EP's Strategy for Realizing One World, One People
There are many approaches when looking at the how to of actualizing the vision of one world, one people. The United Nations might have an approach, though their results often seem to indicate they don't. Many religions have an approach, with mixed results. My personal observation is that the approach taken by some of the Buddhist sects, notably Tibetan Buddhism, by Sufism and by the Bahai Faith, often come closer than others to at least generating connection between people in a peaceful, loving manner--a good beginning for creating One World, One People. The Sarvodaya community development organization founded in Sri Lanka is the finest practical expression of one world, one people that I've personally witnessed and it is based in a simple, profound commitment to acting toward others with loving kindness.
Many philosophies seem to ignore the notion of an individual's personal responsibility for a better world. The approach seems to be one of simply understanding the self and the place of the self in relation to others and society. Of course, such understanding is valuable in itself but it is not a complete strategy for achieving the vision of one world, one people.
I've read a lot on this subject over the past twenty years. I?ve attended a lot of seminars, conferences and study groups. I've joined a lot of groups including serving on the governing boards of The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), The Windstar Foundation, New Dimensions Radio, The Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC), The Rocky Mountain World Trade Center, Jazz Aspen at Snowmass and World Echoes. I'm a member of Social Ventures Network, World Business Academy and The Center for the New West. I'm also a Baden-Powell Fellow of the World Scout Foundation. All of these fine organizations make a difference. I'm proud to support them with my time, energy and money.
After all of the study and service, I've come to a conclusion. It's my conclusion, I don't presume to believe it's the right conclusion for everyone. I'm also open to the criticism that my conclusion is ego based and self-serving because it's very clear to me that:
The best contribution I can make toward actualizing my vision of One World, One People is to enroll more people into an Balance Point Seminar.
So that's Robert White's strategy and EP's approach. I firmly believe that while our work is certainly not the only way to move people to a state of awareness, responsibility and communication about their essential connectedness to their essence and to others, it is the most valid, powerful, effective and efficient method I know. Perhaps most importantly, it deserves my dedicating my life to enrolling the maximum number of people into our seminars.
A personal example: I was thrilled when John Denver invited me to join the Board of Directors of The Windstar Foundation, his environmental education non-profit organization. I worked hard for over three years to expand Windstar membership, create a more powerful annual Choices Symposium, create the outreach program called Connections and the evening entertainment program called Higher Ground. Personally and through Balance Point, we also donated more than US$700,000 to Windstar.
I met and learned from many wonderful and committed people who had dedicated their lives to protecting the world's environment. I read extensively to educate myself on the issues. I took a six-month break from Balance Point, the only time in over twenty years that I've taken more than a two-week vacation, and worked full time for Windstar.
Then after three years of dedicated effort, I resigned from the Windstar Board of Directors. Why? Because I realized that people and their individual choices were the problems with the environment. Every decision made that harmed the environment was made by a human being---from the corporate director authorizing the discharge of toxic chemicals into the Pacific ocean to the person who throws down the cigarette butt outside of Nakano station and to the person dropping a candy wrapper into Hong Kong Harbor.
I further realized that the essence of all environmental problems is ... separation.
Only by holding ourselves separate from our earth can we despoil it. Our essential separation from ourselves and from each other is mirrored in how we treat our planet.
My friend Hossca Harrison created a retreat in the mountains of southern Colorado that is very successful in working with troubled teenagers. Most of them are already in prison or treatment centers and the State has given up on rehabilitating them.
I have supported their work with yearly donations so I was invited to visit the site. I was surprised to discover no facilities for housing or recreation, just a well for drinking water and a toilet with septic system. I asked Hossca what they do with these teens during their one-week stays. He replied that their only agenda is reconnecting these troubled young people to the earth, ending the separation they feel with our planet. They've discovered that simple tents and no distractions, certainly no swimming pools or tennis courts, works best.
Find your own examples, they exist everywhere. Wherever you look at the issues confronting people, especially those in advanced societies, you'll find the essential problem of separation.
I sometimes feel it wise to be humble about the power of EP's work. Sometimes though, that humility is simply my way of avoiding a principled stand. I know that when we properly enroll people and deliver our best work, we move people toward a connection with their essential selves, their families, friends and co-workers, and with the greater world community - toward living extraordinary lives. This is what is wanted and needed by society so we should be proud of our work and committed to expanding its availability.
Be clear: EP's strategy for actualizing one world, one people begins with making our unique contribution: enrolling the maximum number of people in our seminars and creating an environment where they can fully choose life and all its possibilities. Our strategy goes on to teach in The Extraordinary Living Program, in our Business Seminars, in our Consulting Interventions and through the products and services available to the Extraordinary Living Network, how to create personal and relationship breakthroughs for ourselves and others that lead to measurably improved results.
We further model for people EP's involvement in community service organizations by investing our time, energy and money. Plus we encourage staff and graduates to create their own involvement, make their own unique contributions and network with others that share their passions.
