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COMPASSION RESPONSE NETWORK CIRCULAR No 6
By David Keane, 30/January/2002
PO Box 582, Gosnells WA 6110, Australia
Email address: keane@nw.com.au
Healing site address: http://www.nw.com.au/~keane/healing/
Main Objective of Compassion Response Network
The Inner Planning Circle has agreed upon the main objective for the Compassion Response Network, as follows;
MAIN OBJECTIVE
"To facilitate the emergence of a goodwill network in which the hands of men and women of goodwill are strengthened so that they become enabled to directly provide a meaningful compassionate response to the most urgent needs of humanity."
The main objective for an association or network may be compared with the purpose motivating an esoteric group. It is the driving thought for the group, providing for that group its direction, purpose and reason for being. It is essential therefore that the principal idea guiding a group or association, be clearly highlighted within the main objective. This requires also conciseness and simplicity, so to provide inspiration and motivation for the entire network.
The Significance Behind the Wording of the Main Objective
We asked ourselves, "What is the single idea that inspires and empowers our network, and that is clearly understood by disciples and men and women of goodwill alike?" We then expressed this idea in the phrase, "direct compassionate response to humanity in need".
The Compassion Response Network is energised by a meditation of synthesis. Identification with those of humanity in true need is the fiery principle guiding our work.
Compassionate response to need has been the flaming arrow providing the creative work of response to AIDS in Kinshasa in which Albert Mananga's group has been involved. It is the inspiring thought behind our entire healing website. This purpose of compassionate response to need reflects a covenant between God and his people humanity. Knowledge of such deep purpose comes not through debating diverse viewpoints or through lateral networking, but through entering into the fires of the cauldron of our own group experience. The truth we have now discerned comes not of the intellect but of the heart through deep sacrifice of everything material within our lives. That purpose is to us self-evident and pure and as a written covenant that cannot be compromised.
The meaning of the phrase "men and women of goodwill" is fairly self-evident. It refers to common men and women who are motivated, not by materialism or self-interest, but by the "simple will to do good".
Even after we are registered, we will still be facilitating the emergence of our network. The true network is subjective and is hidden in the hearts of each one of us. We can only facilitate its objective emergence, or birth, just as many other centres of light are also in their own way facilitating the objective emergence of this network.
It may surprise some to notice that the idea of a "compassion response to the AIDS pandemic" is not mentioned specifically in our Main Objective. Compassion response to the AIDS pandemic is the guiding idea behind our present major project. This project is embraced within the purpose of our Main Objective, but as we develop, we will become engaged in a practical way with other projects in response to the many diverse needs of humanity. Some of these will also be in the health field, but some will be educational, social or cultural fields, according to the choices of group members.
The Esoteric Significance of the Compassion Response Network
The Compassion Response Network provides a new dimension to global goodwill networking.
Many established esoteric groups, networks and schools, focus upon subjective development and education. Many of these seek subjective group integration using a meditation of synthesis.
Many other service groups are of a more practical orientation. For these groups, Sociocracy provides a pathway towards objective integration for group members.
The Compassion Response Network links a meditation of synthesis and Sociocracy together in the one network. It will provide an organisational base in which members can invoke a pathway for higher purpose to manifest upon Earth through intelligent service activity. The need for such creative work was predicted in The Rays and the Initiations by Alice Bailey, p 275, in which it is written,
"this creative work, with its intelligent and practical purposes and its ability when rightly functioning to unite the exoteric and esoteric workers in one spiritual undertaking, originates in reality in Shamballa itself."
The Compassion Response Network therefore is developing a pathway by which disciples and men and women of goodwill can unite together "in one spiritual undertaking", so that theory for the solution of humanity's many problems is gradually turned into practical reality, and the word "united" comes to have a true significance and meaning.
The Debate Along the Way
It was proposed that perhaps our main objective ought to connect the men and women of goodwill, who already have responsive networks in place to alleviate suffering, so that their efforts can synergize and become more powerful. For how can such a small group as our own do any useful work or attain any lofty goals?
It was generally agreed that the approach of establishing connections had been attempted by many groups already with varying success. As we have seen with Kyoto and Agenda 21, a talkfest frequently leads to an illusion of progress, keeping the service work on the theoretical level. It does not touch upon the essence that manifests the vision. A talkfest is a step forward when we do not yet have clear vision. But we have had clear vision for twenty years. We now need to move forward and manifest that vision.
Convening and discussing is about lateral relationships. We agreed to focus first upon the vertical relationship for our network, the purpose or vision inspiring it. Once this had been defined, we can discuss constructing lateral relationships.
We choose first to trust in the overshadowing goodness and provision of God. To suggest we cannot muster enough strength for the service tasks of the heart will be to declare the power of God within us as impotent.
We discussed for a while the Sociocracy approach to Vision, Mission and Aims. This would provide a wonderful model for coordinating and empowering many members within our network. We agreed to discuss these matters more after our Main Objective was decided.
Much discussion was then involved in wording the Main Objective in everyday words so that people can really understand what's being said.
Pioneering Experiment with Sociocracy by Email
Our Inner Planing Circle of four members living in three different continents, convened over Email and collectively debated and agreed upon the ideas to be embraced within the Main Objective, and then the precise wording for the Main Objective.
Two of our members have extensive Sociocracy experience, and although other attempts have been made, this is believed to be the first time in the world all parties were willing to participate throughout the meeting in a Sociocracy meeting by Email. This is therefore a global first in pioneering Sociocracy through Email meetings.
As acting secretary of the Compassion Response Network, I must say I am impressed with the Sociocratic Method. I have eight years of former experience in seeking to coordinate group work through our East West Network projects. Whenever there was a divergence of viewpoint in EW Network, the matter would inevitable be resolved by my meditating on the matter, and then making a firm decision. As the decision was mine, the responsibilities which often had a material or financial component were also my own. This led to an overload of duties and responsibilities upon myself, the coordinator of EW Network. This was why the potential of EW Network was limited, and had to eventually close down. The demand had grown too big for it.
The Compassion Response Network however has group leadership through its Inner Planning Circle. Important decisions are made through the group. In EW Network, dedicated members were able to find a subjective harmony and agreement through meditation, but much of the objective management was centred through a single personality, as is frequently the case with so many goodwill initiatives.
Members of the Inner Planning Circle, despite not being able to meet physically, were able to convene a deep discussion and make decisions on many fine points, because they were assisted on the objective level by the Sociocratic Method.
In Sociocracy, the circle consultation method results in airing of many views and variations of emphasis, but nevertheless the essential group (or circle) harmony remains. And Sociocracy provides an avenue to reach to a deeper level of group understanding and agreement than was ever possible in EW Network, guided though it was by goodwill principles. In the Sociocracy way of doing things, the final decision is definitely a group decision, and the group accepts the responsibility.
The Process of Registration as an Association
Definition of our network Main Objective is the first step in four steps for registering officially as an association within Australia. We can now legally begin this process. The next three steps will all require Sociocracy meetings by the members of the Inner Planning Circle. These next three steps are;
Clarification of our Vision, Mission and Aims,
Agreement on the various practical arrangements in forming
an association,
Agreement on the final draft for our constitutional rules.
We are hopeful of completing these next three steps through meetings of our Inner Planning Circle within four months. Once we have agreed upon our constitutional rules, we can apply officially for registration as an association. This would enable us to enter into contracts as a legal entity, to open bank accounts in our network name, and to apply for status as a charitable organisation. We are non-profit and will be subject to yearly audits.
We apologise for the time this process is taking. The Email meeting to decide on our Main Objective took nearly two months. There are many interactions and matters to resolve in a Sociocracy meeting. If everyone were gathered in the one conference room, it would take just a moment to pass from one speaker to another. But using Email, it may take a day or several days between each communication in a sequence of discussion. We are learning all the time, and hopefully we can speed things up as we proceed.
Our approach has a significant advantage over global gatherings and conventions. We dispense with the immense cost of travel to such gatherings, and are therefore able to direct the money saved into positive service work. In an age of immense human need and inequality of income, this approach therefore greatly strengthens the hands of the poor server.
General Networking
It will only be after we have registered as a charitable organisation, that we will be enabled to invite donations and fully expand our activities. In the meantime, we are continuing our activities in a fairly informal manner. We are making plans for a further AIDS treatment and blood testing project in Africa for the year 2002. Negotiations between various people are underway, and these will be discussed in future circulars.
We are presently constructing a prototype triple device including a Beck Electrifier, a Magnetic Pulse Generator and an Ozonator. The three devices will all be powered through the one central electronic box, in which a rechargeable battery is located. This battery will be able to be recharged from mains power when occasionally it runs flat. In this way it will have a negligible running cost, and so will be ideal for Third World conditions in which living expenses are so high. This device will be able to provide free treatment in the three healing modalities for negligible running costs.
Yours in Love and Light,
David Keane