Cloud Alchemy

Suzanna Stinnett’s ‘Cloud Alchemy: Manifesto for the Conscious Web Citizen’ came to me synchronistically the other day. Suzanna founded and runs Bay Area Bloggers Society (BABS) which I learned about through Meetup, a resource suggested in The Creative Pathfinder course (see my two previous posts on the course) for connecting with local people with similar interests. I visited her website to see what she’s up to and that brought me to her ‘Tribute to 9 Notable Innovators’. Guess who’s in the mix?: Mark McGuinness, the man behind The Creative Pathfinder. A circular synchronicity!

The Cloud Alchemy manifesto is a really powerful statement of intention for our rapidly evolving collective consciousness. And who should be mentioned in the second sentence but Peter Russell, who’s approach to being I had the privilege of experiencing at the Science and Nonduality conference a couple of weeks ago, and has continued to synchronize my life . If it wasn’t clear to me already, at this point I understood I should be Paying Attention!

A few of the many worthy points of the manifesto, resonated through my lens:

• We are all here to share and connect – the web is one, far reaching, pathway.

Recognize that you are an agent.

-Suzanna Stinnett

• We are all completely unique creatures, never to be repeated again. If we do not recognize our greatest potential and share our unique gifts, the world is missing out, and so are we. Make communication a priority.

There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action. And because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And, if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.

–Martha Graham (from Daniel Brown’s course description in Esalen’s catalog)

• Spread the good news – there’s plenty of it each day. So, start by noticing the good stuff going on in your world, being grateful for it, and celebrating it. Then let that practice grow to encompass life beyond your sphere, and share what you are observing, experiencing, and hearing about. We create more of what we focus our energy on, so let’s build the positive momentum.

• No matter how global our communications, local communities are nourishing in a way that only in-person sharing can. For most of us, still predominantly living at the physical level, the flow of energy is more powerful with the people/creatures/elements within sensory range.

• We have much more than words in our communication toolbox. Put your body, heart, and energy into it – draw/paint/make, capture moments in photos, tell stories through videos/audio pieces/live presentations, do good for others and the world around you, etc. These are all forms of communication and using a diverse array of channels and mediums keeps us holistically engaged.

• See beyond yourself, feel your interconnection with all life, and let that guide your thoughts, words, and actions. By being fully present and really hearing, really seeing, we begin to recognize the wisdom and value of what others (including the younger generations, elders, and those from all walks of life) are expressing. A great way for us to be of service is to honor and raise awareness of their work.

Think collaboratively and use a reciprocal approach. Then ask yourself: What is the best way I can help the most people, right now? The answer to this question is your north star. Progress steadily towards it.

-Suzanna Stinnett

Suzanna’s work inspires me to do good work, and the words of another visionary activist come to mind:

Cooperation is a stronger evolutionary force than competition.

-Rob Brezsny