== Discussion at [[Sol 2009]] ==
=== Participants ===
* [[Brandon CS Sanders]]
* [[Shelley Sanders]]
* [[Ben Sibelman]]
* Steve Sibelman
* Judy Sibelman
=== Origins of the [[SolSeedMovement]] ===
* [[Brandon]] was working on his dissertation when he discovered Omidyar.net and met [[Kim]], [[Ted]], and possibly [[Mark]]
* He had a "peak experience" related to his parents' Christianity and how to relate to it
* SolSeed was going to be a religion (name chosen partly because Earthseed domain name was taken)
** Religion has a privileged place in people's lives, opens a space for the discussion of meaning
** Goal: create a [[SolSeedCommunity|community]] with a shared language and practices
=== What it is now ===
* Judy: Now, SolSeed may be a spirituality
** Avoids problems with trying to convert people
** No need for claims of exclusivity
** See the [[Media:Seed2009Map.jpg|circles drawing]] from [[Seed 2009]] on how the [[SolSeedMovement]] relates to the wider world
* Overall, Brandon wants to live a life that is part of an epic story
** SolSeed's [[TheDestiny|story]] is about seeding the galaxy with [[life]]
** Other people who have been involved in SolSeed, such as [[Bonnie]], are in it only for connection to people
** Humanists may object to [[TheDestiny]] because "we need to fix our problems on Earth first"
*** But maybe life is as good as it's ever going to be
=== What it wants to become ===
* An intentional [[SolSeedCommunity|community]]/[[Intentional Societies|society]]
** Would attract "normals," i.e. people uninterested in space?
** Judy and Steve's example: housing co-op in Davis, CA house bought by Judy's parents
*** Created by renting out bedrooms
*** 4 or 5 total occupants at a time with pretty high turnover
** They've also been involved in a babysitting co-op in Washington, DC
*** SolSeed could start with an association of neighbors
*** '''Specific goal:''' SolSeed room in new neighborhood community center
=== How to pursue/support achievement of [[TheDestiny]]? ===
* Steve: [[TheDestiny]], and space travel more generally, requires building real wealth
* Best way for SolSeed to help with these big goals may be by "acting at the headwaters," as per the movie [[The Upward Spiral]], taking focused actions aimed at much larger downstream results
** But how to know if we're doing something that will work?
** [[Shelley]]: science itself is young, so there's no shame in not entirely knowing what we're doing
=== Spiritual development ===
* Judy's religion is "Allishness," defined as connecting with an inner reservoir of awe at All-That-Is instead of focusing on the buzzing of one's thoughts
* Rainier dying: [[Shelley]] had to learn to "let it be what it is"
* [[Brandon]]: Being open and connected is powerful
* Back to religion: is community its most important aspect rather than the stories it tells?
** Stories about people are effective
** But do people want to follow along with someone else's existing story?