Peace Intention Experiment & Earthdance 2008

Here's some information on two upcoming events which may interest you:

September 14, 2008 will see the first in a series of Peace Intention Experiments testing the power of group intention to lower violence in areas around the world.

This could be the largest scientific study in history, with hundreds of thousands of participants sending an intention for peace under highly controlled scientific conditions.

Lynne McTaggart, author of The Intention Experiment, has assembled a scientific advisory body of leaders in consciousness research, to devise a strict protocol and measure violence levels before and after the intention is sent to see if there is any effect.

This team includes:

• Dr. Robert Jahn, former dean of engineering at Princeton University and director of the PEAR Lab 
• Psychologist Brenda Dunne, also of the PEAR Lab
• Psychologist Gary Schwartz of the University of Arizona, and director of the Laboratory for Advancement of Consciousness and Health, who has run many healing energy experiments
• Psychologist Roger Nelson, formerly of Princeton University, and director of the Global Consciousness Project
• Dr. Jessica Utts, professor of statistics at the University of California at Davis, considered the world's leading statistician of consciousness research

We're currently building our team of technical experts who will make sure we have a reliable web platform from which to run the experiment - so that you and hundreds of thousands of intenders across the world can join together at the same time via our website.

I mentioned a similar event on this blog last year, World Oneness Day, and we had an interesting discussion in the comments on that post about whether such events actually have an effect. The influence of that event was measured by the Global Consciousness Project at Princeton University and the results - along with those of over 250 other world events - have been published on their web site. (Click on 'Results' and then on number 241 in the list of events.) The trouble is that this is very much a scientific site and you need to have studied statistics in order to understand the results! I hope that the Peace Intention Experiment will produce some more user-friendly information. I shall be taking part myself and I'll watch with interest. You can sign up for it here.

Another upcoming event promoting worldwide peace is Earthdance 2008, described by Time Out London as 'like Live Aid with dance music'. It will take place on September 13th. There will be 300+ events in 60+ countries, all of them joining together in a synchronized Prayer for Peace. Angelbaby has more information here - and she's presented it as a tag so you can help to spread the word...

Comments

[Sally]

I've signed up now.....I know the power of intention Simon as I run a Distant Healing Network and I know it works!.........great to see Science interested in quantifying it!
We'll have to see if we can create a gathering of people as group energy is very powerful.
I will get my Circle of Healing healers on board when I have more details.
In Stillness
Sally

[Simon]

That's brilliant, Sally. If I've read the web site correctly, the idea is to send the intention for ten minutes at the same time each day for a week, starting on September 14th. The time is 4pm GMT, so for you and me (Sally) it's five in the afternoon. I guess we're lucky that Lynne McTaggart is British. We Brits usually end up having to do these things in the middle of the night! If we could get a gathering together locally on one of the days, that would be great...

[AngelBaby]

Thank you for helping me spread the word for Earthdance for Peace. I am joining in on your Intention experiment too.

Love and Blessings,
AngelBaby

[Simon]

That's great, Angelbaby. There's going to be a lot of positive vibes going out there - and I think we need it!

[Simon]

Just as a P.S., here are some worldwide times from the Peace Intention web site. The idea is to send the intention for ten minutes at a time. You'll be sent full details of what to do when you've signed up:

The Peace Intention Experiment will begin running on September 14 and will run for one week. It will run at the same time every day:

* 7 am Hawaiian Daylight Savings Time
* 9 am California Daylight Savings Time
* 10 am Mountain Daylight Savings Time
* 11 am Central DST
* 12 noon Eastern DST
* 5 pm British Summer Time
* 6 pm European Summer Time
* 2 am Sydney and Melbourne

[Jenny Mannion]

Awesome Simon! Synchronistically I have recently been reading about Gary Schwartz for the work he did with Dr. Eric Pearl on "The Reconnection". (www.thereconnection.com) I'm in and the time looks perfect for me! Thanks for sharing the info for both these incredible events! Love, Jenny

[gypsy-heart]

Very interesting. I plan to come back and read this again and explore it more. 'Tis late here now, and I am tired tonight.

Good energies to you.

[Alexys Fairfield]

Hi Simon,
Thanks for this really interesting information. The world could always use a little more peace and good intentions. :D

[Brenda]

I always find such good information and events through your blog! Thanks so much for sharing these!

[Simon]

Jenny - Thanks for dropping by. I'm interested to learn that Gary Schwartz has been involved with Eric Pearl. A friend of mine is a reconnective healer.

I'm glad you're signed up for this experiment. I know you are a very powerful exponent of intention!

[Simon]

Gypsy-heart, Alexys and Brenda - Many thanks for your comments. I'm really pleased that you found this information interesting!

[Marion]

Thanks for the info, Simon, I've signed up. Over the years, watching the World 'wake up', I've marvelled at how slowly the shift was happening...but it seems as if it's speeding up. Even Science, now, is researching the power of intention!

[Sue Ann Edwards]

Ahhhh....'meditate' on "Peace" from a perspective of not being AT PEACE. ~just rolling my eyes~ I do dare say that such ideas as these would certainly BE more EFFECTIVE if OPPOSITION to what exists wasn't being used as the fuel.

Go ahead, make war upon war, oppose opposition, hate haters...think about 'peace' from a conflicted perspective...send up a lead blimp...whatever...

[Sue Ann Edwards]

All this focus and 'intention' of opposition, will no doubt, create MORE of it. But ONLY those of us sowing 'it', will be reaping 'it'. I sure hope we don't have the audacity to whine like victims when it does.

[Simon]

Thanks for dropping by, Marion. I'm glad you've signed up for the project! What you say about science reminds me of an article I've just seen about a guy called Klaus Heinemann, a physicist who is chairman of a space technology company. Now he's semi-retired, he's researching those orbs which appear on digital photos, no less! 'My working theory is that orbs are emanations from spirit beings', he says. I'm impressed that a scientist like Heinemann is brave enough to risk the mockery of his peers by pursuing such an interest. Good for him.

[Simon]

Hi Sue Ann! Thanks for your perspective, as ever. But as I understand it, the intention is indeed to be *for* peace rather than *against* war. Anyway, it'll be interesting to see what results the scientists find...

[Liara Covert]

Thank you for taking such initiatives to spread fascinating information. This reminds me of a quote by Andrea Bocelli who said, "All that counts in life is intention."

[Sue Ann Edwards]

~smiling~ The "scientists" are coming from a perspective where 'they' are in full DENIAL of the Law of Attraction. It is the clarion call of "victims" that desires to separate ourselves from the experiences attracted into our lives. This of course, includes violence and conflict.

As I have revealed, by not being AT PEACE, by not being UNconditionally accepting and tolerant, the "scientists" themselves are conflicted. And will reap as they sow just like the rest of us.

This type of behavior is what is known as "control freaking", in that through a force of will, the Universal Law of Attraction can by nullified. Won't work but welcome to try!!!

The "scientists" are living in DENIAL that their own attitudes and perspectives are conflicted. Anything less then being AT PEACE with whatever IS, is resistance. I would suggest these "scientists" accept the responsibility and accountability for the attitudes of conflict within themselves and DO something about that, rather then use mental FORCE to try to manipulate reality into something more 'acceptable' to them. I suggest 'they' start doing something about expanding their level of emotional coping skills.

I know *you*. (winking) And I *know* one of the challenges you volunteered to transmute the energies of, was this kind of manipulative and controlling behavior. Just like "scientists" to approach a subject from the idea of "controlling".

The whole paradigm has changed within the past 5 years. "Old" ways are now obsolete and ineffective. Meditation is OUT. Visualization is OUT. Reiki is OUT.

Sovereignty is IN.

And that means claiming responsibility and accountability for EVERY experience attracted into our lives. What makes us think that those of us subjected to violence haven't asked for it?

[Sue Ann Edwards]

The idea just came to me that it might be easier if we viewed our world as ONE body. There are certain areas of our world that express our collective. And the areas mentioned, are ones that are expressing our collective energies.

If we desire these areas to 'cool' down, then every single one of us MUST take responsibility for our drop in our collective bucket. If we don't like the expressions of conflict, then we must STOP be-ing conflicted and radiating the energies of conflict.

[Sue Ann Edwards]

Hi {{Dearest Simon}}}

grinning...

Ever heard the one about "the path to hell is paved with 'good intentions'?

Come to think of it, every war ever started had the 'intention' of creating peace...

So much for the efficacy of 'intentions', huh?

[Simon]

Liara - Hi - many thanks for your encouragement! Now I need to have a short discussion with Sue Ann...

[Simon]

Sue Ann - Just to clarify something first. It isn't the *scientists* who are sending the intention, they're just measuring what happens in the conflict zones. It's we 'peaceniks' who need to make sure we're coming from peace...

As for your main point, I fully accept the limitations of this sort of project, and as I've mentioned here before, I have my doubts about the effective conscious use of the law of attraction by those of us who are not self-realized. But all of us are *unconsciously* using the law of attraction all the time, sending out confused and emotionally charged thoughts and thereby creating the world we see around us. Given this, is it not better for us all to focus on *peaceful* thoughts for those ten minutes each day, instead of the usual confusion that goes through our minds? The peace we radiate may be a bit on the impure side but surely it will be preferable to the usual stuff we put out? Surely that can only be an improvement?

[Simon]

Just a P.S., Sue Ann: I'm not at all sure that 'every war ever started had the 'intention' of creating peace' at all. That might have been the *stated* intention but I suspect that the hidden agenda has often been very different. We only need to look at the current hotspot in Georgia. It seems to me that, on every side, the stated intentions have little to do with reality. It is much more about the vested interests of the various nations, political groupings, and individual politicians. It is this sort of ego-driven deceit we need to leave behind us. Compared to this, a genuine intention to radiate peace, however flawed, is surely to be welcomed?

[Sue Ann Edwards]

"this sort of ego-driven deceit we need to leave behind us."

It's *THIS* sort of 'peacenik' stuff that I am identifying AS the "ego-driven deceit we need to leave behind us".

It doesn't MATTER our 'intent'. It doesn't MATTER we don't 'intend' to be goofballs, we simply cannot 'see'.

So long as we cannot find it within ourselves to ACCEPT "conflict", we ARE "conflicted". *This* CONFLICTED is what we are RADIATING, no MATTER how self convincing we are in our SELF DECEIT, in practicing these FARCES of MENTAL discipline.

So long as we're "conflict-ed", it is this "conflict" that we are radiating, so if 'peace on earth' is a genuine desire of ours, Humanity as a whole and in general, would be benefited by our departure from this plane of activity.

*that* is what the 'peaceniks' are calling forth using the Law of Attraction, UN'intentionally'.

And it is BECAUSE "this sort of ego-driven deceit we need to leave behind us", that I keep commenting as I do.

We're a bunch of blind nitwits. But lovable ones.

I'm AT PEACE with EVERYTHING in our World. I can see Harmony and Balance EVERYWHERE. The Universe's UNconditionally LOVING support in ALL our lives, too. No MATTER how we're choosing to experience them.

And if others of us CAN'T see this, too, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it simply means we've chosen a perspective of Judgment and Denial, instead. Self Denial. Wanting to DENY individual Liberty of self expression, simply because we don't know how to emotionally cope with it.

Which is the usual result when we don't understand something. And not understanding something is the usual result when we start out from a perspective of rejection in the first place.

If we see conflict, then there will be conflict. If we see cooperation, then there will be cooperation. Where the 'peaceniks' attitude is coming from is all caught up in the victim/villain delusion.

Where simply the attitude of "victimization" is in full fledge DENIAL of the Divinity within each and every single one of us. If we see any "victims" in the world, it is because we are projecting our own ideas of Self Denial, denying the Divinity within us.

Radiances of Self Denial manifests as a lot of self's being denied.

[Simon]

But you seem to assume we'll be coming from non-acceptance, Sue Ann. As I understand it, to use the law of attraction we need to accept what is in this moment but seek to bring about a particular circumstance in the future (without being attached to that outcome). I accept that this is very difficult for those of us who are not awakened, which is perhaps your point, but we are not *against* conflict, we are *for* peace.

You say: "If we see conflict, then there will be conflict. If we see cooperation, then there will be cooperation." I don't know exactly how this thing is going to be done, but perhaps cooperation will indeed be the focus of the event.

[Sue Ann Edwards]

"you seem to assume we'll be coming from non-acceptance"

You're OBVIOUSLY coming from non-acceptance BECAUSE you cannot ACCEPT the violence and the conflict. You're not 'at peace' with either the violence or the conflict. Not ACCEPTING of it, not TOLERANT of it, not EMBRACING of it as being "OK". As something asked for and attracted into the lives of those of us experiencing it.

"seek to bring about a particular circumstance in the future"...'control freak'. This is an attempt to force our will upon others and nothing but.

What I mean by "cooperation" is that you do not see the principals involved in violence and conflict as partners acting in cooperation to bring about an experience both have created and attracted. You see "victims and villains", instead. This "victim and villain" idea is the delusion. And so long as we choose to maintain this delusion, we NEVER WILL understand the causes OF the violence and conflict. And until we address those causes, the violence and conflict will continue.

You seek to influence our outer world without understanding that it is what is going on within our inner worlds that is manifesting it. I sense your resistance is in the form of simply not believing all the "poor victims" had anything to do with their "victimization".

What I keep saying is that those of us you see as 'good' aren't all that 'good' and those you see as 'bad' aren't all that 'bad' either.

You do not see relationships of cooperation, you see relationships of conflict. What I see are relationships of cooperation between conflicted people. Conflicted people are bound to attract conflict because it is the Universal Law of Attraction. If I'm a conflicted person, who else am I going to conflict with besides another conflicted person?

Where you seek to "feed the needy", I seek to address the causes of "being needy". And I am addressing it as an individual responsibility.

Hmmm...with so much focus on the Law of Attraction it makes me wonder why the Law of Correspondence isn't discussed. Because it is this Law, that is being ignored.

[Simon]

I find this a tricky one, Sue Ann, because my experience tells me that you tend to be right about things yet you haven't convinced me here. You make a powerful argument yet my instinct tells me it can't be such a 'bad' thing to focus on thoughts of peace. Part of the problem for me is that your argument could be used to counsel against *any* attempt to help other people at any time. Why should I intervene to stop their suffering when they have brought it upon themselves? The counter-argument I would make is this one: Perhaps they have attracted this misfortune into their lives but perhaps they have also attracted me into their lives to help them put an end to that misfortune. Who am I to refuse that role because I think I know better? I have to do what I feel in my heart is right.

[Sue Ann Edwards]

(smiling gently)

Ahhhh...but ARE you listening to your heart?

I say you are NOT.

You're listening to your GUT. Your fuel is "fear", not "love". Primarily, "fear of death" and are projecting your survival fears.

"Perhaps they have attracted this misfortune into their lives but perhaps they have also attracted me into their lives to help them put an end to that misfortune"

It is a Judgment of *yours* that it is a *misfortune* that has come into their lives. Just like you judge your own physical condition.

If you TRULY seek to put an end to *misfortune*, then we help one another deal with the consequences of it and in so doing, aid them in their own self realization. You're actually waving your 'hero' banner claiming saving other people from the experiences required for their own empowerment and self realization, is actually a heroic act. In SYMPATHY with our 'human' self, you are actually blocking the maturation process of our Spiritual Self. Wisdom calls for COMPASSION, not SYMPATHY.

Tell me, would you have appreciated it if someone came along and 'saved' YOU from the experiences that have led to YOUR awakening? Do you HONESTLY believe "ignorance is bliss"?

Is your focus on our dust or the Life which moves within all of us animating that dust? Where you're coming from right now I *know* you're confused about Whom you are. You are Identifying with your dust, so you see the rest of us as just our dust, too.

Which is disrespectful but very understandable. We can't give what we haven't got. That includes 'recognition'. And what you are attempting to do, in ignorance, is BLOCKING this Spiritual Recognition for and of others.

It's a mirror of how we all stand in our own way. We can each be our own best friend or worst enemy. How can I say it?

"Human goodsie two shoes" are the embodiment of the 'anti-Christ'...actively working against the self realization of Christ Consciousness.

Know the phrase "letting go of our attachments"?

The attachments we let go of are our emotional attachments to any certain physical conditions. And here all these 'meditations' keep coming where the value is based on physical conditions.

Spirit has a Whole different VALUE system then the one we have been taught. VALUES that are of an Eternal & Infinite quality: Understanding, Acceptance, Tolerance, Patience, Faith, Trust, Forgiveness, Mercy, etc.

Attitudes that lead to activities just as *this* are not coming from anyplace of Unconditional Acceptance or Unconditional Tolerance, but from states lacking in those particular qualities.

[Sue Ann Edwards]

Being ~right~ isn't an especially great experience, either. For my desire to see an end to our suffering is genuine and here I sit, able to see how we keep asking for it, unknowingly and unintentionally.

And that's what keep me coming back.

[Simon]

Your final comment touches me, Sue Ann. I know you're only trying to help! But maybe on this occasion you just have to let us find out for ourselves - perhaps the hard way. Like children discover gravity by scraping their knees.

I can't change my actions 'because Sue Ann says so' any more than I would do it 'because the Bible says so' - and I know you wouldn't expect that. I have to do what feels right to *me*. Perhaps it's a question of perspective. From where you’re standing, the rationale you’re explaining is reality. From my perspective, it’s more like theory. It’s a persuasive theory and one to which I pay a lot of attention – but I can look at the world in other ways which are just as persuasive. According to Ho’oponopono, for instance, we are each personally responsible for everything that happens in our world – even things we hear about on the news. So I am not trying to ‘impose’ peace on these other people, I am trying to correct a mistake which I myself have somehow created, perhaps in a previous lifetime. As all of us are really one, this perspective seems every bit as viable as yours does. And who is to say that only one of these perspectives is true?

For anyone reading this who is wondering what on earth Ho’oponpono is, here is the link to the relevant post: http://secretoflife.typepad.com/the_secret_of_life/2008/07/twelve-words-that-can-heal-the-planet.html

As I mentioned in my previous comment, it also concerns me that your argument could be used to counsel against *any* attempt to help other people – and that doesn’t seem right to me. You ask if I would have appreciated it if someone had come along and 'saved' me from the experiences that have led to my ‘awakening’, i.e. my long-term illness which has led me onto the spiritual path. But the point is: that didn’t happen. It clearly wasn’t time for it to happen. If someone came along *now* to make me well, then, yes, I would welcome it, because I feel that the illness has served its purpose. I’d like to be well again thank you! And if I see other people in suffering, who am I to say that *their* suffering has not already served its purpose? Perhaps the time has come for it to end – and perhaps I am to play some small part in that process.

There are certainly times when I’ve tried to help people but they’ve seemed to resist or self-sabotage all my efforts. I have come to realize that at such times there’s no point in continuing because they don’t really want to be helped, it is *not* time for their suffering to end. But surely it is wrong to make this assumption about everyone, before you’ve even tried? If the suffering is not to end, it will not end. If it is to end, it will. But is it really right for us to prejudge the issue?