"Call for Papers": Requesting Assistance Creating "Introduction Section" for "Calling 'the better angels of our nature...'"

(Outreach Post; Abridged Version)

About This Message

This message is a sincere request for assistance with creating an “introduction section” (more than 1 introduction) for a document titled “Calling ‘the better angels of our nature’: How Community Visioning Initiatives and Spiritual Wisdom Can Increase the Likelihood of Solution Oriented Activity in a Time of Great Challenges”.

About the document “Calling ‘the better angels….’”

The document “Calling ‘the better angels…” has been formed by combining two recently completed documents together:

1) “The Twilight of One Era, and the Dawning of Another” (35 pages)—a paper by this writer which identifies seven critical challenges, and provides both an introduction to the potential of
Community Visioning Initiatives, and an introduction to the potential of The Interfaith Peacebuilding and
Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative. These two approaches can inspire, support, and integrate many different initiatives at the same time, and thus create “constellations” of initiatives. The “constellations” of initiatives can then bring many of the “things people can do in the everyday circumstances of their lives” which will contribute to peacebuilding and ecological sustainability “through the mist” and into the light.
2) “Divine Intervention: A Collection of Quotations from ‘Sathya Sai Speaks’ (Vol. 1-15)” (42 pages)—which includes the following sections (of quotes from Sri Sathya Sai Baba): The Avathara of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, The Critical Need for the Wisdom of the Ages, How Sages, Elders, Teachers, Parents, and Students Can Contribute, and Responding to Personal Difficulties. (Compilation of quotations, and arrangement of quotations, by this writer.) (Note: Sri Sathya Sai Baba is 83 years old, with a main residence in Puttaparthi, India.)

[Special Note on Accessing the Documents: “The Twilight of One Era…” document can be accessed as a pdf file from the homepage of The IPCR Initiative website, at www.ipcri.net (See the “Keynote Documents” section). The “Divine Intervention…” document can be accessed as a pdf file attached to a post at my worldpulse.com journal (see post titled “New Document titled ‘Divine Intervention: A Collection of Quotations from ‘Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. 1-15’” at http://www.worldpulse.com/node/11326 )]

On November 22, 2009, these two documents were sent (by e-mail, confirmation received) to the Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust Publications Division in Puttaparthi, India. The documents were sent there because the SSSSTPD website states that “We welcome your comments, suggestions, and Literary Contributions in the form of Articles, Compilations, etc”—because this writer felt that it was appropriate procedure to do so—and because this writer was not sure how to go about sharing the documents. In his letter to the SSSSTPD, this writer also suggested that it might be beneficial to combine the two documents into one document, but he could only offer an incomplete introduction to such a document.

The Assistance This Writer is Now Seeking

Now, at this particular point in time, this writer feels that it will be helpful to sincere efforts towards resolving the challenges of our times if he requests assistance with the writing of an “introduction section” to the above mentioned “Calling ‘the better angels…’” document .

In particular, this writer is seeking at least 10 different introductions, with the idea being that the whole publication will benefit from having the two documents described above introduced by people from many different backgrounds—i.e. people who have been raised in different cultural environments, people who have had different learning experiences in life, and people who are speaking from different religious, spiritual, or moral viewpoints.

This writer feels that the act of contemplating writing such an introduction has the potential to be a catalyst for unique discussions and significant outcomes, and thus provide both practical and profound insight into how people—from diverse backgrounds, in communities in every part of the world—can apply the wisdom of deliberately focusing the way they spend their time, energy, and money towards overcoming the challenges of our times.

In short, this writer is therefore issuing a “Call for Papers”—with the topic being Help Create an “Introduction Section” to the Document “Calling ‘the better angels of our nature’: How Community Visioning Initiatives and Spiritual Wisdom can Increase the Likelihood of Solution Oriented Activity in a Time of Great Challenges”.

How This “Call for Papers” Will Proceed From Here

1) Readers who would like to

a) ask questions—or offer comments, suggestions, recommendations, etc.
b) volunteer to be a part of the Committee of 30 volunteers who will evaluate submitted introductions
c) discuss the two documents mentioned above without participating in any “Call for Papers” process
d) submit an “introduction” for consideration and possible selection

can direct their correspondence to this writer, Stefan Pasti, at stefanpasti@ipcri.net
(Note: Stefan Pasti is the founder and outreach coordinator for The Interfaith Peacebuilding and Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative.)….

This message is an abridged version of the complete “Call for Papers” document

This message is an abridged version of the complete “Call for Papers” document. The complete “Call for Papers” document can be accessed from the homepage of The IPCR Initiative, at www.ipcri.net , in the “Keynote Documents” section (see http://ipcri.net/images/Call-for-Papers-complete-text.pdf )

The complete “Call for Papers” document includes more details in the section “How This ‘Call for Papers’ Will Proceed From Here”, and a seven page section titled “Some Possible Themes to Explore”.

About the Writer of This Message

The writer of this message, Stefan Pasti, is the founder and outreach coordinator of The Interfaith Peacebuilding and Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative (at www.ipcri.net ).

I, Stefan Pasti, hereby attribute the inspiration for the two documents mentioned above (“The Twilight of One Era…”, and “Divine Intervention…”) , inspiration for the approach and substance of The IPCR Initiative, my personal capacity to see good in the efforts of people from many different faith communities and cultural traditions, and my personal faith in a positive outcome regarding the challenges of our times to close contact, over many years, with the wisdom and compassion in the teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

Here is a brief autobiographical sketch:

Stefan Pasti has been actively involved in peacebuilding and community revitalization work for over 20 years—as a writer (project-related correspondence, short novel, short story); an editor (newsletters, quotation collections); an advocate of ecologically sustainable communities; a practitioner of voluntary simplicity; and, more recently, as founder and outreach coordinator for The Interfaith Peacebuilding and Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative (www.ipcri.net ). Mr. Pasti has been employed in many
different settings—door-to-door canvasser for citizen action groups; field worker on organic farms; activity director, companion, and transportation provider for elders with special needs; etc. The most important influence in Mr. Pasti’s life has been, and continues to be, the teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba (age 83, with a main residence in Puttaparthi, India). In 1997, Mr. Pasti completed a 301 page arrangement of selected quotations from “Sathya Sai Speaks” (Vol. 1-11, first U.S. editions) (discourses by Sri Sathya Sai Baba from the years 1953-1982).

Here also is a special notice, posted in the “Contact” section of The IPCR Initiative website at www.ipcri.net, which provides additional sources of information about me:

“Special Note (dated August 16, 2009): As a way of providing more information about myself (Stefan Pasti, Founder and Outreach Coordinator for The IPCR Initiative), I have made series of posts on my Facebook page. These posts include excerpts from earlier writings, reflections on rare family keepsakes, a more detailed autobiographical sketch, etc.) A journal entry listing the titles in that series of posts is accessible at my worldpulse.com journal (see "Sharing of a More Personal Nature...." at http://www.worldpulse.com/node/12372 ).”

[Additional Note: My worldpulse.com journal also includes many pieces which are part of my current work-in-progress (which was going to be titled “Calling ‘the better angels of our nature’….”, but which is now going to be titled as an updated “IPCR Workshop Primer”). My worldpulse.com journal is at http://www.worldpulse.com/user/1111 ]

Concluding Comments

“Many people can realize the wisdom of deliberately focusing the way they spend their time, energy, and money. The result can be a deliberate increase in the ‘ways of earning a living’ which are directly related to overcoming the challenges identified by residents as priority challenges.” [From the IPCR document “The ‘1000Communities2’ Proposal: Creating a Multiplier Effect of a Positive Nature” (see http://ipcri.net/images/1000Communities2-for-Outreach-Package-B.pdf )]

“Have the picture of the happy, united, love filled human community in your heart. That will give you enough encouragement in your mission.” (“Divine Intervention…” document, p. 27) (“Sathya Sai Speaks” 15.12 p.70)

This writer gladly and willingly contributes time, energy, and money to make the resources and documents of The IPCR Initiative accessible to those people who might benefit from them.

Stefan Pasti, Founder and Outreach Coordinator
The IPCR Initiative
Leesburg, Virginia (USA)
December 19, 2009