Joanna began by describing how our civilization, the industrial growth society, is beginning to unravel - financially, environmentally, politically, psychologically. She said that most people are reacting to this destruction out of fear and obedience or by going numb, but she believes the spiritual challenge is to be present, to truly take in and see what is happening to our world, allow ourselves to open up and feel the pain, mourn the dishonor and destruction and loss, so we are then better able to take action based on the natural compassion that arises in us when we tap into our humanity and connection to the earth. She calls this time period, The Great Turning.

There are 3 Dimensions of The Great Turning:

the front line cities of Selma, Birmingham and Montgomery Alabama, and spoke to some of the surviving footsoldiers of the movement, that the true depths and power of this story really sunk home.

What struck me most, was that this was a movement rooted solidly in love. Not the hallmark love that we have come identify with the word, but a fierce love, a love of unrelenting compassion, of unwavering nonviolence. A love that faced the bigotry and hatred of the Klu Lux Klan, of the police with their dogs trained on black dummies to attack wildly at the sight of black skin, of the average white citizens of the south who spat on and taunted the protestors as they were beaten bloody for simply trying to sit a lunch counter or ride a bus or cross a bridge, and dared to see the divine spark within each and every one of those human beings. That recognized that behind their hatred, was hurt. Behind their anger, their prejudice, was fear. Behind their violence, behind that testosterone fueled male agression of the hooded Klansman, was a sad little boy, who didn't get enough love.

We pulled up through the quiet green streets of Berea, Kentucky, a progressive oasis in this Southern State, past a perma culture village, past the college, (tuition charged on an ability to pay basis), to the small brownstone home of bell hooks. She was in her front yard, putting dirt into potted plants. She waved as we pulled up and called out, "welcome!"

We sat down at her kitchen table, in large airy living room decorated with sacred art. She had a warm, glowing presence, a being infused with love.

Interestingly, Buddhism had virtually disappeared in India, swallowed up by Hinduism, who simply renamed Buddha another god in its vast pantheon, discarding the essence of the Buddhists teaching - that all humans are equal, that every individual can awaken, not just those of the Brahman class. Dalits often refer to Hinduism as ‘Brahimism', a system of power over, far from the truth that God is Love. Ambedkar, the great Dalit leader, a contemporary of Gandhis, was one of the first to reject Hinduism, and become a Buddhist. He was a key figure in the birth of the independent India, the one who study the constitutions of the world, and helped to draft Indias new constitution, working tirelessly for the rights of all the oppressed of India - Dalits, tribals, and women.