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New Moon Updates for June 2009
Achuar Eco-Tourism Management Program
Enters Final Semester
The Achuar eco-tourism management university program has now been running for almost one and a half years, the five Achuar students have completed an internship with the Marriott Hotel and they are about to enter the final semester. Once complete, these students, in coordination with NAE (the Achuar federation) and Kapawi Ecolodge, will start filling leadership roles in Achuar eco-tourism. This is an important step in achieving the NAE objective to have Achuar leaders trained and capable of taking Achuar eco-tourism forward into a thriving future.
The five students in this Pachamama financed scholarship program form a motivated group. They approach their work with focused dedication and have performed excellently in their studies so far. The last semester challenged the students with an intense work schedule including their internship in the Marriot Hotel in the mornings, English class after lunch, and then university classes in the afternoons and early evening. The internships in the Marriot were spent working closely with hotel middle management on day-to-day operation decision-making. In an intimate event to celebrate the completion of the Achuar internships with the hotel, the Marriot staff heaped high praise on the students for their positive attitude and capable manner of undertaking any task.
To finish off the second semester, the students continued work on their practical assignment on-site in Kapawi Ecolodge, which includes reworking Kapawi’s current operation manuals. Here the students are able to apply their knowledge critically while working closely with Kapawi lodge management and employees and with guidance from university tutors.
While in Kapawi, the Achuar university students also met with the local Achuar community  high school. An agreement was reached for the university students to work with local teachers to help develop the current eco-tourism curriculum to make it more relevant to tourism in Achuar territory, and in so doing contribute to better prepared graduates leaving high school. They have also offered to give classes in the high school once they start working in the lodge. This is a very promising sign, as it is more self-sustaining when indigenous leaders themselves take the initiative to transfer newly learned skills back into the community.
And finally, although the students will soon start working in Achuar eco-tourism, they have all made it clear that they would like to continue their studies and complete their degrees. To accomplish this, they will be working and studying part-time after the completion of this semester.
Asia and Southeast Asia Welcomes
Awakening The Dreamer
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Japan were buzzing with Awakening the Dreamer activity in June, with a host of Symposiums, facilitator trainings, and special events, opening up a wealth of opportunities. An amazing volunteer team of facilitators organized these visits by Pachamama Alliance staff, to bring the message of environmental sustainability, social justice and spiritual fulfillment to thousands of new people. Included in the schedule were symposiums at the Asia Consciousness Festival in Hong Kong and two major universities. As a result, there are now more than 100 new Awakening the Dreamer facilitators in Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Mainland China.
Among the many highlights:
• A 180-person Symposium and then a 47-person facilitator training were held in Malaysia. These events opened up future possibilities with people working in the field of education, and with committed and active young people. The person who organized all this was Matthias Gelber, who won the accolade of the “World’s Greenest Man,” in a worldwide search. He is the founder of Eco Warriors Malaysia, and a trained facilitator for the Awakening The Dreamer Symposium. And, demonstrating a real opportunity for other groups around the world, the crowd had been assembled almost entirely on Facebook. Participants ranged in age from 13 to much older, speaking Malay, Tamil, Hindi, Cantonese, Danish, German, Spanish, Japanese and English.
• A Symposium was delivered to 40 students at Fudan University in Shanghai, a top 5 university that is one of the oldest and most prestigious in China. Feedback was enthusiastic and possibilities now exist for finishing the mandarin translation, making a Chinese youth version, spreading it within Fudan, in other universities and for the students to take it to high school students.
• A “deepening” training was done in Hong Kong, to delve more in-depth into the rich material of the Symposium. A Symposium was held at the Asia Consciousness Festival, drawing an overflow crowd.
• In Japan, a man named Hide Enomoto had been trained as a facilitator two years ago in the United Kingdom. One year ago he returned to Japan and got to work. He was the only person in Japan who had taken a Symposium, and in that year, he organized and led 8 Symposiums, and enrolled a team referred to as The Pachamama Angels. They translated into Japanese the Symposium manual, all printed materials and the video script, created Japanese subtitles, and dubbed Hide’s voice over the narrator. They then enrolled 30 very accomplished people in a facilitator training which was filled to capacity. In the first two weeks after the training, they had put on at least 5 Symposiums, and planned 4 more, including one in Vietnam.
Awakening the Dreamer Message Resounds
with Maharishi University and in Unity Church
Lynne Twist, co-founder of The Pachamama Alliance and Founder and President of the Soul of  Money Institute, was awarded the first-ever Humanitarian Service Award by the Mayor of Fairfield, Iowa. This is home to the Maharishi University and is the center of the Transcendental meditation community in the United States. Lynne received the award “In recognition of your lifelong service to humanity, given in harmony with nature, with compassion, dignity and love”.
In her talk, Lynne spoke of the work of the Awakening The Dreamer Initiative, and the message hit home with overflowing interest in having Symposiums in the town of Fairfield, for University and high school students, as well as a facilitator training. Lynne reached hundreds if not thousands in that community, from graduating high school students to college coeds to citizens young and old. Already discussions are underway about having at least one Symposium, and perhaps two (one for youth, one for all citizens of the town), and for the Awakening The Dreamer team to do a facilitator training as early as September.
Following that event, Lynne went on to deliver a keynote address and an Awakening The Dreamer Symposium at Unity Church’s annual conference in Overland Park, Kansas. Twenty five percent of the attendees participated in the Symposium, completely filling the room to its maximum capacity. The Symposium's message seems a perfect match for Unity's internal renewing their mission initiative,"Time to Thrive.” Besides matching Unity’s over arching initiative, there was enthusiasm about the Symposium becoming a tool to put spirit into action.
First Youth Facilitator Training
Held in New Mexico
During the week of May 31st – June 7th, 22 young people were trained as facilitators of the Awakening The Dreamer Symposium, the first dedicated youth training to be held. Following is a write-up by one of the participants:
A new dream is burgeoning here on Earth. Through this time of turmoil and challenge there is a shift occurring. During the week of May 31st – June 7th, 2009 this emerging dream was nourished, co-created and energized by the hearts and souls of 22 young people ranging from 17 to 32 together with a multi-generational team of 11 dedicated facilitators. By the end of a week of immense growth and bonding together we came to chant, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for,” in celebration of the passion and purpose that we are taking back into our lives.
The first time ever Awakening the Dreamer Youth Facilitator Training brought inspired youth from all over the country, as well as two young people from Ireland, to the Hummingbird Community in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico. The training was designed not only to prepare the participants to facilitate the Awakening the Dream Symposium, but most importantly to inspire their conscious embodiment of the new dream.
 The week was one of loving community, of heartbreak, of new depths found and bonds forged through the tears and wonder. The feelings experienced during this time together were deep and full. Through the process of connection and ties of kinship created in the beginning of the week, there was an invisible container created by the talented facilitators. This served to hold the huge grief, anger and fear that came up as a result of facing the reality of our world today. Though it was deeply felt and loudly expressed, those painful emotions gave way to intense hope at the potential shift and at remembering our capacity to create positive change. Near the end of our journey we spent a day visioning our personal soul purposes, as well as witnessing and sharing with the community our images of a culture that embodies the new dream.
With the infusion of passion and purpose provided by Jon Love and the team of facilitators, these committed, hugely creative youth became vehicles of the new dream and realized a beautiful new way of being in this world. Overall this week was one of purpose finding, hope encountering, re-alignment with the celebration of life. ~Peregrine Whitehurst, participant of Awakening the Dreamer Youth Facilitator Training
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Facilitator Trainings
The
Pachamama Alliance's Awakening the Dreamer Program makes available
Facilitator Trainings around the world for people who have the desire
and commitment to deliver the Symposium in their own communities and
beyond. For more information on upcoming Trainings, please click here… |
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Mass Extinction: A Crisis in Nature
or in Human Nature?
 Tuesday, July 14th – San Francisco, CA: Chera van Burg, Producer of the film CALL OF LIFE, Executive Director of Species Alliance and psychologist will discuss the cultural myths and deep-seated psychological patterns that have allowed the mass extinction crisis to develop and continue to determine our response to it. We will watch excerpts from her newly completed film and consider that technological solutions are insufficient because our thoughts and behaviors are inextricably linked to the factors driving this crisis. Instead, the challenge and evolutionary adventure is creating change in our minds and our hearts.
Invite your friends to join us at 6:30 for an introduction to the exciting work of The Pachamama Alliance. For venue information and to RSVP, click here...
"Evolution and the Global Integrity Crisis" with Michael Dowd, author of
"Thank God for Evolution"
 Wednesday July 22 - San Francisco, CA:
From crumbling economies to collapsing ecosystems, humanity is experiencing an unprecedented global integrity crisis. In a richly illustrated presentation, Michael Dowd proposes that the lack of an evolutionary worldview made the current crisis inevitable and that a deep-time view of human nature, values, and social systems provides a clear and inspiring way forward. The talk expands on Michael Dowd's book, Thank God for Evolution, which has been endorsed by 5 Nobel Prize-winning scientists and religious leaders across the spectrum. For more information on Michael Dowd, click here...
To register for this special evening with Michael, click here...
What the United Nations had to say about Michael’s talk:
Dear Michael: On behalf of the Values Caucus at the United Nations, please accept our heartfelt appreciation for sharing your brilliant, rousing, thought-provoking and awe-inspiring April 2 presentation on “Evolution and the Global Integrity Crisis” with us. We were honored to be the first to introduce you at the UN, a place which needs to (and hopefully will) hear much more of your message. You really captivated us with your masterful insight and articulation of the complexities of the universe that puts it all in such a hopeful, uplifting perspective in these troubled times. We received an overabundance of praise of you and your material.”
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Nine Practical Pointers for Saving in the Kitchen
Being energy-wise in the kitchen this summer will not only save you on energy bills, but can also help keep your house cool. Brush up on your kitchen efficiency tips, and test your knowledge against some of our unique suggestions.
- Be a matchmaker:
Use the right sized pot on stove burners. A 6″ pot on an 8″ burner wastes over
 40% of the burner’s heat. Also, cover pots and pans to keep heat in and reduce cooking time.
- Don’t peek:
Every time you open the oven door to look at the food, the oven temperature is lowered by 25°F to 75°F.
- Nuke ‘em:
Microwave ovens are about 66% more efficient than conventional ovens, and they produce less heat. Toaster ovens are a good alternative as well.
- Be dishwasher-savvy:
Run your dishwasher after 7pm and only wash full loads. Use the air-dry instead of heat-dry setting to cut your dishwasher’s energy use by 15-20%.
- Appliances:
Many utilities offer cash rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators or dishwashers. Some utilities will even give you money for bringing in your old, inefficient appliances.
- Skip pre-heating:
Except for delicate dishes such as soufflés, the idea that you need to preheat the oven is largely a myth left-over from the days of wood-burning stoves. Save energy by putting your dish in right away and then turning the oven off 10-15 minutes early and let the residual heat finish cooking.
- Refrigerator coils:
Refrigerators use more electricity than any other single household appliance. Clean your compressor coils annually to improve efficiency and extend refrigerator life, or more often if you have pets.
- Invest in a pressure cooker:
According to Planet Green, using a pressure cooker can reduce cooking time and energy use by 70 percent. They also help food retain natural juices and vitamins.
- Test your seal:
Slam a dollar bill in the fridge door. If it slides out easily, it may be time to replace your seal.
Have fun saving and remember, if you can’t stand the heat, get energy-efficient in the kitchen.
For more information on ways to save energy, click here to visit Flex Your Power - California Energy Efficiency & Conservation
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Volunteer Opportunities
There
are many opportunities to volunteer your skills, have fun and make a
difference. We welcome your participation. Please visit our website to find out more or contact Eve Libertone, Volunteer Coordinator, at 415-561-4522 ext. 107 or email
The Pachamama Alliance Seeks Apple Computers
Would you like an excuse to upgrade your computer and do good by donating your older one to Pachamama? We are looking for Macs (laptops or minis) no older than three years, that run at least OS 10.5 with Intel processors. Please email tatiana@pachamama.org to discuss details. Thank you!
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Related News
Peru Indians Hail 'Historic' Day
Indigenous groups in Peru have called off protests after two land laws which led to deadly fighting were revoked. Hailing victory, Amazonian Indian groups said it was an "historic day". At least 34 people died during weeks of strikes against the legislation, which allowed foreign companies to exploit resources in the Amazon forest. "This is a historic day for indigenous people because it shows that our demands and our battles were just," said Daysi Zapata, vice president of the Amazon Indian confederation that led the protests. She urged fellow activists to end their action by lifting blockades of jungle rivers and roads set up since April across six provinces in the Peruvian Amazon.
The controversial laws, passed to implement a free trade agreement with the US, were revoked by Peru's Congress by a margin of 82-12 after a five-hour debate. For complete story, click here…
For a detailed story on the violence in Peru preceding this revocation, click here…
Thomas Berry, Cosmologist and Earth scholar,
dies at age 94
 Thomas Berry, environmentalist-priest, cultural historian, cosmologist and Earth scholar, died on June 1, 2009, at the age of 94. Berry was one the 20th-century's most probing thinkers on the human relationship with the natural world and its implications for religion. His work, including the book, The Dream of the Earth, was a major influence in the creation of the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium. To read more, click here...
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