The Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species is a contemplative journey into the hearts and minds of other species to celebrate and honor our connection with those species, and to see our lives and life choices from another life-form’s perspective.

The Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species is also an exploration of how we can use the wisdoms, passion, wit and strengths of other species in our daily lives to create a more sustainable planet and empower our lives.

Earth lovers are invited to help spread these dances worldwide as another way to connect with the ancient intelligence and ecological perspectives of the Earth’s diverse and passionate life-forms. Dancers are also invited to create and send their Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species ideas to us so we can post it here. Another place to talk about the dance is the XOEarth Facebook and other circle dance sites.

The XOEarth’s Biosphera Dance form is described below. Other forms are mentioned in the D4S Forms section.

GreenMatrix Form 4 Dimensions – 4 Movements

Animal diversity – Medeis/wikimedia ccbysa alt

The GreenMatrix form is the original version of the Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species. This form is based on four movements – TEAM, ART, LOGIC and LOVE – to give dancers and their “species guides” a chance to focus on specific dimensions of ecological awareness and action. In the XOEarth’s Biosphera Dance form, dancers may invite a different animal or plant to be their guide in each of the movements of the dance, or they can dance with the same species in all 4 movements.~~~~~~~~TEAM is the first movement of this dance. During the TEAM movement we ask our species guide to teach us what they know about cooperation, community, and teamwork from the perspective of their kind. Whatever the species — be it ant, elephant, goose, krill, aspen tree, or manta ray — they all have lessons to teach us about TEAM. And so, in the TEAM dimension, we can ask our species guide for ideas on how to apply their knowledge and perspective to the way we work with friends, associates and with environmental organizations to help protect the planet and to better our lives.

Of course, corporations have also demonstrated the power of team, even though their focus is often destructive and dangerous for the biosphere. As Earth lovers, it is a crucial aspect of protecting the planet that we also come together to work as a team.~~~~~~~~ ART is the second movement of the XOEarth’s Biosphera Dance. As we dance the ART movement we will ask our species guide to tell us what they know about communication, creativity, interaction, motivation, and art. Whatever the species – be it wildebeest, wasp, butterfly, gorilla, amoeba, or whale – they all have something to say about ART. We will then ask our species guide to suggest ways that we can apply their communication and creative abilities to the way we use conversation, email, fine art, songs, and multi-media to inform our friends, community and the world of environmental and social issues we care about.

Profit obsessed advertising often abuses the communication arts used by humans and other species to destroy the biosphere. In these times, getting the dry information out there is usually not good enough to motivate change – serious info with a ingenious twist is easier hear and act on. ~~~~~~~~LOGIC is the third movement of the dance. During the LOGIC movement we ask our species guide to tell us what they have discovered about how to live ecologically and in harmony with others of their species and other life-forms. Whatever the species – be it spider, raven, caribou, seahorse, sunflower, or lion – they have all LOGICal ways of living that we can learn from. Therefore, in the LOGIC dimension, we can ask our species guide to help us make life-style lifestyle decisions and consumer choices that best serve the Earth and our lives.

The Logic dimension is also an misty excursion into the future to see the domino effect of our eco-actions on life-forms and humans worldwide based on science, natural history and probability. ~~~~~~~~LOVE is the fourth movement. During the LOVE movement we take the chance to honor and give love back to our species guide and receive any love they choose to send our way. Whatever the species – be it kitty cat, beetle, cobra, willow, koala or dolphin – they all have something to say about LOVE. The LOVE dimension is also a place to accept the gratitude and praise for environmental actions that have helped protect their homes, their lives and the planet!!

The LOVE dimension is also a realm to allow the energies and powers of our species guide, its family, the biosphere and the universal river of love to rejuvenate and nurture our body, mind and spirit.
~~~~~~~~By opening our hearts and minds to the possible perspectives of the other species and how their instincts, inner wisdoms and behaviors relate to TEAM, ART, LOGIC and LOVE in our lives, we have the chance to discover new ways to protect our priceless planet. Plus, once we have danced with and connected with our species guides, we can ask our guides to team up with us in our day-to-day work and actions to inspire and empower our Earth actions.

By the way, TEAM, ART, LOGIC and LOVE are also the basis for the Earth Accord, a global environmental pledge project.

Music and Materials

60-90 minutes of live or recorded music is needed for one D4S dance. Although many styles of music might work for the Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species, it is usually best if most of the music for the dance is a contemplative, quieter style music that supports the dancers as they are move around the area while and exploring the philosophical, subconscious, and ethereal realms. Mellow instrumental or acoustic music – either live or recorded – is good for this.

The D4S dance has four movements. Each movement starts out with 2-5 minutes in which the dancers are moving slowly choosing a species guide for that section. These short segments at the beginning of the four movements are usually a quieter and more contemplative music. The remaining 10-15 minutes of each movement is for free-form dancing with the species guide and therefore has a more energetic style of music.

D4S Suggested Materials

+ Pictures of various species to place around the room for dancers to refer to and/or to help them find a species guide. Nature magazines and nature education cards are good sources for these animal and plant pictures.
+ 4 small tables, clothe, objects, candles, flowers to decorate North, South, East and West in the room.
+ Sound system.
+ Musicians’ instruments/ Drum/ Shakers.
+ Money collection system if applicable. [Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species would greatly appreciate that you send 50 cents for every dancer in order to help support the world promotion of the Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species.]

Setup, Intro, Dance, Wrap-Up

Dance, speak, make nature and animal sounds and sing about the specific positive impact of our ecological actions on critters, lifeforms and ecosystems near and far.[/caption] D4S EVENT SEQUENCE-TIMELINE

SETUP SPACE /(20-60 minutes)

+ Start nice background music to setup by and welcome dancers.
+ Nice tables and objects in four directions.
+ Pictures of various species on floor in a circle around the dance space.
+ Donation container with sign and/or collection center. [If you put on a Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species that you charge for, please send us 50 cents for every dancer present to help support the Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species organization.]
+ Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species and XOEarth Citizens Accord information table or location.

WELCOME – INTROS /(3-15 minutes)
Welcome dancers to the Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species. For smaller groups, have dancers sit in a circle. If the group is small and you have plenty of time, invite each person to take a minute to introduce themselves. This also makes some time for late comers.

D4S OVERVIEW /(7-15 minutes)
Describe the concept of the D4S dance to the dancers. The sections called “Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species/ CELEBRATING THE BIOSPHERE” and then “4 DIMENSIONS 4 MOVEMENTS” on this page can be used in this description.

Dancers may also be told that they can either dance alone (in a more contemplative exploration of one’s relationship with their species guide), or, dance with other dancers (in an inter-species celebration and exchange), or both.

LEAD THE D4S DANCE /(60-90 minutes)
See D4S CHOREOGRAPHY below for the description of the 4 movements of the XOEarth’s Biosphera Dance form.

AFTER DANCE WRAP-UP /(10-45 minutes)
Once the dance is complete, dancers may be invited to get together in small groups of 2-5 to celebrate the journey, tell others what they learned, discuss how to apply it to our lives, and talk about how to use what we learned to protect the biosphere. If you are a fan of the XOEarth Citizens Accord, now would be a good time to describe it and invite others to join in.

Choreography

4 ‘DANCE 4 THE SPECIES’ MOVEMENTS
Even though the following is the recommended order of the 4 movements, it can be changed if desired. Although the guide has a number of things they need to say during the dance, most of the time during the dance there are no words spoken to allow the dancers to can go deeper into the visualizations, contemplations, playfulness, interactions between other dancers and “inter-species communications”.

1ST MOVEMENT – “TEAM” /(12-20 minutes)
Start “walking” music. (2-5 minutes) Invite dancers to get up and walk in a circle as the slower intro music begins – or turn around in one place if the group is large. During this walking section, invite dancers to choose a species guide – either one that is in the cards and pictures (if available), one they have in mind or one that calls out to them. Ask dancers to invite that species to join them in the dance.

Dancers then invite their species guide to start communicating any ideas or wisdoms related to the TEAM dimension that might be beneficial in the dancer’s life, for humanity or for the planet. An example of TEAM used by a specific animal or plant is a fun addition here. The invitation to one of the Directions (North, South, East or West) to join in the dance may be included here as well.

Start “dancing” music. (10-15 minutes) As the more energetic music begins, invite dancers to dance go into a deeper dance and communication with their species guides. Invite dancers to dance around, explore the movements of their species guide and even the sounds the animal or plant might make.

The movement comes to closure as the music stops. Ringing a chime or playing a gong will take the group into a moment of silence to contemplate the gifts from this Dimension. It is important to have some means of bringing closure to each movement before starting the next dimension and its unique focus.

2ND MOVEMENT “ART” /(12-20″)
Same as MOVEMENT 1 except comments relate to ART and the relevant Direction.

3RD MOVEMENT “LOGIC” /(12-20″)
Same as MOVEMENT 1 except comments relate to LOGIC and the relevant Direction.

4TH MOVEMENT 4 “LOVE” /(12-20″)
Same as MOVEMENT 1 except comments relate to LOVE and the relevant Direction.

4000 Dances

All eco citizens are invited to help organize and/or lead a Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species in their community — to explore the possible perspectives, intelligence, passion and wit of the Earth’s life-forms.

Starting a Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species is a fun way to get friends and others to tune into their connection with other life-forms (and future peoples), and in turn, encourage them to take specific actions that will help protect those life-forms (and ourselves).

So join Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species to power up the ecological actions in your community — and to help manifest a lofty goal of 4000 Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species each month around the world.

The fourth Saturday of each month at 4:00 PM is the un-official time and day for the Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species around the world. Of course, your dance group may choose to meet on a different date.

Once you decided to have a dance, contact Stele or Zia or 72O.34O.8O8O. They can answer questions, might be able to help with the dance, and would love to hear how your dance goes.

XOEarth Citizens Accord ~~ GreenMatrix

The Bioshera: ‘Dance 4 the Species is based in part on the XOEarth Speak and the XOEarth Citizens Accord.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
XOEarth Citizens Accord
The XOEarth Citizens Accord is a call to all Earth lovers to unite in a goal to give 4% or more in time* and/or income back to the planet via the dimensions of Team, Art, Logic and Love.

More info on the XOEarth Citizens Accord is at XOEarth.org/accord.

GreenMatrix
Even though the precise benefits of our environmental lifestyles, environmental and political actions are sometimes difficult to trace, it is crucial that we envision those results so we can continue to be motivated to take those actions.

Plus, taking care of the planet is more fun and motivating when we understand the perspective, love and joy that other life-forms and humans experience. Envisioning how our eco actions benefit those life-forms and humans can even more motivating.

However, since the perspectives of other life-forms and humans, and our connections to these life-forms and humans are hard to see, it is important to explore these connections and perspective using visualization and “meta-physical journey”.

If advertisers can make people buy by using fantasy-world impossibilities… we can nurture environmental action by envisioning the possible real-world effects of our eco actions.

XOEarth Speak
All of the life-forms on our planet love to live and live to love. If these species could thank us – and even kiss us – for our environmental actions that save their home and their lives, they probably would. XOEarth Speak writers attempt to speak for these animals and planets in their stories and songs.

For more info on XOEarth Speak and to get XOEarth Speak stories, art and songs as a reward for your environmental actions, check out XOEarth.org/art-song-word/.

For Kids and Other Forms

Kids and Young Adults. We invite teachers and parents to incorporate the D4S into their natural science and environmental ed programs. Suggestions and lesson plan designers are quite welcome too.

GreenMatrix Circle form. This is basically the GreenMatrix form done as a circle dance. This 15 to 90 minute dance can be used at Dances Of Universal Peace and Sufi dances. Contact Stele for guidelines.

Seasons Dance 4 the Species form. This is basically the GreenMatrix form done using the 4 Seasons as the movements instead of Team, Art, Logic and Love. Contact Stele for guidelines.

If you have a good D4S form send it to me, Stele Ely, and I will post it here or link to it.

Monthly Dance and Party

Saturday Is XOEarth Party Day! The second Saturday of each month is XOEarth Party Day worldwide. Therefore, it is also a great day to have a Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species. So consider inviting your friends, associates and community to a Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species on the second Saturday, and introduce XOEarth at the end of the dance. Tell us all about how your dance went!

As well as the Dance, consider including at least one focus environmental “party favor” at your dance. Such as, having a letter writing campaign table, making flags, distributing membership info for your favorite enviro org, and teaching about efficiency actions such as using clotheslines and cleaning refrigerator coils.

Team ~ Volunteers

We welcome those who would like to join the Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species team. Send us few words as to what aspect of the project you are interested in. Certificates of achievement will be given to accomplished volunteers or interns. We will also be forming a board of directors.

Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species has a need for team members who would like to help develop the D4S strategies, PR, fun stuff, and web stuff. We also need help translating the Biosphera ~ Dance 4 the Species into other languages!

Founders and Music

D4S Dance Leaders
If you are interested in getting help with a D4S, or if you would like the dance presented to a group or business along with the XOEarth Citizens Accord concept, contact Stele Ely and Zia Parker.

Custom XOEarth Speak Songs
Stele can compose and record a custom XOEarth Speak song for you. These custom songs “sung by one of the species” are composed in in a folky, balladic form. These songs journey into a deeper connection with the Earth, and to specific life-forms on our planet. Tell us what species you want – or if you want “planet Earth” to sing it. Also tell us for whom and what your custom XOEarth Speak song is for.

These custom songs make great gifts, or to give as a reward for someone’s eco-actions, or as an incentive. If you want one written for yourself as a reward, that’s fine too.

Donate to one of your fave environmental orgs to thank us.

4Dimensions Music/Materials Timeline Choreo News Connect 4Kids

explore, honor and receive the wisdoms of our planet’s life-forms

eco future
as the one
the sensitive self
part of the holistic universe
holon waves of integrative energies
united in feeling and knowledge [centaur]

level upon level interwoven
into a conscious network

universal community
ecological cherishing
earth Gaia life

living and conscious
freed from greed
liberated from dogma
dissing divisiveness

eco psych

lateral bonding
permeable self
lateral linking
relational self

grand unification
group intermeshing
dialogue relationship

open minded affiliations
based on shared sentiments

decisions commune
a la reconciliation
the human bond
a la consensus

eco sensual

spirituality and harmony
enriching the human potential

sometimes a new spirituality emerges
as a meshwork for all existence

thinking while using the entire spiral
seeing multiple levels of interaction

eco woman

egalitarian pluralistic values
social construction of reality
diversity and multiculturalism
caring and sensitivity

worldview
pluralistic relativism
subjective nonlinear thinking

eco man

detects harmonics
directs the mystical forces
guides pervasive flow-states
that permeate any organization
warmth

eco earthlings

turquoise yellow green

Turquoise Yellow Green /stele ely c09 /ken wilbur

Turquoise Yellow Green written by Stele Ely and inspired by Gabriel Moss and Ken Wilber.
See Integral Critical Levels of Turquoise Yellow and Green at Ken Wilber’s Integral Vision

Excerpt from Ken Wilbur:
8. Turquoise: Holistic . Universal holistic system, holons/waves of integrative energies; unites feeling with knowledge [centaur]; multiple levels interwoven into one conscious system. Universal order, but in a living, conscious fashion, not based on external rules (blue) or group bonds (green). A “grand unification” is possible, in theory and in actuality. Sometimes involves the emergence of a new spirituality as a meshwork of all existence. Turquoise thinking uses the entire spiral; sees multiple levels of interaction; detects harmonics, the mystical forces, and the pervasive flow-states that permeate any organization.

6. Green: The Sensitive Self . Communitarian, human bonding, ecological sensitivity, networking. The human spirit must be freed from greed, dogma, and divisiveness; feelings and caring supersede cold rationality; cherishing of the earth, Gaia, life. Against hierarchy; establishes lateral bonding and linking. Permeable self, relational self, group intermeshing. Emphasis on dialogue, relationships. Basis of values communes (i.e., freely chosen affiliations based on shared sentiments). Reaches decisions through reconciliation and consensus (downside: interminable “processing” and incapacity to reach decisions). Refresh spirituality, bring harmony, enrich human potential. Strongly egalitarian, anti-hierarchy, pluralistic values, social construction of reality, diversity, multiculturalism, relativistic value systems; this worldview is often called pluralistic relativism . Subjective, nonlinear thinking; shows a greater degree of affective warmth, sensitivity, and caring, for earth and all its inhabitants.

Where seen: Deep ecology, postmodernism, Netherlands idealism, Rogerian counseling, Canadian health care, humanistic psychology, liberation theology, cooperative inquiry, World Council of Churches, Greenpeace, animal rights, ecofeminism, post-colonialism, Foucault/Derrida, politically correct, diversity movements, human rights issues, ecopsychology. 10% of the population, 15% of the power.

With the completion of the green meme, human consciousness is poised for a quantum jump into “second-tier thinking.” Clare Graves referred to this as a “momentous leap,” where “a chasm of unbelievable depth of meaning is crossed.” In essence, with second-tier consciousness, one can think both vertically and horizontally, using both hierarchies and heterarchies. One can, for the first time, vividly grasp the entire spectrum of interior development, and thus see that each level, each meme, each wave is crucially important for the health of the overall spiral.

As I would word it, since each wave is “transcend and include,” each wave is a fundamental ingredient of all subsequent waves, and thus each is to be cherished and embraced. Moreover, each wave can itself be activated or reactivated as life circumstances warrant. [9] In emergency situations, we can activate red power drives; in response to chaos, we might need to activate blue order; in looking for a new job, we might need orange achievement drives; in marriage and with friends, close green bonding.

But what none of those memes can do, on their own, is fully appreciate the existence of the other memes. Each of those first-tier memes thinks that its worldview is the correct or best perspective. It reacts negatively if challenged; it lashes out, using its own tools, whenever it is threatened. Blue order is very uncomfortable with both red impulsiveness and orange individualism. Orange individualism thinks blue order is for suckers and green egalitarianism is weak and woo-woo. Green egalitarianism cannot easily abide excellence and value rankings, big pictures, hierarchies, or anything that appears authoritarian, and thus green reacts strongly to blue, orange, and anything post-green.

All of that begins to change with second-tier thinking. Because second-tier consciousness is fully aware of the interior stages of development–even if it cannot articulate them in a technical fashion–it steps back and grasps the big picture, and thus second-tier thinking appreciates the necessary role that all of the various memes play. Using what we would recognize as mature vision-logic, second-tier awareness thinks in terms of the overall spiral of existence, and not merely in the terms of any one level.

Where the green meme uses early or beginning vision-logic in order to grasp the numerous different systems and pluralistic contexts that exist in different cultures (which is why it is indeed the sensitive self, i.e., sensitive to the marginalization of others), second-tier thinking goes one step further. It looks for the rich contexts that link and join these pluralistic systems, and thus it takes these separate systems and begins to embrace, include, and integrate them into holistic spirals and holarchies (Beck and Cowan themselves refer to second-tier thinking as operating with “holons”). These holarchies include both interior (consciousness) and exterior (material) waves of development, in both vertical and horizontal dimensions (i.e., hierarchical and heterarchical), resulting in a multi-leveled, multi-dimensional, multi-modal, richly holarchical view. Second-tier thinking, in other words, is instrumental in moving from pluralistic relativism to universal integralism .

The extensive research of Graves, Beck, and Cowan indicates that there are two major waves to this second-tier consciousness (corresponding to what we would recognize as middle and late vision-logic):

7. Yellow: Integrative . Life is a kaleidoscope of natural hierarchies [holarchies], systems, and forms. Flexibility, spontaneity, and functionality have the highest priority. Differences and pluralities can be integrated into interdependent, natural flows. Egalitarianism is complemented with natural degrees of excellence where appropriate. Knowledge and competency should supersede rank, power, status, or group. The prevailing world order is the result of the existence of different levels of reality (memes) and the inevitable patterns of movement up and down the dynamic spiral. Good governance facilitates the emergence of entities through the levels of increasing complexity (nested hierarchy).

8. Turquoise: Holistic . Universal holistic system, holons/waves of integrative energies; unites feeling with knowledge [centaur]; multiple levels interwoven into one conscious system. Universal order, but in a living, conscious fashion, not based on external rules (blue) or group bonds (green). A “grand unification” is possible, in theory and in actuality. Sometimes involves the emergence of a new spirituality as a meshwork of all existence. Turquoise thinking uses the entire spiral; sees multiple levels of interaction; detects harmonics, the mystical forces, and the pervasive flow-states that permeate any organization.

Second-tier thinking: 1% of the population, 5% of the power.

1st notes:
as the one, as the all
the sensitive self
part of the holistic universe
holon waves of integrative energies
uniting the feeling with knowledge [centaur]

level upon level interwoven
into a conscious network

eco future

universal
community
ecological
cherishing
earth
Gaia
life

eco citizen

in a living, conscious fashion
thus freed from greed
thus freed from dogma
thus freed from divisiveness

lateral bonding
permeable self
lateral linking
relational self

grand unification
via group intermeshing
via dialogue in relationship

freely chosen affiliations
based on shared sentiments

decisions commune
a la reconciliation
the human bond
a la consensus

spirituality and harmony
enriching the human potential

deep ecology

sometimes a new spirituality emerges
as a meshwork for all existence

thinking while using the entire spiral
seeing multiple levels of interaction

eco human

egalitarian pluralistic values
social construction of reality
diversity and multiculturalism
caring and sensitivity

worldview
pluralistic relativism
subjective nonlinear thinking

eco feminine

detects harmonics
the mystical forces
and the pervasive flow-states
that permeate any organization
warmth

eco psychology

for earth
for earthlings

stele ely ken wilbur