Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Hi everyone!
I'm very happy that WIE and zaadz are working so close together. Just great!

Might be that this post is inapropriate in this section or irrelevant. Feel free to move/ change it.

First:
Spiral Dynamics in Europe:
It seems to me like the new integral thinking is exploding in the US with all the online networking, a lot courses and meetings, universities and firms starting with integral thinking and practice. But here in Europe we seem to stand still. When I talk to other people about a new worldview (belonging to the german language region) all discussions are locked in the german humanistic traditions.
Are there any projects going on in Europe?
It seems like the most attention focuses on the US, Middle East, China axes (which is understandable though Europe is at the moment relatively stable, solving its problems step by step). But nevertheless it seems to me important to introduce Europe at large scale to integral thinking and Spiral Dynamics. It's just too important to be left aside!
If you know of any Institutions, Projects, Persons which are practicing Spiral Dynamics in Europe, tell me.

Second:
For me as a 20 year old in Switzerland (we're not even in the EU) it's sometimes difficult to find my way to new thoughts and new ressources (so glad there is zaadz).
I know of the Masters in Conscious Evolution WIE is offering.
But what if you are studing in Europe? What are the offerings for a similar program here?
Because if Europe isn't as advanced as to offer ways to discover such great new ways of thinking, it's time to leave and heading for the US at any costs (and the costs are high for young foreigners).

Thanks for all your answers, tips and thoughts!

Love
M

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Hi M,

I kind of thought it was the other way around…  For a long time, so many of the SD projects, seminars, and training seemed to happen in Europe, especially in the Netherlands and Germany.  It's only been recently (within the last year or so) that I've been noticing more of them happening in the U.S.  Check out the schedule of events for SDi and or the SDi Group.

~Jo

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Thanks Jo!

For this year my time's up. But probably I can attend a session next year in Europe or America.
Are you from Europe too? I would be very interested in connecting some European “Spiralists”!
Thanks for the links and alls the Info.

greetz from Switzerland and see you soon
M

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Hey M,

I'm quite far from Europe ~ in Hawaii, so a lot of times, I'm way out of the loop.  I'd love to be able to go there one day though.  Good luck, and I hope you can keep us posted on the seminars should you attend!

~Jo

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Hi,

I live in Bremen, Germany. I attended a course on Spiral Dynamics in Paris two years ago after discovering it during a conference on business and spirituality in the Netherlands. Have not made it to certification and am not using the model these days. But my interest in this system has not completely vanished, maybe in one or two years.

Greetings
Yves

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Hi M,

I am from Germany/Berlin.

check out this site:

http://www.freshconnections-integral.com/

Dorothea Zimmer belongs to the core team of European SDi constellation.

While Americans are ahead in terms of go mentality, just do it and start up power, Europeans have their own strengths. Ther own Genius. Their own power. Their own mission.

Rich in complexity, diversity and ferments of different traditions they will soon show bold initiatives, impulses and impact in global issues. Connecting European change leaders, initiatives and integral and spiral aproaches in its complete spectrum of creative differences is a task of its own!

See Jeremy Rifkins speech to the European Parliament:

http://www.monicafrassoni.it/det
ail.php?id=848

See homepage of Mark Leonard:

www.markleonard.com

See the 1.st ever European confab in the netherlands; September.

Soon we will throw down the gauntlet to our American friends:):)

Cheers,

Albert

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Hello Malleman,

I'm in Lausanne… I agree with you that we're a bit following the trend. Imagine that Ken Wilber and Don Beck have not yet been translated into french - I don't know about german.

But then, I believe it's not a majority of people that know about these things in the US. Anyway: were I 20 years old, I'd go there and study transpersonnal psychology or something like that!

Love to you all

Patrick

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Hi Patrick,

lots of KW and SD stuff has been translated into German. See Frank Vissers Language section. Check out:

www.ak-kenwilber.org

Cheers,

Albert

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Hello to you all and particularly Albert. 

As you can see from my profile I live in Swindon UK - the demographic capital  of the European Union economic computer model - I lived and worked in Brussels and Masstricht in the 1970's before and after Britain joined the EEC -  and I have relations in and around Geneva, Lausanne and Bern -  and my long term commitment to a world-changing Europe at the forefront of a world-changing World cannot be denied.

A perusal of my picture / book / blog posts will show that I have a long standing respect for the views of Clare Graves - and Don Beck's development thereof into Integral Spiral Dynamics. I am equally at ONE with the views of Andrew Cohen and Ken Wilber but agree that Europeans have their own strengths,  their own Genius, their own power, their own mission.

Talk of throwing down the gauntlet to our American friends,  however,   is not,  I would suggest,  the way forward until such time that we absolutely can demonstrate the Art of the Possible in respect to a template for change.

You are right to bring to our attention the Jeremy Rifkin's speech to the European Parliament - in the context of his European Dream - and Mark Leonard's Why Europe will run the 21^st Century ( his homepage is http://markleonard.net/  by the way ) - but as you will see from the emails posted below I have already been in contact with Colin Mason,  Mark Leonard and the Editor of The Spectator and invited their comments on what is being discussed at zaadz.   Colin Mason has been positively supportive thus far but I am still waiting for replies from the others.
 

From: Mike Grove
Sent: Tue 29/08/2006 16:17
To: matthew.bell@spectator.co.uk
Subject: FW: How Gordon sees the world

Matthew

As a Spectator and The Business subscriber I forward a copy of an email which I have sent to Mark Leonard today.

Your comments are sought and would be gratefully received.

Kind regards

Michael Grove

From: Mike Grove
Sent: Tue 29/08/2006 16:02
To: mark@cer.org.uk
Subject: How Gordon sees the world

Mark

In the context of your book Why Europe will run the 21st century -  The Business editorial The decline and fall of Europe - and that includes Great Britain  of 16/17 April 2006 - and your most enjoyable piece in the Spectator - I am encouraged to think that there may indeed be a GB-sponsored European movement afoot to acknowledge and address the very real issues raised  by Colin Mason in his 2030 Spike of 2003 and his latest Optimal Future History update in A Short History of the Future - surviving the 2030 spike.

If one accepts that conservatives ride the waves of yesterday -  liberals ride the avant-guarde waves - and that those liberal waves today are the conservative waves of tomorrow - do we not require a completely new type of all-inclusive liberal thinking to transcend  the partial, fragmented, alienated and alienating positions of  the existing conservative and liberal positions ?

If so join us in discussion at http://pods.zaadz.com/flow/discussions/view/47781  or just email accordingly

Kind regards

Michael Grove

From: Colin Mason [mailto:colinjmason@bigpond.com]
Sent: Fri 25/08/2006 00:26
To: Mike Grove
Cc: Michael Fell
Subject: Re: 2030 Spike Discussion Forum

Mike,

   
Sorry for delay getting in touch.. my Email has been down. My position is that  I have three publishers interested in new books and also I'm getting regular reader input on Future, so I can't spare time for an individual blog. However, I'm impressed by what you're doing and will keep an eye on what's happening there, and maybe I can contribute when this seems of use. Being a mere writer I use broadband only for email and research, so maybe you can fill me on on how, technically, I can do that… Meanwhile thanks for your interest, somehow we have to get the issues raised in the book into the general consciousness, and pretty bloody soon! 

All the best,

Colin Mason 
 

—– Original Message —–

From: mgrove@tech-group.co.uk" title="mgrove@tech-group.co.uk">Mike Grove

To: colinjmason@bigpond.com" title="colinjmason@bigpond.com">colinjmason@bigpond.com

Sent: Monday, August 21, 2006 7:05 PM

Subject: 2030 Spike Discussion Forum

Colin

Before I go fully live on three threads of discussion at

http://books.zaadz.com/49292/a_short_history_of_the_future/by_colin_mason

I would very much welcome your input In respect to how soon or whether you are going to launch a discussion forum around  A short History …

I am happy that you “Forum” post the above url link, and/or my blog at

http://my-head.zaadz.com/blog/2006/8/a_short_history_of_the_future#comment_41768

and or my EARTHSCAN post http://www.earthscan.co.uk/forum/forummessages/mps/dt//UTN/188/last/1/V/1/SP/

I would appreciate your comments accordingly.

Kind regards

Michael Grove

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

or to para-phrase what  Yogi has said elsewhere -  is this ALL about selling a new book or two ?

I sincerely hope and trust that it is NOT !

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Hi Michael,

thanks a lot for your  insightful extended reply.  If you like I want to invite you to the London Integral Circle of which I am a virtual member for over 2 years now. The discussion waves about European contributions regarding integral perspectives of all kind are rising higher and higher….Basically European participants but increasingly integral frends from North America too..from Integral Israel….from elsewhwere.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Londonintegralcircle/

I know in SDi Core Circles this discussion is going on too. Unfortunately I cannot participate in this years 1st ever European Confab of Sdi in NL. As I am in the final funding cycle for a worldclass project of higher media education which will be located in Dubai:

www.ecmas.net

Throwing down the gauntlet was meant 2 years ago a humoruos gesture by Peter Merry and Nick  Drummond from www.nordicintegral.com

to catalyze European initiative.

As I am most strongly interested in any debate -where Mark would join in too . about European impact in the Middle East too, I would really appreciate any contribution. I sent Mark an eMail 4 weeks ago. Seems he was on vacation that time.

Very best Regards -still from Berlin -thanks again for your wonderful post,

Albert

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

First of all, I would like to press the fact, that Europe, is only a union by countries. Each of those countries have different rules, different cultures, different economics politics etc. They are not even close to something like an American situation. There are dozens of religions, broad perspectives of sciences, no real big agriculural places, and nothing like in the kwantities represented in America. Europe is far from America.

Yes, there are many traditional people in Europe, Being dutch, and as a citizen of one of the first united countries, I can say the holland is probably the most Europe of all. But Holland, though it has some, has lost most of its tradition. For the very simple reason that one in 15 Dutch people are not native to the country. We inherrited several tradition, no leading religion, and education can flourish (Though it is getting worse by the day :S)

The question is: Does Europe need Integral Theory?

The reason that most things from america do not meet the eye in Europe, is because we are a press free country, where everyone has access to well-documented knowledge. (yes we house most of the Iran-nuclear-physisict-refugees) It is a free country. Most people who do have far going question, can find does answers already by themselves. Yes, Philosophy is a great science, and still marvelous to get educated in. But in holland it isn't of such importance as in America. In holland, the ratio is in the hands of wel scholared native studiers, physisicist and psychologists. They give al the explanations we need. Personally I do not see the need of Integral thinking, to provide explanation, perhaps as example, nothing more.



If you want new thoughts: Go to the university, there is more news about the world there, then anywhere else in the country. Trust me I know.

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Fredrik,

there are many Dutch people engaged and involved in Spiral Dynmaics Integral and other integral perspectives.

Peter Merry -Zaadz too- organized together with Club of Budapest -

www.klaaromtewenden.nu

A great event which documents the Dutch Genius for complexity.

No doubt Europe needs very specific Integral considerations and constellations. The Dutch CHE

www.humanemergence.org

is an expression for that.

I am even in my business in contact with great Dutch people and I see that each country in Europe -including Germany where I live - has very, vey specific approach to the integral landscape which is quite heterogeneous! I was born and grew up in the Ruhr District in North Rhine Westphalia, which has a long common border with the Netherlands and there is no country in the world which I admire more for its rich complexity.

I am convinced that Spiral Dynamics can and will contribute much . But who and what is SD? Finally the people who live it, who engage in it, who explore, connect, discover and live up to its dynamics personally. May it be top down or bottom up or what the hell else..

The FIFA Worldcup 2006 in Germany showed me not only liberating WE feelings for the Germans -which is quite new for us -but a cosmopolitan energy with European and worldwide zaadz which are waiting to be grown up.

Cheers,

Albert

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

And for a documentation of SDi ability in a concrete case, check out this video:

http://info.worldbank.org/etools/bSPAN/PresentationView.asp?PID=687&EID=353

  

Stratified Democracy: The Cultural Dynamics of Nation Building in Afghanistan


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   Event Title : Stratified Democracy: The Cultural Dynamics of Nation Building in Afghanistan
Date : 12/17/2001
Duration : 86 minutes
Language  : English
Country/Region : Afghanistan  South Asia
Keyword : Social Development    Culture in Sustainable Development  
Presenter : Don Edward Beck Jerri Dell



| Related Material | Recommendations |Related B-SPAN Videos |





 DESCRIPTION The session was chaired by Jerri Dell, Community Empowerment and Social Inclusion Learning Program. Based on several years working with Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk in South Africa, Dr. Don Edward Beck has developed a new model for nation building which has tremendous relevance to Afghanistan in the months to come.

Dr. Beck s model – entitled Spiral Dynamics – is based on the work of the late Professor Clare W. Graves of Union College, New York. Professor Graves described what he called “Levels of Psychological Existence” as an emerging pattern and priority of worldviews, value systems, and complex adaptive intelligences that arise in response to life conditions – that is, human nature is not fixed, and cultures are not static. Dr. Beck further enhanced the Gravesian framework by fusing it with the new science of “memetics” and joining forces with philosopher-author Ken Wilber s “All Quadrants, All Levels” approach in looking at the development of people and cultures. This enhanced model takes an integral and holistic approach that can be applied to all societies, because it focuses on open, dynamic systems.

In his talk, Dr. Beck proposes a “natural design” process, one that is crafted to fit the natural habitats, the patterns of memetic migration, the historical dynamics that have all shaped this point in time, the influence of forces in neighbor states, the current levels of psychological development of the people, the crises created by patterns of violence and warfare, the natural divisions into clans, tribes, empires and ideologies, as well as the potential skill levels of available leadership.

He argues for introducing a new, more powerful, comprehensive and dynamic way of thinking into decision systems and understanding both of the people in Afghanistan as well as the international agencies who wish to support them; and he demonstrates ways in which
intertribal warfare in Afghanistan may be countered,
the internal conflicts within Pakistan may be addressed, and
the religious and cultural aspects of the Jihad and other historic conflicts may be understood. Dr. Beck shows how to actually create a system that deals with a society s economic, social and cultural dynamics while building local capacity at the same time. Such a model ensures that support systems will respond to the survival and sustenance needs of millions of people and address the issue of sustainability and self-sufficiency, he argues.

Dr. Beck has also developed a Peace & Conflict Monitor approach to profiling troublespots before they explode. He will discuss his analysis of the deeper “value system” issues regarding Israel and Palestine, by showing why neither the Oslo Peace Accord or the recent Camp David meetings had a chance of bridging over the great divides. He will suggest a fresh, Integral initiative in reframing the historic conflict out of the ethnic stereotypes and into a recognition of these deep value system codes.

By drawing upon these new insights and by exploring these value memes - the cultural “DNA”-like codes – to leverage the situation in Afghanistan, Dr. Beck offers a unique solution that can be used to bring peace and prosperity there and elsewhere around the world.


Cheers,

Albert

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

Just a very quick thanks to Albert - I will communicate with you seperately to this thread.

The question is: Does Europe need Integral Theory?  - it may NOT need integral theory but it very definately needs INTEGRAL PRACTICE to address the very issues that have been identified thus -

First of all, I would like to press the fact, that Europe, is only a union by countries. Each of those countries have different rules, different cultures, different economics politics etc. They are not even close to something like an American situation. There are dozens of religions, broad perspectives of sciences, no real big agriculural places, and nothing like in the kwantities represented in America. Europe is far from America.

OSHO said that ” the masses had never in history made a decision for themselves - get rid of the priests & politicians - and the masses can maybe make that first decision ! ”

in the context of the statement

If you want new thoughts: Go to the university, there is more news about the world there, then anywhere else in the country. Trust me I know

.. are we to include academics and their students with the priests and politicians ?

or as Ken Wilber has said do we not need to enact a plan to include the whole SPIRAL !

Re: Spiral Dynamics and Europe

For all who can make it to NL . here a short invitation for the 1st ever European Confab in September in the netherlands from Peter Merry, founder of Dutch CHE:

Fri Sep 1, 2006 6:23 am (PST) Hi there,

I trust that most of you have heard about this event, so thought I
would just post an update to whet the appetite of anyone who has not
yet registered!

(If you are not familiar with the event, Sept 8-10 in the
Netherlands, check out http://www.humanemergence.org/nlconfab.html).

During the summer period there have been important developments in
the whole field of human emergence on the planet. The time is rapidly
approaching where there is going to be a need for people with the
appropriate skills and consciousness to get together to offer the
services that our organisations and communities are going to be
crying out for.

This first Human Emergence Confab hosted in Europe is going to be an
important step in creating the international community that will do
that. We need to know who is out there, what the particular
capacities are that you bring, and begin to build the mutual trust
that will enable us to rapidly self-organise in response to the
evolutionary impulse. It is time to get on with it.

If you feel this is part of your calling, then we need you to show up
so that others can discover your unique qualities and begin to build
the relationships that will hold us as we develop this world-work.

Offerings so far include (as well as Don's presence of course!):

- Adjiedj Bakas on Megatrends in Europe (getting to know the Life
Conditions) - www.dexter.nl
- Paul Zuiker on the history of the Netherlands through the Spiral
lenses and how to adapt this to any country
- Nick Drummond on the Integral Education project in Denmark and Sweden
- Neri and Oren from Israel on the Integral Israel-Palestine project
- Myself and Anne-Marie Voorhoeve on the Dutch transformation project
- Marcel van Marrewijk on SDi in the Great Place to Work Institute
- Leida Schuringa on applying SDi with female refugees
- Gertjan Broekman on vMeme alignment in organisations
- Auke van Nimwegen on the new PeopleScan system
- Morel Fourman on integrating Spiral into a Performance Management
System

and Stuart Davis the Punk-Monk!

The design combines plenary input with workshop exchange.

If you want to know more, check out the site online or mail info@humanemergence.nl" title="mailto:info@humanemergence.nl">info@humanemergence.nl. If you want to contact me, please reply to my
email address (peter@humanemergence.nl" title="mailto:peter@humanemergence.nl">peter@humanemergence.nl) and remove the [SD-Integral]
bracket from the header (or it'll get filed!).

Hope to see many of you at the Confab.”