The aim of the Mythic Imagination Institute is to connect people to the accumulated wisdom of humankind that lives in stories and mythology to engender understanding and respect for others. The search for a new narrative that unites us and takes us to the dawn of a new civilization is a fundamental driving force at these crossroads of humanity.

I am very pleased to have come across the Mythic Imagination Institute and I look forward to joining you at the Mythic Journeys Conference and Performance Festival in June 2006. At this moment, nothing is more important than to link all those who believe that we must set forth a new narrative and create a new world where hope, social justice, peace, and a sense of the sacredness of life prevails. For this we need to connect until we form a critical mass of humanity that influences the change at a global scale. By creating a broad ranging partnership between the Mythic Imagination Institute and the Alliance for a New Humanity, we bring together two streams that will work towards creating that critical mass.

The Alliance for a New Humanity is an open forum to facilitate an exchange amongst those who care about their fellow beings, and who understand that there is only one human family. It is a network of love in action, a collective statement of the best of our human nature, meant to influence social consciousness so that we can move to a society of peace and serenity.

The driving force for the Alliance is an upwelling from the heart that is rising from within many, unbeknownst to all. I am simply amazed at the way that this is all happening, and I feel totally overwhelmed at the heart energies being generated. I can see the yearning in me and in many for a renewal of the spirit, for another envelope to surround our daily lives with kinder, more compassionate and joyful undertones. The mechanistic assumptions, the hyper-media and its torrent of noise, fear instigation, violent icon projection and consumerism frenzy stimulation, have left us all with an empty heart.

These are our own inventions; we have tolerated them, played with them and accepted them. As we get fed up with our childish games of self-identification and petite power, we hunger for serenity, understanding, peace. We intuitively feel the oneness of all, and yearn to project out into the open this silent beauty that counteracts our darker sides.

We need to give space to the voice latent in the heart of many, let it flow, and let it manifest and become part of the message context so that it is not just about war, terrorism fear and making money, so that we can proclaim at the same level of volume the narrative of compassion, of love of understanding, of selflessness. We can underscore that the greatest heroes do not look like Rambo, that being cool is not being competitive and aggressive, that true heroes are humble like Jesus, like Gandhi, like St. Francis.

We need to reconfirm the great things in life; the tenderness, the smiles, the love of a mother for a child, the joy of a couple in love, the reflection in the eyes of the elderly, the beauty of a serene moment. These are expressions of the purest aspects of our spirit, reflections of the Oneness that we are. This is what the Alliance is seeking, a going back to being truly human, a pause, a call to this sense in most of all. We hope to counterbalance the present hype of the media, the present prevailing thrust of a culture of "each man for himself" that is generating this desperate hunger in the hearts of so many, and that has given way to an aggressive organized few to lead us into a seemingly hopeless divided violent world where everything is solved by might and fight rather than by conciliation and compassion.

The Human Forum of Puerto Rico, which takes place from December 8th to 11th 2005, will focus on the theme of the Power of Power; the Seed for a New Humanity. We will explore the myths of power and the power of myths. We will have an opportunity to bring together the Community of the Caring — those who are actively combating environmental issues, fighting for human rights, consoling the suffering — as well as those who seek an improved world, and are simply looking for a place to begin to demonstrate The Power of People Making a Difference. As part of our ongoing partnership with the Mythic Imagination Institute, we want to thank the work that they are doing to help us produce this extraordinary event.

Once, when Noah set out to build the Ark, it is said that few wanted to invest their time or resources in such a venture. But it did rain a lot, and those who built the lifeboat sailed and generated a new hope, a new seed for the Universe to continue looking at itself. So goes the myth of Noah.

Today we are again swamped with our forgetfulness of Being, numbed by our proliferating toys, ignorant of life's continuum, indifferent to the sacred miracle of everyday that manifests in the exquisite beauty and elegance of the texture of the universe, and in our consciousness dancing within it. We are again callous to each others' pain as we indulge in our separateness. We must call again, for those whose hearts are listening, and beginning to suspect that there can be more joy and serenity in our collective tapestry. Call upon ourselves to help us build this Ark of hope, this Human-Net.

Join us in the Human Forum of Puerto Rico from 8 to 11 December 2005 (For more information visit ANHGlobal.org). Make the change happen.

Deepak Chopra

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