“We see furthest in the dark”
December 16, 2014 Kosmos Community News

Dear Readers,

“We see furthest in the dark. Only at night are distant galaxies revealed. Only then do we see our true place in the order of things – the big picture.”

Tara Stuart is a guiding light at Kosmos, a member of our Board and so much more. When she speaks I usually have to think twice. She has crossed the peaks and deserts of this earth on foot and by every other means imaginable. So she has seen a lot, by day and by night.

We fear the dark, she explained, because we believe it blinds us. Yet, sometimes it’s the light of our own reason and assumptions that makes us blind. If you have ever walked in the woods on a moonless night, you know that a kind of ‘hyper-seeing’ kicks in – intuitive and attuned. And as every child will tell you, darkness is where magic resides.

We need some of that magical ‘seeing’ now as we are engulfed with emotion over injustice, torture, police brutality, climate upheaval, war, disease. Pain, we know, is an unavoidable aspect of the human journey, and we grieve the world’s suffering. In a feature story from the current edition of Kosmos Journal, Cynthia Jurs shares a remarkable story of brutality, faith and renewal in Liberia. Shaun Chamberlin describes this path so beautifully in our interview; “the process of grieving is the process of coming back to life.”

The days are short now at Kosmos Headquarters and as we decline into the longest nights of the year, we reflect on the healing, restorative qualities of darkness. Deep in the soil, beneath the snow, the seeds of a new spring lie dormant, at rest. The lovely book of essays Sacred Seed tells us that:

“In the Hindu tradition, the universe itself is reflected in the seed. At long intervals, the universe itself enters a seed-state, a profound state of involution, of simplicity, out of which once again, the infinitely diverse universe springs forth.” – Swami Atmarupananda

In a Kosmos video conversation with Dot Maver, our project director speaks of our shared responsibility to lead a flowering of peace upon the planet. We are the seeds of that peace, gathering our energy and our resolve as we await the right conditions. And speaking of leadership, Dot led a wonderful Kosmos webinar with photojournalist John Stanmeyer. Photos are yet another metaphor for the dance between darkness and light.

The Winter Solstice is near – signifying the slow return of the light. In this hemisphere, many faith traditions celebrate this return as a time for family, merriment and unity. Let us use this time to nourish the seeds of peace and hopefulness within.

Wherever you are, in darkness or in light, we wish you every joy of the season, the clarity to find your way, and the enduring light of love.

May peace prevail on Earth,

Rhonda Fabian

Digital Editor, Kosmos

Planting Seeds of Peace in Liberia

By Cynthia Jurs

The story I want to share with you is a story of determination, courage, and collective action begun by the women of Liberia that has catalyzed the transformation of a country in seemingly unimaginable ways. In a culture whose fabric was all but destroyed by war, this story is about ending violence and building peace, guided by heartfelt prayers and intentions that manifest in action. The story reveals how a former Army soldier who became a combatant in the rebel forces during the war is helping ignite a grassroots effort to renew traditional Peace Huts and collectively strengthen a nation’s commitment to healing and reconciliation.

INTERVIEW Shaun Chamberlin on ‘Dark Optimism’ and the power of grief

“I don’t think grief is a process that ends. I think it’s a relationship that continues throughout your life. I found over the past few years that when I reflect on and write about my personal grief, there’s a very strong correlation between that and the grief that many of us carry, maybe all of us carry, for the state of the world and the state of nature and the state of our society.” – Shaun Chamberlin

VIDEO A Conversation with Dot Maver – On Leadership

Dr. Dot Maver, Kosmos Project Director and lifelong peacebuilder, offers her thoughts about emerging models of leadership and our shared responsibility to master new forms of cooperation and co-creation in service to a more peaceful future.

Kosmos webinar with John Stanmeyer, “Illuminating”

“We all are Custodians of information, we all have something that’s important to give and share with the world. And now we are all publishers.” – John Stanmeyer

John Stanmeyer is a visionary leader and world-renowned professional photographer who offered a unique perspective on some of the major issues of our time through his photojournalism on Sunday December 14, 2014 as Kosmos Journal hosted a webinar at the Shaker Dam Coffee House and Stanmeyer Gallery in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts USA.

BOOK Sacred Seed: A Collection of Essays

The book of essays, Sacred Seed, with an introduction by Vandana Shiva, is a meditation. Each essay draws on wisdom both ancient and modern to remind us that all life, and its renewal, begins and ends in the seed. “Tenderly composed of original writings and vibrant photos, this book bears witness that the Earth is alive, and establishes that only by working together with the Earth—with its wonder and mystery—can we help in its healing and regeneration and once again bring meaning back into the world.”

A ‘global call’ from our friends at Share the World’s Resources (STWR)

By Share The World’s Resources (STWR)

Given that a call for sharing is already a fundamental (if often unacknowledged) demand of engaged citizens and progressive organisations, there is every reason why we should embrace this common cause that unites us all.

If you agree with the need to catalyse a global movement of citizens that embrace sharing as a common cause, please sign and promote STWR’s campaign statement. By joining this ‘global call’, any individual or organisation can influence the development of this emerging theme and vision, and help spark public awareness and a wider debate on the importance of sharing in economic and political terms.

“We see furthest in the dark” December 16, 2014 Kosmos Community News

“We see furthest in the dark”
December 16, 2014 Kosmos Community News