April 15 (2018), Connecting the Dots — time to get your tickets

The human race is challenged more than ever before to demonstrate our mastery, not over nature but of ourselves.
— Rachel Carson

Hi everyone,

There is a better path. To find it, we must first recognize the path we are on and its inadequacies.

Call it what you wish, our collective trauma, brokenness, woundedness… pulls us to self-absorption and unplugs our holistic mind. Rightly so. When we perceive a threat, self-survival is top priority. This is exactly what a fight-flight survival defense mechanism that got us evolved this far is supposed to do.

If you encountered the term, species-preservation, given that we are currently on a trajectory to mass extinction, you might think it refers to an environmental conservation effort for endangered wildlife. Yet, two decades ago, in a published journal article on PTSD, Sheila Wang referenced it as a human mindset about other humans. It is what we lose access to when we feel threatened. The fight-flight activation unplugs us from the affiliative sense of being part of the whole. It gets replaced by self-preservation only.

Dr. Bruce Perry is famous for saying, states become traits. A defense mechanism designed for occasional use, to save our life in extreme situations, has become a normalized way of life for far too many of us.

As we look around and see the acculturation of hierarchy, oppression, and pathological narcissism, it points to our loss of healthy state of mind, and it is killing us.

We are not just ‘born this way’. We are not a world full of ‘bad seeds’. We are the product of life experiences across the generations. Within the healing of the collective, a foundational connection to goodness is affirmed and strengthened. At the intersection of our varied forms of oppression, there lies the key to transformation and increased compassion.

There is a better path and we must find it together.

We are hosting what we think will be an extremely powerful, interactive, intersectional, and engaging program. Our featured speakers include Gene Baur, Claire Kim and Katie-Jay Scott. We have assembled many additional speakers from the local area speaking from first hand experiences. While many serious topics will be presented, we will also have some fun and are starting the day by having a meal together.

Please join us for:
CONNECTING THE DOTS: Finding Compassion Despite Our Differences, (Sunday, April 15, 12p-5p) — DETAILS & REGISTRATION.

Scroll down for UPCOMING EVENTS.

In the spirit of Ubuntu,
Barbara English, LMFT, CBT, TRE® Certification Trainer
Co-founder and Executive Director, Living Ubuntu
livingubuntu.org | facebook | donate »
living vegan (facebook)
(949) 891-2005
[Ubuntu] n. We belong to the greater whole.

:::UPCOMING EVENTS:::

A Screening of “Human Flow” – GWC Peace Studies Program (a pre-conference event)
Thursday, April 12, 6:00pm – 9:30pm
Huntington Beach

An Evening with Gene Baur: Increasing Compassion, Sustainability & Equity in our Food System
Friday, April 13, 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Fullerton

Connecting the Dots: Finding Compassion Despite Our Differences
Sunday, April 15, 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Santa Ana

Peace and the Global Economy: Emerging Issues & Practical Solutions – 12th Annual Golden West College Peace Conference
Friday, April 20, 8:30pm – 5:00pm
Huntington Beach

An Evening with Carl Wilkens: Beyond Genocide, Respect-Empathy-Inclusion
Wednesday, April 25, 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Fullerton

Intro to TRE: Connection, Compassion & Community
Saturday, April 28, 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Irvine

***
GENE BAUR * CLAIRE KIM * KATIE-JAY SCOTT * JONI MARIE NEWMAN

plus:
Arthur Trey Carlisle * Jose Trinidad Castenada * Barbara English * Michele Martinez * Amina Mohamed * Piper Sample * Audrey Waight

***

The Meat Myth (June 3) | OCCA changes

Hi everyone,

Next Saturday, June 3, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Plant Powered OC will offer yet another free workshop at Whole Foods in Brea, “The Meat Myth & Plant-Based Meat Sampling”. With so much evidence that plant-based foods are the best approach in support of human and environmental health, global food supply, biodiversity, and compassion for other species, (i.e. “friends not food”), why not come join us and get some new ideas to keep your taste buds happy? Register here.

Also, the three-year-old alliance known as Orange County for Climate Action will dissolve at the end of this month. Instead, OCCA will continue as a “grassroots network of activists” and begin sending its own public announcements (i.e. effective June 1, no longer appearing on this list sent by Living Ubuntu).
***To keep up with future OCCA meetings, actions and events: Subscribe to OCCA newsletter here.***

In the spirit of Ubuntu,
Barbara English, LMFT, CBT, TRE® Certification Trainer
Co-founder and Executive Director, Living Ubuntu
livingubuntu.org | facebook | donate »
living vegan (facebook) | plant powered oc (facebook)
occlimateaction.org | facebook
(949) 891-2005

[Ubuntu] n. We belong to the greater whole.

::: UPCOMING EVENTS :::

The Meat Myth & Plant-Based Sampling (PPOC)
Saturday, June 3, 9:30am – 11:30am
Brea

Orange County for Climate Action Meeting (OCCA)
Tuesday, June 6, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Newport Beach

Climate Action Plan & Community Choice Energy: Advocacy Training with Nicole Capretz (OCCA)
Sunday, June 11, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Irvine

“Before the Flood” — Friday March 24, 2017, 7p in Irvine (tomorrow)

I play fictitious characters often solving fictitious problems. I believe mankind has looked at climate change in the same way, as if it were a fiction.
– Leonardo DiCaprio

Hi everyone,

Ever feel like going out to see a movie on a Friday evening?

Friday, March 24, 7:00pm we are hosting a screening of “Before the Flood”. Watch the trailer and RSVP here.

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens and Academy Award-winning actor, environmental activist and U.N. Messenger of Peace Leonardo DiCaprio, Before the Flood presents a riveting account of the dramatic changes now occurring around the world due to climate change, as well as the actions we as individuals and as a society can take to prevent catastrophic disruption of life on our planet.

Effectively addressing our current climate emergency has long been neglected. The current administration is taking fast action — but in the wrong direction!

Everyone I know who has seen this film found it to be exceptionally well done, so if you are free tomorrow night, come join us for this free admission screening with discussion afterward, plus light refreshments.

Never be afraid to do what’s right (Join us January 21, 2017)

Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.
– Martin Luther King Jr.

Hi everyone,

Years ago, when visiting the Museum of Tolerance, I witnessed a re-enactment that has continued to grip me. In a pre-Holocaust setting, it portrayed a German man seeking to reassure a terrified Jewish woman by saying, don’t worry, there are too many good Germans who would never let anything bad happen. It was chilling.

Innocence is a naturally occurring state. Naïveté is not. It occurs when something unresolved in our history limits our perception of reality. It can cause under-estimation of a threat.

We must cherish innocence, while doing the necessary personal inner work to not be naïve.

Living Ubuntu, its project, Living Vegan, its partner, United Nations Association of Orange County, and the alliance, Orange County for Climate Action have all signed on to participate in the upcoming Saturday, January 21, Women’s March on Washington – Orange County. You are invited to join us. We will meet at 8:45am – sharp! at a big tree near the corner of French and 4th Street just prior to the 9:00a event start time. Carpooling and use of public transportation are strongly encouraged.

 

Please consider becoming a Living Ubuntu monthly donor. DONATE HERE.

Thank you for your generous, ongoing support of our efforts.

Living Ubuntu in 2016 | Please include us in your year-end giving (3 more days)

Hi everyone,

Living Ubuntu has had a very active, productive, exciting, fulfilling and interesting year in 2016. Many of our public events can be viewed here: 2016 Living Ubuntu Events.

• We successfully launched a new project, Living Vegan, “…supporting, educating and advocating compassion and health for people, animals and the planet.” We hosted and collaborated on many events throughout the year, e.g. educational screenings, speakers, social get-togethers, and plant-based workshops and cooking, all in addition to our advocacy efforts.

• To raise awareness and bring compassionate change to schools where students raise animals for slaughter, we started filming a feature length documentary, still in process, to be released in 2017, “So Give Me An F” (trailer).

• Results of the research project, “Trauma Recovery for East African Refugees in San Diego” were finalized, affirming Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE®) as a very beneficial practice. (Video).

• We offered workshops teaching TRE® to the local community, both at the introductory level, and certification training for those wanting to become providers (including giving scholarships for the training to members of the East African refugee community in San Diego). As support for those who learned TRE®, we held a twice a month “Group Shake” (ongoing). What is TRE®?

• Orange County for Climate Action held many public events and we began working with Nicole Capretz, author of San Diego’s groundbreaking Climate Action Plan. The work will continue in 2017 as we seek for cities in Orange County to emulate San Diego’s accomplishment. And we are asking CalPERS and CalSTRS to divest from animal agriculture. This campaign is ongoing, have you signed yet?
  

Please include us in your year-end giving. Consider becoming a monthly supporter. And as an all-volunteer-run organization, more volunteers are always invited, welcome, needed and appreciated.

DONATE HERE.

There is a lot to be done in 2017. Thank you for your generous, ongoing support of our efforts.

Before we can see properly we must first shed our tears…

Before we can see properly we must first shed our tears to clear the way.
– Ancient proverb

Hi everyone,

In regions of the world where mass atrocities, genocide, sexual assault as a weapon of war, famine, displacement and countless other hardships are far too commonplace, some of the “lucky” ones are granted refugee status and get relocated. San Diego is one of the US cities with an extremely large number of refugees from all over the world, including many from countries in East Africa. Beginning in 2012, Living Ubuntu had a project in San Diego focused on trauma recovery within the East African refugee community. In 2012, (Phase 1) we did a simple survey to get more information on the rates of Post Traumatic Stress in that community. In 2013, (Phase 2) we did a 6-week series to educate refugee leaders about trauma. In 2014 and 2015 (Phase 3), we conducted a research project utilizing Dr. David Berceli’s Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (more on Phase 3 here).

This past year, data was statistically analyzed and we were all extremely pleased to find that the results were very good. Watch the above video to find out more.

We have a lot of really good things coming up in 2017. Scroll down to the bottom of this email to see all the amazing events coming up in the first few months of the new year.

Even though we are a small, all-volunteer, grassroots organization, enacting projects requires funds. If you like what we are doing, please support us with a year-end one-time contribution. Or to be even more helpful, sign up as a monthly donor. Amounts as small as $10.00 a month are affordable for many. We are grateful for gifts of any size.

Donate here.

#GivingTuesday for Living Ubuntu — Have you seen our new video?

Hi everyone,

Today is #GivingTuesday for Living Ubuntu – will you support our work in advocating compassion and health for people, animals and the planet?

We have created a new video about Living Ubuntu to help people know what the word “Ubuntu” means, plus where we focus and why. You can view the video above, and also on the #GivingTuesday for Living Ubuntu page.

We need your help in order to keep going. Will you become a monthly supporter of Living Ubuntu?

Many people can afford an ongoing monthly donation of $10, $15, or $20. The Razoo platform makes it easy – just select the ‘monthly’ option when you donate.

We are small, all volunteer and grassroots. Your one-time or monthly gift in any amount would be very greatly appreciated and help us continue the important work we do.

And — did you know that when you shop at Amazon.com can support us through https://smile.amazon.com/ — just select Living Ubuntu as the charity you want to support.

Upcoming events are listed below.

With gratitude,

Barbara English, LMFT, CBT, TRE® Certification Trainer
Co-founder and Executive Director, Living Ubuntu
livingubuntu.org | facebook | donate »
(949) 891-2005
[Ubuntu] n. We belong to the greater whole.

:::UPCOMING EVENTS:::

A Screening of “Before the Flood” – (GWC)
Tuesday, November 29, 4:30pm – 6:30pm
Golden West College — Student Center, Huntington Beach

Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE®) – Group Shake – note change of location for this session
Thursday, December 1, 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Newport Beach

Orange County for Climate Action (OCCA) Meeting  – note date change for December
Tuesday, December 6, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Newport Beach

Re-Examining our Belief Systems: Growing Beyond the Known (a 3-part TRE® workshop series)
Saturdays: January 21, February 25, March 18, 9:00am – 4:30pm each day
Newport Beach

An Evening of Compassion and Being Together (Nov. 20, 2016) — buy tickets TODAY (online sales end tonight)

Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin. – Victor Kiam

Hi everyone,

I was born and raised in Orange County. I have lived here my entire life and lived to tell about it. I ‘get’ the culture. We all know how it works here in Southern California: “why do it today when you can put it off ’til tomorrow?” Right? We have commitment issues… and there are so many options, so little time. I know. Born and raised in Orange County. I know.

So, this is just a friendly little reminder that time is up — almost up — later tonight, totally, officially, ‘up’ — as far as buying online tickets to attend: An Evening of Compassion and Being Together (Sun Nov 20).

Tickets at the door will be $10 more and subject to availability. We still have room for more students due to donated tickets for them. Contact us for details: info@livingubuntu.org.

This event is going to be extraordinary – seriously, truly awesome – don’t miss it :)

The Candlelight Vigil will be at the end of the event, open to anyone that wants to gather with us at that point – and there will be no open flames due to the fire danger – battery-operated tea lights only – we will supply them. So even if you can’t make it at 4p for the main event, please do feel free to show up at 6:30p to participate in the vigil. We will gather together in support of the much needed, now more than ever, Compassion-for-All.

Thank you for your participation, engagement and support.

Buy Tickets for Nov 20 / Donate here.

For those who attended last Saturday’s “How to Cook Vegan for the Holidays” and wanted the recipes:

• Wild Rice Butternut Squash Skillet (Laura)
• Garlic Almond Green Beans (Gina)
• Harvest Butternut Squash Stuffing and Seitan Roulade En Croute (Joni)

For more upcoming events, scroll to the bottom of this email.

In the spirit of Ubuntu,

Barbara English, LMFT, CBT, TRE® Certification Trainer
Co-founder and Executive Director, Living Ubuntu
livingubuntu.org | facebook | donate »
(949) 891-2005
[Ubuntu] n. We belong to the greater whole.

:::UPCOMING EVENTS:::

An Evening of Compassion and Being Together (an event to benefit Living Ubuntu) –– buy tickets now!
Sunday, November 20, 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Newport Beach

Re-Examining our Belief Systems: Growing Beyond the Known (a 3-part TRE® workshop series)
Saturdays: January 21, February 25, March 18, 9am-4:30pm each day
Newport Beach

An Evening of Compassion and Being Together – Sun. Nov. 20 (online ticket sales end in 2 days)

Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.
– Albert Schweitzer

Hi everyone,

Please join us this coming Sunday, November 20 4p-7p in Newport Beach for An Evening of Compassion and Being Together. Tickets are $45.00 and that includes dinner. At the door, the price will be $55.00 and subject to availability. In order to avoid food waste or shortage, it would help a lot if you bought your tickets today, even though the on line sales will continue for two more days. Additionally, we have a limited number of donated tickets for students that might not otherwise be able to participate. Contact us for more info.

Due to recent events in the US, we have added a candlelight vigil to the end of Sunday’s event. The vigil will be open to anyone that wants to join us for that portion of the evening. Watch for more details.

Sunday evening will be fun and festive, along with deeply meaningful and serious. We hope it will inspire and re-invigorate those who attend. Our planning team has worked hard to create an experience that helps us remember that ‘We Belong to the Greater Whole’ and sit within the ‘Interconnection’ of the many.

Buy tickets and / or donate here.

For more upcoming events, scroll to the bottom of this email.

We survive because we can love | Join us Nov 12 & Nov 20 (2016)

Humankind would not have endured and cannot continue without the capacity to form rewarding, nurturing, and enduring relationships. We survive because we can love. And we can love because we can empathize — that is, stand in another’s shoes and care about what it feels like to be there.  

– Bruce Perry & Maia Szalavitz

Hi everyone,

 

For many of us, this week felt disillusioning, violating and assaulting. The fear, dread and anger persist. Living Ubuntu is producing a documentary. Given the election results, I couldn’t help but reflect more deeply on the common themes of authoritarianism, oppression and endoctrination. If we want children to grow up to be healthy adults, able to empathize and love, willing to be ‘upstanders’ when needed, do we really want to ignore school programs where students get the message that:

 “… as long as you did what you were told you would get a good grade…” ?
(watch trailer here)

There is a reason psychotherapists who specialize in trauma recovery wind up talking about re-connecting with benevolence. After the shattering of what we previously believed, for the sake of restoring health, we must re-affirm our connection to goodness. Beyond the disconnection that accompanies woundedness, we belong to the greater whole. We survive because we can love.

 

It has not been an easy time to plan for a fundraising event. We have struggled. Several volunteers posed the question to me awhile ago asking if the timing was right and suggesting that possibly it should be postponed. My response was, “I can’t fully explain it, but it feels important that we do it at this time, despite the difficulties, soon after the election. We don’t know what is going to happen. We might be heading into challenging times. I am not sure it would be easier at a future time. For whatever reason it feels important to offer an event based in compassion, connection and interconnection soon after the election.”

 

As much as I know how, I try to trust my gut on these things. And now I know with even more conviction, not only do we need this event as an opportunity to re-affirm our connection to goodness and to one another, we need to make sure the film gets completed. Your support is necessary and genuinely greatly appreciated.

 

Please join us on Sunday November 20 4p-7p for An Evening of Compassion and Being Together (buy tickets / donate).

 

And — don’t forget that this coming Saturday, November 12 10:30am we will be a Tanaka Farms in Irvine for a free cooking demo, How to Cook Vegan for the Holidays. I am really looking forward to it! See you there?

 

For more upcoming events, scroll to the bottom of this email.

 

In the spirit of Ubuntu,

Barbara English, LMFT, CBT, TRE® Certification Trainer
Co-founder and Executive Director, Living Ubuntu
livingubuntu.org | facebook | donate »
(949) 891-2005
[Ubuntu] n. We belong to the greater whole.

:::UPCOMING EVENTS:::

How to Cook Vegan for the Holidays
Saturday, November 12, 10:30am – 12:00pm
Irvine

Orange County for Climate Action Meeting – note change of time, agenda and location!
Wednesday, November 16, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Irvine

An Evening of Compassion and Being Together (an event to benefit Living Ubuntu) –– buy tickets now!
Sunday, November 20, 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Newport Beach

Re-Examining our Belief Systems: Growing Beyond the Known (a 4-part TRE® workshop series)
Saturdays: January 21, February 25, March 18, April 15, 9am-4:30pm each day
Newport Beach

***