Evolving a Human Family: The World Domination Summit 2013

                                                                     All Photos in this post credit Armosa Studios

Steve Schalchlin

At the heart of us,

We want to be free

We want to express ourselves

We desire to make a better world

We wish to make a difference where we can

We want to be seen, loved and encouraged

We want to see, love and encourage

We share the same heart.

Imagine being in a sea of almost three thousand people from all over the world, focused in one heart—people who have worked hard to move past fear—fear of others, fear of differences; past cultural conditioning, past resistance to, and anger at the status quo—people who have chosen to lead with love, lean into the heart of possibility, creativity, and to bring their gifts into the world in concrete ways, making tangible differences that somehow serve to preserve beauty, lift up hearts and connect beings, all the while creating staggering innovation and possibility.

This is what I found at the World Domination Summit, 2013 in Portland, Oregon, held this past weekend.

A feeling of instant streaming community and human family was present.

This was my second year in attendance, and even though the attendance size had tripled from last year, the same human family essence remained. I enjoyed the jump in size getting to feel and know with my eyes how many more people in the world were upholding these certain ideals!

I have been part of a small grass roots community that has been energizing for me for a while now, anchoring my life and purpose, giving me unfailing permission to explore who I am and what I am about. I have been supporting this in others as well, knowing somehow that this connection is where we find our contribution to the world, and simultaneously, our measure of joy in being human. The place of connection and creation is where meet each other in deep honoring and exploration of possibility.

Yet, imagine standing in line of strangers and having someone ask you what your dream is, asking you what your next step in fulfilling that dream will be, and then exchanging cards so they can hold you accountable. Effortless to keep an open heart, when everyone around you feels like a cheerleader. AND! This happened over and over as I interacted with bright-eyed people!!—no pretention, and such a beautiful vulnerability that shone in their human eyes of all ages as they dared to express their deepest heart, trusting that it was safe to do so!

And this only opened my heart even wider each time I listened. It beckoned me to share, and I could sense that sharing with these people held potent energy, potential and movement for all of us.

Our heart held by every stranger. Imagine.

Suddenly you are loved out loud, for being you!

To find such a large movement of individuals committed to this purpose continues to take possibility to a new level for me. A lot of summit attendees who have gone regularly expressed how the summit serves as a kind of set point for the year, a place from which they measure change within their lives and community. It feels like just being in the energy of these people is alchemical. Just to be in the humble presence of Chris Guillebeau, the founder (who deserves a post all to himself, but would be almost hard to find the words to describe him, because he is such an extraordinary paradox of humble power and loving, determined action-- a new kind of man that doesn’t have quite the descriptors or reference points) is an invitation to be a better person, and to make a better world by being you and acting at the edge of your potential.

So, three thousand strong, I see how I am truly not alone in my endeavor to dare to be me, grounded in love, and to leave the world different than I found it. I see how powerful it is for people to have moved past their fears, and to be able to show up in such a solid and open way.

Chris Guillebeau

The name of the conference is misleading. As far as I know, it came about from the founder Guillebeau’s dream to visit every country on the planet, (which he finished in April 2013, taking 11 years). And yet, I find the name perfectly descriptive for a movement striving for a global community that honors diversity, and uniqueness and finds oneness in this focus, and the realization of human potential and evolution through nurturing teaching learning communites, integrating values of community, adventure, innovation and action.   It is not world domination in an ownership way, but rather world domination as a great explorer discovering and embarking on a new world that you just couldn’t see through the fog of rampant fears and discouraging beliefs about the world.

This community of people are seeking each other out, knowing that we cannot evolve alone. They are balancing coloring in the lines for aesthetics sake, for peace’s sake, but finding a productive and loving way to advance human thinking and connection, and finding ways to build a world that returns to a meaning-state, where great purpose and joyful celebration of the human plight is found!

I feel excited about this world, I feel hopeful that we are changing our world from the inside out, not by fighting it, but by creating together meaningful projects and new philosophies that bring together rather than divide.

You will find blogs all over the internet summing up the details of the summit, including the truly amazing speakers, the setting of a world record, an epic and creative scavenger hunt, and thousands of glasses raised in a toast of sparkling apple cider in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall to celebrate the intention for proceeds to from the conference to be used as scholarships.

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Portland, OR

(Last year the proceeds were reinvested back into the thousand attendees in $100 increments!), but, I want to mention here the after party, because it felt like a culmination of a human party that was celebrating so much more than just a successful summit. Picture thousands of people spread over the giant Pioneer Square in downtown Portland, dancing, communing, loving, laughing.

After Party at Pioneer Square Portland, OR

There was no feeling of hold back, just people willing to jump up and move to the music together, smiling and laughing and celebrating being alive! There were police there, but I saw them smiling and enjoying the fun throughout the night, because this unconventional crowd, wasn’t and unruly one, but one able to party and stay to the side of sanity, and openheartedness. What I noticed that left me so free to relax and join in the fun, was how free people were to just enjoy the dancing and the connection with each other, eye-contact, smiles and all. There was even a wedding proposal. What a gift to see all these people focusing into a part of themselves, not using a party to numb and forget or become destructive, but to celebrate each other, our dancing bodies in play.  There was just the greatest overarching feeling of joy, release and togetherness.

So, perhaps this is what we can expect our global community to resemble as we evolve--with walls down and hearts open, this is what we find: people who can come together from all over the world, co-create and support the creations of others in making and contributing something of value for the community, and then when the work is done, let hair down, and freely and lovingly celebrate in peace and harmony to an awesome beat.