From here to 'Sacred Economics'

by Elisa Graf and Thorsten Wiesmann

A discussion of Charles Eisenstein's book, Sacred Economics: Money, Gift and Society in the Age of Transition, which details the development of the use of money from gift economies to the current capitalism with its pathologies of alienation, competition and scarcity.

Few today would argue with the fact that nearly all human institutions appear to be in parallel crisis. Charles Eisenstein is a philosopher, teacher and author whose latest book, Sacred Economics: Money, Gift and Society in the Age of Transition, traces the history of money from ancient gift economies to modern capitalism, revealing how the money system has contributed to alienation, competition, and scarcity. In line with esoteric thinking he suggests that humanity is now making a transition away from a cultural identity that defines human beings as separate, discrete entities in competition with each other for finite resources, to one that expresses the connected relationship between ourselves and other human beings, and ourselves and nature. He presents an idealistic vision of how living without society’s over-riding focus on money would transform our sense of self and our relationship to others: a change in sensibility. He talks of "The self of ‘inter-beingness’ that understands that we’re the same being, looking out through different eyes; that what I do to you I’m really doing to myself; that your well-being is connected to my wellbeing; your suffering is connected to my suffering". As our institutions fall apart, Eisenstein says that they are, in effect, ‘birthing’ us into a new world. (more…)

Living without money

An interview with Heidemarie Schwermer

by Andrea Bistrich

Award-winning author Heidimarie Schwermer answers questions about why and how she gave up her possessions to live totally without money, and her discovery of a growing number of initiatives in support of saner and more just values. (March 2012)

Heidemarie Schwermer worked as a psychotherapist and teacher for 20 years before deciding, in 1996, to attempt an experiment to live without money. What was initially to last one year has, in the meantime, become a way of life for the 70-year-old. She has written three books on living without money, holds lectures and has been a guest on numerous talk-shows. Her first book, The Star Money Experiment, translated into many languages, was awarded the Tiziano Terzani Peace Prize in 2008, and in 2010 the Italian/Norwegian documentary film about her life enjoyed its premier in Oslo. With her moneyless way of living she wants to give a positive impulse towards a more just and equal society. (more…)

"We are no longer afraid": the world at the threshold of a new dawn

An interview with Federico Mayor Zaragoza

by Carmen Font

In an interview, renowned Spanish peace and democracy activist, Professor Federico Major Zaragoza, discusses the shifts in power now underway that are empowering the people of the developing world. (March 2012)

Professor Federico Mayor Zaragoza (born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1934) is a respected figure in Spain and abroad for his tireless work for peace and development. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Professor Mayor, a biochemist by profession, held several senior ministerial posts in the Spanish transition governments and later as Member of the European Parliament. He gained widespread international recognition during his mandate as director-general of UNESCO from 1987 to 1999, a period in which he gave new momentum to the organisation's mission and worked towards creating the Culture of Peace Program. In 1999, he decided not to run for a third term with UNESCO and, on returning to Spain, created Fundación Cultura de Paz, (The Foundation for the Culture of Peace) of which he is chairman. Federico Mayor shares his thoughts and actions about the latest important developments in the past year. Carmen Font interviewed him for Share International. (more…)

The Loneliness, Stress, Isolation, And Lack Of Human Compassion And Support Of Brothers And Sisters Existing In Urban Life

The Need For Community And Coming Back To Nature

Part 3 in A Series On Community Building And Survival In Times Of Economic Crises by Gabriel of Urantia 

We should ask ourselves how many people should comfortably live in close proximity to one another, also in relationship to working and using the same recreation facilities. For instance, New York City has an approximate 10-mile radius (which includes the boroughs) with roughly 20 million inhabitants within that radius. In our extra-large cities of more than 10 million people, how big should that radius be?  (more…)

Substitutes For Community Living

Modern Society And The Breakdown Of Having All Things In Common, Including Interpersonal Relationships

by Gabriel of Urantia

With the onslaught (particularly in Western civilization) of modernization, industrialization, and technology, people have become more isolated from each other and from the local community where they may live. At one time in our human history people used to know the names of everyone in the tribe or neighborhood. They ate, played, washed clothes, watched each other’s children, fixed each other’s broken-down whatever, worshipped God together in kivas and outdoor arenas, helped raise the animals, and often shared the same modes of transportation (horses, chariots, wagons, etc). The following specifics are some of the reasons why community has been lost in present-day civilization. (more…)

When Will The Champions Arise?

By Dr. Stewart Bitkoff

People in this civilization are starving in the middle of plenty. This is a civilization that is going down, not because it hasn’t got the knowledge that would save it, but because nobody will use the knowledge. Idries Shah, 1975

When Will The Champions Arise?

It is most interesting to note, that this prophecy or insight about the hungry: physically, emotionally and spiritually was offered in 1975. I believe I had been out of college and working just four years; also, it came after the unrest of the 1960's.  During this period, I had no idea that personal excellence could be attained through higher knowledge; and this personal reaching higher, makes the world a better place one person at a time. (more…)

Community Living - The Answer As To How To Defeat The 1%

The Establishment of Subcultures

by Gabriel of Urantia

This article is a response to a member of the arts and labor group of Occupy Wall Street, Nicole Demby’s excellent article titled, “The Fight Against Capitalism” printed in AdBusters, February 15, 2012.

Throughout recorded history, and even before that, people lived in communities/tribes and had as many things in common as they could, because tribal living simply made life easier for everyone involved. It was a protection against more hostile enemy tribes as well as the 1% of their day (and there has always been a 1%, since the establishment of using some sort of capital as a means of acquiring goods and services). (more…)

The Judicial System: Why It Doesn't Work And How It Can

Occupy The Courts

by Gabriel of Urantia 

I was a volunteer chaplain at the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. I worked at the county jail from 1977 to 1982. I also worked with the pre-trial release program of the Department of Economic Security and accepted prisoners to my halfway house, if I thought I could work with them. Many of these prisoners I got personally involved with. I went to their trials. I learned a lot about the “injustice system” because none of these prisoners had the money to really hire an attorney, so most of them had court-appointed attorneys to defend them. And a lot of those attorneys were wet behind the ears. (more…)

The Higher-Consciousness-Handicapped Presidential Nominees,

Our Current Compromising-Consciousness President, And The Need For Both To Lean On Somebody Or Fall

by Gabriel of Urantia

The Republican nominees can also be called “the parade of new souls.” There is a lot to learn about the difference between a new soul and an older soul or starseed, which has taken me writing two published books (called The Cosmic Family, Volumes I and II) so far to even begin to teach. But for the clarity of this article, I will just state a few pertinent facts on both soul types.  The majority of the billions of people on this planet are new souls, but there are approximately 500 million starseed over the age of 18 who are older souls. (more…)

The Economics of Wellbeing

by Bruce Nixon - Free PDF download available (see below)

The purpose of an economy should be the wellbeing of all. We’re all interdependent, humans and other life on the planet. People everywhere share the same need for love, happiness, security, good work, freedom, community and involvement in decisions affecting them. Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a healthy and fulfilling life. Today, this is far from being the case. (more…)