I have been asked to provide a bit of an orientation to Path of Potential books and writings. For more than twenty-five years, I have partnered with Terry P. Anderson (Grand Junction, CO) in the work of making visible the perspective of potential. This work on potential led us to see and realize that today’s Western philosophies are insufficient to effectively address the significant problems of our time – those of humanity and those of earth – in ways leading to intentional planetary ethics. And so, we began directing our attention to developing a living philosophy whole enough and complete enough for people of all walks of life to come together in community to intentionally address the critical issues of this time, leading to our becoming more fully and truly human. From the beginning, we were clear that…
Where we start our thinking from determines the path we take, and the direction we move in – what we move towards, what we move away from.
It takes little reflection on the ways of working of humanity today to see a change is now being called for, a shift in process, a shift calling for our full participation in changing where we start our thinking from, that shift being one that…
– Moves us towards wholeness, away from that which divides.
– Works for all children, all children of earth, now and into the future.
– Acknowledges the truth of our being a part of life, intentionally created as members in earth’s life community.
– Always unfolds with and through love… for if love – the love of the Source – is not present in our processes, love will not be present in the outcomes.
This is what is called for to place us squarely on the path of bringing the world of our making into congruence with the world of intent, the world intended by the Source.
In reading these Path of Potential books and reflective materials, it is helpful to hold in mind the thought that these writings are all about “where we start our thinking from”… and they are written, not to provide “black and white answers,” but to evoke reflection and reflective dialogue.
A bit of orientation relative to some of the books follows:
“Taking the Path of Intent; Bringing the World of our Making into Congruence with the World of Intent” is an expression of the essence – the whole of the whole – of the philosophy of living potential.
“The Oil Spill Papers; Creating a New Path… a Path that Works for All Children” expresses the nature of reflection called for as we start our thinking on critical issues from the perspective of potential, not from the perspective of problem. The oil spill which threatened the shores along the northern Gulf Coast, as well as all of life in the Gulf itself, provided much food for reflection along with challenge to stay on the potential side, not jumping to problem solving in the absence of wisdom being our guide.
Work for All Children” is a practical and practice-able expression of starting our thinking from the living philosophy of potential in several arenas of our work and life… reflecting that each and all, regardless of where we are in life, can take on and have a meaningful role… a role that expresses our reason for being here… our role in the work for all children, all children of the world, now and into the future… our role in bringing the world of our making into congruence with the world of intent.
“At this Time of Potential” begins the work of reflecting on the gospels for their going forward wisdom relative to living in harmony with the intended ongoing unfolding of the life processes of earth, leading to our becoming ever more human. We need only reflect a bit to see that much divisiveness in the world today emerges from reasoned interpretation (e.g., historical, literal, etc.) of the revealed word. It is our hope that this book is a work showing a way for synthesis of the word and the works, synthesis essential along the way of moving towards wholeness and away from that which divides.
It is the hope that our readers readily see that our culture’s tendencies to divisiveness, fragmented thinking and unquestioned acceptance of how we do things is ill serving humanity and earth itself; we are not by these processes becoming more fully and truly human human; we, humanity, are not on the path of intent: the world of our making is not harmony with the world of intent. Now is the time of potential, the time to change where we start our thinking from, enabling our going forth with processes ever more human, on the path of intent, the path of bringing the world of our making into congruence with the intended way of working of the world of intent.
Sandra Maslow Smith, Philosopher of Potential
