Is a Politics of Higher Consciousness, Wholeness, and Love Possible?

At the moment, very few are anticipating the advent of a higher political consciousness. How can they be? The US has just joined Russia, North Korea, and Belarus in refusing to condemn aggression on Ukraine, or even to admit it occurred at all. Many Americans and former allies are increasingly fearful that the United States is itself becoming an authoritarian state, joining a wave of authoritarianism sweeping the globe. Such as fear is compellingly real. At the same time, America’s sacred intent of unity in diversity, originally inspired by Native America and embodied in the motto E Pluribus Unum, is still attainable. Which way will the United States go? Will it completely devolve into a totalitarian regime, putting the entire world at risk, or will it return to its original sacred purpose of inclusivity and wholeness, even love?

To better understand the future, we must examine our past assumptions. It is these unexamined, tacit assumptions that have created our present day reality, often preventing us from realizing our highest aspirations. In this podcast, we will unearth the limits of the mainstream scientific paradigm that sees humanity as separate from nature, and instead reimagine a world that is interconnected, whole, and complete. Life does not have to be seen as a win/lose competition where only the fittest survive, vying for control of limited resources. There is a better and more accurate way to practice politics: as consciousness, collaboration, unity in diversity, even love. Join us on the next episode of the Circle for Original Thinking podcast.

Chantal Garneau lives within the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Credit River watershed, in Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada. As a dedicated Municipal Councillor, environmental advocate, and meditation artist, she weaves together community, ecology, and mindfulness. Chantal’s belief in the integrity of complex systems and the power of diversity is the heartbeat of her work. Her mission to restore connections to self, community, and the web of life inspires trust, collaboration, and a shared vision for a world where every relationship is nurtured with care and intention.

Alexander Laszlo resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and works as President of the Board of Directors of the Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science, Director of Research at the Laszlo Institute of New Paradigm Research, and Professor of Human and Organizational Development at Fielding Graduate University. Alexander’s current research interests include the embodied aspects of science and spirituality as a living field of consciousness; empathy-based education; the relationship between sustainability and thrivability; systemic innovation for planetary flourishing; and syntony as an organizing force in societal evolution. Alexander holds an interdisciplinary PhD in Science and Technology Policy and an MA in History and Sociology of Science from the University of Pennsylvania. He holds a BA in Political Science from Haverford College.

There are two worldviews of prominence today. The oldest and wisest one our guests call kincentricity, following the late dear ancestor Dennis Martinez, who coined the term. Kincentricity defines our humanity through our inextricable connections with all there is. The second and newest worldview, dominant in the past five or six hundred years, we might call egocentricity, a view that places humanity as separate and transcendent from nature. In the first view, nature is seen as a place of blessing and wholeness, the world is alive and composed of allies and spiritual energies; in the second, nature has been “itted to death,” reduced to a mass of inert elements that are not accorded sentience in themselves. Certain animals and plants may be begrudgingly considered alive, but of secondary importance; their existence is only important in how they or “it” can be utilized for human consumption. Forests are reduced to lumber, rivers to hydroelectric power, and so forth. The dominant worldview considers everything on earth to be for the benefit of humankind. But that has not worked out too well, because humans are nature; we are made up of the same elements as everything else. Our guests Wahinkpe Topa or Four Arrows, and Darcia Narvaez, not only recognize this; they have published a terrific book that brings together important leaders in Indigenous communities, shares their essays, and then engages in a robust dialogue regarding the insights and implications of the ideas. The book is called Restoring the Kinship Worldview, and we are blessed to have the authors – Wahinkkpe Topa (Four Arrows) and Darcia Narvaez - here today to continue the dialogue.

Four Arrows (also known as Wahinkpe Topa) is author of 24 books, including Restoring the Kinship Worldview, Primal Awareness, Teaching Virtues, and numerous chapters, articles, peer-reviewed papers, and keynotes. He is also the subject of a book by R.M. Fisher entitled Fearless Engagement of Four Arrows: A True Story of an Indigenous Based Social Transformer. Four Arrows is internationally known for his work in cognitive anthropology ( worldview studies), education, critical theory, and wellness. Former Director of Education at Oglala Lakota College, and has been selected as one of the 35 visionaries in education who tell their stories for the book Turning Points.

Darcia Narvaez Professor Emerita of psychology at Univ of Notre Dame, Darcia investigates moral development and human flourishing from an interdisciplinary (transdisciplinary) perspective, integrating anthropology, neuroscience, and clinical, developmental and educational sciences. She is author of more than twenty books, including Restoring the Kinship Worldview, Indigenous Sustainable Wisdom: First Nation Know How for Global Flourishing, and Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality: Evolution, Culture and Wisdom, which won the 2015 William James Award from APA and the Expanded Reason Award.

https://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Kinship-Worldview-Indigenous-Rebalancing/dp/1623176425