Inner Transition goes International…
By Sophy Banks 4th November 2014
A diverse international group of Transitioners met in Copenhagen recently to share stories and explore Inner Transition – and another international group will be gathering for a workshop in London, on December 6 – 7th, with spaces still free if you’d like to join.
What happens when you talk about Transition, and Inner Transition in particular, with people from places as far afield as Brazil and Mexico, Israel and Sweden – and many other European countries? It opens up the possibilities as you hear stories and ideas that are very different to how Inner Transition looks in your place, and it helps us to get to the essence of what it is about Inner Transition that’s true for people in different cultures around the world.
Here are some of the things people in different countries are doing around the inner dimension of Transition:
- Unlikely Suspects – inviting religious leaders from different faith groups to come together and have “difficult conversations” supported by Inner Transition
- Creating a gift circle where people give and receive without money – inspired by the work of Charles Eisenstein. I’ve come across these in Denmark and the USA
- Putting on events like the Pacha mama “Be the Change” one day symposium (called Awaken the Dreamer in the USA) that help people to wake up to the need for a spiritually fulfilling, socially just and ecologically sustainable world. This work exists in many countries now.
- Hosting conversation cafés and discussing ideas from writers such as Ken Wilber who link our inner and outer worlds.
- Using the language of science – talking about the Higgs-Bosen particle as a way of showing we’re all interconnected!
Transition Network has also started to host International Inner Transition online conversations as a way of staying connected, sharing stories and getting inspired. Here we also have the sense of spaciousness and diversity, as well getting to what’s essential. We have heard about the people of Japan dealing with the aftermath of Fukushima, people in Spain living in the wake of economic collapse – as well as the challenges of engaging people in countries still firmly attached to business as usual. The group have discussed ways to make Inner work accessible to as many people as possible, while acknowledging that it won’t be for everyone. There will be further conversations in the future.
The December workshop in London will be facilitated by Sophy Banks of Transition Network, and Debbie Warrener who hosts Macy Mondays for Transition leaders acrossLondon. Sophy brings stories from all these international meetings and all the conversations of many years holding and sharing the inner aspect of Transition. Debbie will just be returning from Japan, where she is holding workshops and retreats, in Fukushima and other places (in Japanese!). There’s also a group coming from France. So there will be many stories in the room, as well as the ones you bring!
The workshop takes place on 6 – 7th December in Islington. Book soon to ensure your place!