A Call to Conscious Evolution:

In general, our goal should be to tear down unnecessary boundaries and thus oppression on all levels of life. There are many ways to do this. One is to eliminate all titles, like Mr., Ms. and Dr., since showing true respect requires mutuality and honest dialogue and is not consistent with rigid hierarchies. Such practices are, I believe, remnants of past oppressive systems, such as slavery. For the same reasons, we should start expressing (most) all rules in subjective terms (e.g. "appropriate, professional dress") in smaller organizations, like businesses and schools, and use discussion to find a common ground when disageement occurs. Our ultimate goal in, dare I say, everything is more that just R. Pirsig's notion of Quality; I believe it is Authenticity. A means to becoming authentic and finding harmony is to work through our own issues (by mourning our losses), finding ourselves (through creative play) and giving back (through community service). The hardest part is to find oneself, as there is no clear path. The means of attainment differs between individuals, though one particularly effective way is through the arts. They challenge and inspire creators, participants and spectators and should be integrated into all aspects of life (and we must stop cutting funding for our art classes in the schools!). Most of all, we must live actively and consistently with our beliefs and never let the discussion die. I am imagining the amazing discussions that occurred at the previous retreat, and I can't express how honored I would be if I got the privilege of participating in the next one.