Collected Writings (SP)
I have always felt learning about why someone was doing something is helpful: it helps with understanding what we are doing, where we are going and how we are going to get there, and helps people understand what beliefs in their own culture are driving their choices… like who are the most important cultural leaders?; what is a good life?; are we responding in a positive and constructive manner to challenges and problems?; will we trust each other more in the future if we continue doing what we are doing?; etc.
So, one of the key goals in providing a chronological summary of my Collected Writings is so that visitors can see how long I have been working along these lines--and why. What are the most important influences in my life? (see “Key Sources of Inspiration” webpage). What is my vision of the good life? Am I responding to challenges and problems in a positive and constructive manner? Will we trust each other more in the future as a result of my work?
Another key goal of this section is so that writings which do not easily fit into other webpage themes can be included here. Since some of what this writer thinks of as his most significant contributions are compilations of quotations from a spiritual teacher (Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who lived in India from 1926-2011), the “Collected Writings” section provides a place for such quotation compilations, and some of this writers’ commentary on those compilations.
As a result of these considerations, there are a variety of different kinds of writing pieces in this section--which may be interesting in different ways, to people from many different backgrounds and circumstances. Even so, most of the writings would still fit under the category of “Community Peacebuilding and Cultural Sustainability”.
[Note: An additional section (Appendix A--after the end of the “Collected Writings” section) has been created for miscellaneous documents and resources, many of which are not by Stefan Pasti.]
Collected Writings of Stefan Pasti (1982-2021)
1. “Disarmament News” (20 pages) (May, 1982) (an early newsletter—and though roughly made, includes information and observations which remain very relevant) (Scanned document)
2. “The Last Map of Root Man Charlie” (short novel) (123 pages) (September—December, 1985) Scanned Document; Large Files; Seven Parts) (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7)
Brief Description: A little person with wings (named Clearwater) goes on a “Crystal Ball Quest”, gets separated from his tribe, and is injured in an accident. In his effort to find assistance, he is blown (during a blizzard) into the fireplace mantel holiday scenes of a “big person” family in Boone, North Carolina. The “big people” discover Clearwater, unconscious, on the fireplace mantel, and…. [Critical scene: “blown (during a blizzard) into the fireplace mantel holiday scenes…” in Part 4]
3. “Developing a Tao Compass” (Winter 1986—1987) (80 pages) (first long compilation of excerpts piece) [includes many excerpts from "Gaia: An Atlas of Planetary Management (first edition, 1984), many quotes from D.T. Suzuki on Zen Buddhism, many quotes from R. L. Wing's interpretation of the "I Ching", and many quotes from children age 2-5)] (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Scanned document; split into four parts)
4. “Where a Village is Tended, a Toxic Waste Dump Cannot Grow” (16 pages) (newsletter outreach) (April-May, 1991) (scanned document; split into four parts) (part 1) (part 2) (part 3) (part 4)
Important outreach newsletter seeking ecovillage demonstration project/“tipping point” project (which would be a catalyst for community wide change). Sections of newsletter included: a) 51 point list: How modern agriculture-based villages can contribute to the continuity of peaceful human settlements b) brainstorming “ideagraph” containing 37 ideas for “Bringing Back Villages” c) a 6 page arrangement of statistics, observations, traditional sayings, and proverbs d) an imaginary flyer inviting people to an ecovillage demonstration project like this writer was seeking e) an article this writer had published in a local newspaper as as an essay/commentary titled “A ‘Branching’ of American Culture”
The 16 page newsletter (and other shorter forms of outreach) was sent to environmental organizations, environmental magazines, peace organizations, sustainable agriculture organizations, individual organic farmers, etc, and I received more than 100 postmail responses. A selection of the responses is included in the entry “Some Responses to Outreach Done with the ‘Durham Village’ Concept” (see entry #6)
5. “Timetable of Events in Popular Culture--from 1900-1991” [approximately 30 pages in original “album” size format (which I no longer have); 1991-1992] (scanned document; split into ten parts) [1900-1908; 1909-1917; 1918-1926; 1927-1935; 1936-1944; 1945-1953; 1954-1962; 1963-1971; 1972-1980; 1981-1991]
This homemade reference piece included news, books, music, sports, inventions, etc from each of the years 1900-1991. I used 14” X 22” poster board as a base, and pasted cut-out sections (on aged-looking archival paper) for each year onto a penciled in grid. Each poster board could accommodate three years. One of my original intentions, when making the “Timetable”, was to make it easier for me to better remember the years when I had some difficult experiences (so I could “work through” those difficult experiences). The other original intention was to create a way for me to re-examine my view of American Culture, to see where I may have been right, or wrong, about where I might do some good. Eventually, I also made use of this “Timetable”, when I was working with elders with Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia, as many of these elders could still remember well things that had happened in their distant past. [Note: I still have document files for this “Timetable”, but they are made from scanned copies of 11” X 14” paper, which were then “spliced together”, so one large file (over 3MB) only covers 9 years… thus, the many files above].
6. “Some Responses to Outreach Done with the ‘Durham Village’ Concept “ (see #4 above) (6 pages; July, 1992)
Selected responses to newsletter outreach associated with #4 “Where a Village is Tended, a Toxic Waste Dump Cannot Grow”
7. “Community Visioning and Sustainability: Policy Recommendations for Families and Communities” (scanned document) (Part 1) (Part 2)
(40 pages; 1994)
While this paper was written many years ago (as a Family Studies course final paper; University of Maryland, College Park)), I am offering access to it because the research and the recommendations are still most relevant—and to provide insight into research and ideas which have been essential to the evolution of the Community Peacebuilding and Cultural Sustainability (CPCS) Initiative (at cpcsi.org ).
Below are excerpts from the “abstract” at the beginning of the paper:
“The purpose of this paper is to begin an ongoing discussion of why families would want to become involved in their community’s visioning process….References are made to the recent use of ecological and societal indicators to measure quality of life and progress towards sustainability, and implications of trends….This paper also includes a brief historical overview of sustainability, and a brief survey of national, state, and local sustainability initiatives, particularly as they relate to community visioning…..”
8. "Meditations on Devotion to Rama" (126 pages) (July--September, 1996) [Unfortunately, the only version I have of this is a file of the scanned document--which is a very large file (118 MB)(so I uploaded it to Dropbox, and made a link to it there).] This booklet--a 126 page arrangement of quotations is a kind of “study guide” to R.C. Prasad’s translation of Tulasidasa' s “Ramacharitamanasa (The Holy Lake of the Acts of Rama)” (1990 Benarsidass edition). There is a three page introduction, a Table of Contents--and a 25 page section titled “Notable Excerpts from the Story”, which provides a kind of “storyline”. [From the introduction: "… 'the book (Tulasidasa’s “Ramacharitamanasa”) is in everyone's hands, from the court to the cottage, and is read, or heard, and appreciated alike by every class of the Hindu community, whether high or low, rich or poor, young or old' (F.S. Growse) and ‘is acknowledged not merely as the greatest modern Indian epic, but as something like a living sum of Indian culture....’" (R.C. Prasad).]
9. "An Arrangement of Quotations from 'Sathya Sai Speaks' (Vol. 1-15)" (301 pages) (September, 1996--February, 1997) Vol. 1-15 are collections of discourses made by Sri Sathya Sai Baba (1926-2011) during the years 1953-1982. I selected quotations/passages which might make these teachings most accessible to westerners, and arranged them in categories and subcategories. Here is the 5 page Table of Contents, which includes a sample excerpt of a quote for every section and subsection.
10. "Virtue Notes" (14 Notes; 1997) ["Virtue Notes 1-7"; "Virtue Notes 8-14"] These "virtue notes" are a testimony to the profound effect of my being in the presence of Sri Sathya Sai Baba in India, when I visited His ashrams in Puttaparthi and Whitefield, in 1997. I created handmade versions in India, and then revised those with Microsoft Publisher once I was back in the U.S.. Although it would seem there would be no practical use for such esoteric currency, the point of it was to help people imagine the kind of world where such currency would be in use. There was a sun with rays spreading out on one side of the currency note, and some commentary on a particular virtue on the other side. The fourteen virtues I featured (in the order they appear in the two files: kindness, courtesy, responsibility, courage, gratitude, faith, resolution, abstinence, serenity, purity, reverence, silence, wisdom, and love.
11. “The IPCR Journal/Newsletter Spring 2005” issue (14 pages)--key document for the first IPCR Initiative outreach campaign. Also noteworthy because it contains detailed descriptions of seven of The Eight IPCR Concepts—and much of that content has remained as it was written then [see updated version “Ten Steps for Long Term Culture Change"... and the "Ten Step..." paper eventually became "13 Steps for Long Term Culture Change" (see #42)(a second CPCS Initiative Summary Paper)].
12. "The Spirit of the Sacred Hoop" (10 pages) (First version Fall, 1984; First revision Spring, 2004; Minor modifications Summer, 2006; Winter 2013-14; Winter 2022-23)
This story is from a time long ago, when the cultural heritage of a community of people was passed from generation to generation through the spoken word, and when the reasons for telling a story were (for the most part) to convey a message of cultural significance.
Here is a brief introduction to the “Sacred Hoop” story: “Many years ago there was a tribe of people who were experiencing challenges that were threatening their very existence. During this ’time of fear’, a young woman experiences a vision--of a bird which says to her: ‘You must all leave where you are, and travel to a place far away… You must look for the tree at the center of the sacred hoop. You will know when you have found this tree when you hear birds singing on the branches of a tree, and you understand their song.’ The tribe of people eventually begin this ‘great journey’. Do they find the tree at the center of the sacred hoop? ‘The Spirit of the Sacred Hoop’ is a ten page short story which recognizes intuition and spiritual wisdom as important elements of community and cultural sustainability.”
There are many "archetypal moments" in the story; thus, the story can have a "mirror-like" effect on readers, and cause them to reflect on the similarities and differences between what such moments are like in contemporary life, and what they are like in the culture brought to life by this story.
[Additional Note: I wrote two different postscripts for this "Sacred Hoop" story: "A Postscript to the short story 'The Spirit of the Sacred Hoop'" (3 pages; January, 2009 and April, 2010), and "16 Facets of the story 'The Spirit of the Sacred Hoop'" (5 pages) (March, 2014). These postscripts provide insights which may help readers understand the most important messages of the story.]
13. "Peacebuilding in its Most Compassionate Form" (41 pages) (Aug.-Nov., 2007)
Very comprehensive introduction to The IPCR Initiative, which includes (in Appendix 1) an example of one of the earliest versions of a “ten point assessment of the most difficult challenges of our times”. “Peacebuilding in its most compassionate form is not a competitive field of activity. Viewed in this light, the most valuable forms of peacebuilding will nurture, support, and sustain the development of an infinite variety of other forms of peacebuilding, community revitalization, and ecologically sustainability initiatives. The IPCR Initiative is an effort to nurture, support, and sustain peacebuilding in its most compassionate form.”
14. “A 15 Step Outline for a Community Visioning Initiative” (28 pages) (2008)
Community Visioning [especially the face-to-face version (vs. online engagement)] is difficult for many people to imagine, as in what does a time-intensive (6 months--one year) Community Visioning experience involve? While much of the processing of massive amounts of suggestions and prioritizing data can be done through online engagement, there is a value to many brainstorming and prioritizing challenges and solutions which is often overlooked. [Note: this form of collaborative problem solving can also be carried out during a COVID or other pandemic, by using online engagement features such as described at https://engagementhub.com.au/software-features .]
15. "1000Communities2" ("1000Communities Squared") (164 pages; June, 2008)
1000 Community Visioning Initiatives X Community Centers with Ongoing Workshops + Sister Community Relationships = an exponential increase in our collective capacity to resolve the challenges of our times.
16. "1000 Communities (Squared) Proposal: Creating a Multiplier Effect of a Positive Nature" (1 page) (2008)
Key piece in outreach for the 164 paper above (#15).
17. "15 Sample Preliminary Survey Questions" (12 pages) (2009)
Administered to 150 key leaders, such questionnaires, carried out prior to a Community Visioning Initiative, can help residents understand the need for the many meetings of the process, and can suggest many workshops for supporting Neighborhood Learning Centers.
18. "Notes on the I Ching" (5 pages) (March, 2009)
The 64 “hexagrams” associated with the I Ching contain commentaries and observations associated with particular patterns of experience.
(Ex: Difficult Beginnings, Calculated Waiting, Adapting, Reform, Danger, Retreat, Obstacles, Temptation, Changing, Reuniting, etc.) The Chinese people who developed the I Ching discovered that reflecting on these patterns of experience was of great value in aligning themselves with the Tao. The Tao has been defined as “the only reasonable and harmonious path for the individual through the cosmos, given his nature and the nature of the cosmic forces at a given moment in time”.
19. "Divine Intervention" [arrangement of quotations from "Sathya Sai Speaks" (Vol. 1-15)-- discourses by Sri Sathya Sai Baba (1926-2011)]
(42 pages) (June, 2009)
20. “An Autobiographical Sketch” (83 pages) (August, 2009; March, 2012; March-April, 2017)
In the months of March-April, 2017, I have made significant updates to my “Autobiographical Sketch” (what was 11 pages before is now 83 pages). And I have made a new title and subtitles for the piece: “… birds singing on the branches of a tree….” (Where I seem to be, and how I might’ve gotten here) (Selected Autobiographical Pieces--with Links).
In this autobiographical piece, I have focused on four main goals (that I can think of):
a) I have tried to share experiences which could be useful in some way or other--which might help people see themselves, and the world, in a more positive light… and which might help increase their “love for life”
b) I have tried to share documents and resources I have--relating to my work building The Interfaith Peacebuilding and Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative, and The Community Peacebuilding and Cultural Sustainability (CPCS) Initiative; and relating to the most important influence in my life (the teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba)—because I believe resources related to these subjects are among the most valuable resources I have
c) I have tried to provide evidence related to what work I thought was “uniquely mine” to do, and how I came to believe that
d) I have tried to provide clarification in some areas where I might have been most misunderstood, as after I have passed away, there will be no one who can provide the kind of clarification I can provide
21. “An Introduction to Kuan Yin: Goddess of Mercy and Compassion” (8 Pages) (September, 2009)
includes sections:
“Some Thoughts About the Origin of Kuan-yin”
“The 'Universal Gateway' Chapter of the Lotus Sutra”
and quotes:
“No other figure in the Chinese pantheon appears in a greater variety of images, of which there are said to be thousands of different incarnations or manifestations.”
“She achieved enlightenment long ago but refused to go on to total bliss until all suffering humanity could go with her.”
”The simplicity of this gentle being and Her standards tends to lead Her devotees towards becoming more compassionate and loving themselves. A deep sense of service to all fellow beings naturally follows any devotion to the Goddess.”
22. "Ten Steps for Long Term Culture Change" (30 pages) (2009, 2014) Original Document formed 2001-2007; much of original content still accessible through Spring, 2005 issue of The IPCR Journal/Newsletter (#11 above, and in IPCR Journal/Newsletter section, at the bottom of the "About The IPCR Initiative" webpage at https://www.cpcsi.org/about-the-ipcr-initiative.html ) Revised Version December, 2009 added 12 page “Notes and Source References” section. In March 2014 two more “steps” were added (“Interfaith Peace Vigils” and "Neighborhood Learning Centers"). Also in March, 2014 title changed from “Brief Descriptions of The Eight IPCR Concepts” to “Nine Steps for Long Term Culture Change” as the need for long term culture change has become clear. The “Ten Steps” are: “Community Good News Networks”; “Community Faith Mentoring Networks”; “Spiritual Friendships”; “Interfaith Peace Vigils”; “Questionnaires That Can Help Build Caring Communities”; “Community Visioning Initiatives for Peace”; "Neighborhood Learning Centers"; “Spiritually Responsible Investing”; “Ecological Sustainability”; and “Community Journal/Newsletters”. These “Ten Steps” can be a “foundation” for a long term approach to interfaith peacebuilding, community revitalization, and culture change. Many of the concepts could be building blocks which would help make an effective Community Visioning Initiative, by way of being ideas for workshops in Neighborhood Learning Centers, and supplementary pieces in support of the Visioning process. And this paper sets out a “trellis” by which a careful transformation could “grow”, over a long period of time, and be carefully monitored and evaluated as it proceeded.
23. "The IPCR Workshop Primer" (425 pages) (Feb. 2010)
A Comprehensive Summary of the IPCR Initiative; including “36 Problems That May Arise (in preparing for, and implementing, Community Visioning Initiatives)” (Section 11), a section which was only included in this document.
24. "Special Moments of Inspiration and Insight: A Reader from Books and Documents in the English Language" (includes references to more than 150 excerpts from Young Readers’ Classics, History, Exploration, Fiction Short Story, Fiction Novel, Fiction Plays, Fiction Humor, etc—
and 19 actual excerpts of various length) (74 pages; May, 2010)
25. "Music and Lyrics I Love" (41 pages; 2010-2011) (150 titles; selections of lyrics included)
26. "A Four Page Summary of The IPCR Initiative" (2011)
Key piece in outreach done at this time.
27. "39 Suggestions for Preliminary Survey Questions" (36 pages) (2011)
28. “IPCR Critical Challenges Assessment 2011-2012: Summary Report” (444 pages)
(5 page Table of Contents)
This compilation of research is a first look at a “big picture” view, which was very helpful for perspective, as in where do the little remedies which make up the whole fit into this “big picture”….
29. "Much Unrealized Potential for Community Service" (2 pages; 2012)
Key piece in outreach done at this time.
30. “Four Positive Effects from the Teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba” (13 pages)(April, 2012)
Insight into the profound wisdom this writer found in the discourses of Sri Sathya Sai Baba (with many quotes)
(Minor editing and revised format version 11 14 21)
31. “24/7 Peace Vigils” (2 pages) (March, 2013)
32. "Invitation Package for Possible Board of Advisors" (589 pages; Oct.--Nov., 2013)
(Table of Contents) (”20 page introduction”)
Highlights:
a) From 2019 on, this writer has advocated for 5-10 page overviews from thousands of positive tipping point organizations and institutions, as a way of catalyzing local Community Visioning, and accelerating Climate Emergency Action. This “Invitation Package” features 272 positive tipping point individuals (in 13 categories—see p. 34), with accompanying biographical information (from pages 34-199). At the time, this writer hoped that outreach sent to these individuals might help create a Board of Advisors.
b) There are more statistics, commentary, and observations, on the multiple challenges we face, than in any other CPCS Initiative document
b) There is a 28 point timeline of warnings about Global Warming, spanning from 1988 to 2013, on pages 273-301. Each entry includes excerpts from the resource cited.
33. Press Release: “The Tipping Point Action Campaign: Maximizing Citizen Participation in Times of Unprecedented Challenges” (1575 words) (dated March 10, 2014)
This Tipping Point Action Campaign was also entered (see entry) in the contest “Shifting behavior for a changing climate 2014” at the MIT Climate Co-Lab [Note: “The goal of the MIT Climate CoLab is to harness the collective intelligence of thousands of people from all around the world to address complex societal problems, starting with global climate change.” (from https://www.climatecolab.org/page/about ).
34. “Recalibrating Our Moral Compasses (ROMC) Survey Project Prospectus” (Gathering Evidence to Support a Recalibration of Our “Moral Compasses) (74 pages; November, 2014)
The ROMC Survey Project Prospectus provides detailed information in the following sections: “Project Summary”, “Why this Project is Needed (5 Reasons Summarized)”, “About Selecting Participants for the Survey”, and “The 9 Questions Being Asked in The ROMC Survey”—and is supplemented by an Appendix which includes: A. Why this Project is Needed--Discussion Supplement, B. Example Challenge Assessment (20 pages), and C. Example Solution Guide (17 pages).
“5 page Project Overview and Invitation to Collaborate” (November, 2014)
35. “Neighbor to Neighbor Community Education (NTNCE) Project” (16 page project proposal) (April, 2015)
The NTNCE Project is an invitation to local residents to share positive experiences in a new section of their local newspaper (the NTNCE section) as a way of highlighting and illustrating how even the smallest events of everyday community life can be positive contributions to:
a) the education goals of the local public school system
b) increasing consensus on a locally specific, commonly agreed upon, and revitalized “moral compass”
c) the greater good of all residents in the local community and region
36. "An Assessment of the Most Critical Challenges of Our Times" (36 pages; May, 2015)
Challenge assessments in longer documents (Ex: “Invitation Package for Possible Board of Advisors”) made "connecting the dots" to see the "big picture" much more difficult to manage. This shorter challenge assessment is an extension of the "Example Challenge Assessment" in the "Recalibrating Our 'Moral Compasses' Survey Project Prospectus"--and this assessment has the most recent compilation of quotes, etc; the source references are recently confirmed; and the source references are all in one place.
37. "Recalibrating Our 'Moral Compasses': to resolve unprecedented challenges and discover our collective spiritual destiny" (85 pages; June, 2015) (updated June, 2016--new preface added)
This 85 page paper summarizes work by the CPCS Initiative’s predecessor [The Interfaith Peacebuilding and Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative (from 2001-2013)]—and work by The CPCS Initiative since its inception in 2013. This Summary Paper was updated in June, 2016 (minor editing, making links current) and has a 4 page preface.
38. "Convergence of Critical Challenges Alert to Peacebuilders, Chaplains--from cpcsi.org)" (10 pages; Feb. 2017)
In February, 2017, The CPCS Initiative issued a Convergence of Critical Challenges Alert. An introduction to the full text document
“Convergence of Critical Challenges Alert to Peacebuilders, Chaplains--from cpcsi.org” (10 pages; approx. 3500 words) was directed to:
a) peacebuilding organizations and peacebuilding graduate study programs
b) chaplains and offices of religious and spiritual life at universities and colleges
c) national and international organizations associated with religious and spiritual life in higher education
39. “Questions for CCLS17 Panel Discussion--Diminishing Returns re Megacities?” (8 pages; March, 2017)
40. "Manali Project Prospectus" (13 pages; April, 2017)
The Manali Project is a fictionalized account of three story lines taking place in a time period of from maybe 2080-2150. Hopefully, the story lines would highlight—through both dramatic and everyday circumstances--
a) the positive possibilities associated with permaculture, appropriate technology
b) the humor associated with salvaging material culture from the previous “advanced” civilization--and share much about ways to create unprecedented culture change, and arrive at communities which integrate spiritual wisdom into the everyday circumstances of daily life.
41. “An Autobiographical Sketch” (83 pages) (August, 2009; March, 2012; March-April, 2017)
In the months of March-April, 2017 (see also #20), I made significant updates to my “Autobiographical Sketch” (what was 11 pages before is now 83 pages).
And I have made a new title and subtitles for the piece: “… birds singing on the branches of a tree….” (Where I seem to be, and how I might’ve gotten here)
42. "13 Steps for Long Term Culture Change" (78 pages; May, 2017)
An older foundation piece (see #22), which I have revised and updated. I have also added an introduction (based on my most recent approaches to advocacy)—and added an Appendix [which includes “Unprecedented Challenges Ahead—February, 2017” (2p.) and “30 Propositions and Premises which make up The CPCS Initiative” (4p.)]. It makes it all seem very doable—that’s why I think this paper could be a catalyst.
[Note:
43. "8 page introduction in (excerpted from) '13 Steps for Long Term Culture Change'" (8 pages; May, 2017)
44. "30 Propositions and Premises of The CPCS Initiative" (4 pages; May, 2017)
45. "178 Related Fields of Activity" (6 pages; November, 2018--update of 2008 document “125 Related Fields of Activity”)
This writer has identified 178 fields of activity related to the collaborative problem solving, community peacebuilding, ecological sustainability, community education, and cultural sustainability efforts he advocates most strongly for to resolve the convergence of unprecedented challenges which now exists. Crowdsourcing efforts would surely result in a much longer list; however this list should be sufficient to suggest that we--collectively--have the knowledge and wisdom to create, support, and sustain communities which can keep global warming below 1.5oC (2.7oF), minimize resource requirements, maintain ecological sustainability, maintain a high level of compassion for fellow human beings--and which represent what a significant majority of community residents surveyed would describe as a high quality of life.
46. "Harvest Song" [78 pages (3.9 MB); Nov-Dec, 2018]
“…(finding) a value above all price for the smallest events in our daily life.”
Comprehensive, concise, and optimistic--even as it illustrates that the convergence of unprecedented challenges ahead is way beyond “uncharted territory”. There are many ways we can achieve a convergence of unprecedented solutions. There is much that can be done to resolve the unprecedented challenges ahead that has not yet been done.
Chapters #1 and #2--Convergence of Unprecedented Challenges
31 links; 18 tweets from many people; 12 text boxes w/ info, stats, graphics; 5 text boxes (this writer)
Chapter #3 and #4--Convergence of Unprecedented Solutions
34 links; 2 tweets; 14 text boxes w/ info, stats, graphics; 12 text boxes (this writer)
47. "Growing Wisdom and Compassion in Small Communities (13 Steps)" (78 pages) (older document re-titled) (Spring, 2019)
The CPCS Initiative document "13 Steps for Long Term Culture Change" (78 pages; May, 2017)(#42 above) has been re-titled, so that the new title is "Growing Wisdom and Compassion in Small Communities (13 Steps)". The reason for the change: after the IPCC 1.5C Report, and also as this writer compiled the CPCS Initiative document "Brainstorming 100% Reduction in GHG Emissions ASAP" (#48), it was becoming clearer and clearer that without unprecedented short term change (before 2030), there will be difficulties finding enough social and environmental stability to do long term change.
48. "Brainstorming 100% Reduction in Greenhouse Gas (GHG)Emissions ASAP Campaign" (157 pages; June, 2019)
(Note: 11 Appendices account for 113 pages)
The Brainstorming Zero Carbon ASAP Campaign proposes to streamline to the frontlines of public discourse the best 5-10 page overviews of how we can get to a 100% reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions ASAP--and thereby catalyze local Community Visioning Initiatives, and contribute significantly to maximizing "all hands on deck" participation in positive tipping point activity.
This paper includes a 19 point assessment for why it is most urgent for us to reach Zero Carbon ASAP (see p. 17-25)--and
Appendix 10 is a list of 616 positive tipping point organizations and institutions with Twitter profiles
[and in 30 categories (see p. 69), with each category linked to its section, for quick access].
49. "Accelerating Climate Emergency Action (in all aspects of society)" (5 pages; July, 2019)
From five text boxes this writer included with tweets on the Twitter Platform, as outreach and sharing related to the paper “Brainstorming 100% Reduction in GHG Emissions ASAP Campaign” (157 pages; June, 2019). A good short introduction to the potential described in the longer paper.
50. "Flyer for Brainstorming Zero Carbon Campaign" (August, 2019)
I reserved a table at a “Student Organizations Fair” (tables okay for organizations from the community, also) at a local university, and this was one of the free information pieces I made available. (I still have the banner I made to go in front of the table)
a) “’Holding Together’ During the Climate Emergency Era” Climate Emergency Questionnaire (14 questions; 10 pages) (August, 2019)
(another free information piece I had on the table) I made many questionnaires over the years, following the original inspiration from the Queries used by the Quaker community. The first long collection: Section 10 “39 Suggestions for Preliminary Survey Questions” (as preparation for Community Visioning Initiatives) on p. 104 of “The IPCR Workshop Primer” (425 pages) (Feb. 2010)
51. “’Holding Together’ During the Climate Emergency Era” Climate Emergency Questionnaire (14 questions; 10 pages) (August, 2019)
Many questionnaires were developed over the years, following the original inspiration from the Queries used by the Quaker community. The first long collection: Section 10 “39 Suggestions for Preliminary Survey Questions” (also #27 above) (as preparation for Community Visioning Initiatives) on p. 104 of “The IPCR Workshop Primer” (see #23 above) (425 pages) (Feb. 2010) is the first long collection of questions I made.
52. "We interrupt this broadcast...." Climate Emergency Op-Ed Piece (6 pages; January, 2020) (2401 words)
First half of Op-Ed: 20 points (almost all evidence-based with source references) highlighting the need and the urgency for Climate Emergency Action.
Second half of Op-Ed: Solution Approach—5-10 page overviews on how to achieve Zero Carbon ASAP from thousands of positive tipping point organizations and institutions can be catalysts for thousands of local Community Visioning Initiatives; concluding comments highlight the importance of selective buying as one of the many positive outcomes from thousands of Community Visioning Initiatives.
53. “Re-visioning and Re-growing Our Local and National Institutions” (8 Tweet Series as pdf) (5 pages; February, 2020)
54. "17 Tweet Series in document form" (pdf) (10 pages; June, 2020)
(at Twitter)
This “17 Tweet Series” was a very comprehensive summary of the “constellation of initiatives” approach to problem solving, at a time when we need problem solving on a scale most of us have never known before.
55. "Unprecedented Challenges Ahead--July 2020" (2 pages)
An update from the February, 2017 version, to reflect a more serious and urgent Climate Emergency, toxic air in cities around the world, the UN report on accelerating extinctions, and the impact of COVID 19 pandemic.
56. “Global Warming Awareness, Climate Change Awareness, and Climate Emergency Action— A Survey: 1961-2020”
(316 pages; November, 2020; 9.65 MB)
240 highlights from reports, websites, articles, books, etc.
--featuring milestones in awareness and action
--with in-depth looks at some key organizations
--bringing into focus pathways for achieving Zero Carbon ASAP
This paper includes excerpts from websites, books, articles, etc. from a significant majority of the people and organizations who have been researching, writing about, and making in-the-field responses to Global Warming Awareness, Climate Change Awareness, and Climate Emergency Action.
57. "Do We Have Moral Compasses We Can Rely On" (147 pages; March-April, 2021) (with minor editing May 1, 2021)
--supplemental copy "Table of Contents" (13 pages)
This paper is a curated arrangement of excerpts from reports, articles, books, websites, etc--by Stefan Pasti (Founder and Resource Coordinator, The CPCS Initiative) with commentary provided by Stefan Pasti. The short version Table of Contents is below. The long version Table of Contents can serve as an Executive Summary and a Press Release.
58. ”America, I have missed you so” (lyrics; possible theater performance piece) (5 pages; May, 2021)
59. "Becoming a Greater Force Than the Challenges We Are Facing" (6 pages; August, 2021)
Current outreach paper
60. “Key Sources of Inspiration” (51 pages; September, 2021)
31 key sources of inspiration listed followed by corresponding entries, with inspiration excerpts and links (see “Key Sources of Inspiration” webpage)
61. “Missouri Songbirds on a Sunday Evening” (lyrics)(3 pages; October, 2021)
62. “Letter to the Editor” (1 page; October, 2021) (266 words)
63. “Maximizing Citizen Participation and Accelerating Solution Activity in a Time of Unprecedented Challenges” (6 pages; December, 2021) (Draft Syllabus-short course)
64. “Our Friend the Creek” (lyrics)(1 page; February, 2022)
65. ”Triggering Positive Social, Environmental, Economic, and Cultural Tipping Points” (20 pages, September, 2022)
(The CPCS Initiative’s most comprehensive and concise summary of challenges and solutions)
66. “5 Tweet Series” (5 pages; April, 2023)--(61 Social and Environmental Externalities with Megacities photo)
67. “God can do anything….” and “Love is My Highest Miracle.” (7 pages; May, 2023)
68. “Primal Scream 2023” (124 pages; July, 2023)
69. “CPCS Initiative Business Cards” (3 pages; July, 2023)
70. “The Day of the Verdict: plaintiff (Humans) v. GOD” (3 pages; July, 2023)
71. “It is Time for the Women in the World” (9 tweet thread; 9 pages; November, 2023)
72. “1000s of “Positive Tipping Point orgs —> Global Clearinghouse risks/solutions
= Hub support for *local* #Ed #CivilianClimateCorps #SelectiveBuying #ConscientiousObjector #SmallerHabitats #EmergencySharing #Peace
= limiting #GlobalWarming in #10years” (6 Tweet Thread; 6 pages; November, 2023)
[Note: this 6 Tweet Thread is the same as the one featured on the homepage.]
Appendix A
1. "My Mother's Report Cards"--Two typewritten report cards addressed to my mother’s parents, when my mother (Hilda Hagen then) was 8 years old (in 1937). [And with added background information on her teacher, Elizabeth McQuigg (“My Mother’s Report Cards”)]
2. "A Tribute to my Father"--from Funeral Services (1/4/96) at the National Presbyterian Church (D.C.)
3. “A List (with commentary--from me) of Phraseology Commonly Used by My Father” (4 pages; 1996)
4. "A Collection of Children’s Quotes" [5 pages; from when I visited a day care center (ages 2-5) for one month (probably in 1986]
5. "The Funny Mixed Up Story" (story by Faith McNulty; pictures by Dagmar Wilson) (18 pages; 1959) (Word list which came with the book) (words I've tried which seemed to work well)--This is a story which I heard read to me when I was young, and which I very much enjoyed. It's about a little boy named Albert, who goes into the woods to listen to the conversation of the bears. There are many blanks in the story-places where the word has been left out--and the book included a page of words which could be cut out and picked from. When I read this story as an adult, to little kids, I would make up my own words... and often when the kids parents heard the story, they would contribute more words.... It's like "Mad Libs", but this is a longer story, which works every time for some great laughs. Great fun.
6. “Exegesis of a prayer from the Navajo Night Chant Ceremony (and more)”--a transcription of a presentation by N. Scott Momaday [11 pages; given at some conference (?) or program, though I don’t know where or when... could have been during a (January, 1973) week long program at Rockford College (Illinois) (John A. Howard, Ph.D., presiding president) devoted to American Indian Culture ]
7. "Photo taken on White Oak Canyon Trail"--in Shenandoah National Park. I may have hiked various parts of the White Oak Canyon Trail as many as twenty different times. The original photograph showed darker green in the leaves, but making the green lighter seemed to be right for making the photo into something to put up on an apartment wall. It may not be possible to replicate this photo now--the super large hemlocks which were ever present on the trail were decimated by an insect infestation, and dropped to the ground like bowling pins. I haven't seen how that ecosystem evolved, as my last visit to White Oak Canyon was in the early 1990s, when the infestation was just beginning.
8. "Gandhi's Swadeshi--The Economics of Permanence" by Satish Kumar (5 pages)--Uploaded here so this writer could link to it. Original was housed in website (Gandhi Study Centre) which had no Security Certificate. Copy was made of Word Doc, pdf file was made of copy, and then pdf file was searched for security threats by my Virus Protection "Trend Micro", before uploading pdf file to this website. [Note: This was a chapter of: “The Case Against the Global Economy - and for a turn toward the local” (first edition) edited by Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith Sierra Club Books, 1996. However, this chapter was not included in the second edition published by Taylor and Francis, 2001; and, as far as this writer can determine, not included in any subsequent editions.]
9. "The growth of courage in the pilot house...." (3 pages)
This is from a section of Mark Twain's "Life on the Mississippi", called "Old Times on the Mississippi" (1876) (A serialized version of “Old Times on the Mississippi” first appeared in the Atlantic Monthly Magazine, published in 1875)
10. “Red Jacket Speech: Reply to Mr. Cram” (1805) (3 pages)
11. “The Building America Series (1935-1948)” (2 pages) (overview with Volume 1 masthead)
12. “About the ‘Building America’ Series” (30 pages) (large file accessible via Dropbox)
13. “Excerpt from a Famous Speech—by Whom?” (4 pages; August, 2023) (re “even the rocks which swelter in the sun on the silent shore thrill with memories of stirring events connected with the lives of my people…”
14. “Re ‘divine stations’: An Ant goes to Mecca” (2 pages; February, 2024)
(excerpt from “In the Mystic Footsteps of the Masters” Shaykh Nazim Adil Al Haqqani
15. “Letter to the New Education Secretary” by Worldwatch Institute (December, 2008)
16. “About ‘In the Faraway Place” and more” (4 pages, collected notes, March, 2024)
also includes introduction from a collection of folk songs, and link to my “Music and Lyrics I Love” (150 titles with excerpts)]