A growing number of highly motivated professionals want to update their knowledge, understandings, and capacities to work toward the resolution of systemic issues at the local, regional and global levels. They want a context in which to explore their participation in systemic change and associates with whom they can pursue their vocational desires. Traditional educational institutions do not offer the analysis, course content, and learning styles that provide this.
Therefore, in 1997, Global Education Associates and Genesis Farm began its New Foundations Program. New Foundations was a year-long education program that provided an intensive learning experience in earth literacy and global systemic change. At the end of the program, participants gained the knowledge and competencies needed to better serve the emerging needs of the global community, in either their existing or new professions, or organizations.
The program had four segments:
1. Earth Literacy Program: From August through November at Genesis Farm, Blairstown, New Jersey, participants lived, reflected, and worked together in a highly independent and experiential learning process. Immersed in the natural world they developed practical skills for a more ecological lifestyle. They studied the "Universe Story" which merges science, spirituality, and wisdom traditions to tell the story of how the universe evolved. They explored the sacred universe as a means to restoring meaning in their lives, rethinking their culture's values and practices, and updating their relationship with the Earth.
2. Global Systems: From January through May in New York City, participants studied global systems and planetary trends. They considered local and regional systems--physical, social, economic, political, communications, and others -- within the evolving world systems, how these systems are changing, and the movements that are influencing these changes. Participants considered ways they and their networks and organizations can contribute to the development of global ethics, policies, and systems based on ecological integrity, peace, economic and social well-being, human rights, and democratic participation. In addition to a core curriculum, they chose an individual focus area for in-depth study; and participate in briefings, meetings, and conferences at the UN.
3. Transcultural Experience: This optional segment provided opportunities to work in another setting with groups engaged in initiatives for ecological integrity, peace, human rights, or economic and social development.
4. North American Pilgrimage and Integration Retreat: This optional month-long segment offered participants the time to develop a deep connection to the land, waters, forests, mountains, and plains of the North American continent. Participants made a spiritual pilgrimage to sacred indigenous sites across the U.S., ending in Busby, Montana where they make a retreat offered by Native American elders.
Since 1997, some of the accomplishments of the New Foundation participants have been:
- Founding an ecological studies program that specializes in water and related concerns along the Hudson River in New Jersey
- Developing an educational program, in Northern Ireland, focused on understanding peace and conflict within the principals of the Universe Story
- Taking leadership in water-related systemic change initiatives within environmentally-focused partnerships on Long Island, New York
Full Project Description
Part A: Earth Literacy
Genesis Farm, Blairstown, New Jersey
August - November
The Genesis Farm Earth Literacy program is limited to a small number of participants who live, reflect, and work together in a highly independent and experiential learning process. In addition to the formal studies, there is a strong emphasis on immersion in the natural world and developing practical living skills for a more ecological lifestyle.
The program is organized in four modules consisting of two structured weeks followed by a third week of reflection and integration. We continue to discover ways to connect our knowledge with our intuition, our heads with our hearts.
THE FOUR MODULES
1. Exploring the Sacred Universe
An origin story is an epic narrative of how the universe came to be as it is today. It answers the basic questions: "Where did I come from? Who am I? Where am I going?" It provides the context in which life can function in a meaningful manner. Cultures are invented out of their origin story. Our western culture is in crisis because our current story is no longer adequate to provide meaning for our lives. For all our technological prowess, our secular society remains without satisfactory meaning or the social discipline needed for a life leading to emotional, aesthetic, and spiritual fulfillment. Today, out of a fresh encounter between science and human spirituality, has come a new story, the Epic of Evolution. This story synthesizes, for the first time, the development of the physical and spiritual complexity and beauty of the universe, Earth, life, and consciousness. Inherent within this story is that the spiritual dimension of the universe has been present since the beginning and has deepened its inner capacities within and through its evolving physical manifestation.
Radical changes in our human activities and attitudes will be required as we reinvent our culture out of these new understandings of ourselves. This new story will supply the creative energy needed for this Great Work.
2. The Epic of Evolution
The single greatest achievement of the entire scientific venture might be recognition that the universe is best understood in terms of a narrative telling of its sequence of transformations in its self-shaping emergence throughout space and time. This epic presents, for the first time, a single account of the development of the physical and spiritual complexity and beauty of the universe, the Earth, life, and consciousness.
3. Bioregionalism: Path to Sustainability
The Earth functions as a comprehensive united entity, but is expressed in highly differentiated bioregions. Over the eons, humans have evolved within these bioregions developing a vital sense of "place," a deep relationship that was both the foundation and the subject of their spiritual and physical activities. Today we are called to rethink our culture in light of this foundational relationship. All our institutions, our health, legal, agricultural, educational, technological, and economic activities need to be reinvented within this sense of place.
4. Wisdom Traditions
To meet the great challenges that lie ahead for our human societies we must develop a new and more comprehensive insight into the universe and our human role within it. There are wisdom traditions from which we can develop this insight: the scientific wisdom, the wisdom of women, the indigenous wisdom, and the classical religious wisdom. Each of these is essential and provides, in its own unique way, guidance for our journey into a new mutually enhancing Earth-human relationship. Only now, at this time, do we finally have the context and capacity to understand these traditions in a way that can provide guidance for our journey into the future.
Part B: Global Systems
Global Education Associates and
the United Nations, New York City
January - May
The Global Systems component examines the world as a total system in the process of profound transformation. It considers the physical, social, economic, political, communications, and other systems within this evolving world system, and explores the ways these systems are changing and the movements influencing these changes. It takes a normative approach, analyzing and critiquing existing world systems and exploring possible futures related to core values of ecological integrity, peace, economic and social well-being, human rights, and democratic participation and inclusion. Participants explore ways they and their networks and organizations can contribute to the development of global ethics, policies, and systems based on these core values that will enhance life on earth for present and future generations.
In addition to core content related to global systems and planetary trends, participants have an opportunity for an individualized focus on one or more issues of their choosing -- e.g. global policy development related to ecology, economic development, human rights, peace, women, children, etc. -- or more in-depth study in such areas as global ethics, global spirituality, UN reform and restructuring, and more.
This component of New Foundations is offered in New York City, home of the United Nations and many of its related agencies, non-governmental organizations and international networks. New York City is also the site of the International Secretariat for Global Education Associates, with a resource library and outreach to associates in 90 countries. GEA has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and more than 30 years of experience of work with the UN as a non-governmental organization (NGO). GEA has also developed partnerships with several UN agencies and its staff is deeply involved in a number of UN-related programs.
Participants will be involved in briefings, meetings and conferences at the United Nations, as well as reading, study, and discussion with the GEA staff. There will be opportunities for access to the vast resources of the UN, as well as the staff library and networks of GEA.
This experience offers an opportunity to develop the knowledge and competencies needed for work in global systematic change. Participants will explore ways to use and share these learnings through their existing or new professions, organizations, or ministries to better serve the emerging needs of the global community.
Part C: Transcultural Experience
This segment, while optional, is highly recommended for participants who have never lived in another culture. The experience will provide opportunities to work and network with groups engaged in initiatives for ecological integrity, peace, human rights, or economic and social development in another cultural setting. Efforts will be made to match the place and project for this experience with the interests, needs and competencies of the participant and receiving group.
Options include the Philippine Council for Peace and Global Education, a GEA affiliate begun in Manilla in 1979 that is a consortium of 11 universities, and more than a hundred schools throughout the Philippines incorporating peace, human rights, and ecological integrity as core values in their teaching and educational policy development. Opportunities with GEA-related projects in Africa are another option.
Part D: North American Pilgrimage and Integration Retreat
This final, month-long segment of New Foundations offers the space and time to develop a deep connection to the land, waters, forests, mountains, and plains of the North American continent. Traveling simply and in a spiritual pilgrimage of atonement and healing, participants will journey from the east coast of the United States to the sacred indigenous sites of Montana.
The pilgrimage is designed to expose the devastation visited on the land and people during European colonization and since, and to open hearts to the presence and healing energy of the Divine that is manifested in the mystery of the continent. The journey will culminate in a retreat offered by Native American elders in Busby, Montana.
Enroute and with the Native Americans, participants will have an opportunity to integrate the total year's experience, to further develop and articulate their goals and plans for the next stages of their life's work, and to receive and offer one another ongoing support.