My dear and wonderful friends in G1K,

We have just returned from one of the most exciting weekends ever!  The first European Group of 1000 conference on the beautiful coast of The Netherlands was a resounding success.  We all came away with a renewed sense of purpose because of our inspired and lively discussions and the quality time in conversation with Neale.  Lovely Em, Neale's life partner, was such a beautiful addition to the team, and we will always be grateful for her loving contribution and connection with all of us.  

I had thought to write about the weekend, but our wonderful Shalini Adjoodha, the newly-appointed Worldwide Enrollment Coordinator, sent such a lovely observation this morning which I am going to simply cut and paste here.  Please know that we all shared these same feelings of oneness during that weekend.  We hope that you can live this momentous event with us through the words of one who was in the room. 



Shalini writes:

The second twice-yearly Group of 1000 (G1K) conference was held last weekend in The Netherlands, in the seaside town of Zandervort.  Saturday morning saw thirty-five committed souls gather together on the seventh floor, each anticipating a weekend of togetherness, emotional safety and spiritual rejuvenation, and as Monday drew to a close, each stepped away fulfilled that their expectations had been met.

Windows boasting peaceful views of a lush blue ocean, served as a perfect reminder that we are part of a world with infinite possibilities, and within G1K we have more support and energy collectively, than we could ever reach for individually. The weekend itself was an opportunity for us to be free. A chance for us to be together in a safe place knowing that we were gathered with like minded souls, recognising that the world is ready for change and we are the ones who are creating this.  It was a long moment of togetherness where Spirituality and God’s Love could be openly acknowledged without ridicule or fear of condemnation.  Feelings, discussions, and emotions that we were permitted to lay bare in the room were priceless, each of us blissfully aware that our Souls long for these moments to be part of our everyday reality.

When we joined the Group of 1000, we did so knowing that the CWG books contained enormous power to productively change lives on both personal and global levels. We understood that our planet was ready for leaders to show up with no hidden agendas, and that if we could just give to another the togetherness we had experienced through the books, then the world itself would be one step closer to oneness.  

The weekend with Neale revisited the foundations of what G1K was about, the definitive action plan we agreed with when we joined, and the partnerships (Humanities, School of New Spirituality and the Recreation Foundation) available to us to bring change into communities, schools, and organisations.  Lively informal discussions coupled with deeply personal moments in the safe haven of the room, took each person into their strengths and potential, of becoming the leader they already are.

The Group of 1000 is not here to sit back and watch the world bring itself to an end. We are here because we took the time to look deeply within and understand the implications, of the world continuing in the same pattern in the same old way. We exist as one unit to show what togetherness can do, and the harmony it can bring.  We exist as individuals, within a group to make personal contributions of energy that will transform the lives of precious future generations, breath by breath.

Our next Group of 1000 gathering will be confirmed in 2008, until then we will continue to walk in the light with commitment, action, and a profound knowing that wherever we touch the earth, we are always united in our togetherness.

With Deep Appreciation,

Shalini