Thinking
specifically of the DTCII
We are not representative of a scientific body in the formal sense, even if some of us are
scientists! And even though we will be utilizing a
disciplined and organized approach to study and to cultivate EHEs and
the EHEerly consciousness, utilizing John Heron's collaborative
"sacred science" approach, among others. But it could be stimulating
to encourage disciplined excellence by implementing some form of
peer-review process as an option.
Kind of like qualifying a food as organic: Organic farmers can
go through a recognized, law-bound certification process to
acquire an official status as such. But if you go to the local
farmer's market, most farmers can't afford that process. They
tell you how they raise and care for their crops, but bottom line,
it's a matter / question of integrity and trust. Some farmers
are known for the quality of the fruits of their labor. They
gain the respect and loyalty of their clientele and acquire a
reputation for what they have to offer. Also, some farmers may
openly profess not to be organic; they offer what they offer, and
their integrity shines no less than for the well-known organic
farmer.
So, applying this understanding to the DTCII, people of a given
feather will tend to seek out and find each other. Those whose
objectives thrive on double-blind, controlled studies will not be
happy with anything other. Those who are more directly
experientially focused may be no less disciplined about how they may
approach their goals -- it's just different styles, not more or
less, better or worse. Different strokes. If there is a
bottom line in here somewhere that applies across the board, it's
the personal integrity and mutual regard, just as with the
farmers.
And what that means is, we can enjoy and benefit alike,
metaphorically speaking, from the grand formal garden projects as
well as an extravagance of exotic and rare flowers and natural
ecological systems of plants of every possible description.
Collectively and in terms of cross-pollination possibilities these
wildly different approaches are more valuable to us as a whole,
in no small part, because of their differences [content, approach,
outcomes], especially insofar as they teach us about patterns and
spectrums of data that tend to coalesce and play off one
another. Learning and innovation are infinitely richer in a
culture that is openly conversant and respectful across the full
range of disciplines and approaches. Even better if this is
sourced in the heart of delight in the simple pleasures of our
mutual recognition and celebration of the fact of our budding
Awareness as spirit beings together striving to build a bridge of
knowledge and confidence that arcs into Infinity and borders on
Eternity.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The Death Transcendent Cooperative Inquiry Initiative could also provide
avenues for rewarding people, organizations for their work
and giving them further encouragement / incentive to continue and to
excel. But it must be a thoughtfully grown process that does not
encourage "competition" but rather, excellence for its own
sake. Most
people probably will enjoy the process without wanting to partake in
some form of judgment of their work, no matter how benign and with what
good intentions. We need to create a "culture" that
encourages and supports all genuine efforts and especially nurtures
collaboration and openness and a sense of we are together a team of
pioneering spirits and co-adventurers.
Individuals and groups
can offer their work for some type of process of peer review that can
embrace easily everything from the by-the-book scientist to the
multi-gifted seer, from the youngest and/or least experienced to the
avatars, across all possible descriptors of differences we love to
name. We can produce our
own journal based on these reviewed works and this vast, truly vast
field of eclecticism. People do
not 'have to' have their work scrutinized in any formal way at all. And
yet, through a kind of 'magazine' rather than a journal, all these works
[both peer reviewed and not] can be appreciated and explored among
ourselves and for the larger public.
