Spiralling UP

"At a time when the world appears increasingly turbulent something deeper is also moving — a maturation of awareness, responsibility, and relationship. The spiral is an ancient and universal symbol of evolution. It honours both continuity and change, grounding and emergence. Rather than beginning again, we are integrating what has come before, moving forward with greater coherence, wisdom, and care."

This past weekend (February 21-22, 2026), I participated online in Symposium V: Spiralling UP: A New Energy for Planetary Consciousness, hosted by  UNITY EARTH. I was impressed with the palpable love among the speakers and participants, the positive outlook, and no discussion of doom or the current President of the USA. My only disappointment was that the younger generations were largely missing from the event.

Spiralling Up was a global broadcast gathering on Zoom and YouTube. It was a "moment of collective transition" that brought together voices from across cultures, disciplines, and spiritual traditions at a moment of profound planetary change."

"Each year, the Unity Earth Symposium serves as both a contemplative space and a catalytic forum — a place to reflect, align, and re-orient toward what is emerging in human consciousness and planetary responsibility. In 2026, that emergence is clear — even if the pathway is not."

"Spiralling Up featured Robert Atkinson, Diane Berke, Ben Bowler, Roger P. Briggs, Adam Bucko, Jude Currivan, Riane Eisler, Tezikiah Gabriel, Charles P. Gibbs, Jeff Genung, Audrey Kitagawa, Mussie Hailu, Kristin Hoffmann, Kurt Johnson, William Keepin, Julie Krull, Rama Mani, Deborah Moldow, Omashar, Jon Ramer, Alexander Schieffer, and Anne-Marie Voorhoeve, all members of: Evolutionary Leaders: In Service to Conscious Evolution of The Source of Synergy Foundation."

"Spiraling Up speaks to evolution without erasure; growth without disconnection; progress rooted in memory, place, and relationship. There were three days of keynotes, panels, and live dialogue around:

• Planetary consciousness and collective responsibility

• Interspiritual wisdom transcending religious boundaries

• Cultural healing, reconciliation, and peacebuilding

• Inner transformation as a foundation for outer action

• Partnership, alliances, and collaborative futures"

Day 1 – Feb 20, 2026 - Vision & Direction - UNITY EARTH as an organisation: reflected on purpose, learnings, and pathways for 2026 and beyond.

Day 2 – Feb 21, 2026, was dedicated to Partnerships, Coalitions, Alliances, and Networks — because no single movement can meet this moment alone. They explored networks, coalitions, and collaborative responses to global challenges with featured speakers: Jude Currivan, Riane Eisler, and Roger P. Briggs.

"The morning session brought together leaders whose work bridges traditions, sectors, and systems. Dr. Julie Krull explored inner coherence as the foundation of outer collaboration. Ambassador Mussie Hailu and Sami Awad drew on decades of peacebuilding across cultures, demonstrating how alliances form through courageous relationships. Syed Salman Chishty embodies the Sufi tradition’s call to unity through service."

"Yuka Saionji Matsuura, representing the global May Peace Prevail On Earth movement and the Goi Peace Foundation, demonstrates how shared intention can become living infrastructure — a worldwide network linking governments, communities, and grassroots leaders through a universal prayer for peace."

From cosmology to partnership economics, Dr. Jude Currivan, Roger Briggs, Rama Mani, Alexander Schieffer, Riane Eisler, and Jon Ramer illuminated how networks of cooperation — across governance, spirituality, and social innovation — are shaping a regenerative planetary future.

Hosted by Ben Bowler, these sessions reveal partnership not merely as a strategy, but as a lived practice — the essential architecture of planetary consciousness.

Day 3 – Feb 22, 2026, turned toward the maturation of interspirituality — how shared spiritual awareness becomes structured, embodied action in the world. From Awareness to Action dialogued with interspiritual pioneers, focusing on how insight becomes embodied, relational, and actionable. Featured speakers were "interspiritual pioneers."

Hosted by Dr. Kurt Johnson and Rev. Deborah Moldow, the morning opened with a keynote from Rev. Matthew Fox, whose Creation-centered theology and prophetic voice call us into a spirituality that serves justice, ecology, and cultural transformation.

Morning : Ben Bowler, Matthew Fox, Matthew M. Cobb, Patrick Carolan, Kurt Johnson, John Calvin Chatlos, Roger P. Briggs; Grove Harris, Jonathan Granoff, Jyotsna Singh; Jeffrey Genung, Diane Berke, William Keepin, Susan Belchamber. Find the session on YouTube here.

Afternoon : Ben Bowler, Sally Mahé, Charles P. Gibbs, Kay Lindahl, Victor Kazanjian Jr., Gard Jameson; Rory McEntee, Netanel Miles-Yépez, Alexandra Warden, Adam Bucko; Yanni Maniates, Deborah Moldow, Robert Atkinson, Karen Volker, and Kurt Johnson. Find the session on YouTube here.

Three converging clusters on Day 3 demonstrated how this vision is being carried forward:

Cluster 1 – Bede Griffiths Trust

Matthew M. Cobb, Patrick Carolan, Calvin Chatlos, and Roger Briggs represent a contemplative lineage in dialogue with science, ecology, and systems thinking — spirituality expressed through institutional continuity and cultural evolution.

Cluster 2 – Temple of Understanding

Grove Harris, Jonathan Granoff, and Jyotsna Singh show how spiritual principles can influence diplomacy, education, and global cooperation — translating dialogue into structural impact.

Cluster 3 – Holomovement & Prosocial Spirituality

Jeff Genung, Rev. Diane Berke, William Keepin, and Susan Belchamber explored the integration of spirituality, systems science, and collective intelligence in shaping regenerative culture.

In a dedicated segment, Rocky Dawuni shared reflections on the cultural dimension of planetary awakening, followed by one of his songs — embodying the movement from awareness into action through art.

The Spiraling Up Symposium V was held in alignment with UN World Interfaith Harmony Week, held February 1-7, 2026.

Sessions partnered with the discussion groups from:

• United Religions Initiative

• Bede Griffiths Trust

• Charis Foundation for Interspirituality

• Temple of Understanding

• Holomovement

• ProSocial Spirituality

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Ben Bowler is the Executive Director of Unity Earth TV. The key people are Rev. Deborah Moldow (Vision Keeper), Dr. Kurt Johnson (Convenor, Scholar), Pooki Lee (Vision Keeper), and Antoinette Rootsdawtah (Marketing & Public Relations). Board members include Victoria Friedman, Laurence Singer, Yanni Maniates, Emanuel Kuntzelman, and Laura Rose

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