Within a couple of years of starting yoga in 1986, a friend started gifting me with a subscription to Yoga Journal and I began to notice the array of ads for businesses catering to healthy eating, spiritually seeking, yoga practicing types. Over time I sampled other magazines aimed at Buddhists, New Agers, healthy recipes, etc. and realized there was virtually a secondary economy developing, entirely aimed at an increasing counter culture group.
In the 90’s I was fortunate to get to hear Paul Ray discussing his theories about “cultural creatives” at some dinner gatherings and then to read an early version of his book (co-written with his wife, Sherry Anderson), The Cultural Creatives, while working at the Institute of Noetic Sciences. As he described this group of environmentally concerned, inner aware, spiritually seeking types I had a notion they coincided with the growing new culture and economy I’d been noting.
According to Ray and Anderson, this group is around 26% of the adult population of the U.S. and is present and growing in similar ways around the world. There’s a point in the growth of such a group when its impact can create a paradigm shift. One reason he thinks it hasn’t happened so far with this group is the group is so little reflected in popular media and culture that most of its members feel isolated and as if they don’t have power.
My theory is they also obstruct their power by too often going negative and being against instead of for. Hating and being against lowers your vibration or energy level. Focusing on pollution, discrimination, inequality, etc. sends the energy and attention to those negative traits. The group weakens its power potential with this negative thinking orientation.
There are actually enough of us that we could change the world if we began to believe in and act on our power. I see this not only from the perspective of the increased power of collective consciousness, but also based on David Hawkins’ Power vs. Force theory. According to Hawkins, the higher the scale of consciousness (or energetic vibration), the more powerful the impact on others.
One person at the level of 400 (reason), counterbalances 400,000 who are at or below the 200 level (apathy, then anger at 200). One person at the level of 500 counterbalances 750,000. Based on Hawkins’ scale, most Cultural Creatives are probably in the 400-600 range on his scale of energy.
If this group can become conscious of their power and begin to focus as a group on what they are FOR, with a strong proportion using meditation and chanting, etc. to keep the vibration high, the whole world can change into a new paradigm of greater equality, compassion, green-ness…
I’m pretty sure all my friends everywhere (including my blogging pals) are cultural creatives. We’ve been under the radar, building a new culture with very little notice in the mainstream. I say let’s work on pulling together this group and building its power!!! I call on the Cultural Creatives to turn attention to the positive outcomes you desire, learn to be for instead of against, create action plans to achieve what you are FOR and use your collective power to shift the consciousness of the planet.
The rest of this series:
See also: Cultural Creatives are Changing the World
Not Just Sassy on the Inside 
And those that are ‘in power’ can see that, and deliberately ignore it from fear. They can feel the ‘shift’ and are going to fight it tooth and nail…again, out of fear. All change needs a crisis point, for them to ‘see’.
I hope the calmer the better…but alas, their power is built on force, so as a last resort it usually becomes very messy.
May it be a calmer choice for all 🙂
Good advice. I am contemplating on what I can be for in the new year, thanks to you! I am also for you having a beautiful holiday season, Leigh! Glad I have been keeping up with your posts lately, so insightful.
Happy holidays,
Karen
I love the wisdom of Abraham. And I recently saw the concept of putting energy towards what we want, instead of fighting what we don’t want, in full action. I came across two stories involving the KKK. In one story, an African American man sat with KKK members, had non-confrontational conversations with them, and had some Jewish friends over to join in the ongoing conversations. After a period of time, visiting in each other’s homes, and as the men grew to know each other, a handful of KKK members changed their outlook on life and left the KKK. The second story I saw merely showed an African American woman who is an activist, marching, fist raised in the air, against the direction of an oncoming parade of KKK members. The photo is geared to show pride and strength of the activist, but all I see is clashing ideals and no communication. And no real progress. Force against force.
Pingback: Hope Gone Viral Challenge | Not Just Sassy on the Inside
Pingback: J2P Monday: Part 1 Peace begins with you | Not Just Sassy on the Inside
Pingback: Tips for Peaceful Activism | Not Just Sassy on the Inside
Pingback: People Power: Create a New Business Model | Not Just Sassy on the Inside