I had just arrived as a volunteer graphic artist at Norbulingka, an institute in northern India dedicated to preserving Tibetan art and culture. Just outside my door was a magnificent rendering of the Bhavachakra. Every day on my way to "work," I would pause to marvel at the intricacies of the cosmos within which I was presumably embedded.

The current global crisis represents the greatest challenge our species has ever faced. The very structures that support life are being rapidly dismantled, and our daunting challenge is to come together to engage our collective wisdom, compassion, and creativity to preserve as much life as possible. This requires an authentic, heroic humility.

We find ourselves at a crucial turning point in history. Revolution is in the air, and evolution is in the stars. We all sense that a massive shift is underway, but what are the outlines of the emerging paradigm, and how can we help bring it to fruition?

In the Occupy movements expanding across the country, we of the 99% have the opportunity to be the change we want to see in the world. Let us stand against the injustices of a dysfunctional and dying system, and stand for profound change by embodying the respect, tolerance, patience, empathy and kindness we find lacking in our adversaries.