ENVISIONING
A HEALTHY SOCIETY
People sit in a circle in relaxed positions appropriate for a guided
fantasy. You need to be sitting up
because you will be speaking to the group later in the fantasy.
The leader begins with an initial induction.
Now remember a place in nature that means a lot to you.
See the colors, the shapes, smell the smells, feel the air, be there as
vividly as possible....
Now remember a time when you felt particularly alive and vital.
Let yourself be fully present in the memory. Feel what that experience
was like....
Now remember a person who means a lot to you or meant a lot to you at
some time in your life. Imagine yourself being with that person right now.
Feel what that's like....
[Music:
Pachelbel's
Canon (extended version from Timeless Motion by Daniel Kobialka, as much as
needed; or other heart music)]
Now
think of a time in your life when you were very loving or in love.
It could have been with a lover, a child, a family member, a close
friend. Remember it as vividly as
possible. Really put yourself back
there. Feel what it was like.... Now
imagine that your life is structured in such a way that you are loving like this
much of the time. And imagine that
the people you are close to are also able to be loving much of the time.
So that you are part of a loving community of friends and family....
Now imagine that society is changed in such a way that everyone is able
to be loving much of the time. See what images come to you about what it would
be like for people to live in this kind of a society....
Now remember a time when you were engaged in work which was very
meaningful for you and which tapped your creativity.
This can be either a job or an avocation. Let yourself remember this time
as vividly as possible.... Now imagine that your life is structured in such a
way that your life work is very meaningful and creative for you.
And imagine that this is also true for the people around you, especially
the people you work with. So that
you are part of a community of creative people, engaged in work that is
important to you.... Now imagine
that society is changed in such a way that this kind of work is possible for
everyone. Let images come to you of
what life in that kind of society would be like....
Now remember a time when you were in a place of great beauty and peace,
either in a building of some sort, or in nature.
Be there as vividly as possible....
Now imagine that your life is structured in such a way that you are able
to live in, work in, and easily get to places of beauty and peace.
Perhaps not the extraordinary kind of beauty you just remembered, but
still places which satisfy you and enrich you.... And now imagine that society is changed in such a way that
everyone is able to live in places that are beautiful and satisfying to them.
What images come to you?...
Now remember a time when you were having an argument or a power struggle
with someone, and the two of you were able to resolve the conflict in a very
constructive way. Maybe you were able to resolve it in such a way that each of
your feelings were taken care of, or that each of you got much of what you
really needed in the situation. And
you ended feeling good about each other. Think
of a situation like that and remember this as vividly as possible....
And now imagine that your life is structured in such a way that you are
able to resolve your conflicts in this kind of creative way, and that's also
true for the people around you, the people you're close to and work with and
interact with. So your world is a
peaceful, cooperative world....
Now imagine that society is changed in such a way
that everyone is able to resolve personal conflicts like this much of the
time. And imagine that society is
structured such that conflicts and power struggles between groups in society are
also handled this well. Imagine
that conflicts in businesses and schools and other institutions are resolved
constructively, that conflicts between institutions, between racial, religious,
and ethnic groups, and especially between nations are also handled well....
What would it be like to live in this kind of a world?...
Now whenever someone feels ready, share with us one of your images of a
healthy society. Evoke it for us, so that we may share in your excitement.
And allow a moment of silence after each sharing so that we can all take
it in before moving on to the next. [Allow
about 10 minutes.]
Now imagine that you live in a society made up of the best of your
visions and others that you have heard today. Take a moment and feel what it
would be like to live in that kind of world.
What would your day to day life be like?...
Place these images and feelings in your heart. Open to this vision and
let yourself feel any yearning that is rising in you, any longing you may have
to be part of such a world.... Let
this vision and this longing be a
hope, a promise of what is possible, of what you are working toward....
Keep it in your heart as a reminder, when things get difficult, when you
get discouraged, when you wonder if it's worth bothering, remember this vision
of what is possible for the human race. Let
it inspire you to greater commitment, greater risk, and greater passion in your
work for social transformation....