[Springboard] {Spam?} RE: Caring for TWC

Tue Oct 9 16:46:03 EDT 2007

Defining primary targets makes sense in another respect - it will inform how
we shape the tools we will use for formation. Let me stick with thinking,
organization and action for a minute.

Thinking - When the target was primarily the local church prior to our
decision to make an end-run on that stogy and slow-to-respond institution,
using Bultmann, Bonheoffer, Tillich, Niebuhr, et al was key. But when it
becomes this "civil, human, democratic, non-violent, non-ideological,
grassroots, diverse, global, classless, centerless, leaderless (in the sense
of a central leader) human immune response system" al the courses Jack
points out that we didn't focus on become more important plus some we have
not thought of yet.

Organization - Getting a handle on the guild dynamic as the principal form
of organization that transcends Hawken's 130,000 organization profiles will
be crucial. The speech Cock sent identifies the army - 

Action - While the central themes are social justice, environment,
indigenous culture, Hawken's definition of this movement is enlightening -
Carol Walter's watched this with me as she flew through the room a minute
ago and said "Ah yes, the invisible league". My immediate thought was "Oh
God" the Resurgence we were waiting for is here. However as we all know,
action is about objective, strategy. It goes beyond any of our causes to
question of what earth do we want to build, and now what planetary system.

It is also a mater of sectors and sub-sectors as Jack points out, and pilot
guilds like the Scotts are engaged in may help clarify that. Since I live
day-in and day-out in the tension between peace-makers and war-mongers the
issue of action for me has a critical "in time" and "effective" character
that means the "invisible must become visible" and become a force that
identifies and hits the right targets - i.e. back to thinking, and
organization. Indirection is only valuable if you know what direction your
indirection is trying to influence. To survive I must use indirection, but I
must also always be deciding why.

Sometimes directness becomes necessary. I had an argument with a colleague
the other day who said using solar and wind energy was not an option yet
because it costs too much and the ROI was too long-term. I said, the issue
is not "saving money" it is saving life - saving this planet. So as a people
who waste billions every year on making ourselves happy and comfortable,
lets spend some of that on living longer and healthier. After a moment of
dead silence he said, "you are right". But directness is also dangerous as
Jesus, Gandhi, and MLK will tell you.

I suppose some folks like Cock have met with Hawken, but at some point we
should let him know what we are up to.

George

4240 Sandy Shores Dr

Lutz, FL 33558

USA

Tel: 813-948-7267

Mob: 913-505-9041

Fax: 813-948-4167

Em: m.george.walters at verizon.net

  _____  

From: springboard-bounces at wedgeblade.net
[mailto:springboard-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of R Williams
Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 15:22
To: Springboard Dialogue
Subject: Re: [Springboard] Caring for TWC

Jack,  I think you and George have heard what I was saying.  I've inserted a
couple of comments in red in the body of your response below.

Randy

Jack Gilles <icabombay at igc.org> wrote:

Randy and George, 

Thanks for getting this conversation going.  I believe it is crucial to
clarify as much as we can before the Junaluska gathering so that we can
arrive at a consensus on just what we need to produce/model and who is our
target audience and what might be our strategy and timeline for action.

Let's start with who we are referring to with the term TWC and who are the
"carees".   At our first two gatherings it was very clear that the diaspora
of the Order/Movement were continuing to engage in exciting and effective
care.  We could all sense that there might be ways we can assist each other,
but that is not the global contradiction that needs to be addressed in a
corporate effort.

Over the years, we had all met many fellow travelers who we would readily
identify as profoundly caring colleagues, one's who would be comfortable
around the table, so to speak, even though they didn't have our common
memory.  We have often spoken of these as Spirit People.  We did so to
differentiate them from the much larger body of caring people engaged in
making a new world.  In the past, perhaps we would call these people
Guardians.  Today we are trying out the term Guild.  The para-vocated ones.
Now because the para-vocated ones are self-consciously serving in obedience
to the Mystery (tag on the toe so to speak), they not only are engaged in a
particular field (education, health, business, media etc.) but they know
that caring for TWC will require a spirit prowess that will enable TWC to
stand and stand, as well as be effective.  Here in India we have called such
people Transformational Leaders.   You don't need a lot of them, but without
them there is no effective change, even when there seems to be a fairly
large body of caring people in the structure.  I believe it is these people
we need to target.  

Perhaps there is work to be done to impact the millions of caring people
engaged in the world, maybe toward a deepening of their consciousness and
improving their effectivity.  Such an Extensive thrust would be a different
target and a different product and certainly a different strategy.  But I am
operating out of an image of some type of Formation process/program that
would both facilitate the emergence and growth of Spirit Giants as well as
networking them with a larger body of people.  It is knowing that there are
colleagues in every field who are caring for TWC, with common methods,
contexts, tools, etc. which is essential for a Movement to take root.  In
our Maneuver terminology, I feel we are looking at an Intensive Strategy and
a Probe Strategy at this time.  

You ask, "how do we find these people?"  I think your Hawken's TWC groups is
a good place to start.  But there are many other sources.  I have no special
affinity for Hawken, but I think the appendix of his book identifies most of
these groups you mention below so that we don't have to reinvent the wheel.
For instance, there was a group that met with Joe Jaworski around his book
Synchronicity.  Quite a few of us attended several of the meetings at Mohonk
NY.  Not all we met were Spirit people (as defined above), but a lot were.
I believe if we were to contact them with a "care" model they would respond.
Another is the World Cafe movement, lead by spirit colleagues Juanita Brown
and David Issacs.  There is Sheryl Erickson and her group that is working on
Collective Consciousness.   There is the Open Space movement.  There is the
jean Houston network.  What about the ToP trainers who have grasped the
spirit dimension behind the methods.   What about all the people in the
Ecology movement that colleagues like John Cock and Herman Greene have built
relationships with.  We could probably brainstorm hundreds of individuals we
have met over the last 20-30 years of permeation.  Here are a couple of web
sites we could make contact with.  <http://www.iofc.org/en/>
<http://www.sacredartofliving.com <http://www.sacredartofliving.com/> >
<http://www.zaadz.com <http://www.zaadz.com/> >
<http://www.belovedcommunitiesnet.org
<http://www.belovedcommunitiesnet.org/> >.   There are a lot more and maybe
we should begin to compile a list of such sites.  

But perhaps there is another way.  I love the Field of Dreams movie.  "If
you build it, they will come."  I think Spirit people will find us, once we
begin to get our mission into history.   For instance, the day after we met
at Abbey North we met some old Canadian colleagues who came to visit John &
Thea.  It didn't take 10 minutes of conversation for them to grasp what we
were trying to do in regards to Caring for TWC and the concept of The Guild.
They are involved with the Florence Nightengale movement for the nursing
profession.  Immediately they were able to rattle off exactly the people we
were talking about in the movement.  They began to see how we might enable
these Spirit people to be effective with our methods, models, training etc.
And the relationship we already have through past ICA work became
immediately apparent.  One of the key organizers is a colleague from
Arlington VA who helped set up the 84 Delhi event (one of the Magnificent
Seven).  I talked with her and she is ready to go on this.  I think there
are colleagues in many different Guild areas that could identify the kinds
of people we need to serve.  

So in general, I don't think finding people will be the problem for us, once
we have defined and discerned the target audience.  This was precisely my
point, to identify the target.  What will be difficult will be deciding what
to offer, and to spell out what the form(s) need to be.  Some things can
wait for refinement.  I know when the original curriculum was developed we
only taught a few in depth (RS-I, CS-I, RS IIIA, CS IIIA) and covered the
others mostly in the Academy.   It is in defining what Spirit people need to
become the Giants and to be able to lead "Guilds" that will be critical.
Again, the conversation on the nursing movement was very helpful on what the
spirit leaders needed to be able to care for that movement.  But we need a
lot more conversations to begin to flesh out models.  We need to find to get
a few of these people around the gatherings like Junaluska.  

It wouldn't be a bad place to begin if we were to brainstorm under the
categories of K-D-B, such as Intellectual Methods, Social Methods and Spirit
Methods.  But we need more than methods.  We need models, constructs,
exercises, resources, networks, contexts, etc.  We need to discern and name
what is the uniqueness we have to offer, that is not available from other
sources.  For instance, there are dozens and dozens of Spiritual Retreats
and Consciousness events that one can participate in.  These Care
constructs/opportunities need not be duplicated.  Whatever we pull together
must be unique and fill a void, and/or meet a contradiction that is
presently not being met.   That is why I believe we need to begin to work
with some proto-guilds like what David and Margaret Scott are doing with
Native American education group in Montana.

Enough for now, I need to get to bed!!  Thanks for stirring the pot and I
hope lots more of our Springboard listserv gets their thoughts into the
conversation.

G&P,

Jack 

On Oct 9, 2007, at 8:44 PM, M. George Walters wrote:

It is probably like what we did in India, Kenya, and elsewhere in creating
the band of 24 - we looked for the sensitive and responsive ones in Nava
Gram Prayas in India, for instance.

Holcombe's paper is probably a very good take off point. Where you find
anyone concerned with innocent human suffering, denial of participation, and
downright oppression, is good. Wanda Holcombe, Jean Watts and Terry Bergdahl
are working with conflict resolution among Muslim, Christian and Jewish
factions in the Middle East and old Eastern Block countries right now and
probably could talk to us about how they find and identify good people to
work with. The Patterson's work in Somalia and Kenya should be another
source of insight.

Vinode and Kamale Parekh and Kevin Balm have gone deep into the Indian
culture and John and Ann Epps, the Malaysian culture and will also have
insights about "those who care" who are their strong colleagues. Others in
China, Japan, etc. who have gone into those cultures rooted in Buddhism,
Shintoism, etc. should also speak. Of course Jack's work has uncovered those
who care for decades now.

The local church in any country (synagogue, mosque, congregations, etc) is
still a place to look.

George

4240 Sandy Shores Dr

Lutz, FL 33558

USA

Tel: 813-948-7267

Mob: 913-505-9041

Fax: 813-948-4167

Em: m.george.walters at verizon.net

  _____  

From: springboard-bounces at wedgeblade.net
[mailto:springboard-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of R Williams
Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 10:41
To: Springboard Dialogue
Subject: Re: [Springboard] Prayer of Gratitude

George,

What you say is true.  Thanks to Niebuhr, et al, we know them when we see
them.  But from a practical perspective, where we usually went back then to
find them was the local congregation.  Where do we go now?  What comes to
mind for me is Paul Hawken's mini-movements as described in the paper
Holcombe sent to us some time ago, which Hawken expounded on in his recent
book Blessed Unrest.

Randy

"M. George Walters" <m.george.walters at verizon.net> wrote:

Randy

Good question.

I think we said those who care we named the church, and localis us gave us a
focal point to care for them.

Much as we named that final reality - GOD - that which gives and takes all.

We also said that care might be awakened in anyone.

The Niebuhr Paper may still give us our best clues - "thinking, organization
and action" aimed at caring for others.

George

4240 Sandy Shores Dr

Lutz, FL 33558

USA

Tel: 813-948-7267

Mob: 913-505-9041

Fax: 813-948-4167

Em: m.george.walters at verizon.net

  _____  

From: springboard-bounces at wedgeblade.net
[mailto:springboard-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of R Williams
Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 10:02
To: Springboard Dialogue
Subject: Re: [Springboard] Prayer of Gratitude

Jack,

I was just reflecting, 30 years ago when we became aware that our mission
was to be "those who care for those who care" we identified those who care
as the local church.  Our curriculum and initial HDPs were created to awaken
and engage them.  How and who do we identify today as being "those who care"
whom we are called to serve?

Randy

Jack Gilles <icabombay at igc.org> wrote:

Dear Colleagues,

Last week I did the first module of our modified TLL for a group of 
young managers who are responsible for an Aluminum plant near 
Mumbai. This module was focused on Individual Transformation. 
Since the first day (October 2nd) was Gandhi's birthday (and mine) I 
decided to pull the issue of transformation through his life. I used 
the image many of you know of Michaelangelo's David in which he said 
that David was already in the stone and all he did was to chip away 
the pieces that revealed it. (I've heard the same story about the 
Chinese woodcarver). The point being that the difference between 
transformation and change is that transformation is about revealing 
what is to be in the midst of what is now. I then did an extensive 
spin on the understanding of the implicate order (the OW in the midst 
of TW). I asked them what would it take to release the Gandhi within 
each of them? There was a lot of RS-I like awe in the room. I 
spoke of transparency and of living the brokenness of life. There 
was much more, but you get the drift. The second day I did a spin on 
the Three Great Awakenings of life. In our language they are about 
Justification, Sanctification and Vocation (decision to be the 
Church). The first is the awakening to your humanness, the 
indicative freedom at the core of your being, In the second 
awakening I talked about the eternal YES that is at the heart of 
everything, every event and every person. The third awakening comes 
more slowly, but if you stay awake in the reality of the first two 
awakenings then the Mystery of Life will open the doors and reveal 
the vocation for your life.

Now the point of all this description (there was much, much more) is 
to state the context for my gratitude. I was in rare form, I was ten 
feet tall these three days. But if I was ten feet tall it is because 
I was standing on the shoulders of you and so many other of our 
colleagues. I was deeply aware that anything I had to say was 
because of the life I received and lived in the Order. And the fact 
that so many are still standing in these eternal realities gave me 
courage to declare the possibility to those who were in the 
program. I may have added some of my style to the work, but the 
content credit belongs to you. And I hope you will continue to hold 
me accountable to be the Presence of what I know to be true. In the 
beginning was the Word, and at the end there is the Word and because 
of that reality we can live our life in abundance and fulfillment.

Grace & Peace,

Jack

_______________________________________________
Springboard mailing list
Springboard at wedgeblade.net
http://wedgeblade.net/mailman/listinfo/springboard_wedgeblade.net

  _____  

Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. Join
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48516/*http:/surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_pan
el_invite.asp?a=7%20>  Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us. 

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:2.1
N:Walters;;George
FN:M. George Walters (m.george.walters at verizon.net)
TEL;HOME;VOICE:(813) 948-7267
EMAIL;PREF;INTERNET:m.george.walters at verizon.net
REV:20070921T203338Z
END:VCARD
_______________________________________________
Springboard mailing list
Springboard at wedgeblade.net
http://wedgeblade.net/mailman/listinfo/springboard_wedgeblade.net

  _____  

Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! 
Play
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48223/*http:/get.games.yahoo.com/proddesc?gameke
y=monopolyherenow>  Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy)
at Yahoo! Games. 

<M. George Walters (m.george.walters at verizon.net).vcf>

_______________________________________________

Springboard mailing list

Springboard at wedgeblade.net

http://wedgeblade.net/mailman/listinfo/springboard_wedgeblade.net

_______________________________________________
Springboard mailing list
Springboard at wedgeblade.net
http://wedgeblade.net/mailman/listinfo/springboard_wedgeblade.net

  _____  

Pinpoint
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48250/*http:/searchmarketing.yahoo.com/arp/spons
oredsearch_v9.php?o=US2226&cmp=Yahoo&ctv=AprNI&s=Y&s2=EM&b=50>  customers
who are looking for what you sell. 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://wedgeblade.net/pipermail/springboard_wedgeblade.net/attachments/20071009/4370e5c8/attachment-0001.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: M. George Walters (m.george.walters at verizon.net).vcf
Type: text/x-vcard
Size: 204 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://wedgeblade.net/pipermail/springboard_wedgeblade.net/attachments/20071009/4370e5c8/attachment-0001.vcf 