HeavenOnEarth.nu principles and vision
An organisation aiming at harmony with all creation
There are
many prophesies and predictions about what will happen to our earth in the
coming years, many focusing on the 2012 timeframe as a moment of great change,
both in our consciousness and in the physical world. Some prophecies talk about
a great natural disaster, some about a consciousness shift, some about a
dimensional shift but undoubtedly some major changes are in the works..
Whatever those changes might be, HeavenOnEarth chooses to act as if the new
world is already here and that we, the people of the world, are responsible for
realizing it in ourselves and in what we do. Heaven on Earth, no loose words,
but a practical commitment to make it happen; to be there and here, now.
Accepting ourselves with whatever message, in whatever form or energy we bring
to this world, but open to exploring and relating to what is not us. To honour, service and support our fellow
humans, other life forms, the earth and creation in general; that is our
mission.
Mission statement
HeavenOnEarth’s
mission is to realize the ideals of the heavenly state we envision in the
everyday reality of the now. It aims at creating structures, models and
projects while providing support and services that are relevant on the local
scale of people working, living and loving together physically, but can be
extended and exchanged on a wider, even global scale. HeavenOnEarth is a
spiritual cooperative, but non-denominational and honours all traditions, old
and new, that accept the basic equality and rights of all people. The belief in
purpose and direction of all creation is the basic premise with love as the key
and truth as the goal. We live, however in the daily reality of governments and
material preoccupation too and HeavenOnEarth accepts that too, in fact will be
a strictly legal, law-abiding and ethical company, above and beyond the
regulations and requirements, setting an example in ethical governance.
The symbol:
The chalice of HOE is a combination of a cone and a tetrahedron
in a three dimensional figure, indicating the decision making process with HOE.
The lower and earth-based tetrahedron represents the traditional Montesquieu
“Trias Politica” (executive, legislative and
judiciary powers), but is superseded by a cone structure, with the
circle representing the supreme power of the people, based on consensus. There
are a few hidden qualities in this structure. Notably the three worldly powers
are connected to the fourth and bottom plane of the tetrahedron, which represents
the spiritual or other-dimensional influence. Then the dimensions of this
chalice are such, that the utmost point of the worldly tetrahedron is the
middle of the upper circle, meaning that the circle embraces and ultimately
controls the worldly structure. Vice
versa, the bottom point of the cone extends into the lower plane of the
tetrahedron, indication that every member of the circle in the end is also a
part of the worldly structure, not only in the executive, legislative (control)
and judicial sense, but also in a spiritual sense.
Structure
The
basis of HOE is local circles of people who believe that we can live, love and work
together in a humane, spiritual and enriching way with the emphasis on
equality, all are one. These circles aim
at bringing together energies, disciplines and capabilities of various kinds in
order to make a better world. The focus could be healing, rituals, social
gatherings, music or any activity where people would participate in an
atmosphere of openness, friendship and service.
There is a
need for organization and practical arrangements and procedures, but those can
never rule the soul of the people or limit their sovereignty.
The circle decision
process
Major
issues, problems and opportunities, especially those that are relevant to all
people, need an appropriate decision making process.
The circle
(or cone in the chalice logo), where all are peers and none is more or less
than any other, is the basic structure for deliberations and discussions to
provide the guidelines for individual decisions. The process of reaching
consensus is not about voting or majorities, but about listening, respecting, exploring
not so much the answers or solutions, but rather the root of the problems or
challenges. At deeper levels the problems always carry within itself the
solutions. To find that solution is not an easy or fast process, as our
humanness plays a role in this, with the ego interfering many times. However,
given time, set and setting, decisions reached in a consensus fashion have more
quality than decisions reached by other democratic processes like voting. What
has to be made clear, however, is that individuals could differ in opinion
about the issues, but in a consensus process accept that, having had a chance
to validate their position, they yield to what the circle accepts. As words and
discourse are only part of the energy-exchange process in a circle, other
exchange modes, including silence, are honoured.
Meeting structure
In any
group of more than a few people there is the problem of how to structure
meetings in order to allow free and creative thinking and discussion and at the
same time keep some kind of order and direction. There are many models and not
all are equally suitable for all kinds of meetings, but everybody knows the
more formal meeting schedule with a chairman and allotted time, discussion
rounds and formal voting procedures. It should be noted that the Internet
offers great possibilities to streamline discussions on- and offline and new
formats are being developed that make an exchange of ideas and propositions
more easy. Things like agenda’s, notes, minutes etc. can easily be distributed
and feedback is easy. Virtual meetings and communications do have some
disadvantages, like textualisation of the organisation and feedback
oscillation, that should be taken into consideration.
For
physical HOE.NU the peer circle discussion is the most appealing form and it
should be as free as possible, but a number of formats have evolved. There is
the traditional ‘talking stick’, whoever has it has the floor, but it tends to
become a lengthy affair with lots of space taken up by those in need of projecting
themselves. Adaptations like the ‘Forum’ format, allowing individuals to step
inside the circle and receive a supportive reception of their ideas are useful
but not always productive. One interesting approach, used by Venwoude, is to
limit the number of active participant in a meeting to say 10 or 12, having one
empty chair. The wider community can step in, one can claim the empty chair and
get a centrain amount of speech-time, but then another member of the ‘ínner’
circle has to get up and out, in order to have another ‘open’chair.
A methodoly
that resonates with the ideas of HOE.NU is sociocraty and the sociocratic
decision making method/process. This encompasses a way to structure meetings
and make decisions in a peer-level format. See http://www.sociocratie.nl/ and we have
made a TV-program about their organisation in our ‘aan tafel met’ structure.
The Pyramid/tetrahedron operational model
The ‘worldly’
tetrahedron, representing the actual operation and daily structure, resembles
the basic structure of what we commonly refer to as a democratic but somewhat
hierarchical structure. This is the way most organisations work, with lines of
command and control, individual and collective responsibilities, however with
the added and implicit level of ethics/spirituality/magic. Apart from the
legislative, executive and judicial principles or powers there is the
other-dimensional basis as the bottom plane of that tetrahedron. In whatever
action or decision, we have to take that dimension into account. It is not
directly visible, but forms the foundation of the whole decision and governance
outline.
Note that
the cone of the peer level reaches to the bottom level of the tetrahedron,
while the midpoint of the executive ‘worldly’ structure reaches the middle of
the circle on top. This means that all are part of both those structures, but
that the final responsibility and principal decision making happens at the peer
level, guiding and directing the executive/operational structure.
Organization
The way HOE
is structured has implications for the organization, the chalice is a great
symbol with deep meaning, but how do we relate in everyday life to each other,
who pays the bills, signs the papers, gives the orders. Although all are an
equal member of the great circle, there
are different levels of association and working with HOE in for instance
healing, like as an independent, associate of volunteer. In practice
hierarchical levels and specialisations exist and thinking of the organisation
as a matrix of responsibilities and duties makes more sense than departmental
divisions and such. A proper form is dynamic, not static, and thus changes but
has to comply with the legal environment too, which is less dynamic, to say the
least.
If the
intention and the common goals are clear however, we may hope that HOE will
function and flourish in whatever form we choose.
An
important body of support are the fellows, the
supporters of HOE ideas in society.
Activities & the
ethics of action
There are
many needs in the world, some are very material, others intangible but equally important.
A heavenly situation would be that every real need finds its fulfilment. HOE
sets up projects, circles and events that will work towards matching the needs
and the resources of our planet, always aiming to achieve harmony, justice and
equality. These circles can be about
healing, education, exchange, cross-cultural exchange, spiritual or ritual
practice, futurism, promotional activities for HOE, support circles for other
worthwhile and likeminded activities, ecological activities, community building
etc.. Practically there are no limits to what HOE or its members could
endeavour, only their faith in themselves and their capabilities and talents.
Healing,
not limited to physical or medical, can be seen as the basic fulfilment process
of the universe, and a core focus of HOE. It’s about rebalancing, reconnecting,
mirroring and mostly about love and compassion.
One way of
doing this is bringing together the potential healers to create exchange,
training and bonding opportunities, in regular exchange meetings, training
sessions, special events, healing camps and other meeting formats in real or
virtual terms, like Internet chat-groups. Here, however, an ethical dilemma
arises. Is healing an intrusion in the process of self-awareness and
self-learning, taking away the free will and the responsibility for one’s own
life path? Can we heal without being asked or consulted, can we interfere in
the way things are going by themselves? This is not an easy question, what to
do when a loved one is falling ill or needs action, will we snatch a child away
from a potential accident and what about the terrible illnesses and problems we
face in the world. Physical healing is maybe an easy task here, but what about
political involvement, what about healing as a journalist, writer, artist, a
just a human being concerned about another? To heal is to connect, to
acknowledge that healing is a two way street, that the healer is the healed,
the healed the healer. But even then, when to act, just when we are asked as
healers or can we extend a helping hand in cases we encounter, and when is that
intruding in the life game of the other? Wisdom is needed to decide in each
case, what to do and what to look for in healing. Just looking at the outside,
just symptomatic treatment falls short of the goal of achieving true balance,
but how deep do have to go. Looking at the mental and emotional beyond the
physical, or do we include the etheric or even karmic levels. Healing in a way
is a kind of magic, when do we resort to the mystical, to leaving things to the
spirit, the force within and without.
Contact: :sala@dealerinfo.nl,
info@heavenonearth.nu
Tel.
31-654987876 Amsterdam, Netherlands