"The technologies exist to solve the problems.  The policies that can accelerate them have been pioneered...  The piece that is missing is a worldwide movement in every village and every city... that will create the political will to make the transition happen."
"Climate change says we should change but Peak Oil says we will be forced to change. Peak Oil can drive powerful, even selfishly motivated actions which are climate positive."
These pages give you several ways to work with groups. These ways can be simple yet extremely powerful. We believe in the power of home groups
as an essential part of the work of planetary healing.

Learn how to run a regular Wisdom Circle Join the Transition Towns movement - start a local initiative; Set up a World Cafe or Open Space to explore big issues affecting people locally: discuss, vision, brainstorm, action planning; Build community: no solution without cooperation!

Wisdom Circles use the principles of the "Ten Constants" to make them simple yet deep, and easy to start with. You can feel your way forward, with new and old friends, step by step, at whatever pace is comfortable for you, enjoying yourself. Open up to both the deep planetary problems and to the high visions, discover your strengths and passions and where you can contribute to the tremendous challenge of our times. We believe that help from Great Spirit is available, but we also believe that help for the planet will not come unless we ask, and unless we are building solidarity to work together, to build community, to rebuild individual and community resilience, whatever our individual beliefs.

The World Cafe invites participants to respond to key questions in small and friendly groups at tables, changing tables so as to increase "cross-pollination" of ideas. "It creates dynamic networks of conversation that can catalyze an organization's or community's own collective intelligence around its most important questions". It works best with something like 20 to 200 participants. This simple but highly-regarded format could help us develop a wide support network, for mutual support for small local groups, to back up the online Forum, and to develop a deeper sense of identity.

Just start a regular "Heartbeat" group with no special format. Offer a regular space, offer refreshment, set no agenda, have no expectations, do what you are comfortable with. Just ask within yourself for this space to be used to "help people help the planet" and you will be amazed what can happen. Regularity really builds up the feeling of heartbeat.

Transition games - why not? This page is a start. Send us yours.

Transition Towns Training - Notes from Transition Initiatives training weekend - all group work.

Open Space Technology is a curious term for a way of brainstorming that Transition Towns uses a lot because it is so productive, creative and empowering. In theory it should not work but it does. It is a glorified coffee break. It starts when it starts and finishes when it finishes. Whoever turns up are the people who are meant to turn up. Whatever happens is what is meant to happen...

  Nine Directions of Life This is taken from Native American wisdom and adapted to include the dimensions of Time, which makes nine directions altogether. This way we can remember to allow for the very different levels of engagement with which people may come to work with the Great Transition, from sheer innocent ignorance regarding the present global situation to committed, experienced, skilled involvement.

last updated 4th February 2008

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