pippasorley

May You Live In Interesting Times

Saturday, June 25, 2011 by Pippa Sorley

The below article is brought to you as part of elephant journal’s ongoing coverage of LOHAS Forum. For our complete coverage, be sure to follow elephant on Twitter and Facebook.

Dr. Jean Houston woke me up this morning.

Normally, I don't like to be woken up. In fact, most people in my family stay as far away from me as possible before 10am. But, this was different. This was a powerful awakening...and everyone in the room felt it. Her too-short lecture at the 2011 LOHAS conference was received with hoots and hollers and a standing ovation.

Many of us believe that we are in the middle of a revolution. A revolution of the mind. And folks like Dr. Jean are the messengers. She, like many represent the 'Paul Reveres' of this revolution.

: Bucky Fuller

I had the honor of literally bumping into Dr. Houston shortly after her inspiring speech (I'm not the most graceful of people). Her humility, her openness, her kind eyes, and the beautiful story written in the folds of her face fascinated me. Here's a woman who has spent years studying with the likes of Joseph Campbell, Margaret Mead, and Buckminster Fuller, and right now, here she is, taking the time to "see" me. Taking the time to listen to my rants about the hypocrisy of the Feminist Movement. I left our brief chat wanting for more, which, magically, I will get. I will interview her in more depth in 2 weeks, which I will post here for anyone who might be interested in what the messengers -- and maybe in this case the angels -- of the future have to say. How do we move elegantly and consciously through this current phase of Transition? What challenges do we, as humanity, need to address first? We know we have no road map, so where can we look for directions?

Just a few of the quotes that struck me:

"Do any of you feel as if your life is a micro-laboratory of what's going on in world?"

"We are the 'People of the parentheses' in the history of humanity"

"It's time to leave our life of serial monotony behind; rather, let's take this opportunity to prepare ourselves to become stewards of The Spirit."

"It's time to harvest the human capacity."

How fortunate we are to be living in such times. I have much gratitude to everyone attending this conference. The anticipation of change is palpable. Let's ride the wave. You ready?

** title of this article is taken from an ancient chinese proverb**

Pippa Sorley is co-founder of eConscious Market, one of the Internet’s leading online green retailers. She has 15+ experience working for both nonprofit organizations & corporations within the Natural Products, LOHAS, and Sustainable Business sectors. She lives in the Republic of Boulder, Colorado.

Our Kids See Stars In Our Eyes

Saturday, June 25, 2011 by Pippa Sorley

The below article is brought to you as part of elephant journal’s ongoing coverage of LOHAS Forum. For our complete coverage, be sure to follow elephant on Twitter and Facebook.

A Slam Poet at a Green Business Conference? What's the world coming to?

The title of this article was part of Theo Wilson's poem that tipped me over the edge. Sandwiched in between Friday's session(s) "Greening the Mainstream" and "FutureTopia", Theo's stand-up routine ended with cheers and tears, hoots and hollers, and in my case, big 'ole goose bumps. In fact, I think I felt a tear drop dribble down my cheek by the end. Not what I expected when I dragged my (slightly hungover) self to "work" that morning. What a delicious surprise.

The annual LOHAS Forum, which just ended yesterday, represents a gathering of minds that really is NOT like the rest. The event directors gather the most eclectic group of luminaries, entrepreneurs, scientists, and non-profits out there, from slam poets and Evolutionaries, to internationally-renown Medicine Hunters and award-winning authors.

Attendees come to learn. But they also come to interact. I think that's what strikes me the most about how the LOHAS conference is unique -- it's a collaborative event. I feel as if I'm amongst my tribe of people here, even though most of them I've never met before. It is a true meeting of the minds -- a place where business and soul intersect. I mean, I challenge anyone to not be just a little intrigued by a panel titled "Liberating the Corporate Soul?"

Throughout the three day event, I was curious, how will the conversation go between the executive at Coca-Cola and The Medicine Hunter, Chris Kilham? Will the young, hopeful entrepreneur seek out advice from the Non-Profit Executive Director at Pachamama Alliance? It was fascinating to witness lively conversations between folks who seemingly would never otherwise interact.

Good on you LOHAS folks. It's time that we start talking to each other, even if we don't think we want or need to. Thanks for providing us all with a forum to do just that.

May You Live In Interesting Times.

Thursday, June 23, 2011 by Pippa Sorley

Dr. Jean Houston woke me up this morning.

Normally, I don't like to be woken up. In fact most people in my family stay as far away from me as possible before 10am. But, this was different. This was a powerful awakening...and everyone in the room felt it. Her too-short lecture at the 2011 LOHAS conference was received with hoots and hollers and a standing ovation.

Many of us believe that we are in the middle of a revolution. A revolution of the mind. And folks like Dr. Jean are the messengers. She, like many represent the 'Paul Reveres' of this revolution.

Just a few of the quotes that struck me:

"Do any of you feel as if your life is a micro-laboratory of what's going on in world?"

"We are the 'People of the parentheses' in the history of humanity"

"It's time to leave our life of serial monotony behind; rather, let's take this opportunity to prepare ourselves to become stewards of The Spirit."

"It's time to harvest the human capacity."

How fortunate we are to be living in such times. I have much gratitude to everyone attending this conference. The anticipation of change is palpable. Let's ride the wave. You ready?

Collaboration. It's The New Competition.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 by Pippa Sorley

The below article is brought to you as part of elephant journal’s ongoing coverage of LOHAS Forum. For our complete coverage, be sure to follow elephant on Twitter and Facebook.

I'm super excited to be here, in my home town of Boulder, Colorado, to attend the annual LOHAS conference. As much as I'm averse to the unsexy acronym -- LOHAS -- (couldn't we have come up with something that rolls off the tongue a bit better?), I'm proud to be representing elephantjournal's perspective on this year's LOHAS conference. Boulder is, after all, America's hub for the sustainability, natural products, and alternative health industries. It may be a republic. But it's the hippest, greenest, most innovative republic out there!

I've just left the press conference led by Ted Ning, the Conference Director, and was struck by his enthusiasm for what this conference represents. How is this conference different for all the others? We've all been to events over the years, where it seems same 'ole, same 'ole...talking heads, peeps patting themselves on the back for what a great job they're doing in their respective industries. But this one really does feel different. It seems to promote and offer a new way of working together; a new way of doing business together; a new way to learn from and teach one another...which, in my opinion, is THE wave of the future...collaboration.

The "Us vs. Them" paradigm is over. In fact, companies that continue on the path of cutthroat competition will be left in the dust. Triple bottom line economics is what will drive the future of sustainable business. Thanks to the annual LOHAS conference, conscious companies have an opportunity to network with scores of other, like-minded green businesses in pursuit of three bottom lines : financial, environmental, and social. Get ready world. We're here. And the world is a changin' as we speak.

Collaboration. It's the new competition.