Being the Change
BEING CHANGE

The Institute was created for people who are interested in making a positive
difference in their lives and communities by "initiating global change from the inside
out."  Many of us are genuinely concerned about what we see happening in the world
around us and feel that our lives lack a deeper sense of meaning.  But we often
perceive these personal and global situations as overwhelming and believe that
nothing we could do would possibly ever change anything.

It is not yet too late to create the shifts we envision and it is RSI's mission to assist
you in feeling sufficiently educated, empowered and inspired to, as Mohandas Gandhi
said, "be the change that you want to see in the world."  We cannot make the world
a better place all by ourselves, but if everyone of us begins, right now, to do our small
part ~ then change will surely happen.

As the name implies the Institute offers an integrated and systemic means for
addressing the challenges we are facing, both individually and as a global
community.  Though this approach is inherently complex and holistic, two primary
interdependent roots act as touchstones that motivate our efforts and guide our
actions:

The cultivation of our potential for living deeply satisfying, purpose-filled lives.

The development of a sustainable relationship with the earth and each other.


INITIATING GLOBAL CHANGE FROM THE INSIDE OUT

One of the most effective means for achieving deeply-rooted, long-term, systemic
change in individuals and cultures is to address the psychology, or "roots" underlying
their actions and structures.  While other organizations might address mindsets as
one aspect of affecting systemic change within an institution or local system, RSI
seeks to address our psychology as a specific means (and end) for achieving
sustainability in all systems and at all levels.  RSI's vision of sustainability goes
beyond that of some sufficient level of functioning, to imagining and striving toward the
deepest happiness, highest potential and optimal health possible for each organism
and/or system.

In order to discover the means for living in ways that are more authentic and
environmentally friendly we must first begin by investigating, challenging, and if
necessary, transforming our own underlying beliefs and assumptions about
ourselves and the world.  This means reconnecting with our own unique sense of
purpose, recognizing the kind of world we'd like to live in, and then discovering
practical ways to embody that change in all areas of our lives.  This is what is meant
by working "from the inside out."

Everyone's personal well-being depends upon the healthy functioning of the larger
social and environmental systems of which we are a part, therefore we need to take
that global, interdependent context into account when we are evaluating the true
impact of our own actions.  And, achieving genuine, long-lasting results also requires
that we approach this process in a holistic way by attending to the relationship
between our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being and viewing our
existence in a "global way."


TOOLS FOR CHANGE

Root Systems Institute is dedicated to "educating, empowering and inspiring" people
to be change agents in their own lives and in the world around them.  To that end RSI
has developed an interdisciplinary, transformational process that helps people
identify their own vision and purpose, understand systems and sustainability, relate
effectively with others, and process their own beliefs and mindsets.  Research in
many fields has demonstrated that information alone is important, but not sufficient,
for promoting behavior change; therefore RSI's programs and services also assist
individuals in developing the skills and internal motivation which make change
possible and enduring.  This process goes beyond simply educating people about
the environment or creating external changes in behavior to include their
understanding of their own emotional and psychological drivers for making choices
that promote (or preclude) happiness and sustainability. These three "tools for
change" provide the foundation for RSI's philosophy and approach.

EDUCATE

The first step in promoting positive change in our lives is recognizing what changes
need to be made.  Many of us are not fully aware of the internal or external
circumstances in our lives that may be leading to less than desired quality of life for
ourselves and those around us.  RSI educates people in order to provide them with
ready access to the knowledge they need to make informed decisions that take into
consideration their global implications.  

EMPOWER

It's not enough to simply identify what the problems are, or even to learn more about
the world or ourselves; we must also possess the skills for successfully transforming
the barriers we encounter into workable solutions.  RSI empowers people with the
physical and psychological capacity to initiate change and take effective action.  This
can include encouraging an evolving understanding of the historical conditioning,
cultural meanings, and social dynamics that influence our behavior.  RSI understands
why change can be so challenging and provides people with the resources they need
to demystify that process and make it doable.

INSPIRE

This last component may be the most vital and yet perhaps the most neglected
aspect of this work; because in order to build a better world, we must first believe that
creating a better world for ourselves and future generations is both possible and
essential.  Many of us know what the issues are and may even possess some of the
skills we need to make changes, but one of the most important ingredients, if not the
most important one, is the internal motivation and energy to shift our priorities and
begin.  The tasks ahead of us will require a good deal of effort and endurance, and
though an external impetus can work for a time, we need to possess internal
inspiration in order to be truly effective over the long haul (and enjoy ourselves along
the way.)  RSI inspires people to engage in a process which allows them to identify
for themselves which changes are personally relevant, so that they can have
ownership and satisfaction in their choices.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.  
Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”  
~ Margaret Mead ~
Photo by Dick Orleans
“Men of superior minds busy
themselves first in getting at the
root of things, and when they
have succeeded in this, the right
course is open to them.”  
~ Confuscius ~
“In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we
understand, we will understand only what we are taught.”  
~ Baba Dioum, Senegalese ecologist ~
“Love is the pursuit of the whole.”  

~ Plato ~
"Initiating Global Change from the Inside Out"
© 1997-2007 Jennifer H. White, Root Systems Institute ~ All Rights Reserved
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