Episode 09: The Inner Dimensions of Societal Transformation

with Tomas Bjorkman

Hello everyone, thank you for joining us on Awakening Together.  This next conversation with Tomas Bjorkman is a very meaningful one for the times we’re in right now.  You might say it is right and timely.  So much of Tomas’ focus in the world is about cultivating the inner capacities of people as well as the collective capacities that can make the biggest difference.  One of his projects he’s been developing is the Inner Development Goals and Summit, all designed to support this inner growth and maturation of individuals so you can start deepening your own inner growth practices.  One of the greatest things we can do as Gandhi said is “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Tomas Björkman is an author and social entrepreneur with great interest in science and philosophy. He used to be an investment banker and property developer working all over Europe. He has founded several companies and organizations, including Investment Banking Partners AB. Ten years ago, he founded the Ekskäret Foundation, with the aim of supporting sustainable development for individuals, organizations and society.

He is also the author of three books: The Market Myth, The Nordic Secret (together with Lene Rachel Andersen) and The World We Create. He divides his time between London, Stockholm and Berlin.

In our conversation we cover some great ground, with a focus on the intimate relationship between inner and personal development work and societal change.  This is the invitation for us all as we’re on the cusp of massive pivotal change.  Several guiding inquiries are “What is it going to take to support us making a phase change and step into our collective capacities?” And “Why are we not facilitating this profound inner transformation work for society as a whole, culture as a whole.”  These became a driving force in his life for many years.  He’s a pioneer and he’s committed to facilitating the conditions for early adopters to join in.  

Tomas illuminates a number of essential understandings including this key distinction between vertical development and horizontal development.  Another potent invitation is to recognize that we are in this bifurcation moment, we are either heading to a breakthrough or what sometimes feels like an inevitable breakdown.  What’s unique now?  It’s global and it’s never happened before.  What will it take for a global breakthrough.  It calls for a more self-conscious approach at the civilization level.  What I admire about Tomas is his understanding of system and complexity science dynamics applied to social systems and how he remains optimistic.  Together we also explore the nature of emergence and its role in the transformation of society.  One of his projects is convening with others the Emerge Gatherings, three of which have already taken place in Berlin and the first one in the States will happen at the end of June 2022.

In terms of optimism, I feel similarly.  We are on the cusp and this is a profound moment for us all.  What can you feel is being invited in your own life to uplevel your capacities.  As Tomas names we’re in this profound shift that is as significant as the one we saw from the pre-modern religious dogmatic society moving to the scientific rationalist guided modernity.  Recognizing that we can actually facilitate some of the process we are in for taking self-organization to new levels of scale, brings a great amount of hope and inspiration to bear in our process.  It’s time for us to be shifting from the focus on individual agency to the collective capacities!  This is a consciousness shift as much as anything.  

As Tomas shared:  “Evolution is working through us as humans and nature…..we are embodied agents of that evolutionary force, for that evolutionary force to take the next step, we must step up to that capacity.  We know that we are truly the creators of this world.”  

Please check out the show notes for all the links and resources mentioned in our conversation which I know will support you personally, in your relationships and in your community, organizations and networks.  If inspired, do subscribe and share it with your friends and enjoy the new insights that come through for you around the invitation for upleveling to new levels of capacity!

WATCH
LISTEN
READ
CONNECT

Bio

Tomas Björkman is an author and social entrepreneur with great interest in science and philosophy. He used to be an investment banker and property developer working all over Europe. He has founded several companies and organizations, including Investment Banking Partners AB. He has also served as chairman of EFG Investment Bank. Ten years ago, he founded the Ekskäret Foundation, with the aim of supporting sustainable development for individuals, organizations and society. Tomas is the author of three books: The Market Myth (2016) , The Nordic Secret (together with Lene Rachel Andersen, 2017) and The World We Create (2019). He divides his time between London, Stockholm and Berlin.

LINKS