CHE Salon - spiritual activism

For 1,5 year now the Dutch Center for Human Emergence is organising so called CHE salons. A salon is an evening for CHE contributors and others who are interested in our activities and organisation. Untill last year the salons were every two weeks and since January this year it is a weekly event. Every session is visited by 15-65 people, depending on the theme and the weather.

Despite the fact that I don't have to do too much for that myself I am very proud of this result. Leida Schuringa is doing great work as coordinator of the events and the facilitating team. The formula is a follows: there is a possibility to have dinner at 18.00 hours sharp. At 19.00hrs the salon starts with the purpose and principles of CHE and introduction of the theme by the facilitator. The event lasts untill 12.30hrs. And afterwards there is a possibility to have a drink in the pyramid of Venwoude. Every salon a theme is introduced by someone from CHE or a guest. The process is guided by a CHE facilitator. And there happens a lot in the process, I can tell you that. Actually it is half of the work; staying in connection and dialogue AND talking about an issue that can lead to a lot of emotion and group dynamics. We practice what Andrew Cohen calls "Enlightened communication" and still have work to do.

Venwoude is a training center that stands for the conscious development and practical application of one´s personal power and qualities, committed to and in tune with the greater whole that we are all part of. Its founder Ted Wilson is involved in CHE and has offered the facilities of Venwoude as host of CHE. I am very thankful and pleased with this offer and Venwoude has become a sort homebase for CHE. The people are wonderful as is their hospitality.

One of the salons was introduced by a guest speaker, Tijn Touber. Tijn is a spiritual being and journalist for the magazine Ode. Het used to be a very succesful musiscian in a band called Lois Lane. Actually he also used to play in a band with my stephbrother Marius and his father was a close friend of my stephfather. But that is a whole other story.

Anyway Tijn introduced the dilemma of "Spiritual Activism". He couldn't have looked for a better place to talk about this topic. CHE is full of them and many came to this evening. First Tijn told us about his personal spiritual path and some of the insights that were given to him during his journey so far. Between the different anekdotes we did short meditations and yoga exercises.

Tijn told us about the dilemma many people experience between spirituality and activism. If a fundamental aspect of spirituality is that everything is perfect as it is, why do you have to do spiritual work? If spirituality is about non judgemental behaviour, why activism? If activism is needed, where does that leave these principles of spirituality? Well there was a lot to talk about and to experience and we spoke about this evening for a long time.

One of the things I learned was the difference between the absolute and the relative. And the difference between human perfection in its essence and human behavior in action. Yes everything is perfect and so are we. But we have the tendency to forget. We forget who we are and we forget that the other (if any, as a buddhist I don't believe in the separate self) is as well. So in essence we are perfect, but we are not always essence.

The absolute is perfection and emptyness is form as form is emptiness. However, in the relative ego plays a part and we have the tendency not to act from this perfect essense of our being. But how do you notice that and how do you adress this? Well I have no answers to that, but I believe that we all can feel this inside ourself. Where is my behavior coming from? Do I act from the mind and to manifest myself? Is this a contribution to the whole? do I stay in connection with my self and the group? These are some of the questions I try to ask myself during the moment.

Combining action and reflection in the here and now is one of the key elements I try to learn. That is the path of a spiritual activist in my personal belief. Most of the activism and work is on myself, not on the "other". Only then I can achieve what I would like to see in the world. A compassionate nature, conscious behavior in oneness and be the change. The most important part of my work is not to let the "I" or "me" part get in the way between my true Self (Atman) and the way this manifests in my behaviour in this relative world. There is still a lot of work to do. And fortunately I have given myself the time and lifeconditons to practice, practice, practice and - sometimes - preach.