"The Magnificent Human"
Interview with Jean Houston

By Connie Buffalo

JH: When I was growing up, I went to 20 schools before I was 12, because my father was a writer for Bob Hope and we were always on the road. I met children in all these schools with so much potential and enthusiasm for life. When I came to the same schools years later, many had lost their original spark and brilliance. Even at a young age I was stunned by this decline and decided that I would devote my life to helping people understand the unique possibilities each person carries, and design joyous and evocative programs that activate and support their visions and talents.

JH: The potential always exists, but the need for it has never been greater. As Einstein said, a problem cannot be solved at the same level of consciousness that created it. My aim in life is to help develop the consciousness that brings new and creative solutions to a more complex and challenging world.

JH: In our work we learn that our bodies are of the stuff of stars and the minerals of earth. Our blood runs briny with the seas, and we ourselves are living planets. Our genes are universes in themselves, coded with enough information to re-create the world. Perhaps then it is this nature that lies within, the inner mirror of the Great Nature that has pushed us to the choice points that we now face. Our responsibility is to reconnect with this inner nature. When we do so, we connect with the energy and the plan for our larger life.

JH: The world of the new millennium with its unique complexity requires a renewed spirituality. How can we hope to function well in a tumultuous world spinning through whole system transition without re-examining our belief systems? Recent discoveries in cosmology, mind and brain research and a deeper understanding of the spiritual practices of many cultures creates a basis for rich spiritual exploration. In my Mystery School of 2010, we will share many of these unique factors, and prepare our mind and spirits for this evolutionary journey.

JH: I think that we are in a critical time in which our awareness and actions profoundly impact our life and planet for generations to come. The Mayan predictions say that 2012 is the end of a cycle. Regardless if this is true or not, I think it's urgent to focus on how we responsibly and consciously help influence the world of today and tomorrow.

JH: Twenty-five years ago, I wrote a book called The Possible Human. It was based on years of research into human development. As I look at the way the world is now, I realize it's too late for the "Possible Human." We don't have time for gradual development; what we need now is acceleration of our capacities. We need to work in ways that evoke the Magnificent Human, that wise and effective being who resides at the essence of all great human endeavors.

This January, we're offering an exciting weekend of learning about the latest findings in science consciousness studies, mental growth, emotional resiliency and accessing new levels of spiritual understanding. The talks, music and personal exercises are all focused on developing the inner and outer skills necessary for these radically changing times. I'll be sharing the creative secrets of 50 of the world's top leaders, teaching the five essential new patterns of thinking and behavior and explaining why these are the most interesting, dangerous and potent times in human history.

This program is the culmination of over 40 years of work and I believe that it provides essential skills and information for firing on burners you didn't even know you had!

JH: We find ourselves in the middle of the most massive shift in perspective that human kind has ever known. We are at that stage where the real work of humanity begins. Whatever calls you to your own deeper knowing; listen to the summons. Whatever urges you to move beyond the epidemic of fear into creativity, follow it. As the old stories crumble, write new ones based on your own deepest values. Now it is time to decide how to answer these calls. Choose wisely. Boldly explore the magnificent human in you that yearns to create a society that works for everyone.

Connie Buffalo is President of The Global Legacy Project founded in partnership with Jean Houston.

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