outcome. Listen to your instincts – they are your very own ‘GPS’ inner guidance system. Feel your feelings – they are your compass. Your intuition is your navigator. Your soul is your captain. Take time to be still and be in the present moment – this opens up your satellite dish to your higher self and guides. Follow your heart, speak your truth, and you will automatically be led to the actions and opportunities that are most right and perfect for you, and ultimately for all. This is a team effort.  We all have a part to play in determining what our new chapter looks like. Each of us is a page within it, and every page has a purpose. Be your true self, and in doing so you will make your page the best it can be, doing your part in making our new chapter the best of all of us. *This article contains excerpts from Dana's first book A New Chapter, due for release early 2008, Zeus Publications, and Dana's article A New Kind of Enlightenment Jan 2007 Insight Magazine Australia.  [Back to top]
		© Copyright 2008 Dana. Site Development + Design: Jelena Mrkich