Deep Hope
Contemplation and Action Tank
Helping people discover and express their Spirit-inspired voice for the cause of justice, compassion and sustainability
The Deep Hope Contemplation and Action Tank convenes thought leaders, policy makers, leaders of the business, professional and religious communities and advocacy groups to imagine solutions for seemingly intractable social challenges.
Think Tanks abound and they frequently yield useful frameworks for the development of progressive social policy. Yet many critical challenges have, thus far, proven resistant to society’s best creative efforts.
The Contemplation and Action Tank also creates frameworks for civic action and reform, but asks participants to begin the work of imagination at the level of heart and soul rather than relying on intellect alone.
Contemplation
The work of Contemplation and Action Tanks begins in contemplative silence and deep listening. Participants align their hearts with the Spirit within and beyond them and listen receptively to the dream of Spirit as it is revealed in dialogical interaction with others.
From this contemplative awareness of Spirit–inspired possibility beyond what is currently known we discover the courage and freedom required to tackle the critical issues of our day, such as global warming, immigration reform, tax reform, affordable housing, and healthcare and a livable wage for all. Participants will be challenged to imagine bold agendas for reform grounded in Spirit’s vision of a just and peaceful society.
Action
Too often we gather in conferences to consider ideas and receive inspiration but little gets translated into action for justice. The action component of the gathering is a unique and critical part of the Deep Hope design.
During the Progressive Era (1890-1913) an amazing array of city, state, and federal reforms in was passed in a 23-year time period (click here for a description). The civic momentum created by a few during this period met an American public ready for transformative change. The current moment in history cries for similar broad and effective reforms. The Deep Hope Contemplation Action Tank will spark the fire of reform.
The First Gathering
The first Contemplation and Action Tank will bring together allies and change agents to create a vision and build a strategic foundation for providing health care for all in the state of Washington.
Our region provides leadership in health care research and delivery not only to our nation, but also to the world. Yet today over 600,000 (1 in 11) Washingtonians are uninsured.
The health care gap is not a scientific problem but a social problem. In a larger sense it is most certainly a moral problem. One of the most powerful measures of a moral society is how it treats the poorest and most vulnerable in it’s midst.
While most of us in Washington enjoy extraordinary health care many of our neighbors are denied health care for economic reasons. Others, also for economics reasons, deny themselves basic preventative health care services and are only one major health crisis away from total bankruptcy.
While our state has recently taken important strides forward in providing health care for children, we believe that an on-going incremental approach to health care coverage is not sufficient. We believe that Washington needs a bolder transformational agenda that provides health care for all.
This bolder agenda must be designed and embraced by multiple sectors, including business, religion, government, non-profits, unions and philanthropy.
To this end we are planning a gathering of allies and change agents for the Fall of 2008. We will recruit participants from multiple sectors to come together and imagine an inspired and practical plan to make health care available to all in Washington.
After the gathering these allies and change agents will also serve as advocates and champions of the plan within their sectors at home. We envision that this simultaneous advocacy in multiple sectors will create a upswelling of public will that will advance health care access reforms that will bring greater quality of life to Washingtonians and moral inspiration to our nation.
Click here or call 425-746-8116 to request information about the upcoming Contemplation and Action Tank or other information about The Deep Hope Institute.
Banner artwork by Mark Shimada,
