Greetings from Santa Barbara, and thank you for your interest in the emerging new spirituality.

You are receiving this message because you are a member of the Interspirit Alliance, or because you attended the Dawn of Interspirituality Conference, or because you are a member of the Global Resonance Network.

The purpose of this message to briefly acquaint you with the Alliance – and to give you a quick way to opt out if you have no interest in what we are doing.

We hope you will stick around – but it’s a busy world, and we've made “resigning” a very fast and simple process. Thanks for your patience.

INTERSPIRIT ALLIANCE

Over ten years ago, we began developing “integral” approaches to interfaith religion and spirituality and Interspirituality. We've been at the cutting edge of emerging new ideas for a long time, and today, we seem to be experiencing a sudden upsurge in creative vision and “direct connection” spiritual energy. We've been considering this issue of common ground and the “mystic core of the world’s religions” for a long time – and worked with a number of strong national and international organizations. We are deeply interested in “resonance” and personal connections, but our vision from the beginning has involved internet integration and “high bandwidth” collaboration. In a nutshell, we would want to tell you that the world is in sore need of a clear vision of authentic common ground – and a strong sense of “divine guidance” – if that is the right word. We want to help midwife the emerging vision of enlightened global community. We'd love to have you involved.

PLANS AND EMERGING VISION

It’s the Winter Solstice season, and for those of us in this particular alignment, there is often something magical about “the birth of the Christ child” – regardless of culture or background or religion. We’re feeling these birth energies right now – as new ideas seem to be converging with what feels like astonishing energy. Yes, we are profoundly interested in “circles”, and we want to stay intimately in touch with the evolutionary flow of the Zeitgeist. But we've been doing this a long time, and something seems to be coming together. A new kind of vision is forming. Maybe a new kind of “power” is emerging.

Yes, we are listening. Yes, we are in co-creativity. Yes, the divine force takes many different forms and speaks in many different voices. But there is something integral coming into form, something common and universal. Something direct, interconnecting everything – every kind of religion and spirituality and humanistic philosophy – and every kind of spirit-led social change activism. Can we really convene the power of the Holy Spirit in truly universal terms, and through it, help convene a thousand independent rivers of social change? It’s a huge vision. Is it meant to happen?

SACRED TREE OF COMMUNITY

Lately we've been contemplating the beautiful logo from Sandy Hook Promise – the community group that arose with such excellence and grace in response to the tragic shooting in Newtown Connecticut a year ago. Of course, they have their special meaning for this tree symbol – but for us, it’s an ideal focus for meditation and contemplation. Twenty-six hands – 20 children, six adults – or one-thousand hands – all linked as branches to the one common tree of Spirit. It’s a perfect metaphor for religion or spirituality in community, and for the “helping hands” image of spirit-guided social change activism.

We hope you will want to be part of the Interspirit Alliance Sacred Tree. We hope you will find a place for yourself, where your personal vision or possible input could be offered in the simplest way, in the highest degree of grace. If you want to directly join our Forum-based creative conversation, join our “Alliance Plenary Forum”. There’s a link below that will sign you in in just a few seconds with no trouble.

Or you are most welcome to simply hang out, take no action, and browse an occasional “News Update” like this one, which we may send from time to time.

And of course, if any of this is in any way inconvenient or annoying or seems invasive (our apologies!) – you can immediately unsubscribe, which keeps you in the Alliance – or “resign” – which entirely disables your account.

Blessings to you in this special season of Solstice and spiritual descent. Thanks for all you have given to the world.