THE PLANETARY NETWORK - SOH FORUM
The Spirit of Humanity Forum - https://www.sohforum.org/
Based in Iceland, this organization serves as a global movement for leaders across various fields who are ready to explore how inner wisdom and core human values such as love and compassion can lead to systemic change. The Forum explores new forms of governance underpinned by care, respect, trust and dialogue, focussing on the exploration of ‘healing from within’, inner wisdom in leadership and governance. It seeks to contribute towards a change of consciousness, a collective journey towards a new paradigm guided by caring and peacefulness, which is only possible when individuals, who make up communities, organisations and ultimately nations around the globe begin to integrate the inner spiritual life with their outer actions.
To enable and foster this, the Forum creates safe spaces for exploring transformative ideas and experiences. This is underpinned by the Forum’s three pillars of silence, intergenerational listening and dialogue. As a part of their service, a number of retreats have been held over the years with the next one being planned in May 2025.
In addition to this, the Forum produces three or four newsletters per year [Preview here] with the details of their 15-minute silent meditations held each Friday via Zoom.
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“… ‘Joy results from a blending of power, will and strength with love, wisdom and skill in action and speech.’ It is much more than a pleasant sensation. It is a precipitation of an aspect of the life of the human soul into the life of the personality and a combining with it. It carries specific energies which can be identified and cultivated. It is magnetic and attractive and helps all who contact it. It heals and protects because it harmonises and creates a positive condition. Worry cannot endure and fear vanishes in its presence. It transcends prejudices and petty pride. It is acceptable to everybody, arouses no resentment and kills jealousy. It produces confidence and poise. It increases the effectiveness of every world server. It can be developed in oneself by pondering upon it. Recognising its value opens the door to acquiring it. To be effective, it must be real, not a pose to get something. True joy is quiet and evidences an inner peace.”
Reflections, Foster Bailey pp.128-9
A most useful word in considering right reflection is pondering. Pondering is a mental process which can be developed and for which there is a technique. It can, therefore, become an aid to increasing understanding and a road to wisdom. Most definitely it is not day-dreaming. Also it is not a strenuous meditation exercise requiring sustained effort. A really new thought is a precious possession, a delight to savour, an expansion of consciousness and an enrichment of life. It is a joy well worth striving for. To change one’s viewpoint does not belittle a man’s intelligence. Indeed, to be afraid to change is unintelligent in this changing world. This changing world is the greatest day of opportunity humanity has ever had. We need farsighted, daring thought pioneers and a new and deeper understanding of what is really good for us as human beings.
Reflections, Foster Bailey from the Foreword