Newsletter September 2011

The Transformer

Inspiration and News from the Center for Transformational Presence 

September 2011

Feature Article: Stewards for Evolution: Finding the Place to Begin In Transforming the Economy, Business, Government, and Community

Soul Mission Profile: Jakob Algreen-Ussing—Creating an Energetic Legacy

Video of the Month: John Hunter on the World Peace Game

Stewards for Evolution: Finding the Place to Begin In Transforming the Economy, Business, Government, and Community

Photo - Jos Rovers

(A shorter version of this article was posted on Alan’s blog on August 26^th. We invite your comments and ideas.)

I first heard about Australian Paul Gilding’s new book, The Great Disruption, while reading Thomas Friedman’s op-ed column in The New York Times. From his recommendation, I ordered the book for my Kindle and started reading. Right away I began getting deeper insight and understanding of what is at the root of our challenges in environmental, economic, and government policy issues, and where the starting point might be for addressing them.

 Gilding’s opening argument is that the earth can no longer sustain our ongoing pursuit for economic growth. He says, as do many experts in environmental studies, that we are currently living at 140% of the earth’s capacity for sustainability, and that if we remain on our current trajectory, that percentage will continue to rise rapidly. Our current drive for economic growth is using up the earth’s natural resources at a much faster rate than they can be replenished. Gilding predicts that economic growth is about to stop—that we have “hit the wall” because the earth can no longer support our current practices. Furthermore, he points out that we have lost perspective in our relationship with the economy. It seems now that we are living in service of the economy rather than the economy being there to serve the people and a greater good. He goes on to suggest ways for turning things around.

Now I’m not an economist or an environmentalist, nor do I pretend to have expertise in those areas. However, it is becoming increasingly clear to me that before our actions can change, how we think has to change. Some fundamental paradigms and expectations that are deeply rooted in the mass consciousness will have to shift before we will actually start to make different choices and create sustainable plans of action.

It is also increasingly clear to me that a root cause of many of our challenges today comes out of our collective striving for “more”—more profits, control over more resources, greater competitive edge, higher incomes, bigger houses, more conveniences, the newest toys, and on it goes. In the collective consciousness of the world’s major economic powers, the concept of “enough” is not a part of the conversation.

Chances are, this is not a new thought for you, nor is it for me. However, what is new is a realization that I haven’t been connecting all of the dots. I haven’t been giving enough attention to the fact that “fixing” our economy in the old paradigm way—maintaining material growth and expansion—means increasingly taxing our planet far beyond its capacity. It is becoming increasingly clear that our current structures and models for economic growth are not sustainable. As those structures crumble, it becomes more apparent that there is nothing left to fix. At some point in the not-so-distant future we will be forced to take a new approach. That new approach must include new definitions for success and well-being, as well as new ways of thinking about growth.

So where do we begin? What actually has to shift within enough individuals in order to create a shift in the collective consciousness? What fundamental shift must happen in how we define well-being and success and how we think about growth? How do we make those shifts?

Let’s start by looking at two fundamental orientations from which we approach life and leadership: vertical and horizontal. Simply put, the vertical orientation represents a “being” approach to life—soul, intuitive thinking, inspiration, creativity, innovation, connection to the greater Consciousness and the infinite—while the horizontal approach represents the “doing” aspect—ego, intellectual thinking, relationship to the material and finite world, strategy, implementation and action.*

As a culture, we tend to think of these two orientations as being mutually exclusive—you either come from one or the other. Our current mass consciousness is firmly rooted in the horizontal approach. Therefore, our current paradigms for success are also rooted in the horizontal. As a collective, our energy and attention are primarily focused on achieving the material growth and expansion that we think will provide us with increasing levels of material comfort, convenience, safety, security, and well-being. Even though our hearts may tell us that something big is still missing—a sense of inner peace and fulfillment, for example—material growth and “more” continue to be our guiding star. We have become conditioned to live in service of “more”. And because we continue to strive for more in the horizontal without engaging in the sense of connectedness and higher awareness available through the vertical, we continue to push our planet beyond the breaking point. The horizontal realm is a finite world. There is a physical limit to how far we can go.

Shifting the mass consciousness begins with entering the realm of the vertical. The greater our alignment and connection in the vertical, the greater success we will have in reaching our potential in the horizontal. In other words, the more we are clear about who we are, and live our lives in alignment with that understanding, the more we will accomplish. The more we are intuitively tuned into “what wants to happen” for the greater good of all, follow that potential, and steward it into reality, the greater success we will have in creating the life and world that we feel called to create. Expanded awareness and alignment in the vertical will inspire and inform new choices, decisions, and actions in the horizontal that are based on a whole-picture view. And then we begin to live in the vertical and horizontal at the same time.

So I invite us into a new paradigm. What if we shifted our idea of growth from the horizontal to the vertical? What if we redefined growth as, first, an expansion of who we are, and second, to an expansion of what we have? What if our first response to our current crises was to reconsider how we show up in the world instead of arguing about how to fix an outdated system? What if we looked at the enormous challenges we now face as opportunities for greater exploration and development of our intuitive thinking capacities rather than fighting over how to ensure that our power/lifestyle/investment/position is protected and maintained?

I believe that the vertical realm is our next great frontier for economic growth and development. By focusing first on reaching the greatest potential of who we can be, both as individuals and as a society, we will find the inspiration, knowledge, and understanding needed to create new kinds of growth in the horizontal—growth that is in harmony with the earth, that supports health and well being for both the planet and its inhabitants. In fact, I can imagine that by focusing first on the vertical, we will find new inspiration and innovation in energy technology that could actually support the regeneration of the earth.

I can imagine that we will discover that much more is possible when we live and lead from our intuitive mind, which encompasses the intellect, as opposed to operating from intellect alone. This will lead to new discoveries and knowledge far surpassing even the amazing developments of today. Those on the leading edges of business, technology, and society already operate from the intuitive mind. Imagine what could happen if we all made this shift. How might we be attuned to each other and to the potential of the future on a whole new level?

What can you imagine could be possible if we focus in the vertical first, and let our discoveries and understandings in the vertical inspire and inform new creations, innovations, choices, and actions in the horizontal?

This will be a huge shift for the mass consciousness. Yet this shift does not require money, time, or natural resources. It just requires attention and focused intention. It requires discipline of thought. It requires that we pause periodically throughout the day to notice whether we are operating first from a horizontal or vertical perspective. It requires awareness of our thought processes and the personal presence we are bringing to each moment, each circumstance or situation, each choice or decision, and each action.

Ultimately, we must find the dynamic balance between vertical and horizontal. We do that by standing firmly grounded in the intuitive mind of the vertical and listening to the constantly evolving potential flowing through each moment. If we pay attention, that potential will show us the way forward. Then it is up to us as stewards for that potential to respond with appropriate action in the horizontal. As more of us adopt this approach, we can shift the mass consciousness and begin to create a world that works.

All blessings,
Alan

Copyright © 2011 Alan Seale

* If you want to explore this concept of vertical and horizontal orientations further, have a look at Chapter 4 of my latest book, Create A World That Works.

Soul Mission Profile: Jakob Algreen-Ussing Creating an Energetic Legacy

by Johnathon Pape

Having a big picture view comes naturally to Jakob Algreen-Ussing, who lives and works from a truly global perspective. Raised in Copenhagen, Jakob got a joint degree in psychology and business management through the Erasmus program at King’s College in London, the Copenhagen Business School, and Roskilde University in Denmark. He went on to receive a Master’s degree in communication and psychology, then promptly moved into working with some of Europe’s largest companies. At 25 he decided to create his own company, and since then has co-founded several companies that grew into multi-million dollar businesses, including one of the leading consultancy practices in Scandinavia, which has advised more than 200 companies on corporate and marketing strategies. He weathered the highs and lows of the dot.com crisis and led his companies to extraordinary growth and profit.

But that was only part of the picture. “Since I was about 19, I had also been pursuing my spiritual side,” Jakob explains. “I always knew what made me successful was the spiritual side, the ability to intuit situations and make things happen beyond the surface. When my companies grew, it was because I was deeply passionate about some new understanding or phenomenon that would be valuable to the world. Then there would be this tremendous flow within my company.” So five years ago, Jakob sold it all to pursue his even bigger vision of helping entrepreneurs manifest their dreams and do good for the world through a new business paradigm. He began a very important period of consciousness development. For three years, Jakob and Ann, his wife, decided that they would live wherever they felt called to be—London, New York, San Francisco, Ibiza. He devoured books on all kinds of subjects—quantum physics, entrepreneurship, integrated thinking, leadership, and consciousness—and then would contact the authors to discuss the concepts in their books and the flood of ideas that they unleashed in him.

“That’s when I met Alan. I read The Manifestation Wheel while living in NYC and was amazed how he was putting words and structure to understandings that I had been living for 5-10 years.” He participated in workshops on The Manifestation Wheel and Intuitive Living in Sweden and Holland, and then did personal coaching with Alan in New York. It was through the coaching that Jakob identified his soul mission—“I live a life in light and love.” As the next step in living that mission, Jakob created Akasha Ventures, a global entrepreneurial movement and venture network that supports entrepreneurs and enterprises to become leading business networks while doing good for the world.

Johnathon Pape: It’s so good to speak with you again. We had the pleasure of joining you, Ann, and your beautiful baby girl for brunch in Copenhagen. That was such a stimulating conversation and I was so impressed with your ideas and how they integrate into your family life.

Jakob Algreen-Ussing: Well, marriage and family really came in tandem with this new awakening. Ann and I married in April of 2008 and our daughter Sienna Sky was born in November of 2010. Akasha Ventures and my book, The Quantum Company, really grew in parallel motion to Ann being pregnant. It felt like we were giving birth to two babies at the same time. When we discovered that we would be parents, my perspective changed to “what will the world be like in 100 years?” What kind of a place will my daughter see and experience? I have great concerns with the direction that the world is headed, but I’m also positive about the changes that are happening on a global level. It’s all about the legacy we create.

JP: You have a big vision. Can you tell us more about Akasha Ventures and your vision for it in the world?

JA-U: Our vision is to create a global movement of entrepreneurs that can build business in flow. It’s a next-generation venture capital structure. We believe we can combine conscious awareness presence with business and thereby build companies that are much more powerful, enabling people to live their passion and create extraordinary profits, while doing good for the world. We want to be an example and help the world transform into a deeper place of enlightenment.

JP: Your book, The Quantum Company, is being published soon, and I would urge our readers to check out the special announcement and offer in this newsletter. Can you tell us more about what makes a Quantum Company?

JA-U: A Quantum Company is based on the understanding that you can create extraordinary returns and profits by living your passion, and build an energetically aligned company while doing something valuable and good for the world. Technology and social media has connected the world and made it more transparent. So when you do something good or valuable, it will be spread quickly to like thinkers. The internet is the closest human construction that emulates the quantum field. This creates an extraordinary opportunity for a company that is predominantly defined by its energetic system—I call it a passion business. I started to see this in the world. Small passion-based, internet-based companies that had this vision. I started to see them forming as a tribe. There is an increasing consumer interest in and demand for authentic companies—companies that are in alignment with their deepest intentions of identity. That alignment creates flow—unexpected positive events happening to your company without you having planned for it.

JP: In your book, you talk about the importance of business leaders knowing their personal soul mission and creating their personal manifesto. Why do you feel this is important in creating the businesses of today and the future?

JA-U: Nothing happens in a business that hasn’t first happened in the energetic plane. By working with what is really important (your soul mission), you start to change the energetic field around you as a leader. You become authentic and powerful, because what you live is in deeper resonance with your deeper sense of self. That makes you unstoppable and real. It also moves and inspires people, because they see the change in you and they feel the opportunity to change in themselves.

JP: Alan talks a lot about vertical and horizontal alignment. Would you say that a Quantum Company is more attuned to the vertical, or at least balances the horizontal with the vertical?

JA-U: I see business as a cross. The horizontal is the “doing” and the vertical is the “being.” Business has always been about the horizontal, but when you bring in an awareness of your soul mission, you bring in the vertical. That grounds you in both earth and heaven. That’s what makes it powerful and aligned. The complexity of the world has moved beyond what one can understand and control with the “mental mind.” The intuitive mind can take you much farther. The breakdowns we’ve experienced recently in world economic systems reflect the breakdown of the rational mind. Approaching anything through the intuitive mind, which incorporates both the vertical and the horizontal, allows a bigger picture. The “mental mind” can help you understand how to make a profit; the intuitive mind can help you understand the bigger picture, the totality of connections and relations that actually exist around a company. That is the platform for creation of flow and profit.

JP: There is clearly a lot of upheaval in the world. You mentioned the economic uncertainties of the past few months, but there are also many social and political changes underway worldwide. Where do you see us heading?

JA-U: We’ve always been connected but we’re realizing it on a new level. The changes are evolutionary, but also accelerating. I believe that 2012 is going to be a very real thing—not in a catastrophic way, but in a way of change. That can be stressful if you aren’t prepared for it. Take the changes happening in the Middle East. Technology allows people to work and communicate across monopolies and autocratic political systems. People can organize themselves independently of the monopolized structure. That’s certainly an important part of technology, but the way it has evolved is a reflection of Consciousness.

JP: You’ve lived in so many places during the past few years. What have you learned in that process?

JA-U: Even though we’re all looking at the same internet, it’s amazing to experience how LOCAL any place is. Fifty to eighty percent of what we do/think/consume is defined by our physical location. Also, we can overcome distance with technology, like skype, for example, but time zones are still in effect. Those come from the sun and the moon. The physical distance is being diminished, but time zones still keep a certain segmentation in the world. This will have an effect on how the world is globalized. You will have a European Zone, a West coast zone, an Asian zone, etc. Some of these will overlap and create new centers. A lot of the services that have been developed in the Western U.S. have become the new infrastructure upon which we can build new companies or services. Google, Linked-In, Facebook are all infrastructures created in a certain zone. When those swing to the East Coast or Europe, the unique aspects of that region create new applications like Groupon. Technology creates a global marketplace where each culture uses that infrastructure, but is grounded in their own history and competence.

JP: How has knowing your soul mission changed your life and informed your work in the world?

JA-U: I’m much more in sync with myself. Things just tend to happen and with tremendous impact. Through my understanding of my soul mission I am committing to myself and my deeper nature on a whole different level. It’s the very real me that gives me the power to live who I am. That makes me much more powerful and enables me to manifest very real changes with much greater ease.

JP: So much of the work here at the Center for Transformational Presence is about personal presence and developing a personal presence that is transformational. You certainly embody a transformational presence and are committed to helping business leaders find their own unique and powerful personal presence. What do you see as the importance of personal presence in the business world today and in the future?

JA-U: Presence is what makes us wise. With presence and awareness, we can connect with what really wants to happen from a deeper sense of being. You literally get the support from a powerful field—a field that can and will bring you into flow.

JP: What is the most important thing you’ve learned about yourself since claiming your Soul Mission?

JA-U: I’m a clear-sighted, valuable, and loving man. I am who I am, and that is what I should live in love. That is what is mine to do—my responsibility in life. It’s not always easy, but it works and gives me joy, wisdom, and love.

JP: What would you say to someone who is considering coaching with Alan and/or doing one of this workshops?

JA-U: Go for it! There is nothing to lose, and he is brilliant!

Video of the Month:  John Hunter on the World Peace Game

John Hunter is a 4th-grade teacher who is creating an entirely new kind of classroom. He created a World Peace Game for his students to learn about how the world works first-hand. The students are divided into four different countries that represent the great diversity in our world, and then given a list of challenges to solve. And they do-in a way that our world leaders could learn from! The talk may be a little bit slow at the beginning, but stay with it. What this man and his students are doing is extraordinary!